MARCH TARGETS CHILD ABUSE

David Sinclair Staff Writer

Letsie Generette couldn't hold back the tears as she thought of the pain and torture her 4-year-old nephew endured in the last months of his short life.

But the hardest thing for family members to accept is that Cory McLauchlin's death might have been prevented.

They don't want that happen to another child.

About 70 people marched in silence from the Department of Social Services building to Rowan Park where a ceremony was held to remember Cory. The rally was called ``Justice for Cory.'' Marchers want more to be done to protect children.

``I miss him so much,'' said Allison Bryant, 26, one of Cory's cousins who marched. ``He was such a sweet child. He was always smiling. I hope what we are doing today will make a difference.''

Cory's adoptive mother, Eddiesenior Jones McLauchlin, 45, was charged July 4 with beating him to death. There were other signs of abuse, including burns to his hands from scalding water, and bruises on his stomach, back and head.

Just two months earlier, social workers removed Cory's 8-year-old brother, Michael, from home because of suspected abuse.

But despite warnings from family members, friends and teachers, Cory remained in the home.

``If DSS heard our cries, Cory would probably still be alive today,'' Generette said as the march began. ``The last thing I told them was that if you don't so something, Cory will die. And now that precious little boy is gone.''

Chip Modlin, the county's social services director, said every call about Cory being abused was investigated. He said there was no legal reason to remove him.

``Just because you suspect something is wrong is not enough,'' Modlin said. ``Cory wanted to stay with his mother. This was unpredictable. It is unfortunate. I hope this will focus more attention on the problem. It is a whole community problem.''

The state is sending a review team to Cumberland County on Wednesday and Thursday to determine whether the county's child protection system failed in the weeks leading up to Cory's death.

Tom and Clara Wright, who were Cory's foster parents for two years, helped lead efforts to get state law changed. A measure, sponsored by Sen. Tony Rand, requires social workers to investigate the welfare of all children in a home where a child is removed because of abuse.

Some people who participated in the march say other children should be removed automatically, until the investigation is complete.

``If you're not fit to parent one child, you're certainly not fit to parent other children,'' said Lisa Stewart, a teacher at E.E. Miller Elementary School where Michael attended.

Stewart said she contacted social workers with concerns that Cory was possibly being abused. Others did too.

``It's sad enough if we didn't know,'' Stewart said. ``It is a real tragedy when we all knew.''

During the time that the abuse was occurring, the boy's adoptive father, Connie McLauchlin, a Fort Bragg soldier, was in Bosnia.

Connie was not at the march. His bother, Rev. Allen McLauchlin, said Connie is still grieving, but is getting stronger emotionally.

Steve and Rosemary Buerger and their daughter Jessica, 4, and Chelsea, 6, marched. They wanted to take a stand for children.

``Every child deserves a fighting chance,'' Ms. Buerger said. ``Cory didn't have a fighting chance. We can't let this happen again.''

Rev. McLauchlin told the people gathered at the park that this is just the beginning of a new movement for children. ``Cory was truly a gift from God who touched so many people's lives,'' McLauchlin said. ``If Cory were here today, he would tell us not to forget his brother and his father and `don't let this happen to another child. If so, then my dying was not in vain.''

A small choir sang ``I'll Fly Away.'' It was Cory's favorite song.