Every time a parent or caregiver is charged with homicide in the death of a Shelby County child, we raise the Children's Memorial Flag at the Memphis Child Advocacy Center. Each April, during National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we hold our Annual Children's Memorial Flagraising ceremony on the plaza in downtown Memphis. At this event, we memorialize all children who died in the past year.
Please join us, in person or in spirit, at our Annual Children's Memorial Flagraising Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at 11 am. We will remember two Shelby County children: 17-month-old Carson Flowers, 7-year-old Jarvarious Isabell, and all children who have been lost to abuse or neglect. The Memphis Police Department Color Guard will present the Children’s Memorial Flag. A white dove will be released for each child.
In the event of rain, the event will be moved to the lobby of the Vasco A. Smith Shelby County Administration Building at 160 N. Main Street.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. During April, the Children’s Memorial Flag flies on the plaza near the Vasco A. Smith Shelby County Administration Building and at the Memphis CAC campus to remember all children lost or at risk.
Over 1,500 children died from abuse and neglect in this country in 2013 (CDC). The youngest children are the most vulnerable. About 46% of child abuse & neglect fatalities are younger than 1 year old; 35% are between one and three years.
You can help raise awareness by posting an image of the Children's Memorial Flag on social media. The best times to post the flag image is during the weeks the flag flies at the Memphis CAC and during April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Just use the flag image below.
