President Obama signed the Kilah Davenport child abuse act into law, which pressure states into increasing punishers for those guilty of child abuse.
Robert Pittenger, a Republican from Charlotte who sponsored the law, said “It provides the real hope that children in the future will be protected. I’m very happy for the Davenport family that has been through a long and difficult journey. They fought hard and this has been on their mind that Kilah’s life would end up having great meaning.”
Kilah, the child, whose name is used in this act, died in March after being assaulted by her stepfather in May 2012. The attack fractured her skull and caused her to suffer from permanent brain damage.
The law requires the U.S Attorney General to produce a report which had to detail the penalties imposed in each state for child abuse. It also had to report as to whether these laws provide stronger punishments for cases of severe child abuse.
It was this February that her father, Joshua Houser, was convicted of felony child abuse and was sentenced to a minimum of seven years and a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Kilah also served as inspiration for another law that was passed last year in the state of North Carolina that increased sentencing for cases pertaining to child abuse. Governor Pat MCrory signed the act into law.
It must be said that if this child was beaten before the Kilah act became law, Houser would have received 25 years to life in prison.