The Westchester County Office of the District Attorney’s Child Abuse Bureau handles investigations and prosecutions of crimes against children. Assistant District Attorneys in the Child Abuse Bureau investigate and prosecute allegations of sexual and physical abuse of children age 16 and under. Our mission is to investigate thoroughly all allegations of abuse to ensure the safety and welfare of children in Westchester County. We investigate and prosecute these offenders, where appropriate, to obtain justice for the victims of abuse and prevent future harm to other children. Prosecutors in the Child Abuse Bureau have specialized training on the best practice to forensically interview children and continue to receive training to enhance their skills. A case is individually assigned to an ADA who handles the case from beginning to end so that children and their families can be as comfortable as possible throughout the duration of the investigation and prosecution.
The Child Abuse Bureau is located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in White Plains directly across from the Westchester County Courthouse. The Child Abuse Bureau is located within the Special Prosecutions Division and has a child-friendly waiting area where children can play and families can be at ease in our office. We have social services staff on site, including a trauma specialist and members of the victim’s justice center who help children feel comfortable and ensure that both parents and children understand the criminal justice process and get the services that they need. Referrals are available for individual counseling, family counseling and medical treatment. There is an Assistant District Attorney from this Bureau on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Child Advocacy Center
Once a report of suspected child abuse is received, most children are seen at the Child Advocacy Center (CAC), located at the Westchester Institute for Human Development on the site of the Westchester Medical Center Campus. At the center, specially trained forensic interviewers, a forensic pediatrician who is an expert in identifying and treating child abuse, members of the Department of Social Services, Victims Assistance Services, prosecutors from the Child Abuse Unit and members of local law enforcement all work together as a team in a child-friendly center to promote an effective and coordinated response to child abuse while minimizing the trauma to child victims. The CAC allows for an immediate forensic interview of the child, a medical evaluation and provides victim services to ensure that the child and their family receive the emotional support that they need. The CAC is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be opened for an emergency case overnight and on weekends.
Reporting Child Abuse
Child Abuse is a very sad, difficult and emotional event for a child and family to go through. However, often child victims and their families are afraid or embarrassed to report the abuse, out of concern for another family member or a concern for their own privacy. Reporting the physical or sexual abuse is always the right thing to do. Reporting the abuse can hopefully stop it from continuing and protect other potential victims from being abused.
- In case of an emergency, call 911 immediately.
- If you suspect a child is the victim of abuse or maltreatment, call the New York State Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 342-3720.
- Mandated reporters:
- include doctors, nurses, medical providers, therapists, social workers, mental health providers, teachers, school administrators, guidance counselors, daycare workers, and law enforcement personnel.
- must make reports when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child before them in their official capacity is an abused or maltreated child.
- should call the New York State Central Registry at (800) 635-1522.
The Child Abuse Bureau is located in the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The phone number is (914) 995-3000.
