HC Chief Deputy Prosecutor Aimee Herring was one of a handful of professionals across the state invited to present at the recent Indiana ChildFirst Forensic Interview training in Chesterfield.
HANCOCK COUNTY — Prosecutor Brent Eaton calls his Chief Deputy Prosecutor Aimee Herring a tireless worker with a tremendous empathy for crime victims, particularly children.
It’s one of the reasons Herring recently served as an instructor at a training event focused on forensic interview training, which is an integral part of prosecuting child abuse cases.
Herring was one of a handful of professionals across the state invited to present at the Indiana ChildFirst Forensic Interview training as a part of Zero Abuse Project’s National Forensic Interview Training — a five-day, 37-hour course. The training was conducted Aug. 14 through Aug. 18 at the Mill Creek Civic Center in Chesterfield.
While Herring was asked to speak as an instructor, she noted that there is always a chance for learning when an attorney gets to be part of an event like this.
“Honestly, I’d say it is quite a bit of both,” Herring said when asked if she liked teaching or learning when it comes to helping victims. “I am always energized by the enthusiasm of the students who really want to learn the nuances of child abuse investigations and prosecutions.”
Herring noted it takes more than talent, training and experience to do the kind of work she and other prosecutors around the state are asked to do when helping children and holding abusers accountable.
“It takes passion,” she said. “It takes dedication. It takes heart.”
Herring feels those coming into the profession have their eyes wide open and always have a fresh perspective and something to offer.
“When we come to the table with the common goal of protecting children, we can all learn something from each other,” Herring said.
Eaton said Herring was asked to speak at the session because she’s an excellent attorney and knows the law and rules for the court backward and forward.
“She’s a great communicator and really works hard to make sure the victims know they are valued and that she will fight for them,” Eaton said.
It was that kind of message Herring tried to pass along to the eager young attorneys who attended the work session.
There were a wide range of attendees, including law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and other medical professionals, forensic interviewers and other Child Advocacy Center employees attending the event.
“Child abuse cases are among the most challenging to document and prosecute,” Herring said. “It is vital that those involved in gathering evidence receive training in proper techniques to assist prosecutors in bringing justice for these vulnerable victims.”
Herring presented on multiple topics including legal considerations, hearsay, preparing professional witnesses for court, preparing children to testify, working as a multi-disciplinary team to obtain corroborating evidence in child abuse cases, and practical corroboration/case review exercise.
Zoey’s Place, Hancock County’s Child Advocacy Center, opened its doors to clients in December of 2020. Since that time, more than 300 children and families have been served. Zoey’s Place utilizes the ChildFirst forensic interview protocol which focuses on interviewing children in a victim centered, trauma informed, child friendly, neutral environment. Zoey’s Place is part of a multi-disciplinary team consisting of DCS, Law Enforcement, Prosecution, SANEs and Child Advocacy Center employees, and offers forensic interviews, victim advocacy, community outreach, and education on the prevention of child abuse.
“Working collaboratively as a team is vital to the successful prosecution of child abuse cases,” Herring said. “I am grateful that we continue to have professionals dedicated to working hard and are excited about learning new skills to hold these offenders accountable. I am confident that the participants who devoted an entire week to this vital training further developed their knowledge to take back to their own communities and strengthen their investigations.”
