Child abuse does not discriminate against a child because of age, gender, religion, or socioeconomic background. Every child is vulnerable to abuse. Parents today are faced with the possibility that someone they know or a stranger could hurt or take advantage of their children. Research indicates that at least one in four children will be a victim of some type of abuse (National Child Abuse Statistics). Furthermore, one of the greatest ironies of child abuse is that family, a child's primary source of care, love, and security, can also be his or her most challenging experience. This was the case for 17-month-old Peter Connelly. Throughout his short life, he suffered neglect and physical abuse that ultimately caused his death. Child abuse is a serious problem that is taken too lightly. Peter Connelly was born on 1 March 2007 in Haringey, London. Within two months Peter's father left home, while his mother Tracey Connelly met a new boyfriend, Steven Baker, at a club. On October 13, Peter was taken to the doctor's office with bruises on the side of his head. His mother told authorities he had fallen from his crib. Around December, Peter's mother's thirty-two-year-old boyfriend, Steven Baker, moves into the house. That same month he was rushed to the emergency room with head injuries, bruises to the bridge of his nose, sternum, right shoulder and buttocks. Peter's mother said he fell off the seat. His case was eventually referred to social services. Peter was temporarily entrusted to a family friend. Going further, on January 26 Peter was returned to his mother, even though Tracey Connelly was still on bail for assaulting and neglecting the child. Now......middle of paper......Name of Baby P's death." BBC News - Home. Web. 07 April 2011. .Hughes, Mark. "Baby P's killers: the story ever told - Crime, UK - The Independent." The Independent | News | UK & World News | Newspaper. Web. 07 April 2011. .Layman, Richard. Child Abuse. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 1990. 15+ Print."National Child Abuse Statistics | Childhelp." Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse | Childhelp. Web. 07 April 2011. "Timeline Leading to the Peter Connelly Child Tragedy | The Sun | News." The Sun | Best for news, sport, entertainment, celebrities | The Sun | The Sun. Web. 07 April. 2011. .