John McCaherty, R-High Ridge, was the sponsor of the original House joint resolution that led to the proposed amendment.

More than two years ago, McCaherty got a letter from a constituent who described how her daughter, then 6, had been groomed and sexually abused by her once-estranged father. A prosecutor told the mother she would not be able to press charges for lack of evidence, even though forensic investigators and the Missouri Department of Social Services’ children’s division found evidence abuse had taken place.

The mom said her anger grew when another person in law enforcement let slip that the suspect had been accused earlier of a similar act but was never charged. The Post-Dispatch, which previously reviewed court and investigative records in the case, has chosen not to identify the mother for the privacy and safety of her child.

“If he does this to another child, they could use (my daughter’s) case to get him,” the mother said at the time.

Contacted last week, the mother said her daughter, now 9, is doing well after years of therapy. But she said she will have to file orders of protection against her abuser every year until she is 18.

At that milestone, it will be up to her daughter to continue filing the court orders against him.

But the woman’s daughter said she “knows the importance of this constitutional amendment. If there is just one kid we can save, this will be worth it.”

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.