I know that people don't like to read about horrible things happening to children, but I think it is important that these stories get told. Sure, people know bad things happen but I think people just kind of blow it off these days. If they don't know what is happening, it's like it doesn't really happen.

I've read and blogged about some terrible behavior of parents but this might be the worst yet, or at least one of the worst.

Frank Lombard, the Associate Director of the Center for Health Policy at Duke University, was arrested when he got caught in an Internet sting. Apparently, an unnamed informant (who is also facing molestation charges) led police to Lombard.

It seems that Lombard identified himself online as "perv dad for fun," admitted molesting his 5-year-old adopted son and tried to persuade a person (an undercover cop) to travel to North Carolina to have sex with his son. He even suggested which hotel he should use!

Lombard is now facing up to 20 years in federal prison. It's times like these when I kind of wish that he could be castrated. Maybe then he'll know what it's like to be violated.

Well, maybe he'll become someone's bitch in prison.

Lombard, meet your cellmate, Bubba. Enjoy.

This is Todd Marcum, who lives in Salem, Oregon. He may be the dumbest parent alive. Apparently, this 41-year-old father of 4 thought it would be hilarious to put an electric dog collar on his children's necks and shock them with it.

The four children, ages 3, 6, 8 and 9, had each been shocked at least once, according to Marcum. He told police that he would chase the 3-year-old boy around with the collar, making him cry. Police Lt. Dave Okada said, judging from the boy's behavior it was apparent he had been shocked more than once.

Marcum has been charged with four counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment and is currently in Marion county jail. The children were left in the custody of their mother.

I just have to know ... how incredibly stupid do you have to be to think something like this would be funny?

OCTOBER 7-- Meet Randy Lewis. The Tennessee man was so plastered Sunday afternoon that he directed a 10-year-old boy to drive his van, which eventually crashed after the child hit speeds of upwards of 90 mph. Lewis, 43, was charged with drunk driving, reckless endangerment, and child abuse. A female friend, Paula Evans, was hit with reckless endangerment and child abuse charges. According to a Sullivan County Sheriffs Office affidavit, when officers responded to the vehicle crash site, they discovered that the totaled 1995 Ford Windstar van (which had flipped on its roof) had been driven by the 10-year-old. The boy was one of three children in the auto; all five of the van's inhabitants were treated for injuries at a local hospital. When arrested, Lewis, pictured in the below mug shot, had cocaine in his system and a blood alcohol content of .26, more than three times the state limit, according to the sheriff's affidavit. He admitted drinking "at least 15 beers, along with some liquor," cops reported. For her part, Evans was spotted by sheriff's deputies shoving pills in her mouth while seated near the overturned van. In a subsequent hospital interview with police, Evans recalled having told Lewis that "the boy was too young to be driving." Lewis is being held on $50,000 bond in the Sullivan County jail, where he has presumably changed out of his unfortunate "Buy This Dad a Beer" t-shirt.