Article courtesy – KRTV

A crisis nursery is in the works for the city of Great Falls.

“We’re still very much in our infancy stages,” said Jo-Viviane Jones of the Cascade City-County Health Department.

The nursery will be named “Toby’s House” after October Perez, a 2-year-old who died after suffering from child abuse.

“First of all, we appreciate they are doing this. It’s a great honor,” said April Hall, October’s paternal grandmother.

Kristy Perez, October’s mother, agrees.

“I look forward to working with both the Dandelion Foundation and the Early Childhood Coalition to help educate the community and prevent these tragedies from happening in our community,” said Perez.

Article courtesy – Great Falls Tribune

Though it is difficult to find hope in Great Falls’ massive child abuse problem, it is also difficult to feel helpless.

Efforts are underway by Great Falls Kiwanis Club, the Early Childhood Coalition, the Dandelion Foundation and more to put real programs in place that will prevent abuse from ever happening.

Right now, the coalition is just in the planning stages, but hopes to open a crisis nursery in the next couple of years that would be available to parents for up to 72 hours, according to Leesha Ford, president of Great Falls Kiwanis and a member of the coalition. The crisis nursery will be called Toby’s House, in memory of October Perez, who was killed by her mother’s live-in boyfriend in 2011.