Day Care Child Abuse Cases: a 20th century modern "moral panic"

According to investigative journalist Debbie Nathan, "research shows that between 1984 and 1995, at least 185 adults nationwide, about half of them women, were charged with ritualized sexual abuse. Of those, 113 were convicted, mainly on the word of young children." (Not all of the accused were day-care workers, some were bus drivers, some were parents and grandparents, some, like Patrick Figured of North Carolina, currently serving a life sentence, simply knew someone who owned a day care.) " Source: http://www.crimemagazine.com/nightmare-day-care-wee-care-case

Kelly Michaels, Maplewood, New Jersey -- Wee Care Nursery School: 1985-1994
           a 23 year old college student/day care worker sentenced to 47 years for alleged perverted sexual abuse of children in day care;
           she served five years (a year and a half in solitary confinement) before being exonerated; all evidence created by social workers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wee_Care_Nursery_School_abuse_trial

http://www.blackstonepolygraph.com/articles/PolygraphMichealsDecision.pdf

Wenatchee, Washington 1995 - 2000

Forty-three adults were arrested on 29,726 charges of child sex abuse, involving 60 children in 1995.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenatchee_child_abuse_prosecutions

McMartin Pre-School Case, Manhattan Beach CA (just south of Los Angeles): 1983-1990

On March 22, 1984, Virginia McMartin, Peggy McMartin Buckey, Ray Buckey, Ray's sister Peggy Ann Buckey and teachers Mary Ann Jackson, Betty Raidor, and Babette Spitler were charged with 115 counts of child abuse, later expanded to 321 counts of child abuse involving 48 children

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMartin_preschool_trial

Michael Figured, North Carolina, still serving a life sentence

http://members.shaw.ca/imaginarycrimes/figured.htm

"Satanic ritual abuse": the alleged conspiracy behind day care child abuse cases of 1980-1990's

"A 1996 investigation of more than 12,000 allegations of satanic, ritual and religious abuse resulted in no cases that were considered factual or corroborated."     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_ritual_abuse