INDIANAPOLIS -- The number of child abuse and neglect deaths in Indiana rose to 46 during the state's 2008 fiscal year, an increase of 10 from the previous year.

The data released by the Indiana Department of Child Services on Thursday marked a 28 percent increase from a year earlier.

The report indicated that the number of abuse deaths rose to 24 during the 12 months ending June 30, 2008, up from 17 during the previous year. Neglect deaths rose to 22 in 2008 from 19 the year before.

The report said that 15 of the 2008 deaths resulted from abusive head trauma. Five deaths resulted from gunshot wounds, five from traffic crashes and five from asphyxiation.

"Fifteen of the fatalities happened in families with at least one prior Child Protective Services-substantiated investigation," a portion of the report read.

There were also four drowning deaths that resulted from neglect and two deaths in house fires attributed to neglect.

To mark National Child Abuse Prevention Month, advocates with Prevent Child Abuse Indiana and Indianapolis police arranged thousands of blue pinwheels on the front lawn of the Indiana State Museum, each representing the tens of thousand of babies born each year.

"We average in our state, the loss of one child a week. Three classrooms of children a year die of child abuse or neglect," said Sharon Pierce with Prevent Child Abuse. "Knowing that that can be prevented is our charge, not only this month of April, but every month of the year."

One Teen's Story

Ebony, a senior at Lawrence Central High School, is a child abuse survivor who has been in foster care since the age of 4, 6News' Stacia Matthews reported.

She kept her home life a secret until high school.

"When I was younger, I thought, oh, they are going to think of me as weird," Ebony said. "I'm in foster care. You don't have parents. Everybody has parents."

She credits intervention and youth mentoring with helping her succeed. Today, she said she shares her story with hopes of inspiring others.

"It's a really slow process of getting over it, but after time, you have to heal those wounds," she said. "It'll all be OK. It'll be OK."

Ebony will graduate high school this May, and plans to study accounting at Indiana State University. She said she hopes to one day become a child advocate and an attorney.

Indiana's new hot line number -- 1-800-CHILDREN -- offers free information, resources and support for parents having problems with their children.

More Information: Prevent Child Abuse Indiana