DENVER (AP) – The number of Colorado children abused or neglected has been growing.

The Denver Post reports that confirmed abuse and neglect cases have grown between 2007 and 2009, the latest year statistics are available.

In 2009, 36 children died because of abuse, up from 27 in 2007.

The data was collected by the state and provided by the Kempe Center, which treats abused children.

The number of confirmed abuse and neglect cases dropped between 2006 and 2007 but then began to rise. The rate went from 8.3 per 1,000 in 2007 to 9.1 per 1,000 in 2009.

The increase comes even as abuse rates in other states have dropped. Some think it might be because Colorado has been trying to be more consistent in what’s labeled as abuse and neglect and what’s not.

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