The sad story of little Talia Williams looms large as a reminder that society fails its child-abuse victims at many points, not all of them institutional.

There's been much public discussion of other tragedies — especially the case of young Peter Kema Jr. in which fingers of blame have been pointed at the social services and public safety systems that did not prevent his apparent death.

Laudable government efforts to improve responsiveness have resulted, though sufficient funding to support these efforts is still lacking and the holes in the safety net remain open.

The investigation of 5-year-old Talia's last days is classified as a murder, in which her father and stepmother have been charged. But this story, like so many incidents of abuse, is one of a shared failure by a society that too often tolerates abusive behavior in successive generations.

Family, doctors, friends, social workers — everyone could have done more to intervene in time to save her life. Even the bureaucratic slowness of her body's release for burial compounded the offense.

The only salve is the hope that many who have been touched by the case — which should be just about everyone in the Islands — realize the role they might play in rescuing another child.

For the present, however, we can only mourn Talia and acknowledge that much more could have — and should have — been done.