It just makes my heart hurt in Just in Case

The day started fine. Everything was going ok. Actually, we had just had fun. We were working when the kids suddenly screamed that it was snowing. It took about half a second to tell them to put their coats on and we were out in it playing. I can't beleive 3 snows in as many weeks. Crazy. Then my 2nd rotation came in and worked hard. Right before we were set to rotate I called one of my little boys into the hall He's this tiny little red headed boy who looks just like Fedex off Cheaper by the Dozen: Remember him?

Alan is normally fairly quiet, but he really likes science and social studies. He knows a lot about it and loves to tell it. The past couple of weeks he's been different, very withdrawn, sad, and angry. He also isn't playing with anyone. I noticed it really badly today and called him out to talk to him. He lives with his dad and his stepmom. Dad is a bully and stepmom is crazy. Her precious two children are treated like royalty (new clothes, expensive toys, etc) Alan and his 2 sisters are treated pretty badly. They are all 3 wards of the state because of a situation before dad remarried and still have a case worker somewhere. It's a bad situation at home. Anyway I tried to talk to him and see if he would open up. At first he refused to say anything, then he would stop and start, then stop and start again. I waited patiently. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I got. He suddenly dropped his head, started to cry, and mumbled that his dad had beat him the night before. Every nerve in my body went on alert, but I tried to stay calm for him. I talked to him for a few minutes and then asked him if he would want to talk to the school nurse. He said that he didn't hurt, he was just sad. He told me it has happened before. I asked him if he would talk to our principal and he said no. I asked if there was anyone at the school he would talk to. He just mumbled no. He kept crying. I've never seen him cry. It literally broke my heart. I just wanted to bring him home with me and promise him that he'd be safe. We're moving forward with the reporting process. I'm a mandated reporter, so it's really not an option. I even talked to him about my childhood and getting spanked for various things (all deserved!) He shook his head and said his dad made him bend over the couch and he hit him with a big board. He panicked a little when I asked him about talking to someone else. I'm sure he's afraid what will happen to him and his sisters if he tells. He's just so sweet and so little. I would love nothing more than some time alone with that dad and mom. There's a special place in hell for people like them. Days like this make me feel very old, very tired, ... just sick and ready to find another job.