ReportWire

Tag: child safety

  • Search underway for missing 5-year-old in Alabama who is believed to be in danger

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    A search is underway in Alabama for a missing child who authorities believe is in danger.> > WATCH VIDEO OF THE SEARCH SCENE HERE:The Walker County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public to stop searching for a missing 5-year-old believed to be in danger because of explosives and booby traps found on the property in the area.Johnathan Everett Boley, 5, was last seen about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 7000 block of Highway 195 in Jasper. He was originally reported to be four years old, but the sheriff updated his age to five.Sheriff Nick Smith said the boy was living with his father, who reported him missing at about 1 p.m. The mother moved to Florida one year ago and the father is given five days each year for visitation. The child went missing during visitation, according to the sheriff.The boy weighs 50 pounds, has blond hair, blue eyes and was wearing a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt, black pants and “Paw Patrol” shoes, authorities said.Johnathan may be with the black Labrador Retriever seen in this photo. That dog is also missing.Explosives foundHis father was taken into custody after explosive devices were found on the property.Deputies were planning to execute a search warrant at the father’s home on Wednesday, but called off that search after finding what they called “unusual explosive devices” on the property.Authorities released photos of the explosives, described as pipe bombs, found on the property.The father is former military and neighbors said they have heard explosions for weeks.There was one reported Wednesday, but officials cannot confirm if that is connected to the missing child.The FBI explosives team is on the scene.The searchOfficials are still continuing the search. Agencies have been using drones and tracking dogs to search for the 5-year-old boy. A helicopter from Montgomery is also being used.Divers were brought in on Thursday to search some ponds around the house.The sheriff asked anyone with a doorbell camera or game camera to check their video to see if the child is on it.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Walker County Sheriff’s Office at 205-384-7218 or call 911.

    JASPER, Ala. —

    A search is underway in Alabama for a missing child who authorities believe is in danger.

    > > WATCH VIDEO OF THE SEARCH SCENE HERE:

    The Walker County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public to stop searching for a missing 5-year-old believed to be in danger because of explosives and booby traps found on the property in the area.

    Johnathan Everett Boley, 5, was last seen about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 7000 block of Highway 195 in Jasper. He was originally reported to be four years old, but the sheriff updated his age to five.

    Sheriff Nick Smith said the boy was living with his father, who reported him missing at about 1 p.m. The mother moved to Florida one year ago and the father is given five days each year for visitation. The child went missing during visitation, according to the sheriff.

    The boy weighs 50 pounds, has blond hair, blue eyes and was wearing a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt, black pants and “Paw Patrol” shoes, authorities said.

    Johnathan may be with the black Labrador Retriever seen in this photo. That dog is also missing.

    Walker County Sheriff’s Office

    Explosives found

    His father was taken into custody after explosive devices were found on the property.

    Deputies were planning to execute a search warrant at the father’s home on Wednesday, but called off that search after finding what they called “unusual explosive devices” on the property.

    Authorities released photos of the explosives, described as pipe bombs, found on the property.

    The father is former military and neighbors said they have heard explosions for weeks.

    There was one reported Wednesday, but officials cannot confirm if that is connected to the missing child.

    The FBI explosives team is on the scene.

    Officials are still continuing the search. Agencies have been using drones and tracking dogs to search for the 5-year-old boy. A helicopter from Montgomery is also being used.

    Divers were brought in on Thursday to search some ponds around the house.

    The sheriff asked anyone with a doorbell camera or game camera to check their video to see if the child is on it.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact the Walker County Sheriff’s Office at 205-384-7218 or call 911.

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  • Meta Buried ‘Causal’ Evidence of Social Media Harm, U.S. Court Filings Allege

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    Meta shut down internal research into the mental health effects of Facebook after finding causal evidence that its products harmed users’ mental health, according to unredacted filings in a lawsuit by U.S. school districts against Meta and other social media platforms.

    In a 2020 research project code-named “Project Mercury,” Meta scientists worked with survey firm Nielsen to gauge the effect of “deactivating” Facebook, according to Meta documents obtained via discovery. To the company’s disappointment, “people who stopped using Facebook for a week reported lower feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness and social comparison,” internal documents said.

    Rather than publishing those findings or pursuing additional research, the filing states, Meta called off further work and internally declared that the negative study findings were tainted by the “existing media narrative” around the company.

    Privately, however, a staffer insisted that the conclusions of the research were valid, according to the filing.

    “The Nielsen study does show causal impact on social comparison,” (unhappy face emoji), an unnamed staff researcher allegedly wrote. Another staffer worried that keeping quiet about negative findings would be akin to the tobacco industry “doing research and knowing cigs were bad and then keeping that info to themselves.”

    Despite Meta’s own work documenting a causal link between its products and negative mental health effects, the filing alleges, Meta told Congress that it had no ability to quantify whether its products were harmful to teenage girls.

    In a statement Saturday, Meta spokesman Andy Stone said the study was stopped because its methodology was flawed and that it worked diligently to improve the safety of its products.

    “The full record will show that for over a decade, we have listened to parents, researched issues that matter most, and made real changes to protect teens,” he said.

    Plaintiffs allege product risks were hidden

    The allegation of Meta burying evidence of social media harms is just one of many in a late Friday filing by Motley Rice, a law firm suing Meta, Google, TikTok and Snapchat on behalf of school districts around the country. Broadly, the plaintiffs argue the companies have intentionally hidden the internally recognized risks of their products from users, parents and teachers.

    TikTok, Google and Snapchat did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Allegations against Meta and its rivals include tacitly encouraging children below the age of 13 to use their platforms, failing to address child sexual abuse content and seeking to expand the use of social media products by teenagers while they were at school. The plaintiffs also allege that the platforms attempted to pay child-focused organizations to defend the safety of their products in public.

    In one instance, TikTok sponsored the National PTA and then internally boasted about its ability to influence the child-focused organization. Per the filing, TikTok officials said the PTA would “do whatever we want going forward in the fall… (t)hey’ll announce things publicly, their CEO will do press statements for us.”

    By and large, however, the allegations against the other social media platforms are less detailed than those against Meta. The internal documents cited by the plaintiffs allege:

    1. Meta intentionally designed its youth safety features to be ineffective and rarely used, and blocked testing of safety features that it feared might be harmful to growth.

    2. Meta required users to be caught 17 times attempting to traffic people for sex before it would remove them from its platform, which a document described as “a very, very, very high strike threshold.”

    3. Meta recognized that optimizing its products to increase teen engagement resulted in serving them more harmful content, but did so anyway.

    4. Meta stalled internal efforts to prevent child predators from contacting minors for years due to growth concerns, and pressured safety staff to circulate arguments justifying its decision not to act.

    5. In a text message in 2021, Mark Zuckerberg said that he wouldn’t say that child safety was his top concern “when I have a number of other areas I’m more focused on like building the metaverse.” Zuckerberg also shot down or ignored requests by Nick Clegg, Meta’s then-head of global public policy, to better fund child safety work. Meta’s Stone disputed these allegations, saying the company’s teen safety measures are effective and that the company’s current policy is to remove accounts as soon as they are flagged for sex trafficking.

    He said the suit misrepresents its efforts to build safety features for teens and parents, and called its safety work “broadly effective.”

    “We strongly disagree with these allegations, which rely on cherry-picked quotes and misinformed opinions,” Stone said.

    The underlying Meta documents cited in the filing are not public, and Meta has filed a motion to strike the documents. Stone said the objection was to the over-broad nature of what plaintiffs are seeking to unseal, not unsealing in its entirety.

    A hearing regarding the filing is set for January 26 in Northern California District Court.

    Reporting by Jeff Horwitz in San Francisco; Editing by Nick Zieminski and David Gregorio

    The final deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, December 12, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

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  • Mom shoots escaped monkey from Mississippi highway crash to protect her children

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    One of the monkeys that escaped last week after a truck overturned on a Mississippi highway was shot and killed early Sunday by a woman who says she feared for the safety of her children.Jessica Bond Ferguson said she was alerted early Sunday by her 16-year-old son who said he thought he had seen a monkey running in the yard outside their home near Heidelberg, Mississippi. She got out of bed, grabbed her firearm and her cellphone and stepped outside where she saw the monkey about 60 feet away.Bond Ferguson said she and other residents had been warned that the escaped monkeys carried diseases so she fired her gun.“I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” Bond Ferguson, who has five children ranging in age from 4 to 16, told The Associated Press. “I shot at it and it just stood there, and I shot again, and he backed up and that’s when he fell.”The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a social media post that a homeowner had found one of the monkeys on their property Sunday morning but said the office didn’t have any details. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took possession of the monkey, the sheriff’s office said.Before Bond Ferguson had gone out the door, she had called the police and was told to keep an eye on the monkey. But she said she worried that if the monkey got away it would threaten children at another house.“If it attacked somebody’s kid, and I could have stopped it, that would be a lot on me,” said Bond Ferguson, a 35-year-old professional chef. “It’s kind of scary and dangerous that they are running around, and people have kids playing in their yards.”The Rhesus monkeys had been housed at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, which routinely provides primates to scientific research organizations, according to the university. In a statement last week, Tulane said the monkeys do not belong to the university, and they were not being transported by the university.A truck carrying the monkeys overturned Tuesday on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg. Of the 21 monkeys in the truck, 13 were found at the scene of the accident and arrived at their original destination last week, according to Tulane. Another five were killed in the hunt for them and three remained on the loose before Sunday.The Mississippi Highway Patrol has said it was investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred about 100 miles from the state capital, Jackson.Rhesus monkeys typically weigh about 16 pounds and are among the most medically studied animals on the planet. Video recorded after the crash showed monkeys crawling through tall grass beside the interstate, where wooden crates labeled “live animals” were crumpled and strewn about.Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson had said Tulane officials reported the monkeys were not infectious, despite initial reports by the truck’s occupants warning that the monkeys were dangerous and harboring various diseases. Nonetheless, Johnson said the monkeys still needed to be “neutralized” because of their aggressive nature.The monkeys had recently received checkups confirming they were pathogen-free, Tulane said in a statement Wednesday.Rhesus macaques “are known to be aggressive,” according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It said the agency’s conservation workers were working with sheriff’s officials in the search for the animals.The search comes about one year after 43 Rhesus macaques escaped from a South Carolina compound that breeds them for medical research because an employee didn’t fully lock an enclosure. Employees from the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, South Carolina, had set up traps to capture them.

    JASPER COUNTY, Miss. —

    One of the monkeys that escaped last week after a truck overturned on a Mississippi highway was shot and killed early Sunday by a woman who says she feared for the safety of her children.

    Jessica Bond Ferguson said she was alerted early Sunday by her 16-year-old son who said he thought he had seen a monkey running in the yard outside their home near Heidelberg, Mississippi. She got out of bed, grabbed her firearm and her cellphone and stepped outside where she saw the monkey about 60 feet away.

    Bond Ferguson said she and other residents had been warned that the escaped monkeys carried diseases so she fired her gun.

    “I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” Bond Ferguson, who has five children ranging in age from 4 to 16, told The Associated Press. “I shot at it and it just stood there, and I shot again, and he backed up and that’s when he fell.”

    The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a social media post that a homeowner had found one of the monkeys on their property Sunday morning but said the office didn’t have any details. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took possession of the monkey, the sheriff’s office said.

    Before Bond Ferguson had gone out the door, she had called the police and was told to keep an eye on the monkey. But she said she worried that if the monkey got away it would threaten children at another house.

    “If it attacked somebody’s kid, and I could have stopped it, that would be a lot on me,” said Bond Ferguson, a 35-year-old professional chef. “It’s kind of scary and dangerous that they are running around, and people have kids playing in their yards.”

    The Rhesus monkeys had been housed at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, which routinely provides primates to scientific research organizations, according to the university. In a statement last week, Tulane said the monkeys do not belong to the university, and they were not being transported by the university.

    A truck carrying the monkeys overturned Tuesday on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg. Of the 21 monkeys in the truck, 13 were found at the scene of the accident and arrived at their original destination last week, according to Tulane. Another five were killed in the hunt for them and three remained on the loose before Sunday.

    The Mississippi Highway Patrol has said it was investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred about 100 miles from the state capital, Jackson.

    Rhesus monkeys typically weigh about 16 pounds and are among the most medically studied animals on the planet. Video recorded after the crash showed monkeys crawling through tall grass beside the interstate, where wooden crates labeled “live animals” were crumpled and strewn about.

    Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson had said Tulane officials reported the monkeys were not infectious, despite initial reports by the truck’s occupants warning that the monkeys were dangerous and harboring various diseases. Nonetheless, Johnson said the monkeys still needed to be “neutralized” because of their aggressive nature.

    The monkeys had recently received checkups confirming they were pathogen-free, Tulane said in a statement Wednesday.

    Rhesus macaques “are known to be aggressive,” according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It said the agency’s conservation workers were working with sheriff’s officials in the search for the animals.

    The search comes about one year after 43 Rhesus macaques escaped from a South Carolina compound that breeds them for medical research because an employee didn’t fully lock an enclosure. Employees from the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee, South Carolina, had set up traps to capture them.

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  • 9-year-old died when mom gave her melatonin and left her in hot car, TX cops say

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    The girl’s mother has been charged with murder more than three months after her daughter’s death.

    The girl’s mother has been charged with murder more than three months after her daughter’s death.

    Getty Images/iStockphoto

    A 9-year-old girl who died in a hot car while her mother worked for eight hours had been given melatonin to help her sleep, Texas authorities say.

    When 36-year-old Gbemisola Akayinode went to check on her daughter after her shift ended July 1 in Harris County, the 9-year-old did not respond to her commands, according to a criminal complaint.

    Akayinode, according to the court documents, thought her daughter was pretending to sleep. It wasn’t until she opened the door when she found her daughter “a shade of blue with no signs of life,” the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said.

    The mother began screaming for help, and her co-workers called 911, authorities said. Her daughter was taken to a hospital, where Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said she was pronounced dead.

    “A 9-year-old, beautiful little girl has lost her life,” Gonzalez said during a news conference, McClatchy News reported in July.

    Now, Akayinode is charged with murder in the death of her daughter, court records show. She was jailed Oct. 19 on $500,000 bail.

    Authorities said July 1 was the second consecutive day Akayinode left her daughter in her vehicle as she worked an 8-hour shift.

    On June 30 after they returned home, the girl was given melatonin to help her sleep, according to the sheriff’s office.

    Akayinode equipped her daughter with “packed food, rechargeable fan, a muffin, water and ice cubes” as she took her to work again July 1, leaving back windows partially down. She also gave her another dose of melatonin, and she said she watched her begin to fall asleep before starting her work shift.

    After leaving her daughter at 5:35 a.m., Akayinode did not return until 1:53 p.m., according to the court documents. By then, it was too late.

    The 9-year-old had a body temperature of 108 degrees and died of hyperthermia, a medical examiner ruled, authorities said.

    It was 99 degrees outside the day of the girl’s death, with Akayinode’s car reading 97.4 degrees three hours later after the sun already went down, investigators said.

    Akayinode later told a friend she was unable to check on her daughter because she was “working a lot,” according to the court records.

    “I’m sorry, I know what I did,” she told her friend, according to authorities.

    Interviewed by investigators, Akayinode said it was the fourth time she had left her daughter in her car while she worked. She said she was unable to pay for day care, but she planned on returning the 9-year-old to day care after she received her next pay check, investigators said.

    Deputies said Akayinode blamed her daughter’s death on her new ADHD medication, which she was given the morning of her death along with the melatonin.

    Hot car deaths

    More than 1,000 children have died in hot cars since 1998, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

    “About 37 children a year die from heatstroke, either because they were left or became trapped in a car. During the summer, that’s about two children every week killed in a hot car.”

    Hot car deaths are most common in the summer, but they can happen at any time, according to the administration. The first “vehicular heatstroke” of the year typically happens in March.

    “Leaving a window open is not enough — temperatures inside the car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes, even with a window cracked open,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

    If you see a child alone in a vehicle, officials said you should make sure the child is responsive and if not, immediately call 911.

    Mike Stunson

    Lexington Herald-Leader

    Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. He is a 2011 Western Kentucky University graduate who has previously worked at the Paducah Sun and Madisonville Messenger as a sports reporter and the Lexington Herald-Leader as a breaking news reporter. 

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    Mike Stunson

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  • New App HiveDrive Solves Carpool Chaos for Busy Families

    New App HiveDrive Solves Carpool Chaos for Busy Families

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    NEW YORK, September 30, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    For millions of parents across the country, one of the most stressful parts of their day isn’t work — it’s carpooling. Juggling chaotic schedules, coordinating rides, and worrying about their children’s safety are all-too-common headaches for busy parents. According to recent polls, 51% of parents spend over five hours per week chauffeuring their kids, with 13% devoting more than 10 hours.

    Enter HiveDrive, the brainchild of two working moms, Molly Goldberg and Jennifer Geller, who were fed up with the endless carpooling chaos. Molly, currently managing carpool for her son, teamed up with Jenn, who empathizes from her past experience coordinating rides, to create a better solution for busy parents. “I found myself constantly running into other parents from the same neighborhood, all picking up our kids from the same activities,” says Molly. “It felt so inefficient.” Jenn adds, “We realized that an app could easily solve this problem by connecting parents to share rides and keep their kids safe.”

    HiveDrive is the first app designed specifically to help families manage carpools within their own trusted networks. It allows parents to create a “hive” of trusted friends, neighbors, and teammates’ parents, making it easy to organize rides without unnecessary stress or confusion. Parents can easily see who’s available to drive, and children can request rides from the parents they know.

    “We’re solving two huge problems: time and safety,” says Jenn. “Parents are already juggling busy schedules, and HiveDrive simplifies their lives while ensuring their kids are in safe hands.”

    What makes HiveDrive stand out is its focus on safety. The app only allows parents within a child’s trusted circle to offer rides, ensuring full visibility and accountability. Unlike rideshare services that leave parents wondering who’s driving their child, HiveDrive gives families peace of mind by keeping everything within their own community.

    • Save Time: Streamlined communication within the app ensures only one parent shows up for pickup, eliminating unnecessary trips and freeing up hours for busy families.
    • Safety First: Know exactly who is driving your child, with rides managed within a secure, privacy-protected network.
    • Eco-Friendly: Fewer cars on the road mean less traffic and reduced carbon emissions, all while giving families more free time.

    With HiveDrive, parents can say goodbye to the frantic “Mom, can I get a ride?” calls and hello to a well-organized, stress-free solution.

    To simplify your family’s carpooling and ensure your kids’ safety, visit gohivedrive.com and download HiveDrive today.

    Source: HiveDrive

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  • Family Demands Justice After 2-Year-Old Fatally Struck by Toddler Driver

    Family Demands Justice After 2-Year-Old Fatally Struck by Toddler Driver

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    CALIFORNIA –  a tragic incident occurred when a 3-year-old, who managed to get behind the wheel of a car, fatally hit another toddler at a gas station on Saturday. The incident took place as the child’s father was inside the gas station’s store. No arrests have occurred as of now, according to police statements.

    The event unfolded in the afternoon around 3:45 p.m. in the 300 block of West Street, with Woodland Police Department officers responding to a call about a child struck by a vehicle. Police confirmed that a 2-year-old was hit and later died in the hospital due to the injuries sustained.

    The child hit by the car was identified as Ailahni Sanchez Martinez, as reported by NBC affiliate KCRA. At the scene, police found a man, the truck’s owner, who was not near the vehicle during the incident. He had left his truck running while he was inside the gas station store.

    According to police reports, a 3-year-old was initially seated in a car seat in the truck’s backseat. The child managed to move to the driver’s seat and drive the truck forward, striking Ailahni, who was near a taco stand on the parking lot’s edge.

    Ailahni’s mother, Rosa Martinez, recounted the moment of the accident to KCRA, explaining how she witnessed the truck moving towards her daughter and was unable to stop it in time.

    Despite the ongoing investigation and the cooperation of all parties involved, the family is calling for justice. The police have announced that the findings of the investigation will be sent to the district attorney’s office for further review.

    In the meantime, a GoFundMe page set up for Ailahni’s family has collected over $17,000. The page describes Ailahni as a nearly 3-year-old “beautiful and talented little princess” whose life was cut tragically short.

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    Srdjan Ilic

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  • OpenAI forms a new team to study child safety | TechCrunch

    OpenAI forms a new team to study child safety | TechCrunch

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    Under scrutiny from activists — and parents — OpenAI has formed a new team to study ways to prevent its AI tools from being misused or abused by kids.

    In a new job listing on its career page, OpenAI reveals the existence of a Child Safety team, which the company says is working with platform policy, legal and investigations groups within OpenAI as well as outside partners to manage “processes, incidents, and reviews” relating to underage users.

    The team is currently looking to hire a child safety enforcement specialist, who’ll be responsible for applying OpenAI’s policies in the context of AI-generated content and working on review processes related to “sensitive” (presumably kid-related) content.

    Tech vendors of a certain size dedicate a fair amount of resources to complying with laws like the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, which mandate controls over what kids can — and can’t — access on the web as well as what sorts of data companies can collect on them. So the fact that OpenAI’s hiring child safety experts doesn’t come as a complete surprise, particularly if the company expects a significant underage user base one day. (OpenAI’s current terms of use require parental consent for children ages 13 to 18 and prohibit use for kids under 13.)

    But the formation of the new team, which comes several weeks after OpenAI announced a partnership with Common Sense Media to collaborate on kid-friendly AI guidelines and landed its first education customer, also suggests a wariness on OpenAI’s part of running afoul of policies pertaining to minors’ use of AI — and negative press.

    Kids and teens are increasingly turning to GenAI tools for help not only with schoolwork but personal issues. According to a poll from the Center for Democracy and Technology, 29% of kids report having used ChatGPT to deal with anxiety or mental health issues, 22% for issues with friends and 16% for family conflicts.

    Some see this as a growing risk.

    Last summer, schools and colleges rushed to ban ChatGPT over plagiarism and misinformation fears. Since then, some have reversed their bans. But not all are convinced of GenAI’s potential for good, pointing to surveys like the U.K. Safer Internet Centre’s, which found that over half of kids (53%) report having seen people their age use GenAI in a negative way — for example creating believable false information or images used to upset someone.

    In September, OpenAI published documentation for ChatGPT in classrooms with prompts and an FAQ to offer educator guidance on using GenAI as a teaching tool. In one of the support articles, OpenAI acknowledged that its tools, specifically ChatGPT, “may produce output that isn’t appropriate for all audiences or all ages” and advised “caution” with exposure to kids — even those who meet the age requirements.

    Calls for guidelines on kid usage of GenAI are growing.

    The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) late last year pushed for governments to regulate the use of GenAI in education, including implementing age limits for users and guardrails on data protection and user privacy. “Generative AI can be a tremendous opportunity for human development, but it can also cause harm and prejudice,” Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s director-general, said in a press release. “It cannot be integrated into education without public engagement and the necessary safeguards and regulations from governments.”

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    Kyle Wiggers

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  • Marijuana Edibles Are Sending Kids to the ER – Consumer Health News – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Marijuana Edibles Are Sending Kids to the ER – Consumer Health News – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

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    MONDAY, Sept. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Drugs and children don’t mix, so it’s important to keep little ones safe by storing any marijuana edibles out of reach from small hands.

    The New Jersey Poison Control Center is offering warnings that can apply anywhere, after aiding in the medical treatment of 30 children ranging from the ages of 1 to 12 who accidentally ate marijuana edibles in July.

    “It is difficult for anyone, especially children, to tell an edible marijuana product from food when the product is almost identical to common everyday foods and drinks,” said Dr. Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

    “For this reason, it’s important to store marijuana products, especially edibles, the same way you would store medicines in your home,” she said in a Rutgers news release. “Don’t take the risk. Lock up your edibles.”

    USDA Certified Organic Tinctures and salves

    Children who ingest edibles are at a much higher risk for severe health effects and even death from consuming marijuana.

    Symptoms can include trouble breathing, loss of coordination, drowsiness and seizures. In some cases, children may need to be admitted to an intensive care unit. Almost all young children need to be evaluated in an emergency room.

    Caregivers may not realize a child has accidentally eaten edibles because the reaction can be delayed.

    “Since some edibles may be highly concentrated, beware of what you buy if you live with young and school-aged…

    Original Author Link click here to read complete story..

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  • Microsoft Fined $20 Million For ‘Illegally’ Collecting Children’s Information On Xbox

    Microsoft Fined $20 Million For ‘Illegally’ Collecting Children’s Information On Xbox

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    The Federal Trade Commission just announced that Microsoft has been fined $20 million “over charges it illegally collected personal information from children who signed up for its Xbox gaming system without their parents’ consent”.

    Dead By Daylight Devs’ New Game Is Fortnite Meets Doom

    The ruling follows a larger one from December 2022, when Epic Games, developers of Fortnite, were hit with a $550 million fine for using “privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children”.

    In this instance, the FTC says the issue centred around the creation of children’s accounts on an Xbox console, a process that until late 2021 would allow a child to enter a certain amount of personal information before requiring a parent’s assistance and permission. Microsoft had been keeping that data (sometimes for “years”), even if the account wasn’t created, which is a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA).

    Microsoft have already responded to the ruling with a post on the official Xbox blog, with Dave McCarthy, CVP Xbox Player Services, saying the violation was a result of a “glitch”, and that Microsoft will “continue improving” going forwards:

    We recently entered into a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to update our account creation process and resolve a data retention glitch found in our system. Regrettably, we did not meet customer expectations and are committed to complying with the order to continue improving upon our safety measures. We believe that we can and should do more, and we’ll remain steadfast in our commitment to safety, privacy, and security for our community.

    McCarthy goes on to explain the details of this “glitch”, and how it led to retention of children’s data despite this being “inconsistent with our policy to save that information for only 14 days”:

    During the investigation, we identified a technical glitch where our systems did not delete account creation data for child accounts where the account creation process was started but not completed. This was inconsistent with our policy to save that information for only 14 days to make it easier for gamers to pick up where they left off to complete the process. Our engineering team took immediate action: we fixed the glitch, deleted the data, and implemented practices to prevent the error from recurring. The data was never used, shared, or monetized.

    The FTC’s statement, meanwhile, says:

    Microsoft will pay $20 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from children who signed up to its Xbox gaming system without notifying their parents or obtaining their parents’ consent, and by illegally retaining children’s personal information.

    “Our proposed order makes it easier for parents to protect their children’s privacy on Xbox, and limits what information Microsoft can collect and retain about kids,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “This action should also make it abundantly clear that kids’ avatars, biometric data, and health information are not exempt from COPPA.”

    As part of a proposed order filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the FTC, Microsoft will be required to take several steps to bolster privacy protections for child users of its Xbox system. For example, the order will extend COPPA protections to third-party gaming publishers with whom Microsoft shares children’s data. In addition, the order makes clear that avatars generated from a child’s image, and biometric and health information, are covered by the COPPA Rule when collected with other personal data. The order must be approved by a federal court before it can go into effect.

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    Luke Plunkett

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  • National Poll: 2 in 3 parents not confident they can tell whether used children’s equipment is safe

    National Poll: 2 in 3 parents not confident they can tell whether used children’s equipment is safe

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    Newswise — Cribs, strollers and other infant and child equipment can be expensive and most families in a new national poll agree that it’s wasteful to buy these items new when they’re needed for such a short time.

    But while half of parents say they have used pre-owned equipment for babies and young children, two in three acknowledge that it’s difficult to always know whether it’s safe for their child, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

    “Used child essentials are often more cost-effective, environmentally friendly and convenient,” said Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark. “However, many parents in our poll weren’t completely confident they could identify safety concerns, such as unsafe wear and tear, recalls or hygiene issues.”

    Half of parents polled say they are only comfortable using used infant and child equipment from family or close friends while a little less than half are also OK with items bought at resale shops and yard sales.

    Parents most commonly used pre-owned cribs and highchairs, followed by outdoor play structures, strollers, playpens and bath seats, according to the poll report, which is based on responses from 932 parents with at least one child aged 0-7 surveyed in February 2023. Parents are least likely to report using second hand infant car seats or booster seats.

    “Regardless of whether they receive the item from someone they know well or from a garage sale, parents should take diligent steps to make sure the equipment meets current safety standards and is safe for their child,” Clark said.

    “Parents should keep in mind that safety regulations are constantly evolving as research identifies features that pose a risk of injury,” she added. “This is particularly important when it comes to cribs, one of the most common types of pre-owned equipment. It is likely that some parents using pre-owned cribs may not be aware of how safety standards have changed.”

    Most parents say that when they receive or buy pre-owned equipment, they are very likely to inspect it for signs of damage and sanitize it. But just half of parents are as likely to do an Internet search for instructions on how to set up and use the equipment or for information about product recalls.

    “If parents don’t properly follow assembly instructions, cribs, strollers and playsets can collapse or malfunction, potentially causing serious injuries to the child,” Clark said.

    “Before allowing a child to use a pre-owned item, it’s also essential to check for product recalls, which mean a manufacturer has asked customers to return or stop using the product due to a discovered safety hazard.”

    Four percent of parents polled are not comfortable using any pre-owned equipment and three-quarters say they’d prefer to buy new equipment to make sure it’s safe for their child.

    But budget concerns can be a barrier, especially since families often require duplicate pieces of equipment to support their child’s sleep, transportation, and other daily activities at grandparents’ or babysitters’ homes.

    Parents with household incomes under $100,000 are more likely to say they have used pre-owned equipment compared to those over $100,000 (58% vs 48%.)

    Most parents also say they themselves have donated or sold child health and safety equipment, most often to a family member or friend (74%) or a charitable organization (52%), as well as at a garage sale (35%) or to a children’s resale shop (33%). Another 19% say they have never shared or sold pre-owned equipment.

    “Before passing on an item to another family, parents should ensure it’s safe and in good working order,” Clark said. “If not, parents should dispose of the equipment to avoid risking injury of another child.”

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    Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan

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  • Reno and Sunny Mahe to Hold a Press Conference to Discuss How to Make Homes Safe for Children From Deadly Corded Window Coverings

    Reno and Sunny Mahe to Hold a Press Conference to Discuss How to Make Homes Safe for Children From Deadly Corded Window Coverings

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    One to two children dying on a monthly basis.

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Oct 4, 2021


    SALT LAKE CITY, October 4, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    As a result of the September 21, 2021, Salt Lake County $25,000,000 jury verdict[1] that found that the window blind in the home of Reno and Sunny Mahe, was dangerously defective, causing Elsie Mahe’s strangulation death on Nov. 22, 2016, and given the most recent strangulation death in Utah County of a young boy[2] and the discovery of other Utah children who have died and been injured on corded window coverings, Sunny and Reno Mahe will be holding a press conference, with their team of blind safety experts[3], on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, at 11 a.m. at the Centerpoint Legacy Theater in Centerville, Utah. The Mahes and their team, including contact Alan Mortensen of Dewsnup/King/Olsen/Worel/Havas/Mortensen (amort@dkowlaw.com, 801-556-6867), will be answering questions about how to make corded window coverings safe, especially in homes with small children.  

    The Mahes brought suit against the blind manufacturer, Century Blinds, in order to raise public awareness of the strangulation hazard corded blinds pose in homes with children. The Mahes want the public to know what they did not know. The jury found that Century Blinds, a California blind manufacturer with a large presence in Salt Lake City, manufactured corded blinds across the country for several years without putting a “no additional cost” tilt wand on their blinds, as opposed to tilt cord, which Century Blinds knew was a strangulation hazard to small children. Century Blinds also manufactured corded blinds without providing cord cleats, which should have been installed with the blinds. Cord cleats allow a parent to wrap around blind cords at a level above where children can reach. The blinds also came with a warning label that was not visible and did not meet ANSI Standards required of blind manufacturers to tell parents not to put furniture by window blinds. The jury heard testimony that, because of these defects, these blinds should have never been allowed in the Mahe home back in 2008 when they were installed.

    When: Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, at 11 a.m. MST

    Where: Centerpoint Legacy Theater, 525 North 400 West, Centerville, Utah

    Source: Alan W. Mortensen, Mahe family attorney

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  • Mama Bear Effect Launches New Resource to Combat Child Sexual Abuse

    Mama Bear Effect Launches New Resource to Combat Child Sexual Abuse

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    Parents of young children and those with special education needs now have a free tool to educate children about their bodies and boundaries.

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Sep 15, 2021


    BOSTON, September 15, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Parents, caregivers, teachers, and therapists now have a new tool to educate the most vulnerable population of children, those who need specialized assistance with learning and communication. 

    Research has revealed children with disabilities are 3.4 times more likely to experience sexual abuse compared to children without disabilities. This risk carries into adulthood with men experiencing abuse at rates estimated as high as 80% and 90% for women. Sadly, many children are not educated properly about the private areas of their body or appropriate behaviors; combined with numerous caregivers and people involved in their care and education, it becomes easy for sexual abuse to be perpetrated. Children often lack the understanding to realize what is happening to them is not right and do not have the language or tools to communicate abuse. That nonprofit organization, The Mama Bear Effect, is looking to change that by offering free downloadable Communication Cards for teaching children about their bodies, personal boundaries, and appropriate/inappropriate behaviors, and additional resources for parents and caregivers of children with special needs.

    “We have the knowledge to understand the sexual abuse of children is a serious problem, and even more so for children with physical disabilities and other diagnoses that increase interactions with others for their care, transportation, and education, such as Autism or Down’s Syndrome,” said Adrianne Simeone, President and Founder of The Mama Bear Effect. “It is an injustice that this issue is not being addressed on a larger scale, and that these children who are citizens of our country are not being educated on their rights and protections to live free from sexual abuse.”

    Adrianne Simeone, President, Founder of The Mama Bear Effect, explains, “Too often it seems professionals hesitate bringing up sexual abuse prevention with parents and caregivers because they feel their plates are full with everyday tasks, appointments, etc. However, it’s important to change the way we think about teaching children body safety and take steps to reduce risk – it’s not a burden on parents, but rather another way to keep children safe and give them the support they need to live a happy and fulfilling life. These communication cards are a simple, free tool that caregivers and educators can customize to each child’s ability to give them the language and knowledge they need to advocate for themselves.”

    Upon reviewing these new resources, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine shared, “We would like to thank The Mama Bear Effect for developing these very important Body Safety Communication Cards to serve the Special Needs Community.”

    About The Mama Bear Effect

    A nationally focused nonprofit with the mission to prevent child sexual abuse, The Mama Bear Effect offers an educational website geared toward parents, as well as down-to-earth educational brochures and tools for community advocacy. 

    ###

    Media Contact

    Adrianne Simeone, President The Mama Bear Effect info@themamabeareffect.org

    Source: The Mama Bear Effect

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  • Red Sneakers for Oakley 3rd Annual Memorial Soccer Tournament

    Red Sneakers for Oakley 3rd Annual Memorial Soccer Tournament

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    Kids and their families gather to raise awareness about the dangers of food allergies

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Nov 26, 2018


    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., November 26, 2018 (Newswire.com)
    –
    The Red Sneakers for Oakley nonprofit organization is hosting their 3rd annual soccer tournament at Oxbridge Academy on Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The friendly tournament for kids ages 4-18 is in memory of Oakley Debbs, a local Rosarian Academy student who passed away in 2016. Families are invited to attend and enjoy entertainment, food, friendship, and soccer games by age group.

    Red Sneakers for Oakley was established by Robert and Merrill Debbs after the death of their 11-year-old son Oakley due to a fatal allergic reaction to nuts. Oakley loved his red sneakers and the family decided to use them as a powerful symbol for increased education and awareness among communities of people with food allergies, but also people who don’t have them. 1 in every 12 kids in the U.S. suffers from a food allergy.

    This child of mine, he was a rock star, he was a good, good kid. And always in my heart of hearts, I knew that he would make a difference in his life, I just didn’t know it would be after he passed away. So that’s a big part of my driving force – the legacy of Oakley.

    Merrill Debbs, Oakley’s Mom and co-founder of Red Sneakers for Oakley

    Oakley suffered from both asthma and an allergy to nuts, and the Debbs believe they were ill prepared to recognize the signs of anaphylaxis, the acute multi-organ life-threatening reaction to allergens.

    “This child of mine, he was a rock star, he was a good, good kid. And always in my heart of hearts, I knew that he would make a difference in his life, I just didn’t know it would be after he passed away. So that’s a big part of my driving force – the legacy of Oakley,” says Merrill Debbs, Oakley’s Mom and co-founder of Red Sneakers for Oakley.

    Since its establishment, Red Sneakers for Oakley has gained national exposure through supporters wearing red sneakers and has launched a multi-pronged approach to enable its mission and mobilize people to take action. They promote awareness through social media, school programs, community events, allergy sensitive food initiatives, and more.

    Sponsors of the soccer tournament include Bolay, the Burns Family, Converse, Enjoy Life, Oxbridge Academy, PDQ, Regency Party Rentals, and Rich’s Ice Cream.

    Registration is $35 for ages 4-9 and $50 for ages 10-18. Volunteers and donations also make a difference. To sign up, visit www.redsneakers.org/shop or call (561) 714-1390.

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    Melinda Grenz, Red Sneakers for Oakley 
    Soccer@Redsneakers.org or 561-714-1390

    Source: Red Sneakers for Oakley

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  • KidsEmbrace Says Improper Installation of 59 Percent of Children’s Car Seats is ‘Unacceptable’

    KidsEmbrace Says Improper Installation of 59 Percent of Children’s Car Seats is ‘Unacceptable’

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 12, 2018


    LOS ANGELES, June 12, 2018 (Newswire.com)
    –
     With the summer travel months approaching, it’s imperative that children’s car seats are checked for proper installation. The CDC reports that car seats reduce infant injuries by 71 percent and 54 percent for toddlers in passenger vehicles. Another way to reduce the chances of serious injury in the event of a crash is by having the child sit properly in their car seat, and that is where KidsEmbrace comes in.

    When it comes to keeping kids safe in the car, certain things are a must, and properly installing a reliable car booster seat should be at the top of the list. Additionally, no matter how hard they try, many parents have problems getting their kids excited about sitting in a car seat, let alone sitting still in it.

    KidsEmbrace has made its mark on the car seat industry by offering safe products that kids want to use, and parents approve of, and offers something that other car seat companies can’t – excitement and the desire for a child to want to get buckled in. The Company has been offering unique character-themed car seats, while “Making Safety Fun”, since 2010.

    Another way KidsEmbrace delivers value to parents is by providing information on how to properly install car seats. “Our entire staff at KidsEmbrace are Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians so that we can make sure we practice what we preach. We encourage all parents and caregivers to thoroughly read their manuals for each car seat the child transitions to, and to also visit safekids.org for the most up to date car seat safety information,” says Vincent Mastrangelo, COO for KidsEmbrace.

    “Car seat safety is important and with 59 percent of car seats reportedly being improperly installed, our car seats are not only fun, they’re heroic, as they help draw attention and allow us to deliver the important message of just how vital proper installation is. A woman’s post went viral on Facebook after a KidsEmbrace car seat, which was properly installed by the caregiver who happened to be her sister, helped prevent her 4-year-old nephew from having any serious injuries as he walked away with only a bruise on his cheek (see picture). The accident was so serious that the boy’s mother was in a wheelchair for 3 months but luckily she was able to find comfort knowing her son was completely unharmed and likely because she had properly installed her KidsEmbrace Batman Car seat,” says Mastrangelo.

    This car seat was the Winner of the 2017 and 2018 Family Choice Award. Nominated for a 2018 LIMA Award, it was also given the prestigious Amazon Choice label, indicating it is a best-selling product in its category and warranted by its countless 5-star reviews.

    The KidsEmbrace Combination Car Seats are available in many different styles, including DC Comics and Marvel superheroes as well as Disney Princesses and a few of your favorite pups from Paw Patrol. They’re the seats kids love to be in, and parents approve of. The full selection can be seen at the KidsEmbrace online store or all your popular online retailers.

    For proper car seat installation guidelines, always refer to the manufacturer’s full manual and visit SafeKids.org for the most up-to-date information.

    The Doctors TV Show Link
    https://www.thedoctorstv.com/articles/4703-are-you-making-car-seat-mistakes-and-endangering-your-child

    Amazon Store Link
    https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kidsembrace&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Akidsembrace

    Follow KidsEmbrace on Instagram and Facebook.

    Contact: Rick Conn
    (818) 465-2902
    rickc@kidsembrace.com

    Source: KidsEmbrace

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