The tragedies that befall children can happen in the blink of an eye. A few seconds is all it took for 4-year-old Evelyn Sides, who goes by the nickname Vadie, to vanish from the backyard of a family friend, “Nanny,” who was watching her at the time. The girl was playing outside with her dog Lucie when she ran off into the Alabama woods. As Vadie describes it, “We took a walk, but then I got too fast and got … Continue reading →
Here are some notable stories from around the U.S. in the past week: In Bakersfield, California, a small child believed to be around 4 or 5-years-old died when the storage unit his family was living in caught on fire. In Weymouth, Massachusetts, a 2-year-old girl was hospitalized after swallowing a synthetic opioid pill. If parents have a prescription for these they need to keep them well guarded. A single pill of some of these medications is enough to kill … Continue reading →
In a sign of the times of just how bad the opoid crisis has become, a man in Fairborn, Ohio, was being driven by paramedics to the hospital after a drug overdose. On the way he needed to receive an overdose reversal injection in order to survive. This in itself isn’t that unusual. What is unusual is that the driver of the ambulance also had an overdose on the way and needed an overdose injections shot himself. The driver’s partner … Continue reading →
Most people by now are aware of the human toll from the opoid epidemic sweeping the nation. Yet one often overlooked aspect of the scourge is the danger it poses to children. In Ohio, staff at a Toledo hospital were forced to use 3 doses of a narcotic overdose drug, naloxone, in order to revive a one and a half year old boy who had overdosed on opoids. Assuming his mother is telling the truth, the toddler came upon the … Continue reading →
The tragic church shooting in Texas has reignited the gun debate in this country, and already the media and gun lobbyists are promoting the narrative that a citizen with a gun helped save lives by confronting the gunman and engaging him. It’s a story of bravery t o be sure but the facts on the ground simply don’t match the narrative that a good guy with a gun helped save the day. First and foremost is when and where this … Continue reading →
When most people think of their child being abducted by a stranger, their mind typically goes to the thought of a dirty old man in a van. Yet it isn’t just men who might be out there stalking their children. Police in Irmo, South Carolina, were on the lookout last week for a woman wearing scrubs with a teddy bear design on them who has been trying to lure preteen boys into her car. According to the police chief, she’s … Continue reading →
Some noticeable recent child safety stories: Senator’s granddaughter drowns In Frankenmuth, Michigan, Republican State Senator Ken Horn’s 2-year-old granddaughter died while at the Senator’s house on Sunday after wandering away unattended and falling into a pool. Kids really will get into anything In Sterling Heights, Michigan, firefighters were forced to use cutting tools to free 3 children who had accidentally locked themselves inside a gun safe. The 3- and 4-year-olds were playing in their home in suburban Detroit … Continue reading →
In Salem, Massachusetts, a man was arrested and charged with stealing nearly 23,000 dollars in four separate bank robberies. When probed for a reason for his crime spree, 28-year-old Justin Hanlon had a unique response: he needed the money in order to pay back child support so that he could see his 5-year-old son again. He had lost his job six months ago and was deeply in debt. There are all sorts of problems created by our adversarial child support … Continue reading →
Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court is considering a unique case this week: Whether or not a mother’s verbal berating of her 14-year-old son qualifies as a crime. She went on the profane-laced tirade after the boy burned popcorn. The mother, Ginger Breitzman, was charged with disorderly conduct after the incident. She alleges that because her language didn’t threaten violence, it therefore qualifies as protected speech and she shouldn’t have been charged. Regardless of the outcome of this case, it highlights the … Continue reading →
In Chandler, Arizona, the life of a vibrant blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl was snuffed away because her father owned a gun…Yet another innocent victim in the long line of gun tragedy. Three-year-old Brook Sands was in the room with her father when a shotgun went off, hitting the preschooler in the stomach. Police weren’t real clear on the details of how it all happened, other than to say the incident was a tragic accident. The family called 911, but it … Continue reading →