1 in 7 kids are solicited for sex online. This alarming statistic was recently released from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The survey says 1 in 33 kids receive aggressive online solicitations to meet in person and 34% of kids say they’ve had communication with people they don’t know. NCMEC maintains a proactive approach to protect children and teens and now they have two brand new items for children between the ages of 8 and 12. The NSTeen sitenow has animated video and educational games for children in this age range. “Cyberbully Zombies Attack” and “Mike-tosis” both targetinformation about technology, safety and cyber bullying prevention. Although these sites are for “tweens,” parents and teachers are encouraged to log on and educate themselves on the dangers lurking online for kids. The content is available in English and in Spanish. NSTeen is an entity of the main hub of NetSmartz.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says itsCyberTipline has handled more than 903,240 calls of child sexual exploitation. According to a press release on their site, the Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed and analyzed more than 34 million pornographic images.
Attorneys are expected to enter not guilty pleas today for three teens charged for bullying 15-year-old Phoebe Prince. The teen committed suicide earlier this year after she was allegedly targeted and bullied relentlessly for months. Nine teenagers, seven females and two males, are all facing a variety of charges including statutory rape, criminal harassment, violation of civil rights and disturbing a school assembly resulting in bodily injury. This past Tuesday, three other teens entered not guilty pleas for their roles in this alleged crime. Those suspects are scheduled to appear back in court on September 15, 2010.
Phoebe took her life on January 14, 2010 after she was allegedly bullied inside her South Hadley High School in Massachusetts and online. Many reports indicate that administrators and staff of the school knew about the bullying and abuse, but did nothing to help. Phoebe’s aunt even visited the school before her arrival from Ireland and told them about her bullying experiences overseas, and how they should be aware that her niece was susceptible to this type of abuse. Reports indicate the teachers and administrators may have even witnessed physical abuse, and had full knowledge about the situation, but turned their heads to the situation.
Convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner is charged today with murder in the disappearance of missing teen Chelsea King. The District Attorney filed the charges and the complaint was read at today’s arraignment when Gardner made his first appearance. Gardner entered a plea of not guilty. The charges come after a body was found yesterday in Lake Hodges, an area near where Chelsea King went missing last week while she was running through the Rancho Bernardo Community Park. We are waiting for a positive ID on that body. Investigators say thatChelsea, 17, was a runner for her high school, and parked her car nearby as she went to exercise. Inside her vehicle, police found a cell phone and other personal belongings.
Registered sex offender John Albert Gardner was arrested on Sunday and held on preliminary charges of suspicion of murder and rape in the disappearance of the missing teen. Gardner has a conviction for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age, and served five years in prison. He was staying with his mother in the Rancho Bernardo Community where Chelsea went missing. It is widely reported that 10 years ago, Dr. Matthew Carroll, a psychiatrist who spent time and interviewed Gardner after his conviction said he lacked remorse for the incident, making him “an extremely poor candidate for any sexual offender treatment.”
6:45 p.m. BREAKING NEWS COMING IN… Investigators confirm human remains were found in the area they were searching for missing teen Chelsea King. Authorities say the body was covered in a shallow grave, and was near the area where evidence was found a few days ago. At this time, the remains appear to be Chelsea King. The medical examiner will make an official confirmation on those remains by tomorrow morning.
Since last Saturday, more than 4,500 volunteers have donated their time to look for missing teen Chelsea King. Right now the focus is on and near Lake Hodges where she went missing. Authorities say Chelsea vanished last Thursday after she went for a jog at the Rancho Bernardo Community Park. Chelsea, 17, is an avid runner for a local high school. She left her car in the park nearby, and her cell phone was inside the vehicle.
Registered sex offender, John Albert Gardner, is being held on preliminary charges of suspicion of murder and rape in the disappearance of missing teen, Chelsea King. Gardner has a conviction for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age, and he was staying with his mother in the Rancho Bernardo Community where Chelsea went missing. Authorities say Chelsea vanished last Thursday after she went for a jog at the Rancho Bernardo Community Park. Chelsea, 17, is an avid runner for a local high school. She left her car in the park nearby, and her cell phone was inside the vehicle. Gardner is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in San Diego Superior Court, and investigators have 72 hours to file official charges.
Investigators say physical evidence found at Lake Hodges lead them to Gardner, and there may be a chance he is linked to a December 27, 2009 attack on another jogger in area. The victim in that incident told investigators she was tackled by a suspect who demanded money from her. At this point, Gardner is not charged with that attack. At a press conference last night, authorities said Gardner could have played a role in the Amber Dubois case as well. Amber disappeared more than a year ago as she walked to a nearby high school.
It’s been four weeks today since the deadly Thanksgiving shooting that took the lives of four family members in Jupiter, FL. It would be quite a blessing to find Paul Merhige, the man allegedly responsible for the shootings, and to bring him to justice for Christmas. Merhige is charged with four counts of first degree murder. Yesterday, investigators released brand new videoof Merhige in high school, and for the first time, we can hear his voice. I watched the entire interview, and it’s hard to believe this young, articulate, aspiring football player is the man police believe is responsible for killing his own family members. I spoke with Sgt. Scott Pascarella last week, and he says investigators from his region, including the United States Marshals and the FBI are all on board to tracking Merhige. They’ve received well over 180 tips, and 90% of those leads are exhausted. Authorities even searched the pond behind the house where the shooting took place three times looking for evidence. “We don’t want the fire to burn out,” Sgt. Pascarella told me. He also says Merhige is traveling with four weapons, two handguns and a .308 Remington Rifle, and one other unknown gun. The weapons have been located, and neither has the 2007 Blue Toyota Camry Merhige was last seen driving. Merhige does posses a concealed weapons permit, and investigators know the handguns were purchased weeks before the shooting, and the rifle was bought the day before. Just recently, throughout Miami, investigators canvassed new posters in Spanish and Creole throughout to the public. Sgt. Pascarella says, “We were surprised just how many people didn’t know about this case.” It’s going to take leg work like this to keep getting the word out. Right now, there are digital billboards in place as far north as Atlanta, Georgia, and throughout many main cities in Florida. Sgt. Pascarellea says a new billboard company just contacted them this week to offer some space on their billboards in other area.
Michelle Sigona is a crime fighting, victims advocate extraordinaire, but for Michelle -- the good fight doesn't stop there. In her spare time, she is a volunteer firefighter -- and now, she is tackling the issues and cases that mean the most to her....
1 in 7 kids are solicited for sex online. This alarming statistic was recently released from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The survey says 1 in 33 kids receive aggressive online solicitations to meet in person and 34% of kids say they’ve had communication with people they don’t know. NCMEC maintains a proactive approach to protect children and teens and now they have two brand new items for children between the ages of 8 and 12. The NSTeen site now has animated video and educational games for children in this age range. “Cyberbully Zombies Attack” and “Mike-tosis” both target information about technology, safety and cyber bullying prevention. Although these sites are for “tweens,” parents and teachers are encouraged to log on and educate themselves on the dangers lurking online for kids. The content is available in English and in Spanish. NSTeen is an entity of the main hub of NetSmartz.
