Spring Break!

Foam parties, concerts, alcohol, college kids running around half naked, and all on the beach? Who doesn't love this? Well, parents and cops. Spring Break is a week that most colleges take off. Allowing students to go back home, travel, go to the beach, relax, and have fun. Yet, with Spring Break there are a lot of dangers. It's obvious that a lot of teenagers traveling to a beach where they know no one can be a little risky. We've ALL heard the stories. A popular one is the Natalie Holloway case. She disappeared while she was on Spring Break with friends in Aruba. Is this an excuse to not let your child go on spring break? No. I mean, yes it is very dangerous but at the same time you have to trust your child and let them go on their own. Also, accidents happen and they could happen anywhere. For instance, a few years back, a nineteen year old boy died because he fell off of a balcony. Granted, alcohol may have been involved...this was an accident and could have happened back at home. Underage drinking is a big issue. Along with that, alcohol poisoning. Something that can happen back at home too. There are a lot of cops and security on the beaches but along with that, you have to trust that you raised your child good enough to handle situations like Spring Break chaos. I think it always works best when you be the childs best friend, to an extent. Keep and open mind and allow them to make their own decisions. Make sure they are always with their friends, never travel alone, and keep in touch through texts or calls. A lot of you may be thinking I'm writing about this because my parents aren't letting me go anywhere for Spring Break. Not true. I'm not going to the beach with friends, but I am going traveling with my boyfriend and his family to texas. Although, my roomies are. Is it bad that I might worry for them a little bit? My roomies are going to Panama City Beach, Florida for Spring Break. This is one of the top destinations for college students, MTV has hosted their Spring Break there the last two years. It's a very popular place to go. Even though my friends are really smart and definately raised well, I worry. Just because they're smart, doesn't mean people down there aren't stupid. I'm not being the motherly roomie by telling them they can and can not do anything. I'm just reminding them that crazy things can always happen and they always have to think smart. I know that they're going to have a blast and be smart about it, that isn't what worries me...it's the other people. Anyway, I hope that, regardless if you're going anywhere or not, for Spring Break you have fun and be careful!:)

Lawsuit

You may or may not read a lot of my blogs. No hard feelings if you don't, but last week I mentioned that it is always hard to find a good topic to write about. I go to the CNN website and just read for hours different topics. I also said it is hard to find an entertaining story, right? The only ones with enough information are the sad domestic murders, suicides, etc. Well this week, I think I finally found an interesting one! This is about a woman that filed a lawsuit for more than $30,000 after she fell off the toilet in a McDonald's restaurant in Illionois.
Okay...seriously? This girl is trying to get money because she FELL off of a toilet? Maybe this won't sound too crazy if I hear the whole story. So let's see.

This incident happened in Cook County, Illinois. The women who supposedly suffered permanent injuries was named Cherry Hardie. March 12, 2010 is when the toilet seat in a McDonald's fell of the toilet, making her lose her balance and fall. She said she reached for the wall "and sustained a severe injury to her left arm/shoulder when her arm/shoulder came into contact with said wall." The lawsuit claims that the restaurant "carelessly and negligently failed to place railings/baricades around the perimeter of the women's restroom stall with a broken toilet seat." Which then lead to the fact of Cherry's claims that she was inured and suffered a severe shock to her nervous system and became permanatetly disabled.

Alright, really? I mean, this lady fell of a toilet seat. Something probably half of us do at least five times in our life times! To me, this is just a woman trying to get money. Maybe I'm not being sensitive enough to this situation but I just don't understand how someone could be permanatly disabled due to falling off of a toilet seat. A scrape, a cut, a little bruise, I understand. Yet, shock to a person's nervous system? The fall isn't even far from the ground! I don't know what McDonald's is going to do about the situation but I think that they should definately stand their ground and not let her get away with it! Phil Douglas, McDonald's Franchisee, said "While I am aware of this matter, I have not been served with a lawsuit. The safety and security of our customers is a priority. Beyond that, it would be inappropriate to further comment or speculate on a pending legal matter."
This is probably the best thing he could have said considering the horrible situation he is in.

I said hopefully that this made more sense AFTER I read the article...but, it didnt't. Maybe this woman is wanting the spotlight? Fifteen minutes of fame maybe? I'm not sure. It will definately be interesting to see how all of this plays out! I will be completely shocked to see her actually get the $30,000 shes asking for.

8 year old girl's death: Accident or murder?

Each week for these blogs I go to the CNN home page and look through all the news stories. I try and look to see which ones interst me best. A lot of the time, I find really funny ones or entertaining ones, but they don't seem to have a lot of information to make it 500 hundred words. My point being, I'm not a fan of death or murders, it just seems to be what I write about a lot for these blogs. I find it very interesting that these things happen, not only in the United States, but often times in small towns, which could easily be Joplin, Missouri. As a kid, I always wanted to be a Nurse or a Lawyer. In the end, I decided nursing. Yet, I still have an interest in things like this. CSI is my favorite show. These stories of crimes and topics never cease to amaze me.
Anyway, today I found a story on an  Eight year old girl who's death is now being questioned whether it was an accident or homicide. Bianca Cartagena is an eight year old girl that was found dead inside her mother's home in Amherst, New York.  Shortly after the body was found, CNN reported that it was "suspicious." Police were called to the home of Bianca's mother, Candace Cartagena, around nine o'clock Tuesday evening, November 30, 2010. When the police arrived at the house, Bianca was already dead inside the home. After searching the area, authorites found the mother behind the house inside a shed, suffering from what they called "self-inflicted illness." Not very suspicious, right?
Bianca had been living with her grandmother, Kathy Sweeny. The grandmother stated: "She was with her, she's the last person that was with her. She needs to come forward and she needs to be responsible." Sweeny also said that she had tried repeatedly to get a hold of her daughter. The last she heard from her was at 5:50 Tuesday, and it was a text stating that they were on their way home.
Bianca's aunt and grandfather discovered her body, completely covered with blankets over her head. In a letter, Candace wrote her mother, she wrote: "I have no recollection of Bianca even being at the house with me from that point on. All I know is that I wanted to die and kept taking pills each time I would wake up."
Authorities found a Facebook page for Candace Cartegena, on her page states: "I have a beautiful daughter, Bianca age 7, who I cannot imagine my life without. She makes me smile everyday!"
Amherst Police have yet to charge anyone and still have the death as "undetermined."
In my opinion, and I'm sure I'm not speaking alone, I think the mother had to have had something to do with it. All of it is just too suspicious. I'm slightly surprised she wasn't charged with anything as soon as they found her. Again, it's crazy to hear stories like this, especially with cases with children and their death's being undetermined. Hopefully, someone will step up to the plate so the family can have justice.

Two children's remains found. Plus mother?

The bodies of two children were found in a canal Wednesday, March 2nd. In Delray Beach, Fl. The police were called to the canal about a floating duffel bag. In that duffel bag, police found the body of a young girl. After farther investigation, they believe she is around six to ten years of age. During the search, divers stumbled upon a suitcase. This suitcase held the body of a young boy. Investigators believe he is around the age of ten or twelve. Both children are African American and are believe to be siblings. The girl had braided hair with beads on the end. Wearing dark pants and a short-sleeved shirt. The boy was only wearing dark blue shorts. The police stated that they believe this is a domestic issue. The canal that they were found in is the dividing line between Delray Beach and Boca Raton. This canal stretches for miles both directions. This meaning they could have been dumped anywhere among the banks. The remains of the two children were taken to Palm Beach Medical Examiner's office to find out the cause of death. Experts also believe that the bodys were dumped into the water recently because they were still intact. As of thursday they were still investigating the canal. Although, the current could have carried evidence far away from where the bodies were found.
About seven months prior to the findings of these children's remains, a woman was found in a landfill. Police believe that this woman could be the childrens mother. The name of the woman is Felicia Brown. She was never reported missing. Authorities only began looking for her because she was thought to be the mother of the children found wednesday. The medical examiner is using dental records to determine whether the children are siblings and are infact, Mrs. Brown's children. Margaret Gissome, Felicia's sister, told police that Felicia kind of "dissappeared" after their mother's funeral in 2007.
"I never knew my sister was missing. I never knew my niece or nephew were missing." Says Gissome, "There are a lot of questions going on."
The investigation continued and became more interesting when authorities announced they had arrested their only suspect. A man that goes by, Clem Beauchamp. Which just happens to be Felicia Brown's ex-boyfriend. The same day that the children's bodies were found, Beauchamp went to authorities and volunteered to talk to investigators. Although, he has yet to be charged with anything.
Three other children that lived in the home with Beauchamp and Brown are now safe in custody.

This newsline really got my attention. Mainly. because it is really sad to see any children go through this. Also, to see how the investigation intensified by the findings of the mother. Hopefully they will indeed, charge Beauchamp and have another criminal off the streets! That is, if in fact he is responsible.