By Steven Smith, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In Queens, New York a bizarre incident occurred. A man called 911 to report that he thought that he struck a pedestrian. For some unknown reason, though, he did not stop. The pedestrian, was then hit by a second car. Instead of stopping at the scene, not realizing that he had hit the pedestrian, the second car continued on his trip, for 17 miles into Brooklyn! He was stopped by a pedestrian in Brooklyn who told him that there was something being dragged under his SUV. It turned out to be the pedestrian, who he had hit a county away. He was dead and unfortunately, partially dismembered.
A Glynn County Georgia mane was recently charged with crimes of pornography and child exploitation. Harrell Hall, age 56, used his computer to make plans to meet a 14 year old according to Captain Marissa TIndale of the Glynn County Police Department. The most disturbing part of the story is that Mr. Hall is a computer technician. This is frightening in that Mr. Hall has a good bit of knowledge of computer and the internet which he has chosen to put to use by luring teenagers for meetings. While Mr. Hall communicated with what appeared to be a 14 year old girl, it is not clear if the “14 year old” was really an undercover agent. It is the intent of the criminal defendant that counts in cases of this nature. If Mr. Hall believed that he was communicating with a 14 year old, he was up to no good and is certainly a danger to other teens who may unknowingly be in danger from such predators.
Internet chat rooms serve as playgrounds for child predators looking to take advantage of children. In many instances, a child predator is able to lure the child not only out of the home but out of the child’s home state. William Joe Mitchell recently appeared in federal court and pleaded guilty to the charge of the interstate transportation of a minor for sex. Mr. Mitchell met a 15 year old girl in a chat room online and knowingly transported a child that he knew was underaged from Bartow (Polk County) Florida to Anadulsia, Alabama. These acts were in violation of Title 18, United States Code 2423 (a) which makes it a crime to transport a child under the age of 18 with the intent of having sex. Mr. Mitchell also violated Alabama law which makes it a crime for a person over the age of 16 to have sex with a child under the age of 16 when there is more than a 2 year age difference between the defendant and the child. Mr. Mitchell was 46 years old at the time of the crime. For his crimes, Mr. Mitchell faces a prison term of at least 10 years.
People take their parking lot spaces very seriously. Sometimes, people put too much effort and anxiety into parking spaces. In Detroit, Michigan, a 17 year old girl was shot after her father and another man had an argument. Police reported that the argument may have been over a parking space at a Detroit Coney Island. Following the argument, two vehicles left the parking lot but the argument and tempers continued to the point that the driver of one of the vehicles (a Ford SUV) into the other vehicle that was occupied by 17 year old – Octavia McLawrence.
Schoolyard fights and brawls have been around since there have been schoolyards. Technology and the Internet are increasingly being used to video / document schoolyard fights. Many children think it is cool to see their fight online and to show the world online their fight skills and the harm done to other children. Websites including You Tube show hits or the popularity of the video clip which encourages some children to fight and post more. A website dedicated to children safety called wiredsafety.com notes that schoolyard fights posted online and on You Tube are a problem.
Bensalem, New Jersey police report that John Lackner, a 44 year old dentist, communicated with an uncover officer who posed as a 14 year old girl. Lackner’s screen name was “Amorous Stallion” and according to police, he was up to no good. On March 24, 2009, Lackner arranged to meet with the “14 year old girl” for sex. The plan was to meet at a Bensalem, New Jersey video rental store and then have dinner followed by sex. Lackner planned the meeting and encounter very carefully from sending a video of himself to the “14 year old girl” to sending her money so she could buy a mobile phone. Once the undercover agent received the phone, conversations were recorded between the undercover agent and Lackner.
A Masuk of Monroe, CT school bus, carrying its high caliber football team was struck by a pick-up truck that failed to yield the right of way. The collision caused serious injuries to the pick-up’s driver, but the players had no immediate complaints of injuries during on-scene evaluations. It remains to be seen as to whether the players, students at Masuk High School in Monroe, CT will feel the effects of that bus versus truck accident in the days to come, as is often the case in motor vehicle accidents. Many times, hours, days, and even weeks after an accident, the first real signs of injuries can rear their ugly heads. That is why it is critically important to have any child who was in an auto or school bus accident fully evaluated by a doctor or hospital personnel, and to pay attention to their complaints in the days and weeks after. This is true even if the accident seems to have minor damage to the vehicles involved. Cars are designed to absorb these impacts, while the human body is not.