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‘He was horrific!’: Nearly two thirds of family historians are distressed by what they find – should DNA kits come with warnings?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susan-moore-1446031">Susan Moore</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>In 1853, my great great grandmother Charlotte died giving birth to her 13th child, in a tent on the banks of the Yarra River in what is now South Melbourne – but was then an overcrowded, muddy hellhole known as <a href="https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/our-stories/canvas-town-a-floating-city-devoured-by-the-sun/">Canvas Town</a>. The baby, William, died shortly afterwards. Researching Charlotte’s story made me both sad for her loss and angry at the powerlessness of women’s lives then.</p> <p>I’m not the only one to have experienced intense emotions – both negative and positive – while researching my forebears.</p> <p>On Facebook pages, in <a href="https://time.com/5492642/dna-test-results-family-secret-biological-father/">media stories</a> and <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/who-do-you-think-you-are">on TV</a>, you’ll find a flood of hobby genealogists discovering shocking things about their ancestors – or even their own identity.</p> <p>My recent research revealed about two thirds of family historians have experienced <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/7/2/26">strong negative emotions</a> like sorrow or anger through their hobby.</p> <p>And nearly all respondents had experienced strong positive emotions such as joy or pride.</p> <h2>Passionate ‘kin keepers’</h2> <p>In 2019, Doreen Rosenthal and I surveyed 775 Australian hobbyist family historians to examine their <a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Psychology-of-Family-History-Exploring-Our-Genealogy/Moore-Rosenthal-Robinson/p/book/9780367820428">motivations</a>.</p> <p>They were adults aged between 21 and 93, but most were older and the median age was 63. The majority (85%) were women. This seems to be typical of hobbyist family historians. Women often take on the role of “kin keeper” – and have the time to devote to it when they’ve finished rearing children and have retired from paid work.</p> <p>Survey respondents described why they were passionately engaged with their hobby – and how it made them feel. Some 48% “sometimes” felt strong negative emotions about what they found, while 15% did “often”.</p> <p>There were five common distress triggers.</p> <h2>1. Ancestors behaving badly</h2> <p>The first and most common distress trigger was the discovery of ancestors who had behaved badly – either as individuals, or by profiting from unjust social conditions. Finding these forebears made family historians feel confronted, shocked and sometimes ashamed.</p> <p>They said things like: "[The worst thing was] finding the bigamist! He was horrific!! Very confronting thinking that I have some of his blood in my veins!"</p> <p>And: "[It was] difficult finding that ancestors may have been involved in unsavoury behaviours or events. The problem is trying to understand the context of how they were able to do things that are socially and legally unacceptable today and not things I can be proud of."</p> <h2>2. Ancestors treated cruelly</h2> <p>It was also distressing to discover ancestors who had been cruelly treated. This elicited disturbing, even “heartbreaking” feelings – and, at least implicitly, indignation at injustice. Many were deeply moved by what their ancestors experienced.</p> <p>As one survey respondent put it: "What is unexpected is the relationships that can be formed with those who are no longer with us. That I can be moved by the plight of my paternal step great great grandmother who was incarcerated in a mental institution from 1913 to 1948 without review, without visitors, to get her out of the way."</p> <h2>3. Sad stories</h2> <p>Sadness was often specifically mentioned. As in the case of my great great grandmother who died in childbirth, sadness was usually a response to the hardships and tragedies ancestors faced in more challenging times.</p> <p>Women commonly did not survive childbirth, neonatal deaths were frequent, people died of diseases medical science has now conquered. Poverty was rife and war a constant threat.</p> <p>"[It was difficult] discovering the tragedies encountered by my Irish ancestors who came to Australia and their struggles and heartbreaking stories of survival for the next three generations."</p> <p>"[It is distressing] to uncover particularly sad and desperate times in some ancestors’ lives. For example, a destitute widow who admitted her child to an orphan asylum for three years, only to have her child die of typhoid fever within two weeks of returning home."</p> <h2>4. Family secrets and betrayal</h2> <p>The fourth distress trigger was a belief by the family history researcher that they had been betrayed by other family members: through secrets, lies and feeling their lived experience was ignored or denied.</p> <p>This is particularly likely for those who discover “secrets” about their parentage – for example, the late-life discovery of adoption, parental infidelity or previously unknown siblings.</p> <p>Trust is damaged. If family members can lie about these important things, what else might they lie about?</p> <p>As one woman commented: "My mother’s half-sister did not accept that she shared a father with my mother. My great grandmother lied about who my grandfather’s father was. My great great grandmother also lied. All these lies were very distressing."</p> <h2>5. Moral dilemmas</h2> <p>Finally, several respondents expressed doubt and confusion at the moral dilemmas they faced on discovering information that could greatly distress other living relatives. Should they tell or not?</p> <p>An emotional burden attaches to withholding potentially distressing information of this kind. Yet there is also guilt and fear about the possible outcomes of sharing it.</p> <p>"I knew an aunt had an illegitimate child before she married. Through DNA I found her granddaughter. I have yet to inform this girl who she is. I don’t feel it’s my right as she has absolutely no idea of any adoption of her father."</p> <p>"A really distressing find was that my great aunt’s husband had committed a terrible murder. I have not been able to speak about this with the descendants of the couple."</p> <h2>Healthy outcomes from bad feelings</h2> <p>Sometimes these distressing feelings can promote healthy, growth-enhancing outcomes. After the initial shock, some traumatic genealogical discoveries lead to a greater understanding of the past and its influence.</p> <p>Placing ancestors’ maladaptive or distressing behaviours, or their misfortunes, into historical and social context can help with acceptance and forgiveness, and stimulate emotional healing and personal growth.</p> <p>Initial feelings of distress about past injustices and tragedies are sometimes replaced by admiration for the strength and resilience of one’s forebears. This can positively influence personal wellbeing and resilience.</p> <h2>How can family and professionals help?</h2> <p>I processed my great great grandmother’s story by writing it down and sharing it with family members. We reworked our sadness at her fate into a positive family narrative, emphasising her bravery and the strengths her surviving children showed.</p> <p>Support can mean just disclosing these stories to family members, friends and other family historians. But for some, it may be helpful to discuss these topics privately with a counsellor or therapist, especially if they’ve led to a breakdown in family relationships or an assault on one’s sense of identity.</p> <p>Counsellors and psychologists should develop strategies to support clients distressed by genealogical findings – and encourage them to use their new knowledge for personal growth and greater understanding of family dynamics.</p> <p>Should providers of genealogical research products (especially DNA tests) educate their customers about their products’ potential to cause distress?</p> <p>Trigger warnings might be overkill. But they could issue lists of support resources for those who are upset or disoriented by their findings.</p> <p>As more people gain access to more genealogical data – with the potential to challenge identity and uncover family secrets – it’s worth thinking about.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207430/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susan-moore-1446031">Susan Moore</a>, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/he-was-horrific-nearly-two-thirds-of-family-historians-are-distressed-by-what-they-find-should-dna-kits-come-with-warnings-207430">original article</a>.</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"The injuries are horrific": Rollercoaster victim identified

<p>The victim of a <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/the-screaming-was-so-loud-young-woman-struck-by-roller-coaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shocking roller coast accident</a> has been identified as Melbourne based woman Shylah Rodden.</p> <p>Ms Rodden, aged 26, remains in intensive care after sustaining horrific injuries in the accident, which remains under investigation.</p> <p>Her father, Alan Ridden, says there is great mystery surrounding the situation. On Monday, police claimed Shylah was struck by the ride at the Royal Melbourne Show while trying to retrieve her mobile phone from the tracks, however eye witnesses claim she had been on the ride.</p> <p>Horrified audience members watched on as the chaos unfolded, with paramedics treating Shylah for serious injuries before she was taken to hospital. Her father suggests these injuries are life-changing.</p> <p>“Obviously I can't talk to my daughter. She's going to be in a coma for quite a while,” Mr Rodden told <em>Daily Mail Australia.</em></p> <p>“The injuries are horrific. Horrific. She's brain damaged. It's pelvic, her arms, legs, back, neck - there's hardly a thing that's not broken. I just can't work out how the hell so much damage has been done. Even the doctors have said they haven't seen anything as bad as this for a long time.”</p> <p>One witness, who had been positioned next to the ride, claimed police assertions the woman had been retrieving a phone were not accurate.</p> <p>"I did not see her walking or climbing on the tracks at all, we saw her flying from the ride, where she landed and how she landed is not consistent with being hit," a woman claimed.</p> <p>"Not from what we witnessed. We were standing right next to the ride when it happened."</p> <p>The witness had taken her young son on the ride shortly before the accident.</p> <p>"We saw her fall from the ride, (heard) the scream and the crack of her hitting the ground. My husband was one of the first on the scene. We were standing right next to it when it happened ," she said.</p> <p>In a statement issued by Victoria Police, investigators claimed the woman may have walked onto the track to try and retrieve a dropped phone.</p> <p>Speaking to ABC Mornings host Virginia Trioli on Monday, Show CEO Brad Jenkins refused to say whether there was a fence around the ride or how high that fence was.</p> <p>The incident remains under investigation and anyone who witnessed it are urged to call crime stoppers.</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

News

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Tragic update after “horrific” suitcase discovery

<p dir="ltr"><em>Content warning: Graphic content</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Human remains found in two suitcases by a New Zealand family late last week have been identified as belonging to two young children of primary school age, with police saying they may have been dead for years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family made the shocking discovery after purchasing the suitcases at an auction, along with other items from an abandoned storage locker in South Auckland.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were alerted to the discovery on Thursday, August 11, with neighbours telling local media of a “wicked smell” in the area at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said initial post-mortem examinations suggested the remains were those of two children between the ages of five and ten.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Early indications suggest these children may have been deceased for a number of years before being found last week,” he said during a press conference on Thursday. “We also believe the suitcases have been in storage for a number of years.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Detective Inspector Vaaelau went on to suggest that the childrens’ remains may have been stored for three to four years.</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that the family who purchased the items from the storage unit aren’t involved in the deaths and have asked for privacy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They are understandably distressed by the discovery, and they have asked for privacy. We are ensuring there is support in place for them,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Detective Inspector Vaaelau confirmed that New Zealand police have begun working with Interpol and making enquiries with overseas agencies as part of the investigation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As part of the investigation we are looking at canvassing and collecting CCTV, but given the period of time ... it’s going to be a challenge in itself,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The investigation team are working very hard to hold accountable the person or persons responsible for the deaths of these children.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Police are combing through the remaining items from the storage locker to establish any links and identify the remains, with Detective Inspector Vaaelau adding that contacting the next of kin was the biggest priority.</p> <p dir="ltr">He declined to comment on the gender or state of the remains, or whether police believe the children are related over concerns it may compromise the investigation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That information is very important to the investigation and I’m not prepared to comment on that,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though local media have suggested that the case may have links overseas, Detective Inspector Vaaelau remained tight-lipped, stressing that police could only say that the victims had relatives in New Zealand.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What I can say is we are making very good progress with DNA inquiries,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We want to reassure the community our investigation is continuing the establish the facts to ascertain the full circumstances around the death of these children.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This includes establishing when, where and how. The nature of this discovery provides some complexities to the investigation.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The horrific discovery has rocked the country and has had a particularly strong impact on the Manurewa community in South Auckland, which is home to strong Māori and Pacific populations.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I really feel for the family of these victims,” Detective Inspector Vaaelua said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Right here, right now, there are relatives out there that aren’t aware that their loved ones have deceased, especially two young children.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As for the investigation team, there are a number of them that are parents. This is no easy investigation and no matter how long or how many years you serve and investigate horrific cases like this, it’s never any easy task.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I myself am a parent of young kids but we have a job to do.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4ab2fcd8-7fff-befa-97e3-0d263a1746ff"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Newshub</em></p>

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Police charge teen over horrific Harbour Bridge smash

<p dir="ltr">A 19-year-old Queensland man has been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-09/police-identify-alleged-sydney-harbour-bridge-crash-driver/100895066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> by detectives for allegedly stealing a car before causing a fiery three-car crash that closed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were able to identify the man as Christopher Walker one day after releasing a photo of his arm and calling on the public to help. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-42ab4a56-7fff-a17b-f4f7-0a37536b382d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The image showed a distinctive tattoo of a large eye on Mr Walker's hand with wavy lines that extended across his fingers and wrist.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/tattoo.jpg" alt="" width="322" height="215" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Police released an image to help them identify the driver. Image: NSW Police</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-422bd487-7fff-c897-3d6e-a741b2a5d96a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">They allege he drove a Toyota Kluger SUV which swerved into oncoming traffic and careened into a van on Monday morning.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sydney?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sydney</a> Harbour Bridge closed due to a terrible multi-vehicle crash that brought all lanes to a standstill.<br />Motorists have been advised to avoid the area and use Sydney Harbour Tunnel instead.<br />Stay safe <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SydneyHarbour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SydneyHarbour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dryadusingh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dryadusingh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DrAmitSarwal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrAmitSarwal</a> <a href="https://t.co/umbbU6oiIg">pic.twitter.com/umbbU6oiIg</a></p> <p>— The Australia Today (@TheAustoday) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAustoday/status/1500600916746989572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker remains in hospital under police guard, where he is being treated for suspected head injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have laid several charges against him, including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and assault with intent to take/drive motor vehicle.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police also allege Mr Walker stole the keys to the SUV from a man he assaulted in the CBD just before 7am on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-70f75b7e-7fff-0c28-ab75-171c2294c000"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency services were then called to the three-car crash a short time later, after the SUV flipped on its roof and burst into flames during morning peak hour.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Sydney Harbour Bridge is closed and three people have been injured – including one who was trapped – after a horror head-on crash during peak hour.<br />Inquiries are continuing into the incident.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/australia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#australia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sydney?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sydney</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/habourbridge?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#habourbridge</a> <a href="https://t.co/1U05QgKMpV">pic.twitter.com/1U05QgKMpV</a></p> <p>— 5 News Australia (@5NewsAustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/5NewsAustralia/status/1500671979023892480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The two other drivers were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries, with the van driver sustaining serious leg and pelvic injuries and a woman driving a Honda Civic sustaining minor injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have spoken to several witnesses over the past few days who were on the bridge at the time of the collision of saw the lead-up.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/man-charged-over-fiery-harbour-bridge-crash-and-alleged-carjacking-20220309-p5a37w.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> before Central Local Court via a bedside hearing on Wednesday afternoon, where he was formally refused bail.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is due to appear in court again on March 23.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><em>Image: @5NewsAustralia (Twitter)</em></p>

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Warning after child suffers horrific burn from everyday item

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to using hand sanitiser, most of us don’t think twice and squeeze a little on our palms. </p> <p dir="ltr">Almost every place has hand santiser handy, but this has renewed calls to parents to keep an eye out for it around their children. </p> <p dir="ltr">Paramedic and mum-of-two Nikki took to Instagram to show the dangers of children misusing hand-sanitiser. </p> <p dir="ltr">She shared an image of a young boy named James to the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cawa4MAM34G/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiny Hearts Education</a> page, who suffered a horrific chemical burn in his eye after using a foot pump hand sanitiser dispenser.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It took days for James to be able to open his eyes and several weeks to get the all-clear of no long-term damage,” Nikki wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">Exposure of the chemicals in hand-sanitiser to the eye can cause minor injuries or even “complete blindness”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“These kinda accidents can occur from a whole range of chemicals. It could be acidic agents such as bleach, window cleaner, vinegar and pool chemicals, or alkali agents such as fertilisers, drain cleaners, sparklers, plaster and cement - but the list is endless!”</p> <p dir="ltr">The passionate mother warned parents in similar incidents to irrigate the area first, listing how to do so, before rushing to the emergency department.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Irrigating the eye is so important as we aim to flush out as much of the chemical as possible. It is best done with Normal Saline but when this is not available running water will do the trick.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She suggested wrapping the child “like a burrito to help keep them still”, while assisting older children over the sink.</p> <p dir="ltr">Slightly warm water should be run over the eyes as the child blinks repeatedly to help flush out the chemical. This should be done for at least 15 minutes. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nikki also warned of contacts to be removed before any process. </p> <p dir="ltr">“P.S Also a reminder - PLEASE do not let little ones use foot pump hand sanitiser dispensers!!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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REVEALED: Horrific texts between dad and girlfriend hours before son dies

<p><em><strong>Warning: This story contains graphic content relating to child abuse which may distress some readers.</strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Messages between a UK man and his partner accused of child cruelty have been <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/dad-talked-about-digging-sons-grave-in-texts-before-murder/news-story/1fe1500c080d5cae27d4676e4f234421" target="_blank">heard in court today</a>, including threats to end his six-year-old son’s life just two days before his death.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thomas Hughes sent a text to partner Emma Tustin about digging the little boy’s grave after Tustin claimed Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was misbehaving.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Coventry Crown Court also heard that Hughes also said, “Kid’s getting ended when I’m back”, and that he would “take his neck off”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The messages came after Tustin took Arthur to a hair appointment at friend Catherine Milhench’s home on June 17 last year, just two days before he died.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jurors were told that stepmum Tustin complained to Hughes, saying that she “had to tell Arthur off” in front of Catherine’s partner Tobias Jarman.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Ask T [Tobias] to dig Arthur’s grave for me please,” Hughes replied.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Tustin said Hughes would have to “pay double”, Hughes said: “F**k me I’ll pay quadruple”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tustin continued to complain about Arthur on June 15 in further messages.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Backchatting me for joke threw himself on the floor shouting abuse. Still screaming,” she wrote in one message.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hughes replied: “Just gag him or something. Tie some rope around his mouth with a sock in it or something.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On Wednesday, jurors watched CCTV footage of Tustin eating McDonald’s while Arthur was left in a hallway for 14 hours and made to sleep on the floor.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844851/hughes-court.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/87f6a6867337489e81482551de1fc84f" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hughes pictured with Arthur (left) and Tustin (right). Images: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They previously heard audio clips of Athur sobbing while being allegedly abused, which had been recorded by Tustin.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another recording for his uncle Blake, the boy can be heard saying: “Blake no-one loves me, Blake no-one loves me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crying in another clip, he repeated the phrase, “Daddy’s going to throw me out the window” multiple times.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Arthur was treated in a way that matched the “medical definition of child torture” prior to his death, and was deprived of food, a bed, and clothes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jurors heard that he was found unresponsive at home in Solihull on June 16 last year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Arthur passed away in hospital the following day, with a post-mortem examination determining his death was caused by a “head trauma inflicted on him by an adult” that was consistent with being “vigorously shaken and his head banged repeatedly against a hard surface”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Doctors also reported that he had been “poisoned with salt” and was covered with bruises.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The court was told that Tustin took more than 22 photos and videos of Arthur following the incident.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prosecutors said that Tusin took 12 minutes to call emergency services after she allegedly assaulted him, despite having her phone.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They said she told paramedics Arthur “fell and banged his head and while on the floor banged his head another five times”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tustin and Hughes have been accused with multiple counts of child cruelty following their “systematic, cruel behaviour” and abuse in the weeks before he died.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One witness told the court that Arthur was “too weak” to hold a glass of water to his mouth.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They said his “clothes looked dirty, his lips cracked, he could barely open his mouth to speak, his hair was dirty, his nails were dirty and he looked malnourished, gaunt and worn-out”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Both defendants participated in a campaign of cruelty intended to cause Arthur significant harm and suffering,” Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Violence and intimidation, both physical and verbal, were routine.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Arthur’s visible injuries, his miserable physical condition and obvious despair provided each defendant with a daily reminder of the lengths to which the other would go to cause him harm.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jurors were told that Arthur died three months after he and his father moved into Tustin’s move, after he had been placed in Hughes care after his mum was jailed for 18 years for stabbing her boyfriend to death.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Children’s social services and police were contacted by Arthur’s grandmother in April 2020, as she expressed concerns over his care after seeing bruises on his back and Tustin was seen shoving him headfirst into the stairs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, “no concerns were raised” after children’s services saw Arthur on April 17, and no further action was taken.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tustin has admitted to child cruelty by “forcing him to stand, isolating him within the family home, and physically or verbally intimidating him”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hughes has denied a similar charge.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both also deny they murdered him or an allegation of child cruelty by feeding him salt.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are jointly accused of two counts of child cruelty by assault on multiple occasions, as well as by withholding food and/or drink.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The trial is ongoing.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual or physical abuse, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.</span></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Supplied</span></em></p>

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Couple blasted for “horrific” tiered meals for guests

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A couple has been slammed online for their unusual method of selecting meals for the guests at their wedding.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The wedding invitation was shared on </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/itnewu/bigger_cash_gift_better_dinner/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reddit</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with the caption “Bigger cash gift = better dinner?”, and shows the food guests can choose - depending on how much they plan to spend on the wedding gift.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So that we may prepare your preferred dinner, please circle your gift level and indicate a meal of choice for each person in your party,” the invitation read.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The note included four tiers: “Loving Gift”, “Silver Gift”, “Golden Gift”, and “Platinum Gift”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The “Loving Gift” includes gifts worth up to $250, with guests being served roast chicken or swordfish.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The next tier up, the “Silver Gift”, would see guests giving presents worth between $251 and $500 being served sliced steak or poached salmon.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For guests spending between $501 and $1000 on the gift, they can choose between any of the choices for the lower tiers, filet mignon, or lobster tails.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The final tier, for presents worth between $1001 and $2500 plus, allows guests to choose any of the other options or a two-pound lobster. As well, they receive a souvenir champagne goblet.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, vegetarian and kosher options are only available at the platinum level.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:373.4375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842676/89xd5zz0dfn51.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b628df38a8444fe481acbc818cf80ae0" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Reddit</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The post sparked outrage, with some calling it a “tacky” decision.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That is horrific. My response would be zero and I will bring McDonald’s,” one person wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Who doesn’t want a souvenir champagne glass from someone else’s wedding? For $2500, I can fly to Ireland, stay a week, and buy a Waterford flute …” another commented.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This seems more like something you would encounter at a charity dinner than at a wedding. It’s still tacky and horrific …” a third said.</span></p>

Relationships

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“Horrific” dieting invention slammed online

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A newly-invented weight-loss tool that stops people from eating by holding their mouths shut has been criticised and labelled as “horrific” by many online.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers from The University of Otago in New Zealand have claimed the DentalSlim Diet Control is a “world-first weight-loss device to help fight the global obesity epidemic”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fitted by a dentist, the device only allows people to open their mouth 2mm, which the university has said restricts “them to a liquid diet”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It allows free speech and doesn’t restrict breathing,” they clarified on the University’s website.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a trial of people based in the city of Dunedin, the university said subjects lost an average of 6.36 kilograms in two weeks while using the device.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Paul Brunton, the lead researcher and University of Otago Health Sciences Pro-Vice Chancellor, said the invention was “effective, safe, and affordable”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The main barrier for people for successful weight loss is compliance and this helps them establish new diets, allowing them to comply with a low-calorie diet for a period of time,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It really kick-starts the process.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, the announcement of the invention on Twitter has seen commenters call the invention “horrific” and compare it to a medieval torture device.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Brilliant, I'd like to submit my idea for a device to help short people be taller. <a href="https://t.co/5WYp26VbJ3">pic.twitter.com/5WYp26VbJ3</a></p> — Ika Makimaki (fish monkey) (@pezmico) <a href="https://twitter.com/pezmico/status/1409378892935176196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">British Dental Journal</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reported that some of the seven participants in the trial “had trouble pronouncing some words” but “felt tense and embarrassed only occasionally”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It also noted: “One patient admitted to ‘cheating’, consuming melted chocolate and fizzy drinks.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">After two or three weeks they can have the magnets disengaged and device removed. They could then have a period with a less restricted diet and then go back into treatment. This would allow for a phased approach to weight loss supported by advice from a dietician.</p> — University of Otago (@otago) <a href="https://twitter.com/otago/status/1409368110402990089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the backlash online, the University clarified that the device could be removed after two or three weeks and was aimed to help people lose weight for surgery rather than act as a long-term weight loss tool.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: The University of Otago / Twitter</span></em></p>

Body

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5-year-old survives horrific cable car accident due to "father's embrace"

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>According to doctors, a five-year-old boy survived a horrific cable car accident because of his father's embrace.</p> <p>Eitan Biran was in the cable car with his little brother, parents and great-grandparents and has been identified as the lone survivor of the accident.</p> <p>Emergency brakes failed to kick in and prevent the cable car from going down a mountain which resulted in the death of 14 other people.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Our hearts are broken: 5 Israelis from one family, including a 2-year-old child, were among the 14 people killed in an Italian cable car crash on Sunday. Another son, 5-year-old Eitan Biran, the sole survivor of the accident, was critically injured and is currently hospitalized <a href="https://t.co/LtAxtSmGeO">pic.twitter.com/LtAxtSmGeO</a></p> — StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) <a href="https://twitter.com/StandWithUs/status/1396802157895159812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>Eitan is recovering in hospital, but according to a spokesperson from the hospital, early indications were that his father saved his life.</p> <p>“In order to be able to survive the terrible impact, it is likely that the father, who was of robust build, wrapped his son in a hug,” the spokesperson said to the Italian newspaper<span> </span><em>La Repubblica</em>.</p> <p>The disaster occurred in one of the most picturesque spots in Northern Italy and has raised questions about the safety of Italy's transport infrastructure.</p> <p>Italian Transport Minister Enrico Giovannini has called for a commission of inquiry to investigate the "technical and organisation causes" after visiting the site of the disaster while prosecutors will focus on criminal blame.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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Police reveal cause of horrific Tiger Woods car crash

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Authorities have revealed that golf star Tiger Woods was driving at an "unsafe" speed nearly double the 70km/h speed limit when he crashed in California in February.</p> <p>The SUV was travelling up to 140km/h before it veered off the road and rolled several times, leaving Woods with a shattered right leg.</p> <p>“The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” said Alex Villanueva.</p> <p>“Estimated speeds at the first area of impact were 84 to 87 miles per hour (135-140km/h).”</p> <p>There were “no signs of impairment” or evidence of any “distracted driving”, and Woods voluntarily allowed the results of the investigation to be made public, officials said.</p> <p>Fans have complained that Woods hasn't been charged for speeding, but police said as there were no witnesses or police present, he won't be charged.</p> <p>The crash would have been investigated further “if there was a significant injury or fatality” and had involved another person, said Captain James Powers.</p> <p>Woods himself doesn't recall the incident, but investigators did not check his phone or test his bloodwork as there was "no evidence of any impairment or intoxication", according to Powers.</p> <p>Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed this in a Facebook Q&amp;A with reporters.</p> <p>“He was lucid, no odour of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that,” Villanueva said. “That was not a concern so no field sobriety test and no drug expert needed to respond. This is what it is — an accident.</p> <p>“We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash.</p> <p>“This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime, they do happen unfortunately.</p> <p>“The Deputy on the scene assessed the condition of Tiger Woods and there was no evidence of any impairment whatsoever.</p> <p>“He was not drunk … we can throw that one out.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Beirut bride’s wedding video captures horrific explosion

<p>The happy couple were meant to be celebrating their marriage.</p> <p>Dr Israel Seblani and Ahmad Sbeih were posing for their wedding photos on Tuesday on the streets of Beirut.</p> <p>Starting off as a perfectly normal day, Dr Seblani posed in a beautiful, white wedding gown in the city’s Saifi Village.</p> <p>Then all of a sudden, there was a eardrum-shattering noise that came from behind her.</p> <p>The horrifying sound was the massive explosion which rocked the Lebanese capital, leaving at least 135 dead and 5000 injured.</p> <p>The couple’s wedding photographer, Mahmoud Nakib, captured the moment it all went down.</p> <p>"We were filming an outdoor photo session … then we heard an explosion," Mr Nakib said.</p> <p>"That was the first explosion, we thought that is was far away, we continued filming normally."</p> <p>But that soon changed.</p> <p>"In just one second, the sky turned black and we heard the second explosion," Mr Nakib said.</p> <p>As the explosion took place, an intense gust of wind tore through the square, as captured in the video.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CDiRFZ6p8dh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CDiRFZ6p8dh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">خوده زندگي لحظه اي كه فكر ميكني همه چيز داره عالي پيش ميره ... اين واقعيته در لحظه زندگي كنيم و در هر ثانيه اش قدر داشته هامون رو بدونيم ... . #بيروت #بيروت_لبنان #انفجار #انفجار_بيروت #لبنان #زندگی #عشق #lebanon #lebnen #beirut #تسليت 🤍</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/heliaemami/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Helia Emami</a> (@heliaemami) on Aug 5, 2020 at 10:14pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"The area I was in, within matter of seconds, it went from beautiful place to ghost town filled with dust, shattered glass and people yelling [and] bleeding," Dr Seblani said.</p> <p>"It was like a nightmare scene."</p> <p>The shockwave pushed Mr Nakib down the street, he said, nearly knocking him over.</p> <p>But his camera kept rolling, documenting the chaotic scenes taking place around him.</p> <p>Dr Seblani, Mr Nakib and the rest of the wedding party headed inside as the blast echoed through the streets of Beirut.</p> <p>Everyone in the wedding party is doing OK, and no one was hospitalised.</p> <p>"I thought first of my wife and my daughter," Mr Nakib said thought as he ran for cover.</p> <p>"I called her to let her know that I'm fine and do not go out.</p> <p>"And I went live at Facebook to let people know what happened."</p> <p>The explosion in Beirut wiped out entire city streets and left hundreds of thousands without homes.</p> <p>It has been linked to a warehouse storing thousands of tons of an unsecured and volatile chemical compound.</p>

News

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Four people arrested over “horrific attack” on police

<p>Four people, including a 13-year-old boy, have been arrested following a scuffle with two police officers in east London.</p> <p>Video circulating on social media shows a male officer struggling with a man in Hackney with a female officer being pushed when she tried to intervene.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">This happened in hackney today 😯😯 <a href="https://t.co/ZBW4moNRCn">pic.twitter.com/ZBW4moNRCn</a></p> — London &amp; UK Crime.. (@CrimeLdn) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1270801995230785544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Both officers suffered minor injuries in the incident on Wednesday but did not require hospital treatment, the Met Police said.</p> <p>Four people – three men aged 20, 32 and 34 and a 13-year-old boy – have since been arrested on suspicion of assault on police.</p> <p>Prior to the incident, a member of the public flagged down officers on patrol and claimed to have been assaulted.</p> <p>“As an officer attempted to speak with those involved, one of the men resisted and a struggle ensued. A number of other people became involved whilst the officer was on the ground,” the Met said.</p> <p>Video footage shows some of the men surrounding the officers swearing and filming on their phones, with one taking a selfie as the officer and the suspect grappled.</p> <p>Detective Chief Superintendent Marcus Barnett said in a video shared on Twitter: “Two of my officers were horrifically attacked having tried to undertake a very lawful and necessary arrest on the street.</p> <p>“Fortunately both of the officers are well – cuts and bruises and are obviously shocked, as are all their colleagues and I.</p> <p>“And I just want to say that we’ve done an amazing job – four arrests we’ve made and an investigation ongoing.”</p> <p>Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “Yet again this starkly shows the dangers [officers] face and the bravery they show each and every day keeping Londoners safe.</p> <p>“We are not society’s punch bags. We have families we want to go home to at the end of every shift, but the dangers are stark and seemingly escalating.”</p> <p>Home secretary Priti Patel and London mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the attack on the officers.</p> <p>“These brave officers were doing their duty and assisting the public. We owe them a debt of gratitude,” Khan said.</p>

News

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Lewis the koala put to sleep in hospital after horrific bushfire burns

<p>The 14-year-old buck who made international headlines after footage emerged of him coming out of the NSW bushfires with horrifying burns, has died. </p> <p>Lewis the koala was rescued by a heroic grandmother who carried him in her arms and the heartbreaking moment sent hearts racing around the world. </p> <p>The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has shared sad news on Tuesday afternoon, saying staff made the decision to put him to sleep. </p> <p>“We placed him under general anaesthesia this morning to assess his burns injuries and change the bandages,” the hospital said in a post at about 2.30pm.</p> <p>The hospital said Lewis’ burns became worse “and unfortunately “would not have gotten better”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">UPDATE: Lewis, the koala who went viral in this daring rescue video, has died at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital <a href="https://t.co/RshwIOyvyn">https://t.co/RshwIOyvyn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPLewis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPLewis</a> <a href="https://t.co/nsdOVVAI0U">pic.twitter.com/nsdOVVAI0U</a></p> — NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1199342797469425664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“The Koala Hospital’s number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made,” it read.</p> <p>$1.66 million in donations streamed in for the hospital after Lewis’ sad rescue went viral. </p> <p>Grandmother Toni Doherty was filmed ripping the shirt off her back near Long Flat in NSW to save the wailing koala. </p> <p>The 14-year-old suffered burns to his feet, stomach and chest. </p> <p>Named “Ellenborough Lewis” after Toni’s grandchild, or Lewis for short, he had been receiving care by long-term home care volunteer and koala hospital supervisor, Barb.</p> <p>“Barb hand feeds Lewis a single leaf at a time, with feeding taking up to an hour a feed,” the hospital said on Friday.</p> <p>“Lewis’s prognosis is guarded as he sustained significant burns however he is receiving the best possible care.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832794/koala-lewis.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8dba411c87ee48d3aa0091b70f4a008e" /></p> <p>Lewis was just one of 31 koalas brought into the hospital from fire-grounds in the surrounding area, and an estimate of 350 koalas was killed as a result of the horrific bushfires. </p> <p>There are grave concerns from wildlife rescuers that there is a “much worse” toll of about 1000 koalas across NSW, Queensland and South Australia who were killed. </p> <p>Toni’s husband Peter Doherty told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nine.com.au/" target="_blank">Nine</a><span> </span>they “were there this morning” when Lewis died.</p> <p>“We are naturally very sad about this, as we were hoping he’d pull through but we accept his injuries were severe and debilitating and would have been quite painful,” Mr Doherty said.</p> <p>The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is part of a not-for-profit organisation established in 1973. </p> <p>They operate with four staff members and rely on the help of 140 volunteers. </p> <p>According to its website, the hospital has a treatment room, eight intensive care units, six outdoor intensive care units and 33 rehabilitation yards.</p> <p>In total, they handle between 200 and 250 koalas every year.</p>

Family & Pets

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Daycare worker fired after horrific note body-shaming five-year-old

<p>A daycare employee has been fired after body-shaming a five-year-old boy and saying that he should be “put on a diet”.</p> <p>The drama unfolded after the boy’s mother Francesca Easdon sent her son Kyler to school with a sweet note inside of his lunch bag.</p> <p>The note read:</p> <p>“Please tell Kyler that his mommy loves him so much and I’m thinking about him. Thank you!”</p> <p>However, she was shocked to get a harsh response in black.</p> <p>“No! Put him on a diet and go away!”</p> <p>Francesca explained that she has been working with Kyler about “healthy options”.</p> <p>“We have been working with Kyler on his eating, he’s extremely picky! I have been introducing new healthy options in his lunchbox and discussed the changes with his school,” she said in a Facebook post.</p> <p>“And for the record, I feel that Kyler is absolutely perfect the way he is, I’m just helping him make healthier choices.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D568357070587665%26set%3Da.110845729672137%26type%3D3&amp;width=500" width="500" height="708" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>Francesca went onto explain that she was in “absolute shock” over the reply to the note.</p> <p>“I was absolutely livid and immediately reached out to the school. First thing this morning I was at the school waiting on the director with my mother in law for a meeting. I was assured that it was being investigated and handled, yet almost no remorse was shown,” she wrote.</p> <p>“I also brought to their attention the fact that on his teachers public Facebook page there were mass posts regarding drug use and other very inappropriate content. The teacher that wrote this note confessed while I was at work and was fired, but nothing has been done about the other situations. Zero remorse for their actions.”</p> <p>Francesca was “disgusted” in putting her trust in people who would openly boast about inappropriate content on their public page.</p> <p>“Kyler’s safety and level of care comes first. Sorry for the long post but I feel it’s so important to share this. I’m extremely hands on with my child’s care and still didn’t see this coming. Monitor your daycares closely and stay away from this facility, they do NOT deserve the privilege of teaching our children.”</p>

Body

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BREAKING: Seinfeld actor's body found in a horrific state

<p>Golden Girls and Seinfeld actor Charles Levin horrifically passed away in June. </p> <p>However, while the details were spared from the public, they have since been obtained by the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html" target="_blank"><em>Daily Mail</em>.</a> </p> <p>The actor was reported as a missing person on June 28 by his son Jesse after he phoned a friend to say he was lost somewhere near Cave Junction, in Oregon, United States of America. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxpfx8NlIHG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxpfx8NlIHG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by NOSTALGIAINMILAN #F4FREQUEST (@nostalgiainmilan)</a> on May 19, 2019 at 8:01am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>On July 13, police authorities confirmed a body was found near where his unique orange Fiat car was also located. </p> <p>Inside the vehicle was Levin’s beloved deceased pet pug who was identified by his signature purple collar. </p> <p>Reports obtained by the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html" target="_blank"><em>Daily Mail </em></a>revealed his body was discovered at the bottom of a rocky 30-foot ravine. </p> <p>Sadly it was revealed his remains were horribly decomposed, and he had been dead “for days”. </p> <p>The report indicated signs of “animal scavenging likely in the form of turkey vultures.”</p> <p>Authorities used dental records to identify Levin’s body, and his death has been ruled accidental. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0BQQGTnhhm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0BQQGTnhhm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Every Day a Famous Dies (@everydayafamousdies)</a> on Jul 17, 2019 at 6:29am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It has been assumed Levin fell down the ravine while attempting to find help. </p> <p>Police reportedly had to scale a slope to retrieve his body using a rope-and-pulley system.</p> <p>The local member who found the actor’s body said “It looked like he was trying to take a back route to Grants Pass [where he lived]. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B10NcuwFh5y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B10NcuwFh5y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by David Plunkett (@melsdinercastandcharacters)</a> on Aug 30, 2019 at 9:58pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“But the road he went down was remote and doesn't have any signs. It's easy to get lost, and GPS doesn't work.</p> <p>“His car was pretty banged up and was off a logging trail. I went up on foot, hiking. I wouldn't have driven up there by myself, no way. I think he might have made a few bad decisions.”</p> <p>Levin was a familiar face on TV screens around the world and appeared on <em>Alice, The Golden Girls, NYPD Blue</em>, and <em>Hill Street Blues</em>. </p> <p>He famously played a Mohel in the 1993 <em>Seinfeld</em> episode, The Bris.</p>

Caring

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Man's horrific find in his mother's freezer

<p>Police are investigating after a man discovered a baby's body in his late mother’s freezer.</p> <p>Adam Smith was looking after his mother in her St Louis apartment in the UK until she passed away from lung cancer on July 21, <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/30/us/missouri-infant-freezer/index.html" target="_blank"><em>CNN</em></a> reported.</p> <p>The 37-year-old man was cleaning out the home when he came across a cardboard box in the freezer.</p> <p>Smith said his mother, who had brought the box with her throughout multiple house moves, warned him not to open it. </p> <p>“It has been in my freezer for 37 years. I was always told it was a wedding cake top,” Smith told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/st-louis-man-finds-mummified-baby-his-deceased-mother-s-n1036026" target="_blank"><em>KSDK</em></a>.</p> <p>When he opened the box, he found a frozen infant corpse wrapped in a pink blanket. </p> <p>“When I reached down and touched it, I could feel a foot,” said Smith.</p> <p>“I could see the baby’s head with hair … It still had skin, hair and everything – it was mummified.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">EXCLUSIVE: A disturbing discovery in south St. Louis. Police are investigating the death of a baby. But tonight, we get more details from a man who found the baby wrapped in a pink blanket in his mom's freezer. Catch the full story at 6 on <a href="https://twitter.com/ksdknews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ksdknews</a>. <a href="https://t.co/juSKoL9SQT">pic.twitter.com/juSKoL9SQT</a></p> — Justina Coronel (@JustinaCoronel) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinaCoronel/status/1155944913931866114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Smith told <em>CNN</em> that the baby “looked clean” and “like a newborn baby”.</p> <p>According to Smith, his mother said she had lost a child before he was born. He said a relative told him that his mother gave birth to twins, but one of them died and the other was given up for adoption.</p> <p>St Louis Metropolitan Police said they are investigating the case as a “suspicious death” pending an autopsy.</p> <p>“Who absolutely keeps their own child in a box for this long and never talks about it?” Smith said.</p> <p>"I just have so many thoughts. It's insane.”</p>

Home & Garden

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“Horrific” $10 eggs on toast airport breakfast slammed

<p>An Aussie traveller’s post has gone viral after he shared a photo of an airport breakfast he purchased in England.</p> <p>Reddit user M1BG shared a picture of the $10.21 (£5.70) “eggs on toast” that he bought from fast-food outlet Friska at Luton Airport in England.</p> <p>Instead of a delicious breakfast, the traveller received three watery eggs and two triangles of warm bread in a cardboard box.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="710" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819423/1_499x710.jpg" alt="1 (162)"/></p> <p>“Tbh I was hoping a little more effort would have gone into my £5.70 eggs on toast breakfast from Friska at Luton Airport,” he wrote.</p> <p>The appalling breakfast immediately started to gain attention on the internet, and one user jokingly dubbed the meal “eggs near toast”.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="378" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819424/2_500x378.jpg" alt="2 (97)"/></p> <p>The traveller claimed the word ‘toast’ did not come close to describing what he received in the cardboard box, and said it was nothing more than “dried bread”.</p> <p>Some users also claimed that the traveller’s first mistake was going “anywhere near Luton” in the first place.</p> <p>“I live here, not at all worth it,” wrote one Reddit user.</p> <p>Another user agreed: “Having expectations in Luton will only lead to disappointment.”</p> <p>However, most people were outraged at the expensive price of the lacklustre meal.</p> <p>One person empathised that the traveller had wasted $10. </p> <p>Despite calling out the fast-food outlet for the disappointing meal, the traveller never revealed if he still ate and finished his breakfast.</p> <p>Friska co-founder, Griff Holland, told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/6620064/bloke-shares-photo-of-his-appalling-5-70-luton-airport-breakfast-and-everyone-is-fuming/" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Sun Online</span></strong></em></a>: “I can totally understand why the person who posted the picture felt disappointed by the presentation of the poached eggs on toast they were served this morning.”</p> <p>Griff continued, “They didn’t look as they should’ve done and I am working with the franchise operator to make sure that the presentation of all our dishes is always up to scratch.</p> <p>“Mistakes sometimes happen when you are serving over 7,000 people per week and we’d love to invite the customer back for a breakfast on us to win back their trust in what we do and how we do it.”</p> <p>How would you react if you were served this breakfast? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Travel Trouble

Over 60

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