WebProNews

Tag: teen

  • Affluenza Teen: Family Foots Only Fraction Of Rehab

    Many were outraged when Texas teen Ethan Couch – responsible for taking the lives of four people as he drove intoxicated in his family’s company truck – was only sentenced to ten years of counseling. Recent reports from court officials now have Texas taxpayers especially upset, as they learn they will be partially footing the bill.

    17-year-old Couch’s parents will only be required to pay $1,170 a month for his treatment at a rural Vernon state hospital – which won’t cover costs for even two days there. The decision comes on the heels of a defense expert describing the teen as suffering “affluenza” – an irresponsible state into which his wealthy parents had coddled him.

    Greg Coontz, an attorney for the family of a deceased victim, said: “As a taxpayer, I probably feel exactly like you do.” He went on to add, “It seems like maybe that ought to be a little different and should be addressed if there’s the ability to pay. Most time, I don’t know that there is. Clearly, sometimes that ability is there.

    Lance Evans, the Couch family attorney, replied more pithily: “The family respects the decision of the facility and the court and will honor the payment system the court has put into place.”

    “Affluenza”, a term popularized in the 90’s, is described by Time magazine as a “painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.”

    Although it’s hard to deny that our culture propagates a sense of spiritual dearth and insatiable desire for material acquisitions, it hardly seems like a fair defense in a court of law. Anyone raised within a social narrative like ours is subject to “seeking more” than they have. Even after our basic needs for survival are met, we’re encouraged to further search externally. Then, those who can barely meet those basic needs are punished disproportionately.

    Counseling may thus seem like a good option to restore those with legal or substance abuse issues when possible. Yet, the larger issue being argued is an inequality across demographics when doling out these sentences versus time behind bars.

    One issue brought up on social media is that only the financially fortunate find favor with the judges in avoiding jail time. For example, in March 2014, homeless mom Shanesha Taylor attended an interview for 45 minutes and had to leave two kids in her car. She faced a felony for child abuse. That same month, Dupont Empire heir Robert H. Richards IV received probation but no jail time after being found guilty – of raping his own 3 year old daughter. The judge stated he “wouldn’t fare well in prison.”

    Is it fair that the rich receive help following heinous crimes, while a mom of two down on her luck and seeking legitimate employment… gets punished?

    Also, how is it that Couch’s “wealth affliction” is enough to keep him from lockup, yet his family can’t afford the alternative treatment?

    Image via Youtube

  • ‘Teen Mom’ Star Amber Portwood Released From Jail

    MTV’s “Teen Mom” is a show that was created to document the trials and tribulations that young mothers face. Amber Portwood was one of the original teen moms and we saw her spiral out of control throughout the three seasons.

    Portwood was sentenced to five years in prison after being arrested and charged with drug possession in December 2011. She served 17-months at the Rockville Correctional Facility in Indiana before being released yesterday for good behavior.

    Douglas S. Garrison, the chief communications officer of the Indiana Department of Correction confirmed her release. “She was released today and she’ll be going on parole,” he said. “Each parolee has a number of stipulations, and she may have to check in with her parole officer a couple times a month, possibly every week. That could last up to a year or so.”

    Portwood originally had a choice to serve out her term or enter a court ordered substance abuse program. However, she chose to go to jail. “I actually said to the judge, ‘Send me to prison,’ which is weird but I did,” she told Dr. Drew Pinsky during the MTV special “Amber Behind Bars.” “I knew, and I don’t know how, but I knew that I was going to die if I didn’t go to prison,” she said.

    After taking classes to help her cope with real-life and participating in a drug program, Portwood says she is a changed woman. It’s obvious by her brother, Shawn Portwood’s, Twitter posts, that she has a strong support system there to help her as well.

    Here is a video of Portwood coming home. Watch how her brother spills everything out of her prison bag. She laughed, which is a good sign. Hopefully things are looking up for her.

    Portwood’s is the mother to 4-year-old Leah. However, her ex-fiancé, Gary Shirley, currently has full custody.

    Image via Mugshots.com

  • 3.85-Carat Diamond is Found By Teen at Arkansas Park

    After Oklahoma teenager Tana Clymer heard about a boy who had found a 5-carat diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park in southern Arkansas earlier this year, she wanted to see if she would have any such luck. Tana, who is 14, ended up finding a whopping 3.85-carat diamond after searching for only two hours.

    See the diamond Tana found, which is described as being about the size of a jellybean.

    “I thought it was a piece of paper or foil from a candy wrapper,” Tana said of her find on Saturday. “Then, when I touched it, I thought it was a marble. I think God pointed me to it. I was about to sprint to join my family, and God told me to slow down and look. Then, I found the diamond!” According to park officials, Tana named the diamond “God’s Jewel.”

    The park lets people keep whatever they find, so the diamond is Tana’s to do with as she pleases. “No two diamonds are alike, and each diamond finder’s story is unique, too,” assistant park superintendent Bill Henderson said. “What an experience for Tana to remember the rest of her life,” he said. “Tana told me that she was so excited she couldn’t sleep last night. She’s either going to keep the diamond for a ring, or if it’s worth a lot, she’ll want that for college.”

    Tana’s family hasn’t had the diamond appraised yet, but Henderson said that a similar diamond found in 2006 was sold for $30,000.

    Hundreds of diamonds are found at Crater of Diamonds State Park each year. The 37-acre park is an eroded surface of an ancient volcanic crater and is the only diamond-producing site open to the public. The largest diamond ever found at Crater of Diamonds was The Uncle Sam Diamond. The 40.23-carat, white diamond was found there in 1924, and so far, more than 75,000 diamonds have been found at the site since 1906.

    Diamonds aren’t the only stones found at Crater of Diamonds State Park, either. Other gems found at the state park include jasper, amethyst, garnet, agate, barite, and quartz.

    Images via YouTube

  • Dad Disowns Daughter After She Rejects Gay Kid: Read the Letter

    While it’s not uncommon to hear of a parent disowning their kid for coming out as gay, it is unusual to hear of a grandparent disowning their adult child for rejecting a gay grandchild. This is exactly what happened, though, according to a letter that was posted online.

    A man wrote his daughter, identified as Christine, a scathing letter after she kicked out his grandson for coming out as gay. The woman apparently referred to her son as an “abomination” and said that his lifestyle goes “against nature.” FCKH8.com, a website that promotes gay rights with its clever t-shirts, posted the letter below to their Facebook page. According to Yahoo, FCKH8 spokesperson Luke Montgomery confirmed that the letter is real.

    Dear Christine,

    I’m disappointed in you as a daughter. You’re correct that we have a “shame in the family”, but mistaken about what it is. Kicking Chad out of your home simply because he told you he was gay is the real “abomination” here. A parent disowning her child is what goes “against nature.” The only intelligent thing I heard you saying in all this was that “you didn’t raise your son to be gay.” Of course you didn’t. He was born this way and didn’t choose it any more than he being left-handed. You however, have made a choice of being hurtful, narrow-minded and backward. So, while we are in the business of disowning our children, I think I’ll take this moment to say goodbye to you. I now have a fabulous (as the gays put it) grandson to raise, and I don’t have time for heart-less B-word of a daughter. If you find your heart, give us a call. – Dad.

    So far the letter has received more than 15,000 likes on Facebook, where many posters have responded in a positive way. Ernie Nelson-Truk said, “Good job, Grandpa. I am a veteran, and, part of the reason I served was to support the rights of EVERYONE in this country. I applaud your guts in making, what had to be, a VERY tough decision. I am also straight, but I support a persons right to be who they are.”

    What do you think of the letter? Respond below.

    Letter images via Facebook

  • Jessica Ridgeway: Teen Guilty in Child’s Death, No Death Penalty

    In October 2012 in Colorado, the parents of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway were delivered the devastating news that their daughter had been kidnapped on the way to school. Just a few days later, parts of her body were found in a field.

    Then 17-year-old Austin Sigg confessed to murdering Jessica and has now pleaded guilty to kidnapping, murdering, sexually assaulting and dismembering the young girl. Since Sigg was 17 when he committed the crimes, he isn’t eligible for the death penalty.

    Sigg first confessed murdering and dismembering Jessica to his mother, who called 911 and made the report. “I made the phone call, and he turned himself in. That’s all I have to say,” Mindy Sigg said. During the 911 call, Sigg could be heard saying, “I murdered Jessica Ridgeway, I have proof that I did. I’m giving myself up completely, there will be no resistance whatsoever.”

    In addition to the brutal murder of Jessica Ridgeway, Sigg also confessed to another violent crime that occurred just months before the young girl’s death. Sigg told a 911 dispatcher that he was responsible for the attack on a jogger in a park near his home in May 2012. “The only other thing that I have done was the Ketner Lake incident where the woman got attacked. That was me,” Sigg said.

    The Colorado teen told detectives the same thing he told his mom and was charged with kidnapping, murder, sexual assault of a child and other charges. Despite the confessions, Sigg initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his attorney worked to have his confessions excluded from the trial, saying he was too young to understand his decision.

    Against the advice of his attorney, Sigg changed his plea to guilty on all charges on Tuesday. “The writing was on the wall,” Jefferson County District Attorney Peter Weir said. “In this case, there has been justice for Jessica.”

    Despite the horrific nature of the crimes, Sigg may be eligible for parole in 40 years, something prosecutors are trying to make sure doesn’t happen. Sigg will be sentenced on November 8, and prosecutors have asked Judge Stephen Munsinger to make him serve consecutive sentences, which would ensure he spends the rest of his life behind bars.

    Main image via YouTube; Article picture via YouTube

  • Into The Wild Teen Death Leads To Family Reactions

    Can passions become our downfall? The heart-breaking story of an admirable eighteen-year-old with the wide smile has left many devastated. People say that life imitates art, which unfortunately has tragic meaning to the young Johnathan Croom, who was passionate about the film Into The Wild where some are describing the interest as an obsession.

    David Croom, the father of the beloved youth, shared his feelings about protecting and guiding the younger generation.

    “John made us feel like he was OK, but he was really hurting inside. It’s really important that we pay real close attention to what our kids are saying and that we remind them that we love them, because there are influences in the world that tell them otherwise. John is loved by many. I appreciate all the help and what everyone has done. My instincts told me this could happen. I’m trying to be strong for my community,” David said.

    Speaking before Johnathan Croom’s body was discovered, David Croom contemplated the reason behind his son’s absence. “He’s been watching the movie a lot,” he said. Mr. Croom added, “Maybe he said, ‘I want to do it.’ That’s our theory, because he kept talking about the movie.”

    There are still many questions surrounding this situation. “We still don’t know what happened, but he was lost in the wild. He got in over his head, and things didn’t go well,” the grieving father said.

    While many questions may always remain unanswered, one answer has already been answered. The father has spoken about his concern that parents tell their children how much they are loved daily and not wait. Life as wonderful and beautiful as it may be ends far too soon. When people hear about Johnathan Croom, hopefully they will think of the joyous, smiling individual who posted videos of himself enjoying life such as the one below.

    [Image via Youtube]

  • Wolf Attack In Minnesota Is The State’s First

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYG6yePNLA4

    The first official reporting of a gray wolf attack in Minnesota occurred on Saturday at the West Winnie Campground located on Lake Winnibigoshish. The victim, a sixteen-year-old boy named Noah Graham, was attacked and bitten in the head by a 75 pound gray wolf, which appeared in the early morning hours close to 4 a.m. when Noah was preparing to fall asleep. Noah was in the vicinity of the campsite’s beach area with members from his church when the attack happened.

    Scott Graham, the boy’s father, spoke about the ordeal. “The wolf just came up behind Noah, he didn’t hear anything, and it just grabbed him by the back of the head and wouldn’t let go. He had to physically pry the jaws of the wolf open, to get it off of him, and once he got it off of him and he was up, the wolf stood there growling at him. And he had to shout at it and kick at it to get it to go away.”

    The Department of Natural Resources reports that this is the first known human attack in Minnesota by a gray wolf, which is also called a timber wolf. The enforcement director for the Department of Natural Resources, Colonel Ken Soring, said, “Our records do not reflect that we’ve had wolf attacks like this in Minnesota.”

    Authorities tracked and killed the wolf responsible for the attack in order to test for rabies where the University of Minnesota veterinary lab will be responsible for completing the tests. What could have triggered this rare display of aggression? The wolf was noted as having a deformed jaw, which could have been a contributing factor in the attack. Due to the abnormally-shaped jawline, the wolf may have potentially struggled with the process of tracking, locating, and consuming food.

    Are campsites safe? Should other campers be readily prepared to confront wolves while enjoying the wilderness? Colonel Soring surmised the situation. “It’s too early to speculate as far as the condition or the causes with this animal, but it is not characteristic of wolves to approach people,” he said.

    Noah Graham is fortunate to have responded quickly to the situation. His recovery includes the placement of 17 stitches in the back of his head as well as undergoing shots as part of rabies precautionary measures.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Trayvon Martin Case Won’t Be Heard By Grand Jury

    Florida state appointed special prosecutor Angela Corey said Monday she will not take the Trayvon Martin shooting death before a grand jury. Under Florida law, only first-degree murder cases require the use of grand juries.

    Corey said her decision to skip the grand jury shouldn’t be considered a factor in determining whether charges will be filed against George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who has admitted to fatally shooting the unarmed Martin. The circumstances are whats in question here.

    “From the moment she was assigned, Ms. Corey noted she may not need a grand jury,” said a statement from Corey’s office.

    Zimmerman has claimed self-defense, and Florida’s self-defense law gives wide leeway to use deadly force and eliminates a person’s duty to retreat in the face of danger.

    “Corey’s decision means she doesn’t have to rely on potentially unpredictable jurors,” said David Hill, an Orlando criminal defense attorney. “Let’s give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she knows there isn’t enough for first-degree murder but she wants to maintain control and charge him with something else,” Hill said. “What does she need a grand jury for? She cuts out the unpredictability of the grand jury. She goes where she feels she has more evidence.”

    This is of course all speculation from Corey. In reality there is a very good chance that no charges will surface from this investigation, no matter how much Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton try to inflame the situation with racial hate.

    (image)@_HesJustRandom
    James Levy     Us black people want to lock Up and throw away the key to the guy who killed Treyvon..but when our family member kill someone let them go 2?(image) 11 minutes ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@nickandrews1
    Nick Andrews    Some journalism disgusts me. The only thing I know about Treyvon Martin is that he was black, liked Skittles and AZ iced tea. #DOYOURJOB(image) 2 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Obama: “If I Had A Son, He’d Look Like Trayvon.”

    President Obama spoke out during a press conference yesterday about the shooting death of 17-year old Trayvon Martin, saying that the incident evokes thoughts of his own children, just like it does for many Americans.

    “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” he said when asked about his feelings on the boy’s death and the fact that George Zimmerman, the man who admitted to shooting him, hasn’t yet been arrested. “Obviously this is a tragedy. I can only imagine what these parents are going through. And when I think about this boy, I think about my own kids. And I think every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this and that everybody pulls together, federal state and local to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened,” the president said.

    The U.S. Justice Department has initiated it’s own investigation as to whether or not Zimmerman, who is of Caucasian and Hispanic descent, was racially motivated to shoot the teen, who was African-American. Obama says he is head of that department and therefore must be careful about any statements he makes about the investigation.

    “My main message is to the parents of Trayvon Martin…I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and that we’re get to the bottom of exactly what happened,” Obama said.

    Twitter users were affected by the President’s words and are tweeting about the press conference today:

    (image)@MarkHarrisNYC
    Mark Harris    “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon”: A powerful, remarkable moment from the White House. http://t.co/NUAY1Li0(image) 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@Shakestweetz
    Melissa McEwan    President Obama gives a powerful statement on the Trayvon Martin case. Also: On the right to “feel” safe. http://t.co/9IElAyDT(image) 1 hour ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@VibeMagazine
    VibeMagazine    President Obama Gives Touching Speech on Trayvon Martin: “If I Had a Son He’d Look Like Trayvon” http://t.co/x8U4OviZ(image) 5 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Porn Star Accepts Prom Invite From Minnesota Teen

    When 18-year old Minnesota high school student Michael Stone realized that just about every girl in his class had a prom date already, he decided to pursue other avenues to find an escort; he took to Twitter.

    But he wasn’t after just any old girl. He figured if he had no luck at school, he might as well try to land a porn star.

    After something like 600 tweets, Michael finally received a response from adult film actress Megan Piper, who said she would be his date if he would pay her travel expenses. Now Mike is on a mission to raise the funds, which come to about $400, to fly Megan to his hometown for the big night.

    (image)

    “I thought it was really cute, and I thought it would make his night by saying ‘yes’,” Piper told the Huffington Post.

    (image)@xMeganPiper
    Megan Piper    For everyone that loves me: I’d love to go to prom with @madmike42948 and I think you all should help him raise funds to get me there. RT(image) 18 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Another porn star, Emy Reyes, also responded to his offer by saying she would love to go, but no plans were made. She and Piper are friends, however, and the two of them just may decide to go together, making Michael the awesomest kid to ever walk the planet.

    It sounds like something from an early ’90s movie, especially since Stone’s parents and principal don’t know anything about these plans. But since the news has gone viral and is sweeping the web, they’re sure to find out sooner rather than later.

    Stone isn’t the first high school student to ask out a celebrity on a date; just recently, 18-year old Keven McGuire started a Facebook campaign to book a date with country music star Taylor Swift for his own prom. The New Jersey native has battled leukemia since he was 13. Swift replied that she would love to go, but prior engagements would prevent her from accepting. However, she has asked him to be her date to the Academy of Country Music Awards on April 1st.

  • Facebook Blamed For Thailand Pregnancies

    According to Thaliand’s National Economic and Social Development Board, Facebook is at fault for rampant teen pregnancy in that country. Women under 20 years old accounted for 14% of all Thai moms in 2009-2010, putting Thailand on top of Unicef’s list concerning teen pregnancy in Asia, according to a report by Thailand’s National News Bureau.

    Thailand

    The study states that 18 to 24-year-olds are the largest group of Facebook users in Thailand, and suggests that all the pregnancy keeps happening because the demographic keeps posting “seducing messages or video clips online.”

    Thai blogger Saksith Saiyasombut’s response to the post states that the real problem is that Thailand has a severe problem with sexual education. Saiyasombut cited a compulsory test in order to advance to upper secondary school after the first three years of high school, that asked students, “What should you do if you have a sexual urge?” The correct answer, apparently, was to “call friends to go play football.” Allegedly, people are not playing enough soccer, and are getting on Facebook too much instead.

    Thailand apparently is quick to censor websites, and was the first country to adopt Twitter’s censorship policy. So, Facebook can just be blocked, if the pregnancies get further out of hand.