WEATHER ALERT
Keeping your family safe online
Online predators are everywhere and they're after our kids. There are 500,000 online predators active each day — according to the Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center.
We are working for you on ways to keep our kids and our families safe. This page is designed to help give you some tools to protect your family. There are education strategies, apps to monitor what your kids are saying and doing online and much more.
The way children are learning about being safe online is also changing drastically, thanks to a local organization.
Here you will also find the real-life stories of the survivors of cyber predators and how some are using their experiences to prevent something from happening again.
Jenna Zibton is exploring the topic for Solutionaries during the month of February, giving you solutions to a problem that’s not going away anytime soon. You can email her at jzibton@wsls.com
Officials: Florida man was talking to Bedford County 11-year-old online before abduction
Read full article: Officials: Florida man was talking to Bedford County 11-year-old online before abductionAn 11-year-old girl from Bedford County was reportedly abducted after communicating with a Florida man through an online game, authorities say.
13-year-old dies from overdose after trying the TikTok ‘Benadryl Challenge'
Read full article: 13-year-old dies from overdose after trying the TikTok ‘Benadryl Challenge'Justin Stevens is experiencing a parent’s worst nightmare after a TikTok challenge claimed the life of his 13-year-old son, our sister station WKMG reports. The family says their son, Jacob Stevens, passed away from an overdose after attempting the “Benadryl Challenge,” which encourages users to take 12 to 14 pills to create a hallucination.
26-year-old New York man arrested after traveling to meet underage Lynchburg girl, police say
Read full article: 26-year-old New York man arrested after traveling to meet underage Lynchburg girl, police sayA New York man has been arrested and charged after traveling to meet up with an underage girl in Lynchburg, according to the Lynchburg Police Department.
‘Evil in the world’: Woman taken by online predator as a teen, now educating others
Read full article: ‘Evil in the world’: Woman taken by online predator as a teen, now educating othersWe are working for you on solutions to keep our kids and our families safe from online predators.Online predators -- they are everywhere, and they are after our kids. But one family is working to fight them with education.
Authorities investigating threat made toward student at Central Academy Middle School in Fincastle
Read full article: Authorities investigating threat made toward student at Central Academy Middle School in FincastleThe Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a student from Central Academy Middle School (CAMS) in Fincastle received a threat on Snapchat on Tuesday.
Man sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for using Snapchat to prey on teenage boys in Southwest Virginia
Read full article: Man sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for using Snapchat to prey on teenage boys in Southwest VirginiaA North Carolina will spend the next nearly 20 years in prison for receiving sexually explicit images and videos from teenage boys living in Southwest Virginia via Snapchat.
Bedford County pinwheel displays raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month
Read full article: Bedford County pinwheel displays raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention MonthMore than 1,400 pinwheels have been placed outside four locations, led by the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Each one represents a victim from last year.
‘A parent’s worst nightmare’: Southwest Virginia man sentenced to 27 years for coercing minors on Snapchat
Read full article: ‘A parent’s worst nightmare’: Southwest Virginia man sentenced to 27 years for coercing minors on SnapchatA Southwest Virginia man has been sentenced to 27 years for using Snapchat to coerce underage girls into sending him sexually explicit photos, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Amber Alert canceled after 12-year-old Henry County girl found safe, child abduction suspect in custody
Read full article: Amber Alert canceled after 12-year-old Henry County girl found safe, child abduction suspect in custodyVirginia State Police has canceled the Amber Alert made for 12-year-old Allie Broadaway, per the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.