3-year-old left unattended at mall playground while mom went to job, FL cops say
A 3-year-old left unattended at a shopping mall was later seen heading into traffic when a passerby intervened, according to investigators in the Florida Panhandle.
It happened just after 1 p.m. Sunday, June 15, at the Silver Sands Premium Outlets in Destin, and resulted in the child's mother being charged, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a June 16 news release.
Witnesses report the child had been seen playing alone since 'at least 11:30 a.m.,' the sheriff's office said.
'According to witnesses, the toddler had nearly run into traffic before a bystander intervened and pulled him to safety. After trying unsuccessfully to locate the child's parent, the good Samaritan brought the boy to Silver Sands security,' the sheriff's office said.
'Deputies made contact with security staff at the outlet mall's security office, where the child was safe and being cared for. While deputies were on scene interviewing witnesses, a woman ... approached asking about her son.'
The 22-year-old woman told deputies she worked 'at a nearby store and had left her son at the playground,' where he was to be picked up by a family friend, the sheriff's office said.
'She claimed she had been watching him through the store's window while working,' officials said.
'However, (she) was unaware that her son had been with a bystander for approximately 45 minutes or that he had attempted to run into traffic, prompting the witness to alert security. At no point did she contact law enforcement to report her child missing.'
Investigators say the heat index at the time was 101 degrees and the child was left at the outdoor playground with no food or water.
The boy's mother was charged with child neglect and 'released on her own recognizance,' the sheriff's office said.
'This could have ended much worse,' Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said in the release. 'Thanks to the good Samaritans who stepped in and the quick action by our deputies, this little boy is safe. But this kind of situation is not only dangerous, it is unacceptable.'
Destin is about a 50-mile drive east from Pensacola.
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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
3-year-old left unattended at mall playground while mom went to job, FL cops say
A 3-year-old left unattended at a shopping mall was later seen heading into traffic when a passerby intervened, according to investigators in the Florida Panhandle. It happened just after 1 p.m. Sunday, June 15, at the Silver Sands Premium Outlets in Destin, and resulted in the child's mother being charged, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a June 16 news release. Witnesses report the child had been seen playing alone since 'at least 11:30 a.m.,' the sheriff's office said. 'According to witnesses, the toddler had nearly run into traffic before a bystander intervened and pulled him to safety. After trying unsuccessfully to locate the child's parent, the good Samaritan brought the boy to Silver Sands security,' the sheriff's office said. 'Deputies made contact with security staff at the outlet mall's security office, where the child was safe and being cared for. While deputies were on scene interviewing witnesses, a woman ... approached asking about her son.' The 22-year-old woman told deputies she worked 'at a nearby store and had left her son at the playground,' where he was to be picked up by a family friend, the sheriff's office said. 'She claimed she had been watching him through the store's window while working,' officials said. 'However, (she) was unaware that her son had been with a bystander for approximately 45 minutes or that he had attempted to run into traffic, prompting the witness to alert security. At no point did she contact law enforcement to report her child missing.' Investigators say the heat index at the time was 101 degrees and the child was left at the outdoor playground with no food or water. The boy's mother was charged with child neglect and 'released on her own recognizance,' the sheriff's office said. 'This could have ended much worse,' Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said in the release. 'Thanks to the good Samaritans who stepped in and the quick action by our deputies, this little boy is safe. But this kind of situation is not only dangerous, it is unacceptable.' Destin is about a 50-mile drive east from Pensacola.
Newsweek
09-06-2025
- Newsweek
ICE Agents' Mask Culture Shift Risks Street Violence: Obama ICE Chief
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is warning that a growing trend of federal officers wearing masks during arrests is potentially dangerous to bystanders, communities, and even the agents themselves. John Sandweg, who served as acting director of ICE under former President Barack Obama, from August 2013 to February 2014, told Newsweek on Friday that what was once a rare precaution has become a widespread practice that carries serious risks. Sandweg expressed concerns over the shift in tactics that has become increasingly common in immigration enforcement operations. He argued that masks create confusion and fear, especially in public settings. "If you're getting arrested by an officer or agent in a mask, especially if at that point they've not yet identified themselves as a federal officer, it creates a risk of bystanders thinking, rushing in to help, which could create the risk of violence or harm caused to the bystanders," Sandweg explained. John Sandweg, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, speaks during a news conference on counterfeit merchandise at the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII media center, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014, in New York. John Sandweg, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, speaks during a news conference on counterfeit merchandise at the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII media center, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014, in New York. AP "People are trying to be good Samaritans because they think it's a kidnapping or something of that nature. You could have local police who have not been right into the operation thinking something is happening, like an abduction is happening. The Trump administration has defended the use of masks, citing a sharp rise in threats and violence against ICE agents. According to the Department of Homeland Security, assaults on immigration officers have surged by 413 percent, prompting officials to argue that masks are a necessary measure to protect agents' identities, as well as their families. The remarks come amid heightened tensions in Los Angeles, a sanctuary city, between federal immigration authorities and local officials over how immigration laws are enforced, the safety of communities, and the role of sanctuary policies. As ICE officers carried out an increasing number of arrests under federal orders, they are facing increasing resistance from protesters and immigrant rights supporters, fueling tense standoffs and public backlash. A demonstrator holds placards as protesters clash with law enforcement in the streets surrounding the federal building during a protest following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles, California, on June 8, 2025. A demonstrator holds placards as protesters clash with law enforcement in the streets surrounding the federal building during a protest following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles, California, on June 8, 2025. RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images Sandweg, speaking before mass protests erupted in Los Angeles over alleged aggressive immigration enforcement, said the use of masks should be an exception, not the rule. "There are times where I think for officer safety reasons, I understand why they would wear masks," Sandweg said. "There are going to be cases where there is a potential risk to the safety of the officers themselves, or their families, where they could be identified and then that could lead to them being targeted." However, Sandweg cautioned that the frequent use of masks has gone beyond exceptional circumstances, saying it wasn't a regular trend under his tenure. "I think everyone knows the reasons for the masks. Every agent knows they would be doxxed [publicly identified] as would their families," Scott Mechkowski, a retired ICE agent who worked for the agency from the mid-1990s until 2019, told Newsweek. Sandweg emphasized that masks might be appropriate in high-risk operations targeting gang members or dangerous criminals—but not for routine arrests involving nonviolent immigrants or student visa holders, which has become common practice under the Trump administration. "You want them to be in a position where they're clearly identified as ICE officers. And I just think a mask creates all sorts of risks operationally." He painted a stark picture of how the shift might feel for ordinary people and student visa holders caught in the crossfire of President Donald Trump's clampdown on immigrants. "If you're somebody walking down the street, you know, a student who's got a valid visa and you don't know that ICE is planning to arrest you, and all of a sudden a bunch of masked men quickly approach you. I mean, you have to be scared to death." What was once an isolated tactic now seems to be standard practice, Sandweg said, calling it "a troubling development." "I think the most important thing is officer safety. Of course. Wearing the masks themselves creates safety issues, which is why I think they have to be really the exception and not the rule. The growing use of masks by ICE agents raises questions about transparency, community trust, and public safety. While protecting officers is essential, experts warn that overuse of such tactics may lead to more harm than good. As immigration enforcement continues to ramp up, balancing security with accountability remains a pressing challenge.
CBS News
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- CBS News
2 cyclists injured after running into kite string on NYC bridge
Two New Yorkers are recovering from a run-in with a sharp object they couldn't even see until it was too late — a kite string. "There was just so much blood" Jennifer Noble was entering the Marine Parkway Bridge on her bike over the weekend when she saw a kite floating in the air and suddenly ran into something she couldn't see. "It hit my upper lip and my nose, and then it cut through my forehead," she said. The string also cut through the muscle of Noble's index finger and cut her helmet's temple strap. She says the force knocked her over backwards. Jennifer Noble says she was cut by a kite string as she was cycling on the Marine Parkway Bridge in June 2025. CBS News New York "And then I just hear screaming behind me. And it hit my friend who was behind me in the throat and cut his throat open," Noble said. Noble said good Samaritans sprang into action, bandaged her finger and applied pressure to her friend's neck. "It looked like a movie. Like it looked fake. There was just so much blood," Noble said. "It tore through me" Her friend, Robert Hillebrand, remains hospitalized. Noble said the entrepreneur has a long road ahead. "He's not able to work. He's going to have a lot of medical bills," she said. Jennifer Noble says Robert Hillebrand's throat was cut by a kite string as they were cycling on the Marine Parkway Bridge in June 2025. Photo provided Noble said she's still in pain five days after the incident and has since returned to the emergency room for excessive pain in her finger. "Looks like there are bone fragments in the joint, which is why I'm having so much pain now," she said. She has an appointment to see a specialist on Monday. Noble believes the string was attached to a so-called "fight kite," where the string is a very sharp, abrasive line sometimes coated with crushed glass. "It just seems really horrifically, dangerously negligent to have this stuff out there in the world," Noble said. "It tore through me."
