Latest news with #LivingstonParish
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Louisiana attorney general says gaming site Roblox fosters environment for child predators
This story has been updated with additional information. Louisiana is suing the popular children's video gaming site Roblox, alleging the company doesn't do enough to protect children from predators. "It created and perpetuated an online environment where child predators thrive," Republican Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said during a press conference in Livingston Parish. Roblox is wildly popular, especially among pre-teens, reporting more than 100 million daily users for the first time ever during the second quarter. It's stock has more than doubled this year and the company received its first investment-grade rating this week after S&P Global Ratings upgraded the firm. But Murrill alleged the company, which allows users to interact with one another: ∎ "Has and continues to facilitate the distribution of child sexual abuse material and the sexual exploitation of Louisiana's children. ∎ "Knowingly and intentionally fails to implement basic safety controls to protect child users from predators. ∎ Knowingly and intentionally fails to provide notice to parents and child users of its dangers." 'Due to Roblox's lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana," Murrill said in a statement. "Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue and profits over child safety. "Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home.' Murrill said the company's lack of safety measures make for easy access for predators to interact with children on the site. "Because there is no age minimum and requirement to verify age or parental permission once you sign-up, users can easily say they are younger or older than their actual age - allowing child predators to pose as children and for children to bypass any age requirement," Murrill said in the press release. Murrill displayed signs that read: "Roblox prioritizes profits over child safety." Murrill said she believes Louisiana is the first state to sue Roblox, but similar lawsuits have been lodged against the company by parents who accuse the company of not doing enough to safeguard children. Last week a Georgia mother and her 9-year-old son filed a lawsuit in DeKalb County, alleging Roblox is a "hunting ground for child-sex predators." In a statement to USA Today Network, a Roblox spokesperson said the company can't comment on pending legislation, but said, "The safety of our community is a top priority." "We can't comment on pending litigation," the spokesperson said in the statement. "But we dedicate substantial resources, including advanced technology and 24/7 human moderation, to help detect and prevent inappropriate content and behavior, including attempts to direct users off platform, where safety standards and moderation may be less stringent than ours. "While no system is perfect, Roblox has implemented rigorous technology and enforcement safeguards, including restrictions on sharing personal information, links, and user-to-user image sharing. The safety of our community is a top priority.' More: Here's what you need to know about Louisiana's new cell phone law Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana files lawsuit against Roblox amid online child safety concerns Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Yahoo
WATCH: 18-wheeler hits Louisiana state employee working in utility bucket truck
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — An employee with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) was hit while working on a traffic light in Livingston Parish on Wednesday. The utility worker was struck by an 18-wheeler while inside the bucket of a utility vehicle, the impact of semi-truck shattering the bucket itself. READ MORE:
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Baton Rouge man accused of helping New Orleans inmate arrested on drug charges
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A man accused of helping an inmate escape from New Orleans has been arrested by Livingston Parish deputies on multiple drug and contraband charges. Authorities captured Lenton Vanburen, an escapee from the Orleans Parish Jail, on May 26 in the 9600 block of Old Hammond Highway. During the arrest, officers found a key to a room at the Super 6 Inn and Suites. Investigators spoke with hotel staff and learned the room was registered to Vi Duc Nguyen. Surveillance video confirmed Nguyen had reserved the room and was seen entering the stairwell with another individual wearing clothing similar to Vanburen's. Authorities arrested Nguyen on charges of simple escape/aggravated escape and accessory after the fact. He was released on bond Friday, according to jail records. 'I'm not going anywhere': Baton Rouge man survives shooting while improving his community According to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, Nguyen also faces the following charges: Manufacture/distribution of Schedule II drugs. Possession of Schedule IV drugs. Distribution/manufacture of Schedule III drugs. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Contraband in a penal institution. Baton Rouge man accused of helping New Orleans inmate arrested on drug charges Air traffic controller says its 'safe to fly' but 'avoid Newark' Man sues Walt Disney World over Florida water slide's 'exhilarating speeds' Turmoil, worry swirl over cuts to key federal agencies as hurricane season begins Report: Airbnb brought $900M to Louisiana in 2024 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man dead, 1 arrested after shooting at Doyle High School baseball field in Livingston
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A man was shot and killed at Doyle High School's baseball field on Friday night, the Livingston Police Department said. Around 9:07 p.m., dispatchers received a call that the victim, identified as Evan Lynch, 23, had been shot in the chest and was struggling to breathe. Using cell phone signal tracking, dispatchers traced the call to a vehicle traveling east on Texas Street. Livingston police and the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office found the vehicle near Red Oak Road and began giving Lynch emergency aid. Acadian Ambulance arrived soon after and rushed him to a Baton Rouge hospital for treatment. Police said they were notified around 12:15 a.m. that Lynch had died from his injuries. Police detained the driver and passenger in the vehicle for questioning. Officers identified Brandon Soileau, 19, as the driver of the vehicle and later determined he was the shooter, police said. 3 from Baton Rouge plead guilty to charges in health care fraud schemes Soileau was arrested and booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center. He faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, obstruction of justice and tampering with surveillance. More charges may be added as the investigation continues, police said. Livingston Police Chief Randy Dufrene said no students or residents were involved in the shooting. No further information is being released at this time due to the ongoing investigation. Livingston Parish Public School officials said they are aware of the shooting. Doyle High School Principal Ashley Sharp said the school will review its security measures to determine how improvements can be made to the park. She said the park has a bar gate to prohibit vehicle traffic entrance during closed hours, and security cameras monitor the field. The homebuying advice sellers may 'be put off by,' and what you can do instead Baton Rouge man arrested, accused of shooting repair man Vietnam War: Nurses reflect 50 years later Man dead, 1 arrested after shooting at Doyle High School baseball field in Livingston New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr retires from NFL Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Louisiana father left with gruesome face and body burns after boat exploded at popular event
A Louisiana man was hospitalized with severe burns to over three-quarters of his face after a horrific boat explosion at a popular annual boating event. Devear 'Dee' Tureaud, a 53-year-old father-of-two, sustained extensive burns to his face - including his ears - as well as both arms from elbows to fingers when a boat he was working on suddenly erupted in flames. The explosion occurred during the weekend of May 3 at the Tickfaw 200, a well-known 'three-day power boat poker run' held annually on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish. Tureaud was repairing the vessel alongside three other men - Dylan Fabre, Gage Wilcoxson and Seth Camallo - when disaster struck. 'It wasn't your normal backfire,' Fabre explained to WBRZ. 'Somehow fuel or something got very excessive in the process of it, and whenever it backfired, it turned into a bomb.' According to Fabre, the 28-foot boat had recently been restored with a new motor but began to malfunction on Friday, May 2. The following day, the group took it out to replace some parts and get it running again. 'I was next to the motor, so I got out and Dee said, "Start turning it over, Dylan,"' Fabre recalled to They managed to start the motor, but it soon died again. 'It died on us and he started adjusting a little bit. I turned around and he tells me to hit it again. And as soon as I turned it over, it just exploded.' The initial blast, which occurred around 9pm according to a spokesperson from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, produced relatively small flames at first. Fabre said he was able to untie the boat from the dock with help from a friend and push it further out into the water as the fire intensified and they alerted the local fire department. All four men were burned by the heat and flames, but Tureaud - who was standing closest to the engine - suffered the most severe injuries. 'He has first, second, and third-degree burns,' his fiancée, Eleshia Coats, said. 'If he hadn't been wearing a shirt at the time of the explosion, his chest would have also been burned.' Since being admitted, Tureaud has undergone multiple surgeries and faces weeks of ongoing treatment. Coats said they expect he will remain at the New Orleans Burn Center for at least another week. Despite the trauma, Tureaud remains grateful. 'I'm glad nobody else got hurt,' he told WBRZ. Now facing a long and painful recovery, Tureaud - who has long supported his fiancée and two children - will be unable to work for the foreseeable future. 'I got my arms done [with skin grafts] and they are waiting on my face to finish doing what it is going to do, and tomorrow, I think they going to finish on that,' he said. To help cover mounting medical expenses, friends and family launched a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised nearly $12,000 of its $20,000 goal. Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, though official details remain limited.
