Something in Your Medicine Cabinet Has Killed 1,500 People

maandag 23 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Ericka Sóuter 1 hour ago

I am not one to just suffer through aches -- whether that be a headache, sore muscles, or period pain. Needless to say, I keep my medicine cabinet stocked with over-the-counter pain relievers. I know I'm not alone. Well, a new report gives me pause about my (totally legal) pill-popping habit. In the last decade, 1,500 Americans have accidentally died after taking too much acetaminophen -- the active ingredient in Tylenol. It's considered safe at the recommended dosage, but many people take more than the bottle suggests. Of course, too much of anything can be bad for you and cause problems. But death from OTC meds is a scary thought. Especially since you don't have to down the entire bottle to put your life in danger. 

It's especially dangerous when taken with alcohol. But in general, too much of it can damage the liver. Studies reportedly show that there is a thin line between the amount of acetaminophen that helps and the amount that makes it deadly. They offered up the example of a 12-year-old dirt biker rider, a 5-month-old baby, and a fit 23-year-old construction worker. It seems as though the dangers can affect any age, any person. 

Now some groups are calling for better warnings on product labels and stricter dosage rules. In other countries, like England and Switzerland, there is a limit to how much a consumer can buy at a time but there aren't any restrictions like that in the United States. However, the makers of Tylenol have been working on developing an antidote to acetaminophen poisoning that has already saved lives.

It's frightening that something most of us take every day -- without thinking twice about -- can be so deadly. I would have never considered acetaminophen as dangerous as some other drugs, but I certainly will be more careful with my dosage going forward.

Have you ever taken over the recommended dosage of acetaminophen? Are you ever worried about overdosing on OTC medicines?

Image via e-Magine Art/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ericka Sóuter

is a veteran pop culture and celeb news writer. That experience boils down to two things: she knows way too much about the Kardashians and she dominates on Trivial Pursuit's arts and entertainment questions.

More
?

reacties | | Read More...

3-Year-Old Shot and Killed While 'Playing Gun Game' With Mom's Boyfriend

dinsdag 17 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 1 hour ago

Three-year-old Lance Wilson was shot and killed after "playing a game" with his mother's boyfriend. The toddler was reportedly sitting on 24-year-old Zachariah Grisham's lap when a gun Grisham "forgot was loaded" went off, killing Wilson immediately.

While I'm against guns in any capacity, I get that certain people feel that guns should be legal, if used responsibly. But can we all agree that holding a gun -- whether you "think" it's loaded or not -- while you have a toddler in your lap is 110 percent the opposite of responsible?

On Monday, Grisham was charged with neglect and reckless homicide of a child, and according to the prosecutor, "[Wilson and Grisham] were playing a game. The child pointed his finger at the defendant like he was shooting a gun playing a game, and he pointed a gun out and shot the boy."

I can't, for the life of me, figure out what would possess someone to do this. Even if you thought the gun wasn't loaded. Even if you checked it earlier on in the day. Even if you were basically 100 percent positive there were no bullets in that gun. You don't point it at a child, or anyone, and shoot. I would never, in a million years, point a gun at a kid and pull the trigger, even if jest. But if for some insane reason I was that type of person, you best believe I'd check to see if it were loaded right before doing so.

Hopefully, Grisham spends the rest of his life in jail for allegedly killing this kid whose entire life was ahead of him. That won't bring Lance back. But it'll at least be nice to know that there's one more irresponsible gun owner off the street. Thoughts and prayers to Lance's family.

What do you think of this?

Image via Michigan City Police

?

reacties | | Read More...

Rapist Who Killed Mom and Daughters Says Prison Isn't Treating Him Right

maandag 9 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Kiri Blakeley 1 hour ago

The man sentenced to death for raping and killing a mother and her two daughters in a horrific home invasion and arson in Connecticut has already done the unfathomable -- so I guess it's no real surprise that he would take his sociopathic personality to even higher heights. Triple-murderer Steven Hayes is now suing his prison for "harassment and psychological torture." Oh man, dude, seriously? WTF? Yes, Steven Hayes, who robbed, then raped and strangled mom Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and then burned her two young daughters alive in a house fire (all while Dr. William Petit was tied up in the basement), feels that he's being denied his "basic human needs" while he's on death row.

In his first interview, Hayes told the New Haven Register:

Nobody’s supposed to be treated the way we’re treated here. I was sentenced to death, not psychological torment.

Oh, boo hoo. I don't think too many people would feel sorry for this sad excuse for a human being.

Hayes also opened up about why he committed such a heinous crime, saying, basically, that he "doesn't know." He said:

I just wanted money. That’s all I was looking for ... But that’s when Josh [his partner in the crime] told me about him and the girl [11-year-old Michaela, who was raped] ... I started to lose it. Then I looked out the window and saw an unmarked police car. And I just snapped.

Hayes, though he sounds remorseful, is still casting blame. He blames his crime partner and fellow death row member Josh Komisarjevsky for escalating things. He blames him for starting the fire. Asked about allegations by his younger brothers that he abused them as children, he says they've got it all wrong. He even casts some blame on his father, for leaving him when he was a child.

He also pats himself on the back for "being nice" to the Petits while he held them hostage for seven hours, and insists it was only in the last "couple of minutes," when they were being raped and murdered, that things got ugly.

And now he's suing because he should be treated better.

But he also said:

I don’t deserve to live. I don’t want to live.

He should have stopped talking right there. Hayes is suing for $500,000. Something tells me it'll be a subzero day in hell before he gets that money.

Can you believe this guy?

Image via Chesire Police

?

reacties | | Read More...

Toddler Shot and Killed by Bullet Believed to Be Meant for His Dad

dinsdag 3 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 3 hours ago

A gang-related shooting claimed an unbearably young victim. A 16-month-old toddler was killed by a bullet meant for his father, investigators believe. Anthony Hennis was pushing his son, Antiq, in a stroller when a gunman took four shots at him with a .45-caliber handgun. One of the bullets cruelly entered Antiq's skull and ended his life. Other bullet holes were found in the stroller. Hennis ran from the scene screaming that his baby had been shot.

Police say Hennis will not cooperate with trying to find his son's killer, though. "Mr. Hennis has not been cooperative with us,” says Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. “He has not answered questions. We’re still trying to, obviously, determine his contacts -- and he has an extensive arrest record, so we are looking into his relationships.” Why won't Hennis help the police find his son's killer? Is it just because of his arrest record?

Witnesses say the shooting was gang-related over a dispute between the father and the shooter's brother. Given just those details, it would be easy to assume that the father has something incriminating to hide. Hennis is an ex-convict with a record of 23 arrests, mostly for drug-related charges. But I think it's too simplistic to assume that's the only, or main, reason why he's not cooperating. I think it's also likely that he's grown up distrusting the police in general. He may not feel safe opening up to the police, even for this.

It's not like Hennis doesn't care about his baby's death or finding the killer. Family members say he's devastated by the murder. His grandmother says, "He can't live without that baby. He's always with him. That baby is his life." 

At any rate, the police have leads, and people in the community claim they know exactly who the killer is and are working to help the police apprehend him. It's horrible to think someone could be cold-hearted and careless enough to shoot at a man within such close proximity to a helpless baby.

Why do you think Hennis is refusing to cooperate with the police to find his child's murderer?

Image via Josh Hallett/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

More
?

reacties | | Read More...

Grandfather Whose Pit Bulls Killed 2-Year-Old Grandson May Only Get 10-Year Sentence

donderdag 22 augustus 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Jeanne Sager 3 hours ago

The fate of a step-grandfather accused of leaving his two young grandsons at home unsupervised with his dangerous pit bulls is in the hands of the courts now. Steven Hayashi's 2-year-old grandson, Jacob Bisbee, died when he was attacked by the dogs while the step-grandfather was out playing tennis.

According to prosecutors, Hayashi is to blame for not only knowing his dogs were dangerous, but leaving the door to the garage where the dogs were located unlocked and un-child-proofed when he left Jacob and his 4-year-old brother home alone with their sleeping grandmother. And for all of this, for alleged involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, Hayashi is facing just 10 years in prison.

Ten years?

For knowingly leaving a child in serious danger that resulted in his death?

Is that really enough?

Let me back up a second and address the elephant in the room: not all pit bulls are dangerous. It would be irresponsible of me not to mention that in this anti-pit bull climate. Frankly, that's a kettle of fish that's much too deep for me to get into in just one blog post, but it must be put out there (and if you want more info, check out this great post from the ASPCA on pet behavior and pits).

Now.

Moving on.

Although not every pit bull is dangerous, in this step-grandfather's case, police say his weren't just vicious, but he knew it! The dogs had already killed two family pets and showed aggression toward little Jacob. Prosecutors allege Hayashi had ignored family members' requests that he get rid of the dogs, stating:

But as he told his wife, the dogs were his, and the children were his step-grandchildren, and they should leave before the dogs.

Unfortunately, little Jacob did leave. He died while his grandma was sleeping, while his grandpa was out playing tennis.

The case is still in court, so Hayashi is innocent until proven guilty, but it certainly sounds like he cared nothing for this little boy's safety. Is it really so hard to put off your tennis game until a responsible adult is awake and ready to watch the kids for you? Is it really so hard to LOCK a door?

And if this case proceeds as it stands; if his grandfather is convicted; the message the court sends is that his life is only worth 10 years in prison.

What do you think of the charges and potential punishment here? Is it enough?

Image via v1ctor/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeanne Sager

writes articles for The Stir by day, slays closet monsters and bounds through bedtime stories with her elementary schooler by night. The Phineas and Ferb soundtrack reverberates through her brain.

More
?

reacties | | Read More...