Latest news with #abandonment
BBC News
11 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Kittens found in taped-up box in Gateshead woods 'need their mum'
It would "be a miracle" if four kittens found in a taped-up box in woodland survive without their mother, a charity has owner of the cat and the abandoned kittens, which were found by a dog walker in Beacon Lough, Gateshead, on Wednesday, has been urged to come was found dead while the other three were badly injured, with bite marks and puncture in the care of Pawz for Thought, the charity said it believed the animals were no more than a day old when they were left and wanted them to be reunited with their mum to better their chances of survival. Lorraine Thornton, a volunteer for the charity, said she did not believe the kittens were ever meant to be found."Without mum they just die very quickly, but I don't understand the point of leaving them in the middle of the woods, in the middle of nowhere," Ms Thornton said."They weren't meant to be found, they were disregarded like rubbish and dumped." Ms Thornton said the Sunderland-based charity had seen a significant increase in the number of kittens being currently has 23 young kittens living in her house, because they need to be bottle fed every two hours."It's an exhausting strain," she said. "For the kittens, the best thing has always been with mum, they don't have such a good chance with me."The charity put out an appeal to the person who dumped the kittens to come forward."If we could get that cat, she could raise her could neuter her and return her to the owner, neutered free of charge," Ms Thornton said."It's a miracle that somebody found them and it'll be another miracle if they actually survive the trauma that they've been through. "Obviously we always try and we always give everything we have, but it's not a guarantee." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
Search on for man who bailed out of vehicle abandoning children inside, Fort Lauderdale police say
Driver bails out of car in Fort Lauderdale, abandoning children inside vehicle, police say Driver bails out of car in Fort Lauderdale, abandoning children inside vehicle, police say Driver bails out of car in Fort Lauderdale, abandoning children inside vehicle, police say The search is on for a man accused of fleeing a traffic stop Tuesday morning in NE Fort Lauderdale and abandoning a car with two young children inside, according to police. The incident began when officers attempted to stop a driver they said was behaving recklessly along Northeast 62nd Street. Rather than pulling over, the driver sped off, leading police on a brief pursuit. Children left behind in abandoned vehicle According to authorities, the man ditched the car in a parking lot near the 1700 block of Northeast 56th Street and fled on foot. Inside the vehicle, officers found two pre-teen children, unharmed. "The police had to get inside the vehicle," said local resident Sandra Williams, who witnessed the aftermath. "I was in my bedroom, got up, and saw a white car. It was left right in front of my house." Police say the children were safely reunited with their mother. No injuries were reported. Residents react to startling scene Neighbors described a morning filled with confusion and concern as helicopters circled overhead. "I kept hearing helicopters, didn't know what it was," said Rebecca Cummings. "It's awful. I can't imagine someone doing that. I hope they catch the guy." As of Tuesday afternoon, the suspect remained at large. Anyone with information is urged to contact Miami-Dade Police.
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Python snake ‘at large' as police issue urgent warning
Police are investigating after four large pythons were found abandoned in the Lincolnshire countryside, with one still suspected to be at large. The reticulated pythons, a non-venomous species native to South and Southeast Asia, were discovered in the Twigmoor and Cleatham areas on Tuesday (10 June), Humberside Police said. Officers from Humberside Police's Rural Task Force are now investigating potential offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The pythons were captured with help from exotic animal experts, the force said. The snakes captured were two albino snakes and what is believed to be a Pied Golden Child Morph. One, found near Manton, measured an estimated 18ft and was a wild type. Reticulated pythons are the longest snake species on Earth and kill their prey through constriction, coiling around animals and squeezing them to death. The force believe the snakes were abandoned pets, making them less likely to bite. However, Humberside Police has warned the public not to approach any found in the wild and to call 101 immediately with a precise location. 'These snakes will not attack you,' a force spokesman said. 'They will only try to defend themselves if they feel threatened.' Dog walkers have also been urged to keep pets on leads in the area. Officers also appealed for information about how the snakes were released and reminded the public not to dump unwanted exotic animals. 'If you have a pet that you can no longer keep, please take it to an exotic animal shop or animal rescue,' a force spokesman said. 'Do not release them into the wild.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Inside eerie theme park abandoned for more than 10 years after teen tragically died
Eerie video footage has provided a rare glimpse into a theme park abandoned for more than 10 years after a teen tragically died there. The Copa Copana Water Park in Athens was the site of one of the grimmest amusement park disasters in 2014 when a boy died while enjoying one of its attractions. What promised to be a fun day out at the park, spanning 30,000 square metres, ended in tragedy as the 13-year-old and his sister, nine, were swept up by a gust of wind while playing inside a large inflatable ball. They were flung from the surface of a pool about 30 metres into a metal barrier and rushed immediately to Agia Sofia Children's Hospital in Greece 's capital. The boy died shortly after, having suffered severe head injuries, after doctors failed to resuscitate him, while his sibling was left critically injured and diagnosed with severe lung contusion. Copa Copana's two managers were arrested in relation to the incident and officers commenced an investigation into whether safety issues played a role in the tragedy. Greek police concluded the disaster was a result of both 'bad weather conditions and human error' and the park was swiftly closed for good. Now a group of urban explorers have headed back to the park and discovered a creepy site, with the attraction's rides and slides still up, but barely a soul around. Nature has well and truly taken control of the abandoned park, with huge spiralling plants intertwined with the twists and turns of the various defunct flumes. With the facility tucked in between a hillside and a main road, the YouTubers, whose account Urbandoned has 138,000 subscribers, attempt to sneak into the site round the back. After a walk through a forest of thick trees, the duo eventually see an abandoned ride peeking out from the undergrowth. The park is well protected, with a layer of razor wire coating a fence and a small surrounding road, seemingly used by security staff. They eventually squeeze beneath a small gap in the fence before exploring the spooky site. Discarded piping and metal cover the park's grounds with thick weeds and plants dispersed between what were once incredibly popular rides. Drone footage shows the slides gathering rust and moss and pools of stagnant water, filled with tadpoles, sitting in sections of the facility. A climb to the top of one of the flumes offers expansive views of the surrounding mountains, city and the meandering metal rides. As he walks down a path, overgrown with towering green plants, one of them describes Copa Copana as 'an actual jungle'. The narrator explains that the park in its heyday boasted 13 rides as well as cafes and restaurants. Bizarrely, they spot dozens of sun loungers and outdoor tables stowed away beneath one of the slides, a reminder of the fun experiences once had at the site. It turns out they are not the first explorers to visit the abandoned park, with several rides seen covered in graffiti, sprayed on in the years since they were drained out. A trip up a few flights of creaky stairs to the highest point in the facility allows one of the YouTubers to even get a spectacular view of the ocean, as well as the vast extent of the creepy site. Poignant archive footage then shows Copa Copana at its happy peak several decades before, with hundreds of children and parents enjoying its attractions. The group are initially surprised by the lack of security at the abandoned site but it turns out the guard had been resting on a sun lounger before ambling towards them. The friendly member of staff allows them to stroll to the part of the park they have not yet seen as long as they then head for the exit. Eerily, some of the lifeguard chairs and even cafe menus remain left exactly where they stood during Copa Copana's operational days.
Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Telegraph
Parents ‘abandoned' teenager in Ghana over fears he would become a gangster in Britain
Parents 'abandoned' a teenage boy in Ghana over fears he would become a gangster if he remained in Britain, a court has heard. The boy, who cannot be identified, started a family court case after his parents enrolled him at a boarding school in the west African country before leaving him abroad in March 2024. The parents were said to be concerned that the teenager was at risk of engaging in criminal activity or being killed due to knife crime. At a previous hearing, he said he had been 'tricked' and his lawyers asked a judge to order that he be brought back to the UK, having lived in the country since birth. In a decision in February, High Court judge Mr Justice Hayden did not make the order, finding the teenager 'is at real risk of suffering greater harm in returning to the UK than if he were to remain in Ghana'. The teenager is now bringing a challenge over the decision at the Court of Appeal in London, which his parents oppose. 'Feels that he is a British boy' At a hearing on Thursday, Deirdre Fottrell KC, the boy's barrister, said that it was his 'steadfast and firm wish' for the appeal judges to order his return to the UK. She said: 'It is alienating for him and he feels that he is a British boy... he never envisaged the situation that he would be living away from his family in another country and away from all that is familiar to him.' Ms Fottrell said the boy is 'highly distressed' about the situation and feels 'abandoned' by his family. She continued: 'He really is quite desperate to return... to return to his family, to return to his social life and the structure in which he was living, but also to return to the UK.' In written submissions, the barrister said the previous judge failed to give 'due weight' to the boy's feelings and autonomy and also 'erroneously limited' his role in reviewing whether the decision to move the boy to Ghana was within the scope of parental responsibility. Ms Fottrell added: 'In the instant case Mr Justice Hayden discounted [the boy's] wishes and feelings, assuming that there was a clear and tangible threat to his welfare. 'He discounted evidence that any threat was not capable of being ameliorated by other safeguards or protective measures.' Rebecca Foulkes, for the parents, said they 'found themselves in a wholly invidious position in March when they made the decision which they made'. The barrister said in written submissions that the previous judge's decision was 'well reasoned' and 'fell well within the parameters of reasonable decisions open to him'. Worrying conversations on Snapchat The High Court previously heard that the parents' concerns about their son had been growing before the decision to take him out of the UK. These concerns included poor school attendance, being aggressive, susceptibility to being groomed, an allegation of stealing phones and worrying conversations on Snapchat, a social media channel. In his ruling, Mr Justice Hayden said he accepted that the teenager was involved in criminal activity and was at least 'on the periphery' of gang culture. Ms Foulkes said in her written submissions on Thursday: 'The conclusion reached, on the facts of this case, cannot be said to be anything other than a sound welfare decision.' The barrister later said that while the boy's wishes and feelings are a 'central aspect' of the decision over what is in his best interest, 'ultimately, the court determined that his best interests required that his views should not prevail'. During the previous proceedings, the boy said he would rather be in foster care in the UK than remain in his current situation. Ms Foulkes said the previous judge was entitled to conclude that the teenager 'had little understanding of what entering the care system truly involves' and that he was 'likely to continue to reject the authority of his parents, school and other adults, and his acting out and risk-taking behaviours were highly likely to increase' if he were placed in care. The hearing before Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lord Justice Baker and Lord Justice Arnold is due to conclude on Thursday.
