If you have children or care about them.......read this!

**flowergirl40pc** · 09-21-2006, 12:37 AM

I admit, I didn't check on all the facts on this but just got it in a bulletin on myspace..........and was totally shocked. Will research the "facts" tomorrow(today) need to get my butt in bed.

to any parents that care!!!!!!!!!!!!
Body: ATTN. Parents, Granparents, Aunts & Uncles!!!

IF YOU KNOW CHILDREN, ARE A CHILD, OR ANYONE WITH CHILDREN....PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG.. DO NOT KEEP TO YOURSELF!!!!

MDonalds, Chuck E Cheese, Discovery Zone... Some of you might not be parents, but you may have nieces, nephews, grandchildren or friends with children. This will pertain to you too. As I read the following, my heart sank. I urge each and every one of you to pass this on to as many people as you can. I cannot stress how important this is!
This is very disturbing news. In addition to the following true story...
One son lost his watch, and was very upset. We dug and dug in those balls, trying to find the watch.
Instead, we found vomit, food, feces, and other stuff I do not want to discuss. I went to the manager and raised hell. Come to find out, the ball pit is only cleaned out once a month. I have doubts that it is even done that often. My kids will never play in another ball pit. Now read this:
PRETTY SCARY!!
Hi. My name is Lauren Archer, my son Kevin and I lived in Midland,TN. On October 2nd, 1999 I took my only son to McDonald's for his 3rd birthday.
After he finished lunch, I allowed him to play in the ball pit. When he started whining later on, I asked him what was wrong, he pointed to the back of his pull-up and simply said "Mommy, it hurts." I couldn't find anything wrong with him at that time. I bathed him when we got home, and it was at that point when I found a welt on his left buttock. Upon investigating, it seemed as if there was something like a splinter under the welt. I made an appointment to see the doctor the next day, but soon
he started vomiting and shaking, then his eyes rolled back intohis
head.
From there, we went to the emergency room. He died later that night. It turned out that the welt on his buttock was the tip of a hypodermic needle that had broken off inside. The autopsy revealed that Kevin had died from a heroine overdose. The next week, the police removed the balls from the ball pit. There was rotten food, several hypodermic needles: some full, some used; knives, half-eaten candy, diapers, feces, and the stench of urine.
If a child is not safe in a child's play area then where? You can find the article on Kevin Archer in the October 10,1999 issue of the Midland Chronicle.
Please forward this to all loving mothers, fathers and anyone who loves and cares for children!
Don't think it's just McDonald's either or that this is something that just started. When my oldest son who is now 9 was small the area Burger King closed their play area for awhile for "remodeling" because in another town there had been an incident similar to the one described above that happen @ a Burger King.
A little boy had been playing in a ball pit & started complaining of his legs hurting. He later died too. He was found to have snake bites all over his legs & buttocks. When they cleaned the ball pit they found that there was a copperhead nest in the ball pit. He had suffered numerous bites from a very poisonous snake.

Repost this if it scares the **** out of you! Repost this if you care about our kids!!!

**Cil** · 09-21-2006, 04:29 AM

I did the checking for you--it did not take long at all.
Snopes says it's false.
link

**Allifunn** · 09-21-2006, 07:04 AM

glad to know the story is false...but I am sure there are some ball pits that are yuck...but for the most part those places have to keep strict hygenic codes...by DEHEC I would imagine!

**peapod1980** · 09-21-2006, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Cil

I did the checking for you--it did not take long at all.
Snopes says it's false.
link

Cil, thanks! I am a diehard Snopes checker. I think everybody should bookmark Snopes for easy reference. A huge percentage of "horror stories" we read these days can be debunked in a matter of seconds.

**30gAy** · 09-21-2006, 08:42 AM

30-gAy always recommends being careful when playing with balls.

**MAN-go** · 09-21-2006, 08:44 AM

**flowergirl40pc** · 09-21-2006, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Cil

I did the checking for you--it did not take long at all.
Snopes says it's false.
link

Thanks , I was gonna check it out on Snopes this morning, but by the time I posted that, was about to fall asleep at my puter........altthough it's false, makes you think of what all may be in those balls at those places, ya know?