Pedophile Jack McClellan Is Released From Jail

Safe Kids No Comments

Here’s a story that was major national news a few weeks ago. With collapsing bridges and mines and hurricanes etc. since then though it got little attention, I think, across the nation…but not here. As you’ll see in the video here, Mr. McClellan was released from the downtown jail, a 30 minute or so highway ride from my neighborhood - already too close for comfort.

What the video doesn’t tell you is that he was picked up much closer to home…at the UCLA campus in Westwood, which is maybe a long bike ride away from us, here on the west side of Los Angeles.

I wish this were as simple an issue for me as you might expect it to be. It certainly is for my husband. It is very clear to him (my husband) where he’ll be placing Mr. McClellan’s camera… he’s notorious for taking pictures of very young girls and placing them on his web site… should Mr. McClellan decide to attempt to include our daughter on said web site. I on the other hand, have several years of law school indoctrination to inform me that so far, from what I’ve seen, and believe me I follow this story as this creep is in fact a local resident here, the legal system as it pertains to the issues at hand is operating properly.

As for the technicality that got him out, here’s some of an article in todays LA Times:

Self-proclaimed pedophile Jack McClellan was released from jail today after the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office determined that the restraining order he was allegedly arrested for violating was procedurally defective.

The court order barred McClellan from coming within 10 yards of any child in the state for three years.

Nick Velasquez, spokesman for the city attorney, said that prosecutors determined that while McClellan violated the order, the injunction itself was not lawful because it was issued for more than 22 days without a required additional hearing. He said McClellan was given no notice of the more extensive nature of the judge’s order.

“He violated the order but the court was procedurally defective so we had to dismiss the case,” Velasquez said.

Of course there is enormous debate around here about how exactly to handle this situation. There are those, like my husband, who are lighting the torches and sharpening the pitchfork as I write this. But there are more reasoned discussions taking place.

Here’s an excerpt from a recent local NPR broadcast:

All Things Considered, August 17, 2007 · Jack McClellan is a self-proclaimed pedophile who used to run a Web site offering tips on how to watch little girls. He has never been accused of, arrested for or charged with an offense against a child, even though he admits to a preference for children.

Now, McClellan has become a target of concerned parents in the Los Angeles area, prompting a judge to recently forbid him from getting near any child in the state of California.

On Monday, he got busted twice for getting too close to a child care center at UCLA.

Go Here to hear the entire broadcast report. This was from a few days ago and before todays release from jail. I’ll be following this very closely as you would imagine and you’ll undoubtedly see more about this story here on this site.

If you’re a parent you probably have an opinion you can share here…if you’re a parent here in LA….Please - join the discussion!

Let’s stay safe together.

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UPDATE 2: TOY RECALL: Lead Paint Scare. Is There An Alternative To Chinese Products?

Safe Kids, Toyland 4 Comments

Update - Class Action Suit Forming

I’m not normally one to think “lawsuit” every time we see an inconvenience, but I thought parents might want to know about this…see the video below.

Here is the link to the latest recall information directly from Mattel.

It seems more toys have slipped through from Mattel’s Chinese manufacturer containing lead, again, in the paint. Please see below for more about what you can do to avoid this situation in the future and also where, in addition to the link directly to Mattel above, you can get more information.

I’m also constantly on the search for educational toys and games that you can spend some time with your child enjoying without the fear of poisoning their little bodies. As I find more, and especially as I buy them and use them, I’ll return here to fill you in on what I’ve discovered.I have a 20 month old toddler and we’re about to debut another little bundle….we don’t need this from China, Mattel or anyone else! There are alternatives…let’s explore those together.

Original post follows:

A Hidden Danger Revealed

I’m sure by now most parents have heard of the recall of close to a million Fisher-Price toys sold in the U.S. between May and August 2007. The toys were made by a Chinese vendor and included popular Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer characters.Since my daughter is a big fan of Sesame Street I was pretty scared when I heard the news. I know lead cannot be absorbed through the skin. Only prolonged exposure by chewing and sucking is risky to a child’s health and the actual lead poisoning occurs when toxic levels build up in the body but do we really want to take any chances?

Since the recall, I have been closely watching the news and what I have learned is both scary and remarkable. Lead paint in toys have been banned in the U.S. Since 1978 and China has long been aware that the use of lead paint in children’s toys is prohibited in United States.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency with 100 field inspectors, struggles against constant Chinese violations of safety standards. 80% of all the toys in the U.S. come from China and since October 2006 of the 306 recalls of products, 100% of the recalled toys were made in China.

Additionally, I learned that there is no ban on lead content in children’s jewelery. Since 2004 the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled 165 million pieces of jewelry with lead that could leak out. The most remarkable thing is that the Chinese government is trying to convince the U.S. that the ban on lead content is not necessary because there is no danger unless the products get damaged or cracked and the lead leaks out!!! On top of everything the U.S. District Attorney’s Office claims that the Chinese safety standards are as high the U.S. Standards.

What Can You Do?

The question I cannot help ask is how can we trust these products ever again and do we really need to flood our homes with toys that potentially put our children’s health at risk? As parents we must assure the safety of our children since we are the ones handing the toys to our babies.

I found plenty of companies that make wonderful, environmentally friendly and safe toys that I think are worth looking into. They are not only safe for our kids health and development but also teach them about sustainability and encourage creativity and active learning. Check these out yourself and let me know what you think.


Educational Toys
Wild Planet Toy Store - We Deliver Smiles



Save $5 on any order of $50 or more

Finally, if you suspect that your child may have been injured by the toys, please immediately call the CPSC hotline at 800-638-2772. Mattel has its own recall hotline: (800) 916-4498. In case there are questions about the recalled toys, here is the list, including their product number. Please keep in mind that the recalled toys were sold separately or as parts of sets. All of the toys are marked with “Fisher-Price.” To see pictures of the recalled toys, look here.

You can also test any products you have or surfaces in your home for lead right at home with this simple kit:
Click here to order a lead test kit!
Buy a Premium Lead Test
Kit by
Clicking Here

Owners of a recalled toy can exchange it for a voucher for another product of the same value.
Consumer Product Safety Commission:

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TOY RECALL: Lead Paint Scare. Is There An Alternative To Chinese Products?

Safe Kids, Toyland No Comments

 

A Hidden Danger Revealed

I’m sure by now most parents have heard of the recall of close to a million Fisher-Price toys sold in the U.S. between May and August 2007. The toys were made by a Chinese vendor and included popular Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer characters.Since my daughter is a big fan of Sesame Street I was pretty scared when I heard the news. I know lead cannot be absorbed through the skin. Only prolonged exposure by chewing and sucking is risky to a child’s health and the actual lead poisoning occurs when toxic levels build up in the body but do we really want to take any chances?

Since the recall, I have been closely watching the news and what I have learned is both scary and remarkable. Lead paint in toys have been banned in the U.S. Since 1978 and China has long been aware that the use of lead paint in children’s toys is prohibited in United States.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency with 100 field inspectors, struggles against constant Chinese violations of safety standards. 80% of all the toys in the U.S. come from China and since October 2006 of the 306 recalls of products, 100% of the recalled toys were made in China.

Additionally, I learned that there is no ban on lead content in children’s jewelery. Since 2004 the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled 165 million pieces of jewelry with lead that could leak out. The most remarkable thing is that the Chinese government is trying to convince the U.S. that the ban on lead content is not necessary because there is no danger unless the products get damaged or cracked and the lead leaks out!!! On top of everything the U.S. District Attorney’s Office claims that the Chinese safety standards are as high the U.S. Standards.

What Can You Do?

The question I cannot help ask is how can we trust these products ever again and do we really need to flood our homes with toys that potentially put our children’s health at risk? As parents we must assure the safety of our children since we are the ones handing the toys to our babies.

I found plenty of companies that make wonderful, environmentally friendly and safe toys that I think are worth looking into. They are not only safe for our kids health and development but also teach them about sustainability and encourage creativity and active learning. Check these out yourself and let me know what you think.


Educational Toys
Wild Planet Toy Store - We Deliver Smiles



Save $5 on any order of $50 or more

Finally, if you suspect that your child may have been injured by the toys, please immediately call the CPSC hotline at 800-638-2772. Mattel has its own recall hotline: (800) 916-4498. In case there are questions about the recalled toys, here is the list, including their product number. Please keep in mind that the recalled toys were sold separately or as parts of sets. All of the toys are marked with “Fisher-Price.” To see pictures of the recalled toys, look here.

You can also test any products you have or surfaces in your home for lead right at home with this simple kit:
Click here to order a lead test kit!
Buy a Premium Lead Test
Kit by
Clicking Here

Owners of a recalled toy can exchange it for a voucher for another product of the same value.
Consumer Product Safety Commission:

33662 Elmo Light Up Musical Pal
33664 Big Bird Light Up Musical Pal
39038 Elmo Tub Sub
87946 Elmo Keyboard
90609 Elmo Collectible
90612 Zoe Collectible
90614 Big Bird Collectible
93068 Elmo Boom Box
93307 Press N Go Elmo
93492 Cookie Saxophone
93615 Splash Tub Puzzle
B7554 Count To Beat Elmo
B7987 Elmo In The Giggle Box
B9620 Dora’s Talking House
C6908 Dora, Backpack, Perrito Figure Pack
C6909 Diego Figure Pack
C6911 Boots, Tico Figure Pack
G5112 Sing With Elmo’s Greatest Hits
H2943 Grow With Me Elmo Sprinkler
H3344 Birthday Dora
H5570 Elmo & Pals (Elmo, Zoe, Bigbird)
H4628 Water Fun Tote
H8237 Blue 3 Pack Figures In Tube
H9124 Chef Dora
H9186 Giggle Grabber Ernie
J0338 Diego Talking Field Journal
J0344 Go Diego Go Deep Sea Rescue
J0346 Go Diego Go Talking Rescue 4 X 4
J5936 Giggle Grabber Chef Cookie Monster
J6537 Sesame Street Giggle Toolbelt
J6763 Royal Boots And Tico
J7983 Sesame Street Tub Pots & Pans
J9692 Dora’s Talking Pony Place
K3414 Diego - Talking Gadget Belt
K3580 Fairytale Adventure Dora
K4140 Toucan Motorcycle Rescue
L3194 Surprise Inside Diego Eggs
L3488 Sesame Street Birthday Figure Pack
L3507 Sesame Street - Super Boom Box
L5202 Birthday Dora
L8905 Pablo & Pals
M0352 Dora Figures Diego & Bear
M0527 Sesame Street Giggle Doodler
M2051 Lets Go Rescue Center
33663 Ernie Light Up Musical Pal
34658 Elmo Stacking Rings
39054 Sesame Street Shape Sorter
90267 Ernie Splashin’ Fun Trike
90611 Cookie Collectible
90613 Ernie Collectible
90745 Construction Playset
93107 Action Fire Engine
93308 Rev & Go Cookie Monster
93493 Elmo’s Guitar
93780 Music And Lights Phone
B7888 Shake, Giggle & Roll
B7989 Silly Parts Talking Elmo
C6910 Swiper Figure Pack
G3825 Dora Talking Vamonos Van
G9717 Giggle Doodler
H3343 Cousin Daisy
H5569 Elmo & Pals (Elmo, Cookie, Ernie)
H4187 Dora Figures In Tube
H8236 Dora 3 Pack Figures In Tube
H8238 Sponge Bob 3 Pack Figures In Tube
H9125 Bedtime Dora
H9188 Giggle Grabber Oscar The Grouch
J0343 Go Diego Go Antarctic Rescue
J0345 Go Diego Go Mountain Rescue
J5935 Giggle Grabber Soccer Elmo
J6762 Queen Mami
J6765 Prince Diego
J9518 Sesame Street Giggle Drill
K0617 Twins Nursery
K3571 Go Diego Go Mobile Rescue Unit
K4139 Go Diego Go Dinosaur Rescue
L0305 Dora Figure
L3215 Sesame Street Elmo Jack-In-The-Box
L5813 Diego Tub Trike
M0351 Dora Figures Dora & Kitty
M0524 Go Diego Go Talking Gadget
M0732 Dora’s Talking House
M2052 Fairytale Castle


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