I got this from my friend Brynnie.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Not sure if this is true or not but, it's
worth reposting.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS!!!!!!
Fathers & Mothers please read!
McDonalds, 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.
|
Mommy35
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 3165 Location: Vacationland, USA,
Posted: 02-28-07 21:35pm
Holy effin crap!!! I had heard about the
boy that died from the heroin overdose,
but snakes? Jesus!!!
|
HcoBrunette06
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 8016 Location: Florida, United States
Thanks: 3
Thanked:1
Posted: 02-28-07 21:35pm
the heroine thing isn't true, i looked it
up online months ago lol but that is scary
because stuff like that can happen.
|
Sandbox Party
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 7276
Posted: 02-28-07 21:39pm
yeah i know the icky crap is tru .. a
friend of mine was a manager at mcdonalds
a few years ago and they removed the
ballpit cuz of poopy diapers and a lot of
that nasty crap.
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AyaMiyaki
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 8545 Location: Floating on a cloud, United States
Thanks: 217
Thanked:15
Posted: 02-28-07 21:39pm
Yeah, I was about to say. The needle in
the ballpit story is an urban legend. Not
sure about the other funky stuff in there
though - I don't imagine they would clean
those things out too often. All those
places are just beyond disgusting.
*shudder*
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HcoBrunette06
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 8016 Location: Florida, United States
Thanks: 3
Thanked:1
Posted: 02-28-07 21:40pm
Commentary:
This hoax email about hypodermic needles
in McDonald's ball pits began circulating
late last century and has spawned a number
of versions. The tale is so horrific that
it is not surprising that the email
continues to spread.
Thankfully, the email is a hoax. No little
boy named Kevin Archer died as a result of
being pricked by a heroin filled
hypodermic needle in a McDonald's ball
pit.
When the story first began circulating,
McDonald's responded with a statement
debunking the rumour. According to
McDonald's:
We have thoroughly investigated this rumor
and it is absolutely not true. There have
been no such incidents ever reported at
any McDonald's. In addition, there has
never been an article in any newspaper
regarding this rumor
Another indicator that this is a hoax is
that the details keep changing. An early
version claimed that little Kevin Archer
died in October 1994. The version included
above claims that he died in October 2002.
Some versions mention Sugarland, Texas as
the location of the little boy's death.
Others are set in different towns or do
not specify any location at all. Some
versions state that the story was featured
in the Houston Chronicle. However, David
Galloway, a former writer for the Houston
Chronicle, has denied this.
Frankly, I would not be surprised if
various undesirable items found their way
into playground ball pits. I guess that
it's even plausible that a needle could
end up in a ball pit. (When one of my
children was in Grade 1, a needle was
found in the school sand pit).
However, this vague plausibility in no way
warrants the dissemination of this
exaggerated and misleading tale. The fact
of the matter is that the email contains
false information and it should not be
forwarded.
i didnt read this lol so idk waht it says,
but its on a website saying that the
mcdonalds story is a hoax. just so people
know
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Mommy35
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 3165 Location: Vacationland, USA,
Posted: 02-28-07 21:44pm
I'm glad to read that the needle thing was
a hoax. I wouldn't put it past some sick
person.
It doesn't make me feel better that there
are dirty diapers, rotting food and .God
knows what in the ball pit
|
Bridget
Moderator
Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 10834 Location: ,
Thanks: 63
Thanked:42
Posted: 02-28-07 21:44pm
i can't even remember the last time i saw
a ball pit... do they still have those?
i used to be a nanny so i've been to all
the indoor playgrounds around here and
none of them have ball pits. i think they
did away with them along time ago because
of sanitary issues.
but man, weren't they awesome when *we*
were the young innocent children playing
in them?
|
Sandbox Party
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 7276
Posted: 02-28-07 21:46pm
IHeartMyBostonTerrier
wrote:
i can't even remember the
last time i saw a ball pit... do they
still have those?
i used to be a nanny so i've been to all
the indoor playgrounds around here and
none of them have ball pits. i think they
did away with them along time ago because
of sanitary issues.
but man, weren't they awesome when *we*
were the young innocent children playing
in them?
lmao hell yeah!! i remember running my
hands along the bottom lookin for money!!
lol
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oh_mommy
Supporter
Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 3742 Location: vancouver island, bc canada
Thanks: 6
Thanked:0
Posted: 03-01-07 01:45am
our mcdonalds had a ball pit like 5 years
ago but they got rid of it after like 2
months of being open, the pit is still
there but its empty
|
An-Rika
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 64 Location: South Africa
Posted: 03-01-07 02:14am
This is the one I received 2006-11
Funny how these things travel around the
world!!!!!!!
McDonalds Playground (important)
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, I will also add that
my own sons were playing in
the ball pit at Discovery Zone one day.
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, faeces, and
other stuff I do not want to
discuss. I went to the manager and raised
heck.
Came 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:
Hi, My name is Lauren Archer. My son,
Kevin and I lived in Sugarland, Texas.
On October 2, 1994, 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 crying later, I asked him
what was wrong. He pointed to
his back and said, Mommy, it hurts. I
looked, but couldn't find anything
wrong with him at the time. I bathed him
when we got home, and it was at
that point that I found a welt on his left
buttock. Upon investigation,
it seemed as if there was a splinter under
the welt. I made a doctor
appointment for the next day to have it
removed. In the meantime, he
started vomiting and shaking. Then, his
eyes rolled back in his head.
We immediately went to the emergency room!
My only son died later that
night. It turned out that the welt on his
buttock was the tip of a
hypodermic needle that had broken off in
his sk in.
The autopsy revealed that Kevin had died
from a heroine overdose.
The next day, the police removed the balls
from the ball pit and found
rotten food, half-eaten candy, diapers,
faeces, the stench of urine, and
several hypodermic needles.
If you question the validity of this
story, you can find the article on
Kevin Archer in the October 10, 1994 issue
of the Houston Chronicle.
Please forward this! To all loving
mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and
grandparents. Note: Some children have
also gotten lice from ball pits.
The number of breaths we take does not
measure life, but by the moments
that take our breath away.
SEND THIS TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO HAS SMALL
CHILDREN, NIECES, NEPHEWS, OR
GRANDCHILDREN
I also think this is a hoax however in
South Africa it could have been very
possible!!
|
vanessalouanne
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 31 May 2005 Posts: 2268 Location: ,
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 03-01-07 05:12am
Have you ever climbed up into one of the
play structures at McDonalds or any other
Fast food restaurant..Even with no ball
pit it the stench of urine when your up in
it is almost unbearable.. I've climbed up
in quite a few different ones (chasing a
one yea old with too much energy) and
man..Most are disgusting.. I mean I know
you cant protect your child from
everything but im considering not letting
my daughter play in any of those period.
|
Kia
Supporter
Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 6594 Location: Planet Tampaxia,
Posted: 03-01-07 07:55am
I don't know how it is in the usa but in
the uk for one, you are not allowed to
take food into the ball pits.
and for 2, I think the guy on the pay gate
just might notice a child coming out half
naked.
3, you couldn't get an overdose for just a
needle tip and 4, it wouldn't take until
evening for the overdose to kick in -
think about it heroin addicts get their
hit pretty much immediately. They don't
think "oh, I'll take this now ready for
when evening comes around" and it's gonna
hit a child much faster.
5, do you think a junkie, desperate for
his/her fix is about to abandon a full
syringe on herion in a ball pit?
6, do you really think your kid would just
say "mommy it hurts" if s/he had just
received multiple snake bites? or do you
think s/he might be screaming blue
homicide?
I don't care,my kids and my nephew are
*never* going in one of those.
|
Emma2
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 May 2006 Posts: 4406 Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 03-01-07 09:17am
yeah that is horrid! and how about those
slides at mcd's ..can you imagine how many
snots , saliva and crap form all those
kids? omg my boy and nephwes aint ever
going to mcd's!
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blulyneguy
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 334 Location: Idaho,
Nice Posted: 03-01-07 09:43am
All play structures are nasty. My 18 mo.
old can't even go near one because of her
food allergies, and my 3 yr. old gets a
rash on her face,legs and back everytime
we go to one. We watched the *caring*
teenager clean it once, and lemme tell
ya.....Yuck! The dude was wiping the floor
and the equipment with the same rag he
cleaned the tables with. It was wet and he
had some spray, but seriously? C'mon. I
just avoid them all together now. Pretty
dirty.
|
Kia
Supporter
Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 6594 Location: Planet Tampaxia,
Posted: 03-01-07 09:47am
Ikea have the best ball pits.
constantly supervised, no loose bit of
clothing (cap's etc), nothing in pockets,
and it's all net sided so you can see the
floor from the outside.
if ya really like ball pits I'm sure toys
r us sell them
|
Melissa_20
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Posts: 6806 Location: Florida
Posted: 03-01-07 09:55am
Kia
wrote:
Ikea have the best ball
pits.
constantly supervised, no loose bit of
clothing (cap's etc), nothing in pockets,
and it's all net sided so you can see the
floor from the outside.
if ya really like ball pits I'm sure toys
r us sell
them
yeah,thats what i'm
sayin!i
d rather buy one than let any kid play in
that mess!
|
tigresacanela24
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 5261 Location: Treat your children well, eventually they'll choose your nursing home.
Posted: 03-01-07 10:26am
I'd never let chu play in a public one
because for my 7th birthday we went to
chuckie cheese and one of the kids at my
party peed in the ball pit. i got pee on
my socks. My mum told the manager and
they shut it down but didn't clean it and
reopened it about an hour later.
But they sell ball pits at the toys store
and I'm going to buy him one of those.
They're pretty cheap too. Kia, I don't
know about Europe but in the US ball pits
are dirrrrty. So are the playgrounds.
Pretty much anything public is filthy. I
don't think I've ever seen anyone clean a
slide before. Even at the indoor
playgrounds...
|
Sunflower_pie81
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 5041 Location: to hell with this crap
Posted: 03-01-07 11:40am
I figure that if i buy amelia one and have
her play in it everyday she wont' want to
go into those and we can avoid crying and
all that jazz.
make her sick of them, that is a good
idea....or just dont' go to them.
But they sell ball pits at the toys store
and I'm going to buy him one of those.
They're pretty cheap too. Kia, I don't
know about Europe but in the US ball pits
are dirrrrty. So are the playgrounds.
Pretty much anything public is filthy. I
don't think I've ever seen anyone clean a
slide before. Even at the indoor
playgrounds...