By The Defender Staff
Man With Severe Autism Was Told He Would Never Understand Language. Now, He’s a Published Author and College Grad
A California man with severe autism, whose family was told he would never understand language, has just published his first book. Woody Brown was diagnosed with autism when he was a toddler. Doctors told his parents that it was pointless to speak to him as he would never process language, according to a March 30 profile of the 28-year-old Monrovia resident in The New York Times.
However, his mother, Mary, said she began to realize Woody understood more than initially believed when he was around 5 years old. She told the outlet that while Woody typically tantrumed if they didn’t follow the same routine each day, he would calm down if she explained why.
Mary said that Woody eventually began spelling out simple words on a laminated letter card. Then, when he was around 8 years old, she discovered he was spelling out entire narratives for an alter ego he had created named Cop Woody.
Mother Sues Delaware City Refinery for Emissions Impacting Son, Home
A Delaware mother is suing Delaware City Refinery over pollution she believes impacted her child’s health and their ability to enjoy their home. Brittany Stewart — who prefers to go by her married name, Carlisle — lives in Delaware City with her son, who was born in 2020, and filed a complaint against Delaware City Refining Company, PBF Energy Company and PBF Holding Company on Feb. 23.
Carlisle claims unpermitted emissions of sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and other chemicals from the refinery’s Fluid Coking Unit between May 25 and June 11, 2025, agitated her son’s asthma. Sulfur dioxide is harmful to both humans and the environment, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, with short-term exposure said to harm the respiratory system, particularly in children and people with asthma.
Carlisle’s son lives with her primarily, the lawsuit explains, and was in the community during this 18-day period of “excessive toxic releases.” The child “suffered respiratory symptoms and other physical harm consistent with exposure to sulfur dioxide and other toxic chemicals,” according to court documents. Delaware City Refinery has yet to respond to the lawsuit as of early April, according to Carlisle’s lawyer, though an environmental violation from the state in 2025 had marked ground-level air quality during this event as sufficient.
Michigan Kids in Mental Health Crisis Sent Out of State as Facilities Close
Eleanor Middlin was 15 when her family sent her to a Missouri boarding school, an 11-hour drive from her mid-Michigan home. It was the worst thing that ever happened to her. It also saved her life. “I’m alive because of it, and I will never be able to forget it,” Middlin, now 20, told Bridge Michigan.
Her experience leaving Michigan for long-term care represents an emerging trend for the state’s youth in severe mental health crises. In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of teens and children are being sent hundreds or thousands of miles from home, often because the state lacks the resources to treat them here.
The Middlins are among an unknown number of families in Michigan who pay their own way to get the help they need — their experience largely invisible in state data.
But for other children placed in facilities through court order or child welfare, state reports show out-of-state placements have surged in recent years as a series of Michigan facilities closed.
Prenatal Smoking Linked to Broader Mental Health Issues in Children
Children exposed to maternal smoking before birth are more likely to experience behavioral and mental health challenges, according to a large study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.
While previous research had linked prenatal smoking to acting out or rule-breaking, it was less clear whether smoking during pregnancy also affects broader mental health outcomes and whether effects differ by sex. The new study sheds light on these questions, examining thousands of children across the U.S. and identifying periods when exposure may be most impactful.
“These findings show that prenatal nicotine exposure can affect more than just acting-out types of behavior problems-it can influence children’s overall mental health and experiences of both emotional and behavioral problems at the same time. Understanding when kids are most vulnerable can help families and healthcare providers provide support at the right time.” -Kristine Marceau, Ph.D., Purdue University.
California Gop Bill Targets Horrifying Online Cult, Closes State ‘Loophole’ on Child Extortion
A panel of California lawmakers on Tuesday advanced state legislation that would crack down on online exploitation activity that targets minors. The bill, titled the Protecting Our Children From Online Extortion Act, would create a new criminal offense for adults who coerce or persuade a minor to harass or exploit another minor. It would close a loophole, state Sen. Tony Strickland (R) said, because currently California law avoids criminalizing consensual sex or interactions between minors.
“Right now, our laws are a step behind,” Strickland said. “These networks are growing rapidly.” Orange County Sherriff Don Barnes said it would target groups like the notorious gang called 764, an online terror cult that blackmails minors into sex acts, self-harm, and animal torture. Over 350 investigations are linked to the group, the FBI said in February. Opponents, such as the state Public Defenders Association, worry the bill would wrongly criminalize youthful behavior and said that many laws on the books already deal with the issue of minors being forced to engage in illegal acts.
Council Bill Seeks to Curb Social Media Time to an Hour for NYC Kids
A City Council member is proposing legislation that would force social media giants to implement a one-hour time limit on kids’ access to their accounts, unless they are explicitly allowed by a parent or guardian. Althea Stevens, who represents part of the Bronx and chairs the committee on children and youth, said she’s responding to growing concerns and research about the mental health effects of social media on kids.
“We really have to start looking at what it looks like to regulate [social media] and make sure that we have proper studies to go over how it’s affecting our kids,” said Stephens, who sponsored the bill. The legislation would apply to children and teens under 17 years old. The bill would also prohibit social media companies from targeting ads to youth.
How Social Media Is Driving Teens Toward Steroids and Extreme Body Transformations
A growing number of teenage boys are chasing dramatic body transformations online — building massive muscles, shedding fat and documenting it all for millions to see.
But behind some of the viral physiques lies a troubling trend: the use of a powerful drug never approved for humans.
At 16 years old, Zaid Laila says he didn’t want to spend years working out to build a body like those he saw online. “Why wait 10 years … when I could do it in less than a year,” he said. The high school student from suburban Dallas began documenting his journey on social media, where his transformation quickly drew attention.
His videos show a leaner, more muscular physique — the kind often celebrated across social media platforms. But Laila is open about how he got there: “A lot of steroids and a lot of working out.” He told CBS News he’s been using anabolic steroids for about 10 months, including trenbolone, a powerful drug developed for livestock and never approved for human use.
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IPAK-EDU is grateful to The Defender as this piece was originally published there and is included in this news feed with mutual agreement. Read More
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