09/16/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/16/2024 11:47
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a heart-wrenching video showcasing the urgent need to pass the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act to save lives.
Senator Blackburn sat down with Kathy, a Middle Tennessee mom, who shared her tragic story of how her 17-year-old son, Vaughn-Thomas, bought a pill likely on Snapchat that was unknowingly laced with fentanyl and was poisoned.
Watch Kathy's story to learn why Congress must pass KOSA here.
Vaughn-Thomas Was a Good Student and an Athlete
"He was very strong in his faith, he loved his friends, he was a good student, he was athletic, [and] he loved golf. Life was going really well for him." - Kathy
The Last Time Kathy Saw Her Son - "Good Night, I Love You"
"[On] December 1st, I had put up some Christmas decorations and I had gone to pick up my youngest at basketball practice. Vaughn-Thomas texted me he was hungry, he just got through working out at the gym [and he] wanted me to grab him some food. I brought that home to him and we talked a little bit and I gave him a big hug and said 'good night I love you' and he hugged me back and said 'I love you more.' That was the last time I talked to him." - Kathy
Vaughn-Thomas Was Poisoned from a Pill Likely Bought on Snapchat
"When Vaughn-Thomas didn't wake up to his alarm, that's when we found him. He took what he thought was a Xanax, it was a counterfeit Xanax [laced with fentanyl]. He [may have acquired] some of that via Snapchat. One mistake should not have been a death sentence for Vaughn-Thomas." - Kathy
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