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Clik here to view.One of the great debates I hear among parents is: what is the right age to leave your children alone at home? I'm not even sure you could argue that 9 is that magic age, but even if you did, few of us have this in mind. A mother and father from New Hampshire reportedly left their 9-year-old twin boys alone for four months while they traveled abroad to Nigeria. They say they asked an uncle to take care of them, but what police found when they searched their apartment pretty much proves the opposite happened.

Jerusalem Monday and his wife reportedly left for Nigeria with three of their children in July and planned to fly home in August, but told police issues with illness and their passports delayed their return. In the meantime, they say, they assumed Monday's brother, 25-year-old Giobari Atura, was taking care of the twins.

On the contrary, here's what police discovered when school officials told the Division of Children, Youth, and Families in November that the boys were on their own: their apartment door was ajar, there was no working phone in their home, and the worst part: there was no food in the fridge and just ramen noodles in a cabinet.

And though some of us probably assume the boys would be overjoyed to be on their own, we forget they are still so little and their emotional needs are as important as their physical needs. When an officer interviewed one of the boys, he reportedly told him he "felt lonely" while staying at their own house because nobody was there with them.

More from The Stir: Mother of 3 Arrested for Leaving Kids Alone So She Could Get Tattoos & Drink

Atura reportedly told police he would stop by their home every few days to drop off food. Even if this is true—and, again, what police found indicates there wasn't food in the house—he wasn't reportedly living up to his brother's expectations. Monday claims he told Atura to stay with the boys at the apartment and that, if he couldn't, to contact a family friend whose number and name they left with him.

Atura has been arrested and charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child. He is free on $500 bail.

The parents in this case have not been charged with a crime because police say they didn't know their boys weren't being cared for while they were away. The twins have been returned to them after being placed in child protective custody.

Do you think the uncle should have been charged in this case? Do you feel it's fair not to charge the parents?

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Like lots of moms who just gave birth, Kristin Cavallari says she is not happy with her body. Depending on your own personal body issues, her reason might make you want to scream, though. Kristin says she is too thin and just can't add muscle. Here's why her complaint isn't a secret, obnoxious form of vanity.

Since giving birth to her second child, 8-month-old Jaxon Wyatt, Kristin says she is finding it impossible to add muscle definition to her too-thin frame and really "hates" looking so skinny. The 28-year-old, who is also mom to 2-year-old Camden, is, like so many of us living in this post-apocalyptic-like universe where Kim Kardashian is a supreme ruler, obsessed with butts and wishes hers wasn't so flat.

Hold on just a second there. We're talking about the same Kristin, right? The one who looks absurdly fit in her workout selfies? Yes, we are, because even uber-thin celeb moms have complaints when it comes to their post-baby bodies.

Kristin says she doesn't know "why or how," but that, despite working out four to five times a week and eating healthfully, her "body changed."

Experts agree that Kristin's body "issue" isn't just in her head. It's pretty obvious to most of us that our abdominal and pelvic muscles are going to suffer slightly while we're pregnant because they're just working a little too hard on creating life to focus on sustaining our six packs.

But the rest of our muscles also lose tone while we're pregnant, mainly because we don't work them enough—you know, because we're pregnant and tired and ... did I mention pregnant and tired? It helps to include resistance exercises into our prenatal workout regimen so that our muscles don't lose their memory, but the bottom line is: It just might not be possible for all women to maintain their muscle tone for nine months.

But the good news, for Kristin and the rest of us, is that it is completely possible to bounce back and regain muscle tone after our babies are born—we just may have to work harder and longer than we expect to (or want to).

More from The Stir: The Postpartum Body IS a 'Mess of Jello'

After I gave birth to my now 10-month-old son, I remember describing how I felt about my body to my husband: "I just feel like a deflated balloon." I lost weight rapidly because I was breastfeeding and working out, and I actually weighed less than before I became pregnant, but I still felt like a soft, straight line.

The two workout routines that I found effective in rebuilding muscle were barre classes, which kill your legs, and Pilates, which builds lean muscle in your core and also makes you feel stronger, which is just as important as looking good.

Ugh, and I finally had to give up my sugary cereal habit, which hurt, I'll admit.

If you are relating to Kristin's complaints, know you aren't alone. It's difficult and often discouraging to look at our bodies in the mirror after giving birth because it's inevitable—you're going to see something different.

And while some effects of pregnancy, like the subcutaneous fat that some of us carry in our lower bellies after childbirth, are more difficult to get rid of or require surgery, there are always small changes we can make to our diet and fitness routines that can help us either lose weight or gain muscle definition. The key is finding an activity you love that works for you and, most crucially, gets your endorphins flowing so you're the happiest mom and woman you can be.

Did you wish you could change anything about your postpartum body? What did you do about it?

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Clik here to view.I don't care how adorable they are, if I ever see a ferret anywhere near a child, my fight or flight instincts are going to kick in, thanks to this horrific story. A 1-month-old baby girl from Pennsylvania had her face mauled by three "pet" ferrets as she was buckled into a car seat on the floor of her family's home on Thursday.

Police say the poor infant had been left alone for a few minutes while her mother went upstairs. After she heard her child screaming, the mom went back downstairs to reportedly find one of the ferrets on her baby. The animals had chewed the newborn's nose, top lip, and cheek area, and police say they actually ate the area away.

It's unknown how long the mom let her baby cry and, from what police say, it could have been longer than a few seconds or minutes because, in that time, the ferrets had an opportunity to seriously hurt this child. Both of the baby's parents reportedly suffer from developmental disabilities. They told police the ferrets were kept in a fabric cage and that they don't know how they got out.

The little girl was rushed to the hospital and had to have two stents placed in her nose just so she could breathe. She is currently in stable condition and her father says she is going to need "multiple surgeries" to recover.

More from The Stir: Pet Ferret Eats Baby Fingers: Keep Animals Out of the Nursery!

Apparently, there is even more to this story. Police say they found the baby living in a home infested with fleas or mites, that there was plenty of food for their pets—which included six cats, two dogs, and two turtles—but that the only human food items in the house were a jar of peanut butter, can of cranberry, and juice.

The parents also have four other children, ages 5 and under. They all have special needs, according to police, and are currently staying with a relative.

When I began writing this post, I told myself not to be judgmental, but I'm sorry, that ship has long sailed. You don't have the right to fill your house up with animals and treat them like they are part of a stamp collection. I also don't give a fig how adorable your creatures are, they DO NOT belong anywhere near a small baby, especially if they are animals that could potentially carry rabies.

I actually feel bad for these ferrets, which have since been killed and are being tested for rabies. They were only acting on their instincts and it was this mother's responsibility to understand the dangers and keep them far the hell away from her kids—or, how about this—wait until your babies are grown up to turn your house into a zoo.

If you insist on creating an animal sanctuary in your home, have enough space for them, AND (most importantly) are providing for your children FIRST, more power to you. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Police say they are asking the District Attorney to approve charges against the parents. Assuming all of the information we have so far is accurate, I think you can guess where I stand on that.

Do you think these parents should be charged with a crime or was this just an accident? 

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Clik here to view.It's been 10 years since Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck dated. While most of us can't imagine ever having to speak about an ex-boyfriend from what seemed like another lifetime, the actress and singer has been fielding questions left and right about their past romance. Given his marital status, she should have probably reserved her latest comments about Ben's full-frontal penis shotfrom Gone Girl for a girls-only brunch.

J-Lo appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen this week, where she gossiped about her old boyfriends and sex life. Naturally, talk turned to Ben—despite the fact that he is married to Jennifer Garner, with whom he has three children.

When asked whether she had seen Ben's penis in Gone Girl, the single mom of 6-year-old twins responded, "Nothing I haven't seen before" and then laughed it off.

So, here's the thing. If Jennifer was married or in a steady relationship AND had remained friends with Ben and his wife, a comment like this one would probably be no big deal. Both Jen's could laugh and bond over how familiar they are with Ben's anatomy (that's assuming Garner is extremely cool and collected about the whole thing).

But this isn't the case. Jennifer is single and hot and talking about another woman's husband's penis. It doesn't help that her quip comes on the heels of other comments she has made about how Ben broke her heart and was her first real heartbreak.

I'm not sure Garner appreciates having their old romance make headlines again. Plus, their daughter Violet is now 9, which is certainly old enough to read about her dad on websites. Does she really need to come across a quote by J-Lo that reassures Americans she is familiar with her dad's penis?

I mean, most of us assumed they were having sex between the years 2002 and 2004. This isn't breaking news, Jen.

More from The Stir: Ben Affleck Responds to Rude Question About Jennifer Lopez's Butt

If J-Lo was unsure how to handle the question about Ben's anatomy, she could have taken a page from his book. While Ben was playing blackjack in Las Vegas last year, he was rudely asked by another player if Jennifer's butt was "nice" or whether it had "cellulite" on it. His answer, after a silent pause was, "It was nice." That's it. No need to utter another word.

Now, can everyone stop focusing on Bennifer? Bennifer has long left the building. They are never, ever getting back together.

What do you think about Jennifer's response?

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Clik here to view.I thought I knew everything about Taylor Swift. Sure, I don't know as much about her as one of her 21-year-old megafans, but I could hold my own as the saddest adult in the room at a Taylor Swift trivia face-off. What a fool I am—I never knew that Taylor never shows her belly button. It's kind of like the unicorn of celebrity body parts. She must be over that fear because her latest beach photos prove her belly button is perfection.

Taylor actually admitted to Lucky magazine just a few months ago that she doesn't like to expose her belly button. At the time, she said once you "commit" to showing your midriff, you lose a bit of your mystery. So, while she was all for showing off her "lower rib cage," she said her lower belly would remain unexposed.

This left Taylor fans burning with all kinds of existential questions. What was Taylor trying to hide? A massive tiger tattoo on her abdomen? A tattoo of John Mayer's name? A belly button ring?

Nope, nope, and nope. The singer is hanging out with friends in Hawaii this week and she decided to let it all hang out in a bikini—adorable belly button and all:

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How cute is she?

More from The Stir: Taylor Swift's Bikini Body Is Definitely a Reason to Celebrate America (PHOTO)

The star is well aware of the frenzy she just caused over something as ridiculous as a belly button, because she also posted this picture, with the caption "She's always wearing, like, a 1950's bathing suit:"

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And there we have it: proof that Taylor isn't hiding a darn thing.

What do you think of Taylor's bikini/belly button photo?

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Clik here to view.A father from Queens, New York, allegedly went on a shooting spree Saturday morning and killed his wife, 7-year-old daughter, and mother-in-lawat their home in Springfield Gardens. His 12-year-old daughter, who he reportedly shot in the head, survived this horrific tragedy and was able to call police. 

Jonathon Walker, 34, reportedly methodically shot and killed his 31-year-old wife, Shantai Hale, her 62-year-old mother, Viola, and their little girl, Kayla Walker, at around 5:40 a.m. He also shot his tween daughter, according to police, and then fled the scene. Despite sustaining a gunshot to the head, the girl was able to call 911 to report what had happened. They say she indicated that her father snapped before he targeted each of his family members in their own bedrooms.

The 12-year-old was rushed to a hospital, where she is undergoing surgery. Police aren't sure whether she made the phone call before or after her father reportedly shot her.

Walker, whom police say is 6-foot-5, weighs 230 pounds, and played professional basketball in Portugal, is still on the run. He and their children's mother, who was his common-law wife, were together for more than 10 years and he worked as a bouncer in a club. Aside from describing the suspect as "quiet," neighbors don't really have much to reveal about Walker that makes it seem like he was a suspicious character.

Our hearts are with this little girl. We wish her a quick recovery and hope she has supportive family members who can help her deal with the nightmare of losing her mother, sister, and grandmother.

UPDATE: Walker was found five hours after the shooting incident dead in a wooded area of Queens. Police say he reportedly shot himself in the head and died in his car.

Why do you think this father allegedly snapped and killed his family?

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Clik here to view.Scott Robert Fippinger was an avid surfer and junior at California State University San Marcos who was reported missing on Jan. 14 while on vacation with friends in Mexico. For more than one week, an extensive search party made up of both volunteers and Mexican officials searched the seas for Scottbut were unable to find him. And then the one person who loved him most had the misfortune of making a shocking discovery.

Scott's father, Eric Fippinger, who is a retired Marine colonel and pilot, took matters into his own hands and searched for his son in his own private plane. He says he had been flying back and forth around Rosarito Beach when he spotted his son in the water about a mile away from a cliff. He then asked his ground team to pick Scott up by boat.

I can't even imagine the thoughts that ran through this poor father's head.

Scott's friends say they were camping on a cliff when the young man got up and left his tent at around 3:30 a.m. They assumed he was going to use the bathroom. But when they woke up the next morning, Scott wasn't there.

Because of the windy conditions on the morning he vanished, it is assumed Scott was blown over the side of the cliff, where he fell about 40 feet. His cell phone was found right by the edge of the cliff.

Despite having a search crew that consisted of divers, boats, and helicopters, it's unbelievable—and unbelievably sad—to think that his father was the person who located him. Scott was reportedly majoring in anthropology with a minor in Spanish and had made the dean's list.

There are few things sadder than a parent losing his child. We wish Scott's family all of the comfort in the world at this difficult time.

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Clik here to view.A couple from Cobb County, Georgia have been missing since they made plans to meet up with a person they met through Craigslist about buying a vintage car. Vietnam War veteran Elrey "Bud" Runion, 69, and his 66-year-old wife, June Runion, reportedly posted an ad on the website looking to purchase a 1966 Ford Mustang. A "seller" sent them a message, along with a photo of their dream car, and the couple's daughters say they agreed to meet him in Telfair County,

Daughter Virginia Owens said she became suspicious after her parents failed to show up to babysit her children on Friday. She and her sister, Stephanie Bishop, say the last conversation they had with their parents was one in which they had expressed excitement over the car. Bishop says the last time her father had owned a Ford Mustang was when he returned home from Vietnam.

They couple was last seen driving their 2003 champagne-colored GMC Envoy from Marietta on Thursday afternoon. They reportedly have their cell phones and chargers with them, but haven't contacted family members.

Police say they have received tips that they're following up on, but won't comment on whether anyone has withdrawn money from their bank account or if the person who had responded to their Craigslist ad was an honest-to-goodness Mustang seller.

More from The Stir: Parents Shot in Front of Their 16-Year-Old Son as They Try to Buy Him a Car

Their daughters say they are trying to keep positive. They created a Facebook page called Find Bud & June Runion, which has been shared more than 30,000 times. Putting positive thoughts out there in the hopes that this couple will be found and will reunite with their daughters soon.

What do you think happened to this couple?

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Clik here to view.If you're smack in the middle of taking a brief break from making breakfast, changing diapers, and urging your toddler to use the potty for the sixth time this hour, you may be daydreaming about a celebrity mom life filled with nannies and 24/7 help. Well, Kristin Cavallari is here to assure you that she and her husband are not that couple. The 28-year-old Laguna Beach star recently traveled, leaving her NFL husband Jay Cutler solely in charge of 2-year-old Camden and 8-month-old Jaxon. And the crazy, panicked text message he sent her the second she landed might look familiar.

Kristin says she texted her husband to let him know she had arrived safely back in Los Angeles. She probably expected to receive a sweet message in return, maybe a heavily sugar-coated response about how "great" everyone was doing and how parenting two little ones is a breeze.

Oh, no way. Instead, this is the text Cutler sent her—one so hilarious, she had to post it on Instagram:

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Haahahaa! I have to admit, my husband is really good about making believe everything is great when I'm out, but the second I get home, the list of things that supposedly went wrong makes me question whether we're raising the same little people.

I think children just know something is different when their primary caretaker has flown the coop and they've been left in touch with, you know, that other parent. They protest in strange ways. Also, as many of us moms know, when our kids sense us stressing out, they up the ante as far as their antics go.

More from The Stir: Kristin Cavallari Has a Post-Pregnancy Complaint Many Thin Girls Can Relate To

I think Kristin was right on the money when she captioned this screenshot: "Contrary to what many people think, we don't have a thousand nannies. So with that being said, when I got home from LA 2 days ago this is what I landed to. Pretty hilarious. Ladies, u want your man to appreciate u? Leave them alone with the kids to see what we deal with!"

Yep.

Does your husband or partner send you frantic texts like these when he's alone with the kids or does it play it cool?

Images via kristincavallari/Instagram

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Clik here to view.Jennifer Lawrence hates making public speeches and she makes no bones about that. The first thing she said when she hit the stage at the Producers Guild Awards to present an award to Lionsgate's CEO Jon Felthheimer was that she should have taken a "Xanax" before the event. Then, after admitting she suffers from "crippling anxiety" and would prefer lounging on her couch to speaking in front of a crowd of people, JLaw admitted how she really feels about the Hunger Games films that blew up her career.

Jennifer says she only agreed to speak at the awards show because she assumed she was "contractually obligated" to do so, since Lionsgate is the studio that made the Hunger Games movies. When she found out she didn't have to be there, she joked that she already picked out the gorgeous cream and metallic gown she was wearing so she had no choice but to go.

And then JLaw confessed that Felthheimer was responsible for ensuring Suzanne Collins' books translated to the big screen and were a big success, to which Jen said, "it was a ... large f—ing failure!"

Obviously, she was joking. The films are a huge hit and have catapulted Jennifer to outerspace, as far as actresss go.

More from The Stir: Jennifer Lawrence & Chris Martin Have Been Lying This Entire Time

Her cuteness didn't stop there. JLaw then sweetly said she put her trust in Lionsgate and that they put their trust in her and that she believes they'll maintain a strong working relationship "until my career dies at 35."

Ugh, bittersweet words, for sure. And, we hope, in Jennifer's case, this doesn't prove to be true because she's way too talented to vanish once she's too old to play an ingenue.

Jennifer has been in the game for a few years now, and she continues to remain a breath of fresh air whenever she speaks in public or gives an interview. Love her candid honesty and quick sense of humor. 

What do you think of Jennifer's speech?

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Clik here to view.If there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that if you take a risk and drive solo in an HOV lane—the carpool lane—you're going to get pulled over and be forced to pay a fine. One man from New Jersey, however, was stopped by Port Authority cops who assumed he was alone, but then discovered something absolutely bonkers about the two passengers who were in his backseat.

Police pulled Luis Moreno Jr., 26, over as he drove his Toyota Sequoia in the HOV lane on the I-95, near the George Washington Bridge during rush hour on Friday morning. Moreno quickly corrected the officers and showed them that he had two male passengers seated the third row of his SUV. An odd place for them to be seated, granted, but not a reason to continue questioning the man.

But then—just as Moreno was pulling away—one of the passengers reportedly tried to jump out of the back window and began screaming for help. The officer attempted to pull the man over again, but he allegedly fled the scene.

He obviously wasn't thinking about what might happen when you try to evade police in your vehicle while every single person in New Jersey is on the road trying to get to work and school. While he was stuck in traffic hell, more Port Authority police officers were able to stop him and find out what the heck was going on inside of the car.

And it's a doozy of a story. One passenger, a 33-year-old man who spoke only Spanish, claimed Moreno picked him up in Texas and offered to drive him to Maryland for money. When they reached Maryland, Moreno reportedly wanted more money from him, which he didn't have—so, the suspect allegedly kept him prisoner in the SUV, took his cell phone away, and locked all of the doors before heading north to New York.

Less is known about the second passenger, a 24-year-old man who also didn't speak English well. He claimed Moreno was keeping him in the car against his will, as well.

It turns out Moreno was already wanted on parole violations in Texas and was reportedly driving with a suspended license. He is being held in jail in lieu of $1 million bail and has been charged with kidnapping, criminal restraint, and receiving stolen property.

Why do you think the suspect allegedly kept these men in his vehicle against their will? 

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Clik here to view.When you look at gorgeous Tess Holliday—who used to go by the name Tess Munster—and think about the harsh, critical world of fashion and modeling, you can imagine she's heard the following remark a hundred times in casting: such a pretty face ... BUT (fill in the blank). The greatest thing about this 29-year-old is that she has never given a flip what anyone said and continued to show off her size 22 frame in lingerie and bathing suits and Mickey Mouse T-shirts, and glam gowns—imagine that, just like a girl who wears a size 2 (sarcasm)! The second greatest thing about Tess is that her perseverance, and, let's be honest, insane beauty, have led to her signing a ground breaking contract this week with a major modeling agency.

Tess has just been announced as the largest plus-size model to sign with a big company. She will represent MiLK Model Management's plus-size division.

Here's why this is awesome news. First of all, at just 5-feet-5 inches tall, Tess is a lot shorter than the average 5-foot-8 inch plus-size model. She's also quite a few sizes bigger—most plus-size models wear between a (ridiculously teeny and not-at-all plus size) 8 to 16. You could say she is probably one of few honest-to-goodness "plus-size" models, since so many we see are swept into that category simply because designers don't make samples that fit their womanly breasts and hips.

Another super-cool aspect to this story is that Holliday's new agent discovered her through her Instagram and couldn't deny the fact that she has more than 310,000 followers on the site and another 624,000 followers on Facebook. She is an inspirational role model to girls and women everywhere and already a star—now she'll earn the money she deserves as a legitimate working model.

More from The Stir: Plus-Size Model Tess Munster Posts Incredibly Hot Bikini Shots (PHOTO)

It wasn't easy selecting just one beautiful photo of Tess that oozes glamour and confidence, but this one jumped out at me—namely because the attitude she gives in her caption is off-the-rails phenomenal: "I hope this makes you realize that it's okay to be yourself, even if you happen to exist in a fat body. I'm sexy, confident & give no f**ks. Also, f**k anyone for saying otherwise:"

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Congrats, lady!

What are your thoughts on Tess signing to a major modeling agency?

Images via tessholliday/Instagram

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Clik here to view.Sadly, Modern Family's Sofia Vergara didn't take home a big award at last night's SAG Awards because Orange Is the New Black hit a home run with its talented ensemble. But no one in their right mind would shed a tear for the 42-year-old, who was dressed to the nines in a scarlet Donna Karan Atelier gown AND had fiance Joe Manganiello glued to her side. The duo couldn't help but reveal something very interesting about their upcoming wedding.

While walking the red carpet for the first time as Joe's fiance, Sofia joked to a reporter that her future husband knew exactly what she liked in terms of her engagement ring: the bigger, the better. She said she actually bit the diamond to make sure it was real, but would have married him anyway because he's such a gorgeous man.

Joe and Sofia are reportedly too busy with work to plan a summer wedding—and it sounds like that was their first choice—but it looks like they'll be saying "I do" next fall, which is a lot earlier than I expected, I admit. They only got engaged over the holidays, when Sofia says Joe insisted on proposing in front of her family, possibly because he knows how much they mean to her.

More on The Stir: Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello Make It Official With HUGE Engagement Ring

I'm not sure what the two were thinking when Sofia says they started off with just 20 people on their guest list. Considering her huge, tight-knit family, how was that ever going to be a possibility? They quickly scrapped that fantasy, as Sofia revealed their ceremony is going to "be big" and that their guest list is pages and pages long.

Sofia and Joe looked like your classic, stunning Hollywood couple on the red carpet, and we're looking forward to seeing more of them all dolled up at events.

Are you surprised Sofia and Joe are getting married so soon after their engagement?

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Clik here to view.Heartbreaking: a 5-year-old girl from Las Vegas died from cardiac arrest Tuesday just one day after she started showing symptoms of influenza A. Little Kiera Driscoll had reportedly received a flu shot earlier this season for the exact strain that killed her.

Kiera's parents say she started coughing and came down with a fever on Monday, so they took her to see a doctor, who prescribed steroids and a nebulizer. But that same day, the kindergartner reportedly collapsed. Her mother administered CPR as they waited for an ambulance to rush her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead the next day.

Kiera's grieving aunt said she was a healthy girl who was perfectly fine in the days leading up to Monday. She had also been vaccinated for the flu, but as most of us have heard by now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that this year's flu shot is only effective 23 percent of the time because the H3N2 strain keeps mutating.

It's impossible to imagine the pain this family feels. A Fundly page has been set up to help them cover Kiera's funeral and medical expenses. Kiera's relatives have described her as a sweet girl who loved "hugs, rainbows, ponies, kittens, princesses, purple, unicorns, and everything magical."

More from The Stir: Dad Says Daughter Died Because She Didn't Get a Flu Vaccine

Sadly, Kiera is one of at least 56 children in 23 states who have died from the flu since September 28, according to the CDC. The organization still recommends that people get the flu shot because it could offer protection against drifted viruses and reduce the chances that a person will have to be hospitalized.

Are you surprised this child died of the flu despite having received a flu shot?

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Clik here to view.Railing against the evils of photoshop seems like a waste of time these days, namely because every single celebrity we see in a magazine has had her body and face enhanced in some way. The key word, though, is enhanced—which is the purpose of photoshop. So when we got a glimpse at Kate Middleton on the cover of Woman's Day looking a hundred times worse, we had to question who in God's name thought this was a good idea.

The Duchess of Cambridge's photo was butchered by the Australian magazine after she made a public appearance at Kensington Leisure Centre in London last week. In real life, the pregnant princess absolutely glowed in a baby-blue coat, with her hair and makeup looking as natural and fresh as a field of daisies:

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She honestly needs zero photoshop to begin with, but I can understand a photo editor wishing to make her coat a bit brighter so that she (pardon the pun) pops in the photo.

And then there's this. Somebody has some serious explaining to do about this bizarrely doctored image of pretty Kate:

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Kate's eyes have been lightened in a way that makes her look possessed, and for reasons unknown, her lipstick and blush hues have been darkened. As a result, she appears to be about 15 years older than she actually is.

More from The Stir: Kate Middleton's Outfit to 9/11 Memorial Causes a Scandal

I'm willing to accept that photoshop is here to stay because magazines make money by selling us glamour and fantasy. But photoshop is a skill and not one that everyone nails every single time. This is an example of a beautiful celebrity brought down by too much meddling and tampering with her natural good looks.

What's your opinion on Kate's photoshopped magazine cover?

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Clik here to view.A 13-year-old boy from Minnesota was reportedly accidentally shot and killed by his 15-year-old brother while the siblings were playing an all-too-real game of cops and robbers. Suhayb Jamal Hassan, who was in the eighth grade, was reportedly shot once with a handgun that belonged to his father and died at the family's home in Minneapolis.

When Suhayb's older brother first called police to report the incident, the teen reportedly told them his sibling stabbed himself while running with a knife. Considering his age and the fact that he was likely scared to death at that point, I don't feel it's fair to fault him for what reportedly turned out to be a lie that he owned up to once police arrived at their home.

The teen allegedly confessed to cops that he and Suhayb had found a 9 mm handgun in the house and an ammunition clip was discovered close by. They were curious and decided to load the weapon. But they reportedly made a mistake assuming they had then unloaded it.

Police say the brothers started playing and chasing each other around the house with the weapon. In the middle of a game of cops and robbers, the older sibling pulled the trigger and shot Suhayb in the chest.

The boys' 11-year-old sister was also in the house at the time of the incident.

More from The Stir: 3-Year-Old Reportedly Shoots & Kills Baby Brother At Neighbor's Home

So far, police have deemed this tragedy an accident and haven't charged anyone with a crime. Given the misery that every single member of this family is being forced to live with at this moment, I think that's a wise decision.

Do you feel the brother or father should be charged for this young teen's death?

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Clik here to view.When it comes to women, many men are able to separate the way they feel their moms deserve to be treated from the way they treat random women. Case in point: the same young man who calls a woman a "hot piece of you-know-what" would go nuts if one of his friends did the same to his own mother. A new video that has gone viral documents a street catcaller's worst nightmare: two mothers dress up and go undercover, then confront their sons after they get sexually harassed by them on the street.

The video was shot in Peru, where an astounding 7 out of 10 women are reportedly harassed on the streets of Lima. A Peruvian TV show was able to locate "recurring sex offenders" who hang out on the street, then enlisted the help of their mothers to teach them a lesson they'll never forget.

The first mom, who wears a knee-length black dress and heels, passes her own son and hears him call out, "Tasty panties." Oh boy. Imagine his shock when she confronts him and shouts at him about what a jerk he is -- then slaps him with her purse. Can you blame her?!

The second guy is even worse -- calling his mom "piggy" as she passes by in a green dress. She, too, is beside herself and says she is "ashamed" that he is her son.

More from The Stir: Catcalls Are Never Flattering -- Despite What One Woman Thinks

I feel for these women. As the mom of a baby boy, I would be disgusted to learn my son grew up and somehow got the message that it is okay to be disrespectful to women on the street (or anywhere else). Let's hope these guys shape up after this frightening, shameful experience:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

What do you think about this video?

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Clik here to view.The nation was shocked when, in 2013, a young female student from Vanderbilt University claimed she was raped by four football players in a dorm room while she lay unconscious after a night out drinking with one of the men. The details of the attack were brutal and the fact that neither the victim nor the participants claim they remember what happened, though the incident was recorded and appeared on social media outlets, made us truly puzzled and unsure of what the outcome of this assault would be. Part of the mystery is over: on Tuesday, it took jurors just three hours to find two of the football players guilty on all charges.

After a 12-day trial, Brandon Vandenburg, 21, and Cory Batey, whose 21st birthday was Tuesday, were found guilty each of five counts of rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery for raping the unidentified woman on June 23, 2013. As Vandenburg's verdict was read and he and his family discovered he was found guilty of aggravated rape, the man's father reportedly yelled, "That is terrible" and began crying.

The victim appeared in court every day of the trial and held her mother's hand as the verdict was announced.

The details that emerged about this incident were truly gruesome. The victim had reportedly started dating Vandenburg and the two were out at a bar having drinks. The woman became intoxicated and says she can't remember what happened next, but a surveillance video shows Vandenburg bringing her back to his dorm room and putting her on the floor as if she were a rag doll.

Two minutes later, Batey appeared and began assaulting the student with his fingers. Two other football players, Brandon E. Bank and Jaborian "Tip" McKenzie, were also present at the time of the attack and one of them reportedly placed a water bottle in the woman's anus.

More from The Stir: Frightening Details Emerge in Vanderbilt Student Rape Case

One aspect of this case that is incredibly important is that Vandenburg was never found to have actually touched the woman, but the fact that he egged on his friends and shouted things like "Squeeze that s***" when one teammate had penetrated her with a water bottle proved he was equally responsible, in jurors' eyes.

There is still some question as to whether Batey penetrated the victim with his penis. At first, McKenzie reportedly testified that he had, then he said in a statement that his friend couldn't get an erection.

Batey broke down in tears when he took the stand, apologized, and claimed he was "drunk" out of his mind and would never do the things he did while sober. Clearly traumatized, the victim reportedly cried and vomited as he spoke in court.

The brave young woman released the following statement after the jury made its decision:

I am also hopeful that the publicity this case has received will lead to a discussion of how we can end sexual violence on college campuses. Finally, I want to remind other victims of sexual violence: You are not alone. You are not to blame.

The trial isn't over yet. McKenzie and Bank will be tried separately and the length of time Vandenburg and Batey will have to serve remains to be seen—though they could reportedly be sentenced to "decades" in prison.

What are your thoughts on the jury's decision in this case?

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Clik here to view.A Georgia man has been charged with murder after an elderly couple from Cobb County was found dead days after they responded to a Craiglist ad with the intention of buying a vintage car. Ronnie Adrian "Jay" Towns, 28, allegedly shot and killed Elrey "Bud" Runion, 69, and his wife, 66-year-old June Runion, in the most heartless of crimes.

Runion, who was a Vietnam War veteran, and his wife dreamed of owning a 1966 Mustang and were overjoyed to find a seller from McRae, Georgia, on Craigslist who claimed he had one in good condition. The couple agreed to meet with the man and took off for Telfair County -- but one of their two daughters became suspicious when, the following day, they failed to show up to babysit their grandchildren.

After an extensive search, police located the couple's SUV submerged in a pond on Monday and Bud's and June's bodies were found nearby, though not adjacent to one another.

At first, Towns reportedly provided police with false statements and was charged with criminal attempt to commit theft by deception for posting the false Craigslist ad. Police say Towns didn't actually own a Mustang and that he reportedly turned himself into authorities on Monday.

More from The Stir: Veteran and His Wife Go Missing After Agreeing to Buy Car from Craigslist Seller

Robbery appears to be the motive for this crime, but police wouldn't confirm whether the couple was carrying cash or any other details. The suspect has been described by neighbors in his small community as "very smart" and a "good kid."

There are so many details to this sad story that we have yet to learn about. As horrific as it is, at the very least this couple's children and family can now start to receive some semblance of closure (though still far from it, I'm sure) because their bodies have been found. It's horrific to think of anyone taking advantage of a trusting couple and it's completely perplexing to imagine valuing a few thousand dollars over two human lives.

What do you think happened here?

Image via Telfair County Sheriff's Office

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Clik here to view.Lisa Swinton McLaughlin waited 10 years and endured dozens of fertility treatments because she wanted children so badly. The 56-year-old medical director for the American Red Cross in Baltimore was over the moon when she and her husband discovered they were going to have twins. And then the unthinkable happened: she died just a few days after giving birth to healthy boys Jordan and Dylan.

McLaughlin reportedly gave birth via Cesarean section on December 27 after having an uncomplicated pregnancy in which the only real issue she had was gestational diabetes, which her doctors were able to manage. She was on bed rest for one month prior to the birth, but her premature babies were born healthy.

As most of us moms know, doctors are adamant about ensuring we have a bowel movement after birth, particularly if a C-section is involved, before we are released from the hospital. McLaughlin reportedly had a "liquid bowel movement," but it was enough for the hospital to believe she could go home.

The new mom continued to experience stomach pains and looked bloated, according to her husband, Michael. She wasn't able to eat but was told by her doctor that she needed to walk more and drink more water. Sadly, this wasn't the solution. She died on January 4 of a bowel obstruction.

More from The Stir: Mother Dies from C-Section Complications After Delivering Twins

This story would be heartbreaking no matter who the victim is—but it truly hurts the heart to know this mom's dream was to have babies. Her 67-year-old husband said she did everything she was told to do during pregnancy and was the happiest he had ever seen her.

So many women out there can relate to her story. They are willing to do anything, spend anything, to conceive and couldn't care less about the risks involved in childbirth. In fact, most of us aren't even aware of the risks because the benefits of giving birth far outweigh the potential negatives.

I'm in no way trying to be a Debbie Downer, but facts are facts: an astounding 650 women die in the United States each year from pregnancy and delivery complications. In fact, the maternal death rate in the wealthiest country in the world is double what it was 25 years ago. The most common causes are hemorrhaging and diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Few women talk about the dangers of pregnancy and birth, most likely because the desire to have a child isn't going to dissipate on the off-chance that something might happen. Think of it as one of the only risks in life we don't even think twice about taking.

Our hearts go out to this mom's sons and her husband, who is planning on raising his boys in Nebraska with the help of a nanny. Hoping they grow up understanding how much their mother loved them and wanted them to exist.

Did or do the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth ever make you think twice about having children?

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