FISHERS — Tied to benches, hung on walls and pinned close to people’s hearts: pink ribbons in honor of Hailey Buzbee.
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Investigators say the 17-year-old had been communicating online for more than a year with the man now charged in her disappearance and death.
“I think the community is obviously experiencing grief, anger, a lot of fear. When that happens, we can take what we know about Hailey’s case, and we can use that to empower the community," Former Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Preston said.
Preston has 17 years of experience investigating internet crimes against children.
She met with parents on Wednesday for a presentation called “Protecting Kids in the Digital Age.”
“All you want is for your kid to come at the end of the day safely. Yes, these conversations are hard. Yes, they’re uncomfortable. Yes, your kid will resist. The younger you start, in the most age-appropriate way, the easier it will be," Preston said.
Anthony and Juliette Hill, grandparents to preteens, came to HSE to learn more.
“What can we do to be proactive? It’s so easy to be reactive, but reactive is too late," Anthony Hill said.
“Social media is such a big issue right now with the young people. It’s just their world. We wanna be a part of whatever we can do to keep them safe,” Juliette Hill added
Preston says there are three ways you can ensure your child is practicing responsible online behavior:
- Speak to them about the potential dangers and risks in an age-appropriate way
- Restrict access to certain apps until they’re ready
- Provide support and a pathway for them to feel comfortable coming to you for help
Preston said that any child could vulnerable online.
“The truth of the matter is, most often, kids who are targeted by these specific types of predators are kids who are doing well in school, they have a smartphone, they have extracurricular activities, they’re close with their families," Preston said.
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Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
