Kids

LeBron James is starting to stack up children's books like championship rings ... 'cause the NBA superstar just announced his second piece of work will hit bookshelves later this year!!

36-year-old James has been writing up a storm after he inked a deal with HarperCollins Children's Books in 2020 ... co-authoring a 40-page picture book called "I Promise" last August, which became an NYT bestseller.

Now, Bron is back with a middle-grade level chapter book called "We Are Family" ... which follows 5 friends with completely different backgrounds and ambitions who team up to "save their basketball season and prove that sometimes getting a chance is all it takes to succeed," according to the release.

The story -- co-written by journalist and writer Andrea Williams -- is based in Ohio, which shouldn't come as a surprise. James has always kept his roots in mind when creating new stories for the youth.

LeBron spoke about the project ... saying, "Everyone has a story and unique set of challenges they’re going through that we don’t hear about."

The 4-time NBA champ added, "'We Are Family' shows how an unlikely group of kids comes together to chase their dreams, despite having the odds stacked against them."

"It’s an important story of family, purpose and perseverance in the face of adversity that I hope inspires everyone who reads it to never stop dreaming and believing in what they’re capable of."

A young Aussie Rules football fan's face met an unfortunate fate at a game over the weekend ... the poor kid got drilled by a ball from dozens of yards away, and multiple cameras shot the whole thing!

The incident all went down Sunday in Australia ... when Port Adelaide star Connor Rozee kicked a bullet through the uprights against St. Kilda.

A 5-year-old in the stands was hoisted up by his brother in an attempt to catch the ball as it came crashing down ... but the ball ended up clanking off the little guy's face!!

Check out the footage from several different angles ... the ball sadly smashed the hell out of Sonny Ah-Matt's dome -- and everyone watching was stunned!!

Fortunately, the little kid was a trooper ... and shook off the stinger no problem!!

"He was fine," Ah-Matt's mother told 9News Australia. "And then, at the end of the game, he's standing up, cheering and singing the song."

As for why the little guy tried to make the catch ... his brother explained he offered up $100 to Sonny if he could haul in the ball on the fly.

Not the best decision, considering the ball's basically half Ah-Matt's size -- but, hey, good job, good effort!

Ah-Matt's brother said he'd probably end up giving the little guy $50 for his troubles ... and Port Adelaide ended up getting the win -- so, good times all around for Sonny, we're sure.

Conor McGregor is putting $500k to a good cause after all ... with the UFC superstar making a surprise donation to help kids in south Louisiana this week.

Remember, Dustin Poirier blasted McGregor earlier this month ... saying Conor never made a sizeable donation to Dustin's "The Good Fight Foundation" as promised back in October 2020.

The 2 stars publicly railed each other ... with Conor accusing Poirier of running a shady operation ... and Dustin claiming McGregor's camp was ducking his calls about the matter. Poirier later apologized for making the situation public.

Now, it appears McGregor is still looking to help out ... by shelling out half a million dollars to the Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana, which is located in Poirier's hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana.

It's worth noting -- Dustin's foundation has worked with this B&GC location in the past. We're told that despite all the drama, Conor still wanted to help out ... resulting in the $500k donation.

The B&GC is ecstatic to receive the help ... saying, "This investment is a gamechanger! Thank you, Conor, for helping to ensure that our kids have what they need to grow and thrive this summer!"

The club says the donation will help fund the 2021 summer camp and other recreational activities throughout the area.

Forget Rolexes, presents and cash ... Patrick Peterson just paid his new teammate for jersey #7 in a WAY cooler fashion -- making a sweet donation to the guy's former high school!

The new Minnesota Vikings corner -- who rocked #7 during his college days at LSU -- wanted to sport the digit in his first year away from the Arizona Cardinals this season.

The problem? Quarterback Nate Stanley already had the number ... and Peterson didn't want to just railroad the 2nd-year man for the uniform.

So, Peterson made a trade ... in exchange for paying for new shoulder pads for Stanley's alma mater, Menomonie High School in Wisconsin, Nate gave up the jersey!

And, Patrick was stoked about the transaction ... joining Bryant McFadden on their "All Things Covered" podcast and explaining why he has so much love for the number.

"Once [the NFL] passed that new rule where skill positions were able to wear any number between 1 and 49, it was only right," said Peterson, who wore #21 with the Cardinals.

"I always wore it in high school, I wore it in college. I always felt comfortable with it. And that's what I felt started me. So it was only right to go back to my roots and rock that seven."

The move could be a huge one for Peterson and the Vikes ... when Patrick donned that number back at LSU -- he became one of the greatest defensive backs in college football history.

A 17-year-old boy with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was punched in the head by a cop, who threatened even more punishment.

The incident went down Wednesday in Vacaville, California. Cops responded to a call of a possible stabbing or assault with either a pipe or a knife and found Preston on his scooter.  Preston was allegedly in a scuffle with a neighbor and picked up the alleged weapon but no one was injured.

In the video, you see the officer toss Preston's scooter to the side and order the teen to sit.  He gets in Preston's face and the boy then gets up and tries to run. The cop grabs him, yanks him to the ground and delivers a punch to the head.

You hear Preston scream, "You punched me in the f***ing head." The officer responds ... "You're gonna get hurt. Don't make me hurt you more. Don't make me hurt you more."

Preston's dad, Adam Wolf, posted this ... "The officer screamed at him to sit down which he did. The officer then moved Aggressively toward my son, threw his scooter and got in his face. My son became fearful, as would any child with Autism. The officer went to touch Preston, at which point Preston moves away.  At this point, Preston was confused and afraid and moves away from the officer even more."

Adam goes on ...  At that point the officer felt it was a good idea to THROW Preston to the ground ... I don't believe that Preston will ever trust a police officer again. I am pro police, but I am not pro ABUSE! This individual and department must be held accountable for their actions. NO child, disability or not, deserves to be treated like this."

Police detained Preston for an hour ... he was cited and released.

This is incredibly disturbing ...

A flag football coach in Michigan punched a parent in the face during a meltdown at a game over the weekend -- igniting a police investigation.

Officials confirm the incident took place Saturday at the Midwest Performance Academy in Niles, MI ... in front of a bunch of young kids.

Unclear what set off the coach ... but you can see in the video he appeared to be arguing with a parent or coach from the other team and as he storms off the field, he stops to square up with a parent on the sideline.

The parent did NOT impose any sort of physical threat -- but the coach apparently didn't like his body language and sucker-punched him in the face, sending the dad crashing to the floor.

Chaos ensues ... you can hear kids crying and other parents screaming in shock.

At one point, other adults attempt to subdue to the coach.

So far, the name of the coach has not been released -- but WNDU's Ibrahim Samra reports the victim has reached out to the Niles Police Dept. and an investigation is underway.

Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old from Columbus, OH, is dead after a cop shot her 4 times ... and newly released body cam shows why police were called, and why the incident's sparked new protests over another police-involved fatality.

The incident went down Tuesday -- about a half-hour before Derek Chauvin's guilty verdicts -- when police responded to a call for a fight between a few teenage girls ... one of them being Ma'Khia. The body cam shows a chaotic scene when cops arrived in the driveway of a home.

One girl was thrown to the ground at the feet of one of the officers, and you hear him yelling, "Hey, hey, hey, hey. Get down!" as Ma'Khia's seen apparently lunging with a knife at a different girl.

You see the officer quickly draw his gun and then fire 4 shots at Ma'Khia, who immediately falls to the ground. You can see a man standing nearby yell at the cop in shock, "You didn't have to shoot her. She's just a kid, man."

The cop responded, "She had a knife. She just went at her."

The shooting prompted protests near the scene of the incident, and in downtown Columbus. The officer's reportedly been taken off the streets while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigates.

Ma'Khia was reportedly taken to Mount Carmel East Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Neighbors say she was living in a foster home on the block where she was shot.

Peloton's Tread+ treadmill is a killer machine ... literally, according to a new class-action lawsuit filed by a woman who claims the fitness equipment is utterly unsafe for anyone with kids ... or even pets.

In the suit, Shannon Albright says Peloton's $4,295 treadmill is marketed as a device that'll give you "Your hardest training session" on "Your softest road" thanks to a shock-absorbing belt that's built with 59 individual slats.

Shannon's issue is that, although Peloton does have warnings on the machine ... she feels they're not sufficient to alert customers to the true danger -- which is that the treadmill's design allegedly makes it "extremely susceptible" to children and pets getting trapped underneath the machine.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Albright claims some customers have had "children approach the machine, out of eyesight of the parent, and those children [have] been trapped and injured by the Tread+ machine.”

The lawsuit mentions at least one child has died as a result of the Tread+ ... and at least several dozen more have been injured. Albright claims injuries range from bruising and abrasion to broken bones, permanent brain injury and death.

What's more ... Albright claims Peloton has essentially ignored the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s warning that directs consumers to "stop using the Peloton Tread+ if there are small children or pets at home." There's even a video apparently showing 2 kids playing on the Tread+ and one child getting trapped.

Albright claims Peloton has known or should have known about its defective machine ... so she's trying to form a class action and is suing for more than $5 million in damages.

Here's a refreshingly candid moment from Jameis Winston ... the Saints QB admitted to kids he went from top NFL prospect to league laughingstock -- but he's now vowing to work his ass off to change that.

The 27-year-old was helping out at Kenny Shaw's football camp in Orlando, FL on Saturday when he delivered the speech ... and it was a very cool, self-aware moment from the former #1 overall pick.

Winston, in addressing dozens of campers, said, "I went from being the #1 draft pick to being everybody laugh at me."

Jameis, of course, is not wrong ... the guy has been mocked for issue after issue after issue during and after his rise to national fame at Florida State.

There was the crab leg incident. The "f*** her right in the p****" debacle. There was the incredibly awkward "Eat A W" celebration. And, who can forget his quirky training methods??

But, Jameis told the young footballers he's doing everything in his power to change all of that and be the heir to Drew Brees' throne in New Orleans.

"Guess what?" Jameis said. "I'm about that business. I'm outworking everybody at my position."

Winston had to pause, 'cause Dallas Cowboys star QB Dak Prescott was standing right next to him helping out at the camp -- but he continued nonetheless!!

"I know Dak right there," he said as Prescott smiled. "But, I'm doing things every single day. Committing to the dream."

Winston then encouraged the kids to believe in themselves and always approach the game with a little kid's perspective ... because he says that's how he's going about his business now.

DMX's fiancee just told the world ... the late rapper was her everything, and she's grateful for the time they had.

Desiree Lindstrom just posted, "The first night we met and you held me close. I knew I would never let go. I was lost in you and nothing else mattered. My best friend, my baby, my love...truly my everything. Thank you for us. Thank you for Exodus. Thank you God for Earl Simmons...forever X."

Desiree also got a tattoo as an homage to her late fiance, which says, "Dog Love" which sits over a large "X."

DMX and Desiree had a 4-year-old son, Exodus. As we reported, she was devastated by the passing of X.

One of the sweetest videos we've seen was when DMX proposed to Desiree back in 2019. What made it especially interesting ... he proposed the same day they had broken up, but she said "yes!"  The proposal went down at Exodus' 3rd birthday party at Sky Zone.

TMZ broke the story ... DMX died earlier this month at age 50 after OD'ing at home and suffering a heart attack. He was hospitalized for a week and ultimately his body functions failed.

Peloton's state-of-the-art treadmill is dangerous for kids and pets, and folks should refrain from using it immediately -- so says a U.S. regulator, who's got video evidence of the perils.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission -- formed in the '70s to help American consumers know which products can cause harm -- has come out strongly against Peloton and its Tread+ machine ... telling people with vulnerable loved ones to stop using it.

The agency says in light of a recent child death and "dozens" of reported instances of small children and pets getting sucked under the back roller of the conveyer belt -- and getting seriously injured in the process -- they're advising the Tread+ get temporarily unplugged.

The CPSC says it's aware of at least 39 injuries and one death related to the Tread+, and even says leaving the machine turned off can still pose a risk if the turn-on key is still accessible. They attached a graphic video that shows a toddler being pinned under the roller as it's in use by his older sister, who walks away ... with the kid left unattended.

We must warn you ... this is difficult to watch, but fortunately, the child appears to get himself out of the Peloton's clutches and gets up afterward. CPSC says this is just one example of the danger.

As for Peloton, they're playing down the CPSC's report ... calling it "inaccurate and misleading." They add, "The Tread+ is safe for Members to use in their homes and comes with safety instructions and warnings to ensure its safe use. Like all motorized exercise equipment, the Tread+ can pose hazards if the warnings and safety instructions are not followed. The Tread+ is not for children under 16. Peloton warns Members not to let children use the Tread+ and to keep children, pets, and objects away from the Tread+ at all times."

A Texas mother claims her 11-year-old son is being isolated and disciplined at school, simply because his hair is braided ... and now she's gearing up for a legal battle.

Hope Cozart says her son, Maddox, and his sisters expressed interest in learning more about their African heritage -- their father is Black -- and she's encouraged them to "explore their culture."

So, she says her son asked to have a braid in his hair like his father, but when he wore it to school earlier this month in Troy, TX ... she claims he got in-school suspension, and not just once.

According to the law firm working with the Cozart family, Maddox was first suspended on April 5 "based on his hairstyle," and has since been given in-school suspension every day for the same reason.

It says, "This action has denied Maddox an education equal to that of the other students at Raymond Mays Middle School."

Maddox's hairstyle reportedly violates the student handbook, which states hair "May not be worn in a ponytail, top knot, bun, or similar styles." His mother says this is an outdated policy that needs to be changed, adding ... "Kids should be able to express themselves and hair does not affect your education."

A youth basketball game in Indiana turned VERY violent -- with a referee fighting adults and players ... and the whole disturbing incident was caught on video.

It all went down over the weekend at the Prime Midwest Event at the Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield, IN during a game between two girls teams.

One of the coaches began arguing a call with just seconds remaining in the 1st quarter.

The ref called a technical foul -- which pissed off one of the coaches so badly, she picked up her bag and began to walk off the court in protest, along with players and team staff.

After the mass exodus from the court, a man in a yellow shirt approaches the ref and appears to shoot cell phone video ... as he continues to get very close to the ref.

At one point, the ref smacks the man in the face with a wild right hand -- and that's when all hell breaks loose.

A player runs over and hits the ref -- another grown man also hits the ref.

The man in the yellow shirt gets really angry and charges after the ref -- it appears he flipped the ref onto the ground very violently.

More chaos ensues until someone grabs the ref and walks him away from the melee.

A spokesperson for the Pacers Athletic Center issued a statement to the Indy Star ... saying, "The event staff removed the involved parties from the remainder of the tournament and will not welcome them back to future events."

"We are disappointed that this altercation happened, as we strive to provide a great experience for families."

A Chicago police officer shot and killed a 13-year-old in what was reported as an "armed confrontation" -- but newly released footage of the incident seems to show the kid raising his empty hands as the cop fired.

Adam Toledo was killed during a foot pursuit in Chicago around 2:30 AM on March 29, and the officer's body cam was recording as he caught up to the teenager in an alley.

In the video, the officer yells, "Show me your f**king hands." It also sounds like he said, "stop it" ... or "drop it" ... and then fired a single shot. Adam was putting his hands up at that moment.

He died as a result of the gunshot according to the Cook County medical examiner. Adam's family claims Chicago PD took 2 days to notify them of his death, and they think cops have been cagey about providing details.

According to police, officers were responding to a shots fired call, and saw "two males in a nearby alley." Cops say one of them was armed and fled, then one officer fired shots and hit a suspect in the chest.

Police initially only said the person "was pronounced deceased on scene" but didn't specify the age of the person the officer had shot.

The daughter of former NY Jets superstar Al Toon was shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide over the weekend ... this according to cops.

The Scottsdale PD in Arizona says at around 5 PM on Sunday, officers responded to a call of a shooting at a residence in east Scottsdale.

Cops say when they arrived, they saw 28-year-old Molly Elizabeth Lillard -- Toon's daughter -- suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Officials say officers immediately got her help and rushed her to the hospital, but she tragically died due to the injuries.

The Scottsdale PD says it quickly learned Lillard's husband, 36-year-old Royce Dale Lillard III, was the apparent gunman ... and claim he went back into the residence after shooting Molly.

Officials say officers attempted to make contact with Royce for several hours at the home ... but could not get him to answer.

At around 10:45 PM, roughly 5 hours after responding to the scene, cops say SWAT stormed to the residence and found Royce dead with "what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound."

Cops did not release a potential motive for it all ... but say a preliminary investigation revealed, "all indications are that this was a murder-suicide."

Officials added the couple's 8-month-old baby was present at the time of the shooting. They say the child was not injured and is now being taken care of by family members.

Toon's daughter was a superstar high school volleyball player who went on to play at the Univ. of Michigan.

It's a beautiful day to move into the neighborhood Mr. Rogers called home ... or at least that should be the pitch to sell Fred Rogers' old crib in Pittsburgh.

The home where the late TV host once lived is for sale at a cool $855k ... and, boy is it rich with history. Fred and his wife, Joanne, lived there from the late 1950s until the early 1960s. In fact, the listing includes a birth announcement for the couple's youngest son, John -- the published article serving as proof they really did live there.

And, get this ... according to Pittsburgh Next, which first reported the listing, previous neighbors recalled how Mister Rogers would do puppet shows for the kiddos who lived in the neighborhood.

The house is 3,693 square feet ... featuring 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, and was built in 1921. It also has 2 fireplaces and a pretty awesome library.