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Florida Teen Kidnapped - Dismembered After Meeting Man Online · Murder Files Unsealed

0:00
Speaker 1: Okay, gotta be honest, this deep dive, it's a rough one.
0:03
We're going to be looking into the case of Miranda Corset.
0:06
She was sixteen from Florida and she went missing actually
0:09
just last month, and the information that's coming out, it's
0:14
it's just heartbreaking. We've got news reports piled up over here,
0:17
and honestly, they paint a really disturbing picture. But you know,
0:22
I think it's so important that we go through them together,
0:24
not just for like figuring out what happened to Miranda,
0:26
but also to see if we can learn something from
0:27
all this. Especially, you know, when we think about online
0:30
safety and teenagers.
0:31
Speaker 2: You're spot on these cases.
0:32
Speaker 3: As tragic as they are, they often have like hidden
0:35
lessons in them, lessons that could really help us protect
0:37
others exactly.
0:38
Speaker 1: So all these news reports, they all seem to agree
0:42
that Miranda's disappearance is somehow connected to this guy she
0:45
met online, Stephen Gress. He's thirty five years old, and
0:49
you know they didn't just chat online. They actually met
0:51
up face to face on Valentine's Day. And I keep
0:55
thinking about that detail. It just makes this whole thing
0:57
even more well sad.
1:00
Speaker 3: It really does add another layer of tragedy to it,
1:03
doesn't it Valentine's Day, a day that's supposed to be about,
1:06
you know, love and connection, and that's where this whole
1:09
nightmare seems to begin. It's a stark reminder of how
1:13
easy it is, especially for young people to be lured
1:16
into these dangerous situations, especially online, where it's so easy
1:20
to like create a fake persona, you know, hide who
1:23
you really are.
1:25
Speaker 1: So are you saying that this wasn't just some kind
1:27
of random, awful encounter. You're saying there's something more like
1:30
a pattern here.
1:31
Speaker 3: Yeah. Unfortunately, looking at what we have from these news reports,
1:35
it does suggest what we call a grooming process.
1:37
Speaker 2: It's a deliberate thing.
1:38
Speaker 3: You see, predators they target young people on these social
1:41
media platforms and they use these well.
1:43
Speaker 2: They use carefully.
1:45
Speaker 3: Crafted profiles, fake names, fake pictures, even fake interests to
1:49
gain their trust.
1:50
Speaker 2: It can be really convincing.
1:52
Speaker 1: So they basically build this fake relationship almost like setting
1:55
a trap exactly.
1:56
Speaker 3: They create an environment where the young person feels, you know, understood, appreciated,
2:00
made even loved, and it can be really subtle and gradual.
2:04
This kind of emotional manipulation makes it very hard for
2:06
teenagers to recognize the danger they're in. And this is
2:09
where it's so important for parents, for educators to really
2:12
understand these tactics, to know what to look for.
2:15
Speaker 1: So in Miranda's case, she meets Gres, this guy on
2:19
Valentine's Day, she goes home, but then the next day
2:22
she goes back to his place and the news reports
2:25
say she ended up staying there for almost a week.
2:27
What's happening there? Is that part of this whole what
2:29
do you call it? Grooming thing?
2:30
Speaker 2: It could very well be.
2:32
Speaker 3: Once a predator has gained that trust, you know, they
2:35
often try to isolate the victim, separate them from their family,
2:39
their friends. This could mean encouraging them to keep secrets,
2:42
you know, turning them against their loved ones, even physically
2:45
separating them. In Miranda's case, staying at Gress's home for
2:49
that long, especially considering his partner, Michelle brandis also lived there,
2:54
that raises some serious red flags.
2:56
Speaker 2: I mean, thing about it. A sixteen year.
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Speaker 3: Old girl living with two adults, cut off from her
3:00
support network, She's in an incredibly vulnerable position.
3:05
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think a lot of parents might be listening
3:06
to this thinking my kid would never fall for that.
3:09
But I'm guessing these predators they're pretty good at what
3:11
they do. They know what they're doing.
3:12
Speaker 3: Oh, absolutely, yeah. They are master manipulators, that's what they do.
3:15
And teenagers, their brains are still developing, right, they're crazing independence.
3:19
It makes them especially susceptible to this kind of thing.
3:22
That's why it's absolutely crucial to have open and honest
3:25
conversations about online safety and start those conversations early.
3:29
Speaker 1: So it's not about trying to like scare kids off
3:31
the internet completely. It's more about giving them the right
3:34
tools so they can spot these warning signs and protect
3:37
themselves precisely.
3:39
Speaker 3: Knowledge is power, that's their best defense. Teach them what
3:42
a healthy online relationship looks like, you know, the dangers
3:45
of sharing personal information, all that, and most importantly, trust
3:49
your gut.
3:50
Speaker 2: If something feels off, it probably is.
3:53
Speaker 1: And in Miranda's case, things took a pretty terrifying turn.
3:56
Speaker 3: Yes, sadly, the news reports say that after about a
3:59
week Gress's house there is a big argument. Apparently he
4:03
and Brandis accused Miranda of stealing a ring, and from
4:05
what we gathered, this escalated into a physical confrontation.
4:09
Speaker 1: That's just it's chilling, it's like once they had her isolated,
4:12
the situation spiraled out of control, became even more dangerous.
4:16
Speaker 3: It absolutely did. And this is a classic pattern and
4:19
abuse of relationships. Unfortunately, you see, the abuser isolates the victim,
4:24
makes them dependent. Then they use any excuse, anything at all,
4:28
to exert their control and that often involves violence. In
4:31
this case, the accusation of theft. It might be true,
4:34
it might be made up, who knows, but it becomes
4:36
a tool for gress and brandis a tool to establish
4:39
their dominance, to instill fear.
4:41
Speaker 1: It makes you think about all the warning signs, all
4:43
the things that might have been missed along the way.
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It's just it's heartbreaking, it.
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Speaker 3: Really is, and it really emphasizes the need for vigilance,
4:50
both from young people themselves and from the adults in
4:53
their lives. Pay attention to changes in behavior. You know,
4:56
are they withdrawing from friends and family, any signs of fear, anxiety?
5:00
These can be red flags.
5:01
Speaker 1: So this confrontation happens on February twentieth, and then the
5:06
story takes an even darker turn. On March sixth, A
5:10
witness steps forward and the information they provide leads the
5:14
police to believe that Miranda might have been kidnapped and
5:16
potentially murdered.
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Speaker 3: Witnesses they can be so crucial in these investigations. Sometimes
5:21
they provide that one missing piece of the puzzle, that
5:24
thing that helps investigators connect the dots. And in this case,
5:27
it seems like what this witness had to say was
5:29
a turning point. The police started to believe Miranda was
5:32
in serious.
5:33
Speaker 1: Danger, and tragically, it looks like that's the case. The
5:36
news sources are reporting that evidence was found in Largo, Florida,
5:41
and it suggests that Miranda's body was dismembered.
5:46
Speaker 3: Dismemberment is a truly horrific act. It's often done to
5:49
make it harder to identify the body and easier to
5:51
dispose of. It speaks to a level of well, a
5:54
level of premeditation, a level of brutality that is truly chilling.
5:58
Speaker 1: Absolutely, And to make things even more complicated, the reports
6:01
say that at the time the witness came forward, Gress
6:04
was already in jail for completely unrelated charges. He was
6:07
arrested for aggravated assault, apparently for pointing a harpoon at Randis.
6:11
And then there's drug possession, resisting arrest, possession of methamphetamine
6:15
and marijuana.
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Speaker 3: That's a lot of charges, and the combination of them
6:18
it paints a very disturbing picture. You see this pattern
6:21
of violence, disregard for the law, and then the potential
6:24
drug use. It all suggests that this is someone capable
6:27
of really dangerous and impulsive behavior.
6:30
Speaker 1: So this wasn't someone who just snapped one day. This
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is someone who's already on law enforcements radar, someone who's
6:36
clearly capable.
6:37
Speaker 3: Of violence exactly. And this begs the question were there
6:41
missed opportunities? Could something have been done earlier to intervene
6:46
to prevent this tragedy from happening. It's a stark reminder
6:49
that we need to take all signs of violence seriously,
6:52
connect the dots, recognize that seemingly isolated incidents can be
6:57
part of a much larger and more dangerous pattern of
6:59
bea behavior.
7:00
Speaker 1: And because of this new information about Miranda, Gres is
7:03
now facing charges of kidnapping and first degree murder. His partner, Brandis.
7:08
She was on the run for a while, but she
7:09
since turned herself in and she's facing the same charges
7:12
as Gres.
7:13
Speaker 3: The fact that both Grass and Brandis are facing the
7:15
same charges tells us something the authorities believe they acted together.
7:20
This wasn't a lone wolf situation. It was coordinated, and
7:23
that makes it even more disturbing.
7:25
Speaker 1: This whole case, from the online drooming to the alleged
7:29
murder and dismemberment, it's just horrifying. It's almost impossible to
7:32
comprehend this level of cruelty. But we also have to
7:35
acknowledge the impact that this is having on Miranda's family
7:38
on the community.
7:39
Speaker 3: Absolutely, the ripple effects of a tragedy like this are immense.
7:43
The pain, the anger, the sense of loss, it touches everyone.
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This is where the community needs to come together to
7:49
offer support, offer comfort, let them know they're not alone
7:53
in their grief.
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Speaker 1: It's just, I don't know, it's just devastating to think
7:57
about what Miranda's family must be going through right now.
8:00
They have their daughter, their sister, taken from them like
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this in such a brutal way. It's just I can't
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even imagine.
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Speaker 3: It's an unimaginable loss. And tragically, it reflects a trend
8:10
that we're seeing more and more these days.
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Speaker 2: The Internet.
8:13
Speaker 3: I mean, yes, it's a great tool for connection and
8:15
all that, but it's also become a hunting ground for
8:18
these predators. They exploit the anonymity, how easy it is
8:21
to hide online, and the accessibility of social media to
8:24
target young people, and often the consequences are well tragic.
8:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, in this case, it really brings that home, doesn't it. Yeah.
8:32
I mean we've already talked about the grooming tactics, the isolation,
8:34
the violence, but the news reports are giving us even
8:37
more details now about how Miranda actually died, and it's
8:41
just horrifying.
8:42
Speaker 3: The details are truly disturbing. The arrest affidavit it states
8:46
that Gress and brandis they allegedly suffocated Miranda. They forced
8:50
a billiard ball into her mouth and then wrapped her
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face with plastic.
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Speaker 1: God, that's just I don't even know what to say.
8:56
The cruelty, the fact that it seems so planned out.
8:59
It's just beyond comprehension to do something like that to anyone,
9:02
let alone a teenager you've lured into your home. It's monstrous.
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Speaker 3: It really does point to a level of depravity that's
9:08
hard to even grasp, and it underscores just how dangerous
9:12
it is to underestimate the potential for violence in these situations. Predators,
9:17
they're often very good at hiding their true intentions, and
9:20
their actions can escalate so quickly, so unpredictably.
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Speaker 1: It's like they have this whole plan, this this calculated
9:27
scheme to lure her in and then to just to
9:29
silence her. It's chilling, and it doesn't end there, right.
9:32
The news reports say that after the murder, Gress took
9:35
Miranda's body to another house in Largo, and that's where
9:40
he dismembered her.
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Speaker 2: Yes, that's what it seems like. Dismemberment.
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Speaker 3: As we talked about before, it's often a tactic used
9:45
to try to cover up a crime, to make it
9:47
harder to identify the victim and to get rid of
9:49
the body more easily. In this case, the investigators believe
9:52
that after dismembering Miranda, Gress drove the remains to Ruskin
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and dump them in a dumpster.
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Speaker 1: So they killed her, they dismembered her, and then they
10:00
threw her away like she was nothing. It's just it's
10:02
beyond inhumane, and now the authorities are actually having to
10:05
search a landfill try to find her remains.
10:08
Speaker 3: It's an incredibly daunting task logistically, emotionally, I mean, can
10:12
you imagine sifting through mountains of garbage hoping to find
10:16
any trace of Miranda, any piece of evidence that can
10:19
at least give her family some semblance of closure. It's
10:22
a testament to the dedication of law enforcement, to their
10:24
commitment to seeking justice no matter how difficult it gets.
10:29
Speaker 1: It's hard to even fathom what those investigators are going
10:32
through and Miranda's family, I mean the not knowing, the waiting,
10:36
and knowing that she was treated with such utter disregard.
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Speaker 2: It breaks my heart absolutely.
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Speaker 3: Cases like this remind us that while we tend to
10:43
focus on the perpetrators, on the legal proceedings, the real
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victims are the ones left behind, the loved ones who
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have to deal with this unimaginable pain and trauma. Their
10:52
lives are changed forever, and the healing process, well, it
10:55
can be a very long and difficult road, and.
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Speaker 1: This is where the community has to step up right
10:59
to offer some comfort, to help them through this impossible situation.
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Speaker 2: Exactly.
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Speaker 3: It's about coming together to support those who are hurting,
11:07
to just be there for them, offer a shoulder to
11:10
cry on, an ear to listen, practical help, anything they
11:14
need to get through this incredibly difficult time. It's about
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letting them know they're not alone. That their community cares
11:20
and that they're surrounded by love and support.
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Speaker 1: You know, thinking back to the start of this whole thing,
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it's easy to get lost in the horror of it all,
11:28
but we can't forget this all began with a meeting
11:30
online mirandam at gress through a social media app. That's
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where this whole nightmare started.
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Speaker 3: You're absolutely right, and that's why it's crucial that we
11:39
focus on prevention, on giving young people the tools and
11:42
knowledge they need to stay.
11:44
Speaker 2: Safe in the online world.
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Speaker 3: Social media, yes, it can be a great way to
11:48
connect with people, to communicate, but as a dark side too.
11:51
We can't afford to be naive about the risks.
11:54
Speaker 1: So where do we even start. For parents who are
11:56
listening to this, who might be realizing for the first
11:59
time how vuln o their kids are online, what can
12:02
they do? What are some concrete steps they can take
12:04
to keep their kids safe?
12:05
Speaker 3: Well, the first thing, and this is always the most
12:07
important thing, is communication. Open, honest, and non judgmental conversations
12:13
about online safety are absolutely essential.
12:16
Speaker 1: Okay, but what does that even look like in practice?
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I mean, teenagers are let's be honest, they're notoriously private.
12:23
They might not be too keen on having a heart
12:25
to heart with their parents about their online lives.
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Speaker 3: I get that it's definitely a balancing act. You've got
12:31
or respect their privacy while still ensuring their safety. A
12:35
good starting point is educating yourself. Learn about the platforms
12:39
they're using, what the risks are, and what safety features
12:42
are available.
12:43
Speaker 1: So what, I shouldn't just ban them from using social
12:45
media altogether?
12:46
Speaker 3: Not necessarily, I mean forbidding it completely. That can actually backfire.
12:50
It might make them more likely to hide what they're
12:52
doing online, to be even more secretive. It's more effective
12:55
to create an environment where they feel like they can
12:57
talk to you while there's trust in open communication.
12:59
Speaker 1: Okay, so what are some specific things parents can do well?
13:02
Speaker 3: You can start by setting clear boundaries and expectations around
13:05
their internet use. Talk to them about the importance of
13:08
privacy settings, being careful about what personal information they share online,
13:13
and make sure they understand the risks of interacting with
13:16
people they don't know in real life.
13:18
Speaker 1: So it's like setting ground rules like you would with
13:21
any other part of their.
13:22
Speaker 3: Lives exactly, And remember this isn't a one time conversation,
13:26
It's an ongoing dialogue. Check in with them regularly, ask
13:30
them about what they're doing online, what their experiences have
13:32
been like, Be there to support them if they come
13:35
across anything that makes them uncomfortable or worried.
13:38
Speaker 1: What about things like parental controls, monitoring software? Are those helpful?
13:43
Speaker 2: They can be part of the solution.
13:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, but you have to use them responsibly and transparently.
13:48
Talk to your children about why you're putting these measures
13:51
in place. Emphasize that it's not about spying on them,
13:54
it's about keeping them safe.
13:55
Speaker 1: So it's all about finding that balance, isn't it between
13:58
giving them the freedom to expels and protecting them from harm?
14:02
Speaker 2: Exactly?
14:03
Speaker 3: And don't forget this isn't just about the technology itself.
14:06
It's about building a strong relationship with your kids, one
14:09
that's based on trust.
14:10
Speaker 2: And open communication. Let them know that.
14:13
Speaker 3: They can come to you with any concerns they have,
14:15
no matter how small they seem, and that you'll be
14:18
there to support them no matter what.
14:20
Speaker 1: That's such an important point. Creating that safe space where
14:23
they feel like they can talk to you, where they
14:24
feel heard and understood.
14:26
Speaker 3: Absolutely, and don't underestimate the power of your own actions,
14:30
your own behavior online. Be mindful of how you're using
14:33
the internet, model responsible behavior, and be open to talking
14:37
to your kids about your own experiences, even your own struggles.
14:40
Speaker 1: So it's about being a guide, a mentor not just
14:42
a rule enforcer exactly.
14:44
Speaker 3: It's about working together as a family to figure out
14:47
how to navigate this complex digital world safely and responsibly.
14:51
Speaker 1: This is a heavy topic, and I think this case
14:54
it really highlights just how easily things can go wrong,
14:57
how quickly a situation can turn tragedy, when those lines
15:01
between the online world and the real world become blurred.
15:04
But it's also a call to action, isn't it. It's
15:06
a reminder that we need to be more aware, to
15:10
have those tough conversations, to be proactive about protecting young people.
15:13
Speaker 3: Absolutely, every conversation we have, every boundary we set, every
15:16
moment of genuine connection, it can make a difference.
15:19
Speaker 2: It's about building a.
15:20
Speaker 3: Culture of safety where young people feel empowered to make
15:24
smart choices online and where they know they have a
15:27
strong network of support if they need it.
15:29
Speaker 1: It is it's a lot to think about, and while
15:31
we've been focusing on Miranda's case, it's so important to
15:34
remember this isn't a one off thing. These dangers, they're everywhere.
15:38
It's up to all of us, not just parents, to
15:39
be aware and to do something.
15:41
Speaker 3: I agree completely. It really is a community responsibility. We
15:45
have to build a safety net, a place where young
15:48
people feel like they can actually talk about these issues,
15:51
where they know they can ask for help if they
15:52
need it without feeling embarrassed or shamed or judged.
15:56
Speaker 1: I think sometimes we forget what it's like to be
15:59
a teenager. You know, they're exploring their pushing boundaries, and yeah,
16:03
they're going to make mistakes, but we need to make
16:04
sure those mistakes don't you turn into something that changes
16:08
their lives forever, especially online exactly.
16:11
Speaker 3: And that's why that open communication is so crucial. We
16:14
need to create an environment where young people feel comfortable
16:17
coming to us, to their teachers, to any adult they trust,
16:21
and talking about what's happening in their lives online, offline,
16:24
it doesn't matter.
16:25
Speaker 1: It's about more than just lecturing them, right. Yeah, we
16:28
have to actually listen, really pay attention to what they're
16:30
worried about, and take those concerns seriously.
16:33
Speaker 2: Absolutely.
16:34
Speaker 3: It's about acknowledging their feelings, letting them know that what
16:37
they're going through matters, creating a space where they truly
16:40
feel heard and understood.
16:42
Speaker 1: We've talked about parental controls, about having open conversations. Are
16:46
there other resources out there for parents and teenagers who
16:50
might be worried about online safety, places they can go
16:53
for help.
16:53
Speaker 3: Oh?
16:54
Speaker 2: Absolutely.
16:54
Speaker 3: There are a lot of organizations out there dedicated to this,
16:57
you know, promoting online safety and offering some import to
17:00
young people and their families. A great example is the
17:03
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and CMEC. They
17:07
have a ton of information about internet safety, how to
17:10
prevent cyberbullying, how to report online exploitation.
17:14
Speaker 2: It's a really good resource.
17:15
Speaker 1: What about resources specifically for teenagers? Sometimes they might find
17:20
it easier to relate to information that's more geared towards them.
17:24
Speaker 3: That's a good point. There are groups like Common Sense
17:26
Media that do exactly that. They have age appropriate reviews
17:28
and ratings for websites, apps, games, All that stuff helps
17:32
teenagers make more informed choices about what they're doing online.
17:35
They also have advice on managing screen time, dealing with cyberbullying,
17:39
navigating social media, all very helpful.
17:41
Speaker 1: That's good to know. It's good to know that there's
17:44
help out there well. Definitely make sure to include links
17:46
to all those organizations in the show notes for this
17:48
episode that people can easily find them.
17:50
Speaker 3: And remember, it's not just about knowing the resources, it's
17:53
about taking action. If you see something online, anything that
17:57
just doesn't seem right, or if a child you know
17:59
is showing signs of distress or maybe withdrawing from everyone,
18:03
don't wait, reach out for help, report that suspicious activity,
18:07
contact the authorities, talk to an adult you trust. You
18:11
might be surprised what a difference your actions can make.
18:13
Speaker 1: This case, as awful as it is, it's a huge
18:16
wake up call for all of us. It reminds us
18:19
that these dangers are real, they're right here in our communities,
18:22
and the consequences can be devastating.
18:25
Speaker 3: It's a call to action to be more aware, to
18:27
have those tough conversations even when they're uncomfortable, and to
18:31
be proactive about protecting our young people. We all have
18:34
a part to play in making the online world a
18:36
safer place.
18:37
Speaker 1: So as we wrap up this deep dive, I want
18:39
to leave you with this, what can you do in
18:41
your own life to make a difference. Maybe it's talking
18:45
to your kids about online safety. Yeah, Maybe it's volunteering
18:47
with an organization that helps protect children. Maybe it's just
18:51
being more aware of the dangers out there and being
18:53
brave enough to speak up when you see something that
18:56
just doesn't seem right.
18:57
Speaker 3: Every single action, no matter how small all it might seem,
19:01
it contributes to building a safer world for our kids.
19:04
Let's honor Miranda's memory by working together to prevent tragedies
19:08
like this from ever happening again.
19:10
Speaker 1: Well said, and to all our listeners out there, thanks
19:12
for being with us on this tough but really important
19:15
deep dive. Remember knowledge is power, and by sharing this information,
19:20
by raising awareness, we can really make a difference. So
19:23
stay safe, stay informed, and let's all keep looking out
19:25
for one another.