How do you set up a crowdfunder for someone you've never met *trigger warning for child neglect and death*

[Swannlake]

I have just read this absolutely shocking story about a little baby in America who starved to death, strapped into a car seat, because his mum died of an overdose. I'm absolutely heartbroken, especially because his sister, who was 3 at the time, was found alive, and it seemed as though she'd been trying to feed the poor little baby. I can't imagine how traumatic this has been for her and I feel quite moved to set up a fundraiser for her future, going forward (I have looked and can't see one already). Does anybody have any experience of setting one up? Thank you

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9685829/Toddler-died-starvation-car-seat-mom-fatally-overdosed.html

How would the money be administered? In a trust? Who would monitor that? Presumably social services/CPS are involved so the child is cared for?

In terms of setting one up I'd not trust that the money would actually be used appropriately. And secondly I'm not sure that kind of trauma can be undone with all the money in the world.

No idea... I just want to do something, I just feel so sad for this little girl who's lost her mum, and her brother and probably watched him die; it looks like she was trying to feed him as they found powdered food next to his body. Obviously agree that any amount of money will not bring them back or undo the trauma she has gone through entirely but money can be put towards good therapy and this can make a huge amount of difference in terms of moving forward.

God how sad.

Please do try to do something. I don't know maybe you could get in touch with the police or social services in that state?

Assuming you live thousands of miles from where this girl is, how would any money you raised be managed? How much it would cost to set up the administration of the money? How would you or anyone be sure that the donations are being used properly? You don’t seem to have given any thought to the practicalities. If you feel so strongly about children living in shit situations then donate to children’s charities here or volunteer some of your time instead of this crazy and pointless virtue signalling.

I would also try to contact the police or social services where the mother lived.

I hope the little girl is being cared for now.

Although you're heart is in the right place, you can't go inserting yourself into this families life because you read a story in a paper.

The extended family, social services, nursery and people who actually knew the mum haven't set up a crowd funder, so I really don't think its your place to, at all, this is about you and your need to do something, but its not your life or story to be a part of.

@Snookie00

Assuming you live thousands of miles from where this girl is, how would any money you raised be managed? How much it would cost to set up the administration of the money? How would you or anyone be sure that the donations are being used properly? You don’t seem to have given any thought to the practicalities. If you feel so strongly about children living in shit situations then donate to children’s charities here or volunteer some of your time instead of this crazy and pointless virtue signalling.

Assuming these are good-faith questions, which they probably aren't, given how rude and aggressive you have been in the rest of your comment, my answers would be "I don't know". Which is why I started this thread in the first place. I felt moved to do something but didn't know where to start.

I think you need to leave things to local agencies.

Americans love ‘go fund me’s, I pretty much guarantee there’ll be one set up. While your heart is in the right place, setting up a go fund me for a family on another continent that you’ve never met is a bit silly. God knows where peoples donations would end up.

It's lovely that you want to do this but not at all practical.

God as if social services in that area don't have enough to do without randomers from thousands of miles away phoning them to express how they wish there was something they could do!!

I understand the sentiment of wanting to do something, but I don't think this is practical, and there will be people on the ground to support this little girl.

Maybe make a donation to something closer to home?

I read that story on sky news and it devastated me to. What those children went through just honestly makes me cry for their pain and suffering. I keep thinking about how distressed the baby must have been and how that must have been traumatising for his sister.

I wish there was something I could do for her too but in all honesty I think the best thing would be to donate in their name to a charity over here that supports families and children affected by drug use.

Op support 52 lives tge money goes straight to individuals
www.52-lives.org/

OP not sure why people are being rude on here ‘pointless virtue signalling?’

I do agree it would probably be hard to make sure the money ended up in the right hands and put into a trust or something for the child.

There are so many sad stories like this, in this country too, I would use the opportunity to raise funds for children here where you might be able to dispense and manage the money better.

Part of this child's recovery will require privacy.

It is distressing to realise how much suffering there is in the world and how powerless we are to respond to it. However there will be appropriate things you can do locally to make a difference to people's lives in a meaningful and safe way.

There will be people in this child's community working through the appropriate channels to support her and children like her. Do your bit where you can and trust that there are people like you elsewhere doing the same. That's all any of us can do.

It is crazy and pointless for the OP to try to insert herself into this girls life when she lives so far away and has no idea about fundraising, trusts, etc. What happened to the girl and her brother was an absolute tragedy but she will be looked after locally, hopefully in a way that keeps her out of the limelight and gives her a chance to have a happy childhood. There are kids living awful neglected childhoods right on our doorsteps in this country. Why not quietly volunteer to help them rather than piggybacking on social media onto a story of a kid 3,000 miles away?

"Snookie" why are you being so rude to me? You've made your point I don't know why you feel the need to carry on attacking me. It's really weird.

Oh god that’s just completely heart breaking.

Contact Children's Services where it happened and see if you can send your donation via them

I was responding to Mowglickas comment about why I’d criticised it as pointless virtue signalling.

OP wanting to help vulnerable children is a positive thing.
Being moved by an individual story is also a natural human emotion.

However there will be hungry dc where you live and dc in need of support.
It would be more practical and probably more useful to look at making donations locally.

There may well already be something set up.
I assume authorities will be supporting this poor child.
As an alternative? Could you do something more local? Volunteer? Start a group? Sort of inspired by this awful story.

OP no-one has been rude here, but you need to get a grip over this.

Reality is that there are heartbreaking stories in the news all the time, and there are heartbreaking stories which never actually make it to the news. And there are lots of children’s charities which help these children come to terms with what they’ve been through.

If you genuinely feel shock over these kinds of stories then you can do a fundraiser for a specific charity, where the money will be administered properly, and where numerous children will hopefully be able to be helped.

This notion of wanting “to do something” for a child you’ve read about in the news and who lives thousands of miles away smacks of you wanting to be seen to be doing something. After all, you know nothing about this child. You know nothing about the life they are going to lead, the support they are going to have, the family who might be bringing them up. And you have no way of administering any funding which you manage to obtain.

Raise money for local charities, and let this child’s own loved ones be there for her.