Claims extracted
21
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
14%
3 of 21 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
59/100
The Independent's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
unclustered
not grouped into a story yet
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Four children were rescued from a Florida home after one of them held up a sign to police reading “HELP US” during a domestic incident.
asserted
one → rescue → incident
Kissimmee Police responded to the address at the Flora Ridge Condominiums after being contacted by family members concerned about the children’s safety.
asserted
Police → respond → safety
Upon arriving at the scene, police say that they found a domestic disturbance involving 33-year-old Andre Janard Smithson.
asserted
they → arrive → Smithson
Family members told police that they were worried that Smithson would not let the children leave, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WTSP.
uncertain
children → tell → WTSP
An adult woman inside the home had also told her sister that Smithson was “beating” her.
asserted
Smithson → tell → her
However, police received no response when they tried to reach those inside the property during the incident on October 26.
asserted
they → receive → October
Eventually, authorities deployed a drone which located the children hiding in a room, police say.
asserted
police → deploy → room
That was when one child “bravely” held up the note to the window.
asserted
child → hold → window
At the time, Smithson was in the property’s master bedroom with the unnamed woman and their 5-month-old daughter, the affidavit states.
asserted
affidavit → state → woman
The 33-year-old communicated with authorities via the phone and refused requests to allow either the mom or the children to leave, cops said.
asserted
cops → communicate → requests
While he was distracted, the children were able to escape the residence.
asserted
children → distract → residence
Smithson surrendered and left the home after a SWAT team and crisis negotiators joined the operation, according to the affidavit.
uncertain
team → surrender → affidavit
Speaking to officers, the mom said that she had been unable to escape after Smithson stood in the way of the door.
asserted
Smithson → speak → door
She told authorities that the argument had been verbal and not physical, something Smithson has also claimed.
asserted
Smithson → tell → authorities
Smithson has been charged with false imprisonment and remains behind bars at the Osceola County jail, according to records obtained by The Independent.
uncertain
Smithson → charge → Independent
He also has an outstanding warrant, police have revealed.
asserted
police → have → warrant
Speaking to investigators, he claimed he wanted to see his daughter before heading to jail.
asserted
he → speak → jail
Jonathan Chapman, who lives near the apartment complex, told News 6 that he had noticed a large police build-up in the area but did not know that the children were hiding inside the property.
asserted
children → live → property
“I didn’t step outside or anything; I just looked through the balcony and saw the cops,” he said.
asserted
he → step → cops
“It’s heartbreaking for the kids.”
asserted
It → ’ → kids
The Independent has contacted the Kissimmee Police Department for further comment on the incident.
asserted
Independent → contact → incident
The Aporia
