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How one mom saved her teen from online groomers

Nypost · · 912 words · By Lenore Skenazy
Mental Health and Social Media Online Radicalization Childhood Independence
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What to know about Mental Health and Social Media

Colorado mom Dana Grueser is still trying to piece together how her sweet son ended up on a locked ward screaming at her for being a Nazi and begging for his phone.

Claims checked 23
Techniques found 4
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left17%
Center66%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Colorado mom Dana Grueser is still trying to piece together how her sweet son ended up on a locked ward screaming at her for being a Nazi and begging for his phone.

Why it matters

“It’s a lot.” At this point it has been two years since that dark time.

Common ground

When her son Ari was 14 and starting high school, Dana says, his friend group fell apart.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear, Causal Oversimplification: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/opinion/how-one-mom-saved-her-teen-from-online-gro…

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
warning
Appeal to Fear 80% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.
warning
Causal Oversimplification 70% confidence
Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.
warning
Glittering Generalities 60% confidence
Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

23 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

help Insufficient Evidence 9
info Single Source 7
schedule Pending 3
verified Verified By Reference 2
check_circle Corroborated 2
info
“When her son Ari was 14 and starting high school, Dana says, his friend group fell apart.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence mentions Dana Grueser's son Ari and his struggles with self-harm and online influences but does not explicitly state that his friend group fell apart. No sources directly corroborate the claim about the friend group dissolution.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — When her son Ari was 14 and starting high school, Dana says, his friend group fell apart. He and his girlfriend broke up, and his parents separated, too.
https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/opinion/how-one-mom-saved-her-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — I’m Selena, a daughter born to a family well-known for their fertile women. I was sold off in a marriage to a sickly duke whose life hung in the balance, for...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa-b6zZNhyY
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Location: Denver · 38 connections on LinkedIn. View Dana Grueser’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-grueser
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“When her son Ari was 14 and starting high school, Dana says, his friend group fell apart.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim is found in a specific article ('One mom fought back against online radicalization—and won'), but no other independent news sources corroborate this specific personal anecdote about Dana and Ari.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — When her son Ari was 14 and starting high school, Dana says, his friend group fell apart. He and his girlfriend broke up, and his parents separated, too.
https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/opinion/how-one-mom-saved-her-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — I’m Selena, a daughter born to a family well-known for their fertile women. I was sold off in a marriage to a sickly duke whose life hung in the balance, for...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa-b6zZNhyY
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Location: Denver · 38 connections on LinkedIn. View Dana Grueser’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-grueser
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“He and his girlfriend broke up, and his parents separated, too.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence includes mentions of Ari's parents separating and his girlfriend's involvement in his life, but no sources explicitly confirm the timeline or direct correlation between the breakup and Ari's age. The claim combines elements not fully supported by the evidence.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari's Theme is a 2024 Canadian documentary film, directed by Nathan Drillot and Jeff Lee Petry. The film profiles Ari Kinarthy, a Canadian composer suffering from type-2 spinal muscular atrophy, as he…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari's_Theme
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari Gold is a fictional character on the comedy-drama television series Entourage and its sequel film. He is played by Jeremy Piven.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari_Gold_(Entourage)
+ 6 more evidence sources
info
“He and his girlfriend broke up, and his parents separated, too.”
SINGLE SOURCE
This personal detail appears in the same single source as claim 0. Other search results for 'Ari' are unrelated (Ari Lennox, ARI software).
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari's Theme is a 2024 Canadian documentary film, directed by Nathan Drillot and Jeff Lee Petry. The film profiles Ari Kinarthy, a Canadian composer suffering from type-2 spinal muscular atrophy, as he…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari's_Theme
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari Gold is a fictional character on the comedy-drama television series Entourage and its sequel film. He is played by Jeremy Piven.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari_Gold_(Entourage)
+ 6 more evidence sources
verified
“Dana wasn’t too worried. She’d set up parental controls. And yet, she would later learn, Ari got to the point where he was eluding all the safeguards and spending 12-14 hours online a day.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence references parental controls and Ari's online activity but lacks direct confirmation of bypassing safeguards or the specific 12-14 hour daily usage. Sources do not explicitly validate the claim.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — ARI may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARI
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American filmmaker. His films are noted for their unsettling combination of dark comedy, horror, and graphic violence. After garnering some recognition for writing…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari_Aster
+ 6 more evidence sources
info
“Dana wasn’t too worried. She’d set up parental controls. And yet, she would later learn, Ari got to the point where he was eluding all the safeguards and spending 12-14 hours online a day.”
SINGLE SOURCE
This specific detail about Ari bypassing parental controls and spending 12-14 hours online is only present in the primary source article.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — ARI may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARI
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American filmmaker. His films are noted for their unsettling combination of dark comedy, horror, and graphic violence. After garnering some recognition for writing…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari_Aster
+ 6 more evidence sources
help
“Online he made new “friends,” who urged him to do things like carve pentagrams and upside down crosses on his chest.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in web searches or Wikipedia to support the claim about online friends encouraging physical harm.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Online he made new “friends,” who urged him to do things like carve pentagrams and upside down crosses on his chest. Upset teenage girl sitting by a window, holding a smartphone. 7. Too much time spen…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/opinion/how-one-mom-saved-her-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — When Talking Tom gets addicted to a social media app there’s more than just free milkshakes at stake. Season 2 is coming soon! In the meantime, download all ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxuC6yoi_iU
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Upside down crosses, pentagrams, all-seeing eye symbols… what does it all mean? What is the source of this symbolism and why is it so prevalent? This article explores the affect these symbols have on …
https://consciousreporter.com/war-on-consciousness/misuse-an…
info
“Online he made new “friends,” who urged him to do things like carve pentagrams and upside down crosses on his chest.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific claim that Ari was urged to carve pentagrams and crosses is found only in the primary source article. Other results discuss symbolism generally but not this specific case.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Online he made new “friends,” who urged him to do things like carve pentagrams and upside down crosses on his chest. Upset teenage girl sitting by a window, holding a smartphone. 7. Too much time spen…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/opinion/how-one-mom-saved-her-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — When Talking Tom gets addicted to a social media app there’s more than just free milkshakes at stake. Season 2 is coming soon! In the meantime, download all ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxuC6yoi_iU
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Upside down crosses, pentagrams, all-seeing eye symbols… what does it all mean? What is the source of this symbolism and why is it so prevalent? This article explores the affect these symbols have on …
https://consciousreporter.com/war-on-consciousness/misuse-an…
help
“The FBI recently issued a warning about these “violent online networks,” that work to establish trusting relationships with kids, especially ones with issues like depression or eating disorders.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in web searches or Wikipedia to support the FBI's warning about violent online networks targeting children with specific issues.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In March, the FBI issued a public service announcement warning of "violent online networks," such as 764 and CVLT, that target minors and other vulnerable individuals.
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/06/nx-s1-5479882/teen-forums-vio…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The FBI is in the process of pursuing members of the 764 criminal network, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a Dec. 12 post on X. The 764 is a violent network, operating within the United States and…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/fbi-hunting-down-members…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued an urgent warning to parents and guardians across the United States about the rising threat posed by violent online networks that target children, …
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/fbi-warning-violent-online-network…
check_circle
“The FBI recently issued a warning about these “violent online networks,” that work to establish trusting relationships with kids, especially ones with issues like depression or eating disorders.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (NPR, ZeroHedge, and a general FBI alarm report) confirm that the FBI issued warnings about 'violent online networks' (specifically mentioning 764 and CVLT) that target vulnerable minors.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In March, the FBI issued a public service announcement warning of "violent online networks," such as 764 and CVLT, that target minors and other vulnerable individuals.
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/06/nx-s1-5479882/teen-forums-vio…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The FBI is in the process of pursuing members of the 764 criminal network, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a Dec. 12 post on X. The 764 is a violent network, operating within the United States and…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/fbi-hunting-down-members…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued an urgent warning to parents and guardians across the United States about the rising threat posed by violent online networks that target children, …
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/fbi-warning-violent-online-network…
help
“As for why the gangs do this, the FBI lists sexual gratification, criminal extortion, social status and/or the desire to sow chaos.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in web searches or Wikipedia to support the FBI's listed motivations for violent online networks.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — As for why the gangs do this, the FBI lists sexual gratification, criminal extortion, social status and/or the desire to sow chaos. Silhouette of a sad little boy alone in a dark room.
https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/opinion/how-one-mom-saved-her-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The FBI is investigating alleged members of the 764 group who befriend minors and coerce them into creating disturbing materials. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/11/fbi-investig…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The FBI and other foreign law enforcement agencies are investigating 764 for both CSAM offenses and terrorism because of a connection to Order of Nine Angles, a once-obscure Satanist cult from Great B…
https://www.wired.com/story/764-com-child-predator-network/
check_circle
“As for why the gangs do this, the FBI lists sexual gratification, criminal extortion, social status and/or the desire to sow chaos.”
CORROBORATED
The primary source lists these specific motives, and other sources (Wired, Reuters) corroborate that the FBI is investigating these groups for sexual exploitation (CSAM) and terrorism/chaos (Order of Nine Angles).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — As for why the gangs do this, the FBI lists sexual gratification, criminal extortion, social status and/or the desire to sow chaos. Silhouette of a sad little boy alone in a dark room.
https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/opinion/how-one-mom-saved-her-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The FBI is investigating alleged members of the 764 group who befriend minors and coerce them into creating disturbing materials. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/11/fbi-investig…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The FBI and other foreign law enforcement agencies are investigating 764 for both CSAM offenses and terrorism because of a connection to Order of Nine Angles, a once-obscure Satanist cult from Great B…
https://www.wired.com/story/764-com-child-predator-network/
help
“When Dana reported the cutting to his therapist, Dana says the response was, “So many kids are self-harming that we don’t necessarily raise it to an ‘emergency level’ unless they have a plan to commit suicide.””
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in web searches or Wikipedia to support the therapist's response to Dana's report of self-harm.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Self-harm is intentional behavior that causes harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own tissues, usually without suicidal intention.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harm
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Why Do People Self-Harm? There is no single reason why someone might engage in self-injury, but common motivations include: Emotional Release – Physical pain can feel like a distraction from intense e…
https://bespokepsychiatry.com/why-do-i-feel-like-hurting-mys…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Not necessarily for suicidal thoughts/self-harm (although I do experience both a bit).If anyone can answer this that would be great, she’s a minor so I don’t know if that changes the situation or anyt…
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dear-gt/will-therapist-tell…
info
“When Dana reported the cutting to his therapist, Dana says the response was, “So many kids are self-harming that we don’t necessarily raise it to an ‘emergency level’ unless they have a plan to commit suicide.””
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific quote from the therapist is a personal anecdote found only in the primary source article.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Self-harm is intentional behavior that causes harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own tissues, usually without suicidal intention.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harm
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Why Do People Self-Harm? There is no single reason why someone might engage in self-injury, but common motivations include: Emotional Release – Physical pain can feel like a distraction from intense e…
https://bespokepsychiatry.com/why-do-i-feel-like-hurting-mys…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Not necessarily for suicidal thoughts/self-harm (although I do experience both a bit).If anyone can answer this that would be great, she’s a minor so I don’t know if that changes the situation or anyt…
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dear-gt/will-therapist-tell…
help
“On Dana’s insistence, he was admitted to a locked psychiatric ward where he stayed for 10 days.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in web searches or Wikipedia to support the admission to a locked psychiatric ward.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — These patients and others are alleging they were locked up and held against their will in Pontiac General Hospital’s psychiatric unit, or coerced into staying for treatment for illnesses they say they…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL2P4JYmhac
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Discover the truth about what a psychiatric ward is like, including personal stories and insights into mental health recovery.
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/whats-a-psychiatric-ward
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Psych wards are architecture against ambivalence. Ambivalence resolves under the realization that you, yes you, are spending the night here and you can't leave. Whatever brought you to this point, it …
https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/23/i-work-in-a-locked-psych…
info
“On Dana’s insistence, he was admitted to a locked psychiatric ward where he stayed for 10 days.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The detail about Ari's 10-day stay in a locked psychiatric ward is only reported in the primary source article.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — These patients and others are alleging they were locked up and held against their will in Pontiac General Hospital’s psychiatric unit, or coerced into staying for treatment for illnesses they say they…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL2P4JYmhac
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Discover the truth about what a psychiatric ward is like, including personal stories and insights into mental health recovery.
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/whats-a-psychiatric-ward
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Psych wards are architecture against ambivalence. Ambivalence resolves under the realization that you, yes you, are spending the night here and you can't leave. Whatever brought you to this point, it …
https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/23/i-work-in-a-locked-psych…
help
“When he got out of the hospital, he went into six weeks of intensive therapy and also back to school — a different one.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in web searches or Wikipedia to support the post-hospitalization therapy and school change.
help
“When he got out of the hospital, he went into six weeks of intensive therapy and also back to school — a different one.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny this claim.
help
“He organized a band, learned sound engineering and recorded a solo album.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in web searches or Wikipedia to support the claim about Ari organizing a band and recording an album.
help
“He organized a band, learned sound engineering and recorded a solo album.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny this claim.
schedule
“He also started taking Jiu Jitsu.”
PENDING
schedule
“He got himself to a bike shop where they fixed the tire — gratis — and sent him on his way.”
PENDING
schedule
“Skenazy is president of Let Grow, the nonprofit promoting childhood independence and resilience, and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement.”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.