The Ridge Community Church

Fraud involving government benefit programs is already a massive problem, and President Donald Trump is now calling for tougher consequences for people convicted of stealing from programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

On October 3, Trump called on Congress to pass legislation that would create mandatory minimum prison sentences for people convicted of fraud involving those programs. Under the proposal he described, probation would no longer be available for covered offenders, sentences would increase depending on the amount stolen, and repeat offenders could face doubled sentences. The proposal would also seek to hold state and local officials personally financially responsible when they knowingly ignore fraud.

The scale of the problem is significant. The Government Accountability Office estimates that the federal government loses between $233 billion and $521 billion every year to fraud, based on data from fiscal years 2018 through 2022. GAO has emphasized that this is an estimate of direct financial losses and that fraud risks exist across federal programs.

The Justice Department has also been pursuing large health care fraud cases. In June, federal prosecutors announced charges against 455 defendants in a nationwide enforcement action involving more than $6.5 billion in alleged false claims. The defendants included 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals.

Trump's latest proposal would represent a significant change from the way many federal fraud cases are currently sentenced. The exact mandatory minimums, however, have not been specified, and the proposal still depends on Congress passing legislation.

That's an important distinction because nothing in Trump's October 3 announcement automatically changes federal sentencing law. Congress would have to approve a bill, and the final language could look different from the proposal being discussed now.

The larger issue is how far the government should go to prevent fraud while making sure that people who are actually responsible are held accountable through the courts. There is also a separate question about whether government officials should face personal financial consequences when they knowingly allow fraudulent activity to continue.

Fraud takes money away from programs that millions of Americans depend on, so preventing it is an important responsibility. The debate now is over what penalties and enforcement tools should be used, and how much personal responsibility should extend to officials who fail to act.

Children went to school that day expecting to come home to their families. Instead, some families in Minab were left waiting for children who would never return.

A United Nations fact-finding mission has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe U.S. forces carried out the February 28 strike on the school, and the mission said the attack constituted a war crime. Those findings make the questions surrounding what happened extremely serious.

The issue now is not just what happened at the school, but how the operation was planned and approved. What intelligence was available? How was the target identified? What precautions were taken to protect the children and other civilians who were there? And were any warnings or concerns raised before the strike?

Pete Hegseth was serving as U.S. defense secretary at the time, which means his department's decisions and procedures deserve serious scrutiny. That does not automatically establish his personal criminal responsibility, and that distinction matters. Any individual responsibility has to be determined through evidence and a proper legal process.

At the same time, no position should place anyone beyond investigation. If evidence ultimately establishes criminal responsibility by any individual involved, including senior officials where legally justified, that person should face the appropriate legal process regardless of rank or political connections.

For the families who lost children, these are not political arguments. They are questions about sons and daughters who went to school and never came home.

The people who survived deserve support, the families deserve answers, and the public deserves a transparent investigation into how this strike happened and who was responsible for the decisions that led to it.

Accountability should follow the evidence wherever it leads. Not because of someone's title, and not because of their political connections, but because civilian lives should never become an unanswered question.

💔 Please help us bring Ariya home. Her family needs every possible person to see this. 💔

14-year-old Ariya Serenity Cates has been missing since October 2, 2026, from Bryan, Texas.

Ariya is a teenager whose loved ones are waiting for answers and hoping that someone, somewhere, has information that could help locate her.

The available case information does not provide additional physical-description or clothing details, which makes sharing Ariya's name and missing-person information especially important.

Please don't scroll past this alert simply because you don't know Ariya. Missing-person cases can reach far beyond the community where someone was last seen. Your share could put her name in front of someone who recognizes her or knows something that could help.

If you have any information regarding Ariya's whereabouts, please contact the Bryan Police Department at 979-361-3888.

NCMEC: 2103492
NCIC: M299136486

Her loved ones are hoping for the phone call that tells them Ariya has been found safe. Until that happens, every share can help keep her name visible.

Please share Ariya's information with your family, friends, and local communities. Someone may know something. Someone may have seen something. Please help make sure this alert reaches them.

Let's keep looking for Ariya and help bring her safely home.

🚨 Please help identify this little girl and get her back to the people who are looking for her. 🚨

A young girl, believed to be approximately 4 years old, was found walking alone near the intersection of Malvern Avenue and Country Club Drive in Buena Park, California.

She is an African American female and was found wearing a purple shirt and a diaper. She was not wearing shoes.

The child is non-verbal and may have special needs. At this time, authorities are working to identify her so they can reunite her with her family or guardians.

Please look carefully at her photo and share this information throughout Buena Park and the surrounding communities. Someone may recognize her. Someone may know where she belongs. Someone may have information that can help authorities identify her.

If you recognize this child or have any information that could help, please contact the Buena Park Police Department at 714-562-3902.

Please don't scroll past this. A child is waiting to be reunited with the people responsible for her care, and your share could help reach someone who knows her.

Let's get her name known. Let's help authorities find her family or guardians. Most importantly, let's help get this little girl safely back to the people who love and care for her.

🚨 Please help bring this 12-year-old boy home safely. His family needs people to pay attention right now. 🚨

A 12-year-old boy reportedly left his home in Port Clinton, Ohio, sometime between approximately 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. Police began searching for him around 4:00 p.m., and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

He is approximately 4'11" tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last known to be wearing green shorts and a blue shirt and is reportedly not dressed for the cold weather.

Around 5:30 p.m., he was reportedly seen near Adams and 6th. When he spotted police, he left his bags behind and ran from the area.

Please take a moment to remember these details. If you are in Port Clinton or the surrounding area, keep an eye out and pay attention to anyone who may match his description.

If you have seen him or have any information that could help locate him, please contact the Port Clinton Police Department immediately at 419-734-3121.

Please do not approach or attempt to search for him yourself if you believe you have located him. Contact authorities and provide the information you have.

Right now, every minute matters to the people waiting for this child to come home safely.

Please share this post throughout Port Clinton and nearby communities. Someone may see this post who has information that could help police find him.

Please share. Please keep looking. Please help bring him home safely.

🚨 Please help us find Deziray. Her family is waiting for her to come home. 🚨

Our hearts go out to the family of 15-year-old Deziray Farrow, who has not been seen or heard from since leaving her home near SW 119th St & S Western Ave in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on the evening of Friday, October 2, 2026.

Deziray is approximately 5'6" tall, weighs about 138 pounds, and has brown hair and hazel eyes. Her clothing at the time she left is unknown, and she reportedly left sometime overnight.

If you know Deziray, live in the Oklahoma City area, or have recently been in the area, please take a moment to look at her information carefully.

Someone may have seen her without realizing that she was missing. Someone may have noticed something that seemed ordinary at the time but could now be important to investigators.

Please do not assume someone else will make the call. If you have seen Deziray or have any information about where she may be, contact the Oklahoma City Police Department at 405-297-1188. For an emergency, call 911.

Her family is waiting for answers and hoping every hour that she will be found safe. Please help them by keeping Deziray's name and information moving across social media.

One share could reach someone who recognizes her. One piece of information could help investigators. Please share and help bring Deziray home safely.

🚨 Please help us find Ariya. We need everyone who sees this to share her information. 🚨

14-year-old Ariya Serenity Cates was last seen around midnight on October 2, 2026, in the 1500 block of Baker Avenue in Bryan, Texas.

Ariya is approximately 5'0" tall, weighs about 130 pounds, has red hair and blue eyes. Authorities have stated that they believe Ariya could be with unrelated adults who may be exposing her to harm.

This is why we are asking you not to scroll past her picture.

Please look carefully. If you are in the Bryan area, have recently traveled through the area, or know someone who may have information about Ariya, please contact authorities immediately.

Her safety is the priority. A small detail that seems unimportant to you could be important to investigators.

Please share Ariya's information with your family, friends, local community groups, and anyone who may be able to recognize her.

If you have any information about where Ariya may be, contact the Bryan Police Department immediately at 979-209-5300.

Please help keep her name visible. Please help this alert reach the right person.

Ariya needs to be found and brought home safely.

💔 Please Stop For Miley 💔

An 8-year-old child has been missing from Eugene, Oregon, and her name needs to reach as many people as possible.

Miley L. Hunt, 8, has been missing since October 2, 2026, from Eugene, Oregon. Her family and everyone involved in the search are hoping that sharing her information will help bring her home safely.

The available case information does not provide additional physical-description or clothing details. That makes getting Miley's name and missing-person information in front of more people especially important.

Someone may have information that could help. Someone may have seen something without realizing its importance at the time. Please don't assume that someone else will make the call or share the post.

If you have any information about Miley's whereabouts, please contact the Eugene Police Department at 541-682-5111.

NCMEC: 2103578
NCIC: M719125259

For Miley's loved ones, every day without answers is incredibly difficult. They are hoping, waiting, and praying that she can be found safe and brought back home.

Please take a moment to share this post. Your share could put Miley's name in front of someone who has information that could help authorities.

Let's keep looking for Miley and help bring her home safely. 🙏

STOP SCROLLING — A 10-YEAR-OLD CHILD IS MISSING. 💔

Imagine being a parent and waking up each morning without knowing where your child is. Imagine checking the door, checking your phone, and hoping that the next call will finally bring the words everyone has been praying to hear: **“Lilly is safe.”**

10-year-old **Lilly Hunt** has been missing since **October 2, 2026, from Eugene, Oregon**.

Right now, there are people who are desperately hoping that someone, somewhere, has information that could help bring this little girl home.

The available case information does not include additional physical-description or clothing details, which makes sharing Lilly's name and case information even more important.

Someone may recognize her. Someone may remember seeing something that seemed ordinary at the time. Someone may have information that could help investigators.

Please don't scroll past this simply because you don't live in Eugene.

Missing-person alerts can travel far beyond the place where someone was last seen. One share can put a child's name in front of an entirely new person who may know something.

If you have any information regarding Lilly Hunt's whereabouts, please contact the **Eugene Police Department at 541-682-5111**.

You may also reference **NCMEC #2103578** and **NCIC ** when providing information.

Lilly's family deserves answers. They deserve to know that people are looking. And most of all, they deserve the chance to have this child safely back where she belongs.

**Please take a moment to share Lilly's information. Don't let her name disappear in the endless scroll of social media.**

One share could reach the right person. One piece of information could help. And one family is hoping that Lilly comes home safely.