Jared Thomas Dies at 17Local Teen Adopted Through FOX 11

Jared Thomas at the Los Angeles Area Emmy® Awards, with Christine (right) and Tommy Lasorda (left), and anchor Pat Harvey (far left)

Christine Devine, a news anchor at Los Angeles television station FOX 11, has reported the tragic death of Jared Thomas, a 17-year-old who last year had been featured in one of the Wednesday’s Child segments featured each week on FOX 11 News.

Thomas died in Arkansas on June 10, 2009, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident that occurred in early May. The southern California native had moved to Arkansas with his adoptive family shortly before the accident.

Wednesday’s Child, hosted by Devine, is a regular feature each Wednesday and Sunday night on FOX 11’s 10 o’clock News. In the segments, Devine profiles children looking for loving families to call their own.

Jared and Fox 11 News anchor Christine Devine at the Los Angeles Area Emmy® Awards

The station works closely with the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in coordinating the Wednesday's Child stories, which provide a glimpse of each child’s interests and dreams at some of their favorite places. At any given time, DCFS has hundreds of foster children seeking adoption. These children are in need of the love and security of a permanent family. FOX 11 produces the Wednesday's Child segments with the support and sponsorship of the Freddie Mac Foundation, which has helped place children with adoptive homes since 1989.

Jared Thomas was a Wednesday’s Child success stories. According to his family, he said that he thought he was too old to be adopted, but wanted to be featured because he felt it could help draw attention to other children in need of parents.

Thomas found his own loving family in the process, and Devine urges community support at this difficult time.

To read more of Thomas’ story, as told by his mother, or to leave a message, interested individuals may go to the website caringbridge.org/visit/JaredThomas.

Donations to the fund that has been established to help the Thomas family may be sent to:

Project Nightlight
2633 Lincoln Blvd, Suite 249
Santa Monica, California 90405
c/o THE JARED THOMAS FUND

More information about the Wednesday’s Child kids featured by FOX 11 is available by calling 866-921-ADOPT (866-921-2367).

Email: donate@projectnightlight.org

Donation Page: www.projectnightlight.org

A memorial service for Thomas has been set for Thursday, July 2nd - 11am, at First Presbyterian Church of Downey.