In today’s digital world, keeping up with your child’s schoolwork and attending parent-teacher meetings isn’t enough.

With kids spending more time on their devices than ever, law enforcement officials are urging parents to understand the online world their children enter when they’re alone in their rooms.

To help spread this message, the family of Tristyn Bailey—the 13-year-old girl from Durbin Crossing who was tragically killed by her classmate Aiden Fucci in 2021—will be part of two online safety panels starting this Thursday. The first session was canceled due to Hurricane Milton.

Online Safety Seminar Details

📅 October 17 | ⏰ 6 PM – 8 PM
📍 Tocoi Creek High School
11200 St. Johns Parkway, St. Augustine, FL 32092

📅 October 24 | ⏰ 6 PM – 8 PM
📍 Bartram Trail High School
7399 Longleaf Pine Parkway, St. Johns, FL 32259

Tristyn’s father, Forrest Bailey, compared social media to driving, saying, “When we let our kids use social media, we have to teach them about its responsibilities and dangers, just like we do when they learn to drive.”

He added, “On behalf of the entire Bailey family, we hope you attend these important sessions. By educating others on the risks of social media, we honor Tristyn’s memory.”

Officials are urging parents to take these seminars as seriously as they do their children’s sports practices and activities.

What to Expect at the Seminars

The events will be hosted by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Tristyn’s family. They are open to the public.

The sessions will include:
✔️ A presentation on HSI’s iGuardian online safety program
✔️ A self-defense demonstration by female law enforcement officers
✔️ Panel discussions with the Bailey family, sheriff’s detectives, and HSI agents

The panels will focus on real-life cases from the local area and are designed for middle and high school students and their parents. Some topics will include mature content.

Tristyn’s Story

Tristyn Bailey was reported missing by her parents, Stacy and Forrest Bailey, on Mother’s Day in 2021. Hours later, her body was found near a retention pond.

Her classmate, Aiden Fucci, who attended Patriot Oaks Academy, had asked her to meet him at a friend’s house on the night of her death. Security footage later showed them walking toward the pond where she was found.

Fucci was charged as an adult and sentenced to life in prison in March 2023.

By attending these seminars, parents and students can learn how to stay safe online and prevent similar tragedies.