Related video above: Worlds of Fun institutes chaperone policy after massive fight involving 100 to 150 teens

Jennifer Sepulveda used to drop off her 14-year-old son, Jorden, at the local mall on a Friday or Saturday night, where he would catch a movie with his friends and then hang out afterward at the food court or elsewhere.

Not anymore.

Starting April 18, Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey — the second largest mall in the state — is requiring anyone under 18 years old to be accompanied by a chaperone at least 21 or older on Fridays and Saturdays after 5 p.m.

The move, according to the mall, follows "an increase in disruptive behavior by a small minority of younger visitors." That included a reported brawl in the food court last year and a fight in March that brought swarms of policemen to the center but ended up being a smaller altercation than initially reported.

Sepulveda of Passaic, New Jersey said she was fine with the new policy.

"On Friday and Saturdays, it's just been a madhouse," she said on a recent Friday night while shopping for Mother's Day gifts with Jorden and her 4-month-old daughter.

Jorden, on the other hand, was disappointed. Although he acknowledged the frequent mall fights, he lamented, "It was the main place to go and roam around and hang out with my friends, and I am sad."

Requiring an adult chaperone at malls, at least for certain times of the day, is not new. Mall of America, the nation's largest shopping mall, imposed a chaperone policy back in 1996 and has been increasingly tightening it as recently as 2020 when it mandated that teens be accompanied by adults after 3 p.m. daily.

But experts say Garden State Plaza joins a growing number of shopping centers, amusement parks and even a few restaurants that have implemented similar policies in the last few months ahead of the summer season. And they all cite increased incidents of bad behavior among teens as the reason, some of it inspired by social media like TikTok.

Even a Chik-fil-A franchise in southeast Pennsylvania caused a stir with its social media post earlier this year that announced its policy of banning kids under 16 without an adult chaperone, citing unruly behavior.

Violent crime arrests among youth had actually been on the decline for years, falling to a new low in 2020, according to the latest federal data. The number of youth homicide victims, however, increased by 30% from 2019 to 2020 –- the biggest one-year increase since at least 1980, the report found. In the years since 2020, authorities in some areas report a rise in crime among youth, including New York, Washington, D.C. and Colorado.

Many praise chaperone policies as a way to reduce disruptions to business and create a safer shopping environment. But some critics say the new parental controls hurt teens' independence and social development already curbed by pandemic-induced lockdowns.

Shopping malls, hanging out at amusement parks, grabbing a shake at a fast-food joint and watching a movie at a local theater with friends are still long considered the rites of passage to adulthood even as many teens shift to online games and social media. So the question is: What other public spaces can teens congregate to get away from their tablets and phones — as well as their parents?

"We have to allow spaces for young people to be independent and develop socially beyond the context of the virtual digital environment," said Jake Bjorseth, who runs Trendsetters, an agency helping retailers and brands understand and reach the Gen Z population.

Bjorseth noted the pandemic only further hampered social development for Gen Zers. He called the new chaperone measures too extreme and said they could backfire on malls and other traditional physical hangouts by helping to accelerate the shift to online that parents wanted to avoid.

Jorden said he only spends half his free time with his friends at Garden State Plaza and other shopping centers; the rest of the time he plays online games. He said the new policy at the mall will likely push him to another mall that has no chaperone policy — or even more online.

Marshal Cohen, the chief industry adviser at market research firm Circana, noted the policies aren't just about enhancing safety but adjusting to post-pandemic times, with teens markedly pulling back on purchases compared with other age groups.

Adults ages 55 and older spent 5% more in 2022 compared to the previous year, with the other age groups combined spending 2% lower, according to data from Circana. Meanwhile, spending by those in the 18- to 24-year-old category fell by 8%.

Cohen said the restrictions will help boost spending among adults who must now accompany kids but they will also likely reduce the number of trips by teens, so the overall financial impact is unclear.

At Garden State Plaza on a recent Friday night, the chaperone policy was clearly being enforced, with security guards stationed at each entrance and checking IDs of young shoppers they suspected were under 18 and who were not accompanied by an adult chaperone. Some were turned away. A cluster of policemen were also at the gates.

Meanwhile, several amusement parks with chaperone policies are generally requiring teens 15 years old or younger to be accompanied with adult chaperones after 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. every day. The largest group has been amusement park operator Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., which recently implemented adult chaperone policies for at least eight of its 13 parks including Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, and King Dominion in Doswell, Virginia.

"Over the past two years, we have seen increasing incidents of unruly and inappropriate behavior across our industry and at other major entertainment venues," said Gary Rhodes, a spokesman for Cedar Fair in a statement. "We believe these changes will help ensure that our parks continue to provide a safe and positive environment."

At Worlds of Fun, for example, a fight involving more than 100 teenagers broke out during the park's opening weekend in early April.

Lauren Stansbury, 14, of Raytown, Missouri, was leaving Worlds of Fun, just before 4 p.m. on a recent Saturday with her cousin. Both are season pass holders.

"I don't really like it," she said, noting that it's hard to find a parent with time to chaperone. "I think that maybe they should just better their search type thing, like the way that they look for weapons and stuff."

Some businesses say the new rules have been effective.

The Mall in Columbia, in Columbia, Md., instituted a chaperone policy at the end of March after a rise in disruptive teen behavior over the past eight months, according to senior general manager Mary Williams. She said that the weekend scene has turned into a pleasant family atmosphere because of it.

Noah Peters, district manager at three Capital 8 Theater locations in Missouri and Illinois, said that the chaperone policy implemented in Missouri in October 2021 requires teens under 17 to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian after 6 p.m. And despite some outcry, it has been a "huge success," citing anywhere from an 80% to 90% reduction in disruptive episodes.

"The reality is that the amount of money we lose turning those without a chaperone away pales to the amount we were losing providing refunds night after night to frustrated guests whose movie going experience was marred by the noise and disruptions," Peters said.

ERLANGER, Ky. — Erlanger police arrested a 38-year-old accused of child rape on Sunday after he eluded capture for almost two months by living in a wooded area near Doe Run Lake.

Police said Billy Holt was arrested at a home on Woodale Court in Independence. When officers arrived, Holt barricaded himself in a laundry room but surrendered after about 30 minutes.

Holt had been living in woods near his family’s property between Sherbourne Drive and Doe Run Lake.

Holt, charged with multiple felonies, is currently lodged in the Kenton County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond.

Independence and Kenton County Police officers assisted Erlanger Detectives with the arrest along with Erlanger K9 Keno.

We all deserve a few days of food, fun, community celebration and fireworks after the past year of social distancing, mask-wearing and other sacrifices made for the common good due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With that in mind, here are nine ways to celebrate the Fourth of July this weekend.

INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Memorial Park, 2003 Jackwoods Pkwy., Independence. Free. Who's up for fireworks, fun and festivities?! Bring your family and friends out for a day-long extravaganza in Independence. There will be a car show from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. followed by the Independence Day Parade starting at 3 p.m., a festival starting at 4 p.m. and live music at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Fireworks will fill the sky starting at 10 p.m. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE ASH: 10 p.m. Sunday. Summit Park, 4335 Glendale Milford Rd., Blue Ash. Free. The Arthur Rozzi Pyrotechnics fireworks and drone will fill the sky at this year's Red, White and Blue Ash. WARM 98.5 will simulcast the fireworks show with an amazing soundtrack featuring an Independence Day theme, familiar favorites and new hits. Friendly reminder: There will be no food trucks and vendors on site this year. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

TAPS, TASTES AND TUNES FESTIVAL: 5-11 p.m. Friday; noon-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday. National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting, 8070 Tylersville Rd., West Chester Township. Free. Join your neighbors for a fun-filled weekend of live music, great food, cold beverages and activities for the whole family including an extravagant 4th of July Fireworks show on Sunday night. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

JULY 4TH FIREWORKS: 6-10 p.m. Sunday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm Street, Over-the-Rhine. Free. Enjoy music from 2nd Wind Band from 6-9 p.m. and fireworks display at 9:20 p.m. Food vendors will include Quite Frankly and Chocolate Freaking Bacon. The Washington Park porch also will be open and serving beverages. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

FOURTH OF JULY PARADE AND FIREWORKS: 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Harrison Community Center, 300 George Street, Harrison. Free. Join the community of Harrison for a Fourth of July celebration for everyone. The Harrison Recreation Commission has planned an evening of fun including a parade, fireworks, live music and other entertainment. Food, drinks and adult beverages will be available for purchase. There will be free family activities including a cornhole tournament, face painting and more. www.harrisonohio.gov

FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT: 7-9 p.m. Saturday. Freedom Park, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Edgewood. Free. Derek Alan Band will be performing at Freedom Park on July 3rd for Edgewood's Fourth of July extravaganza. The concert starts at 7 p.m. at Madison Shelter. There will be food trucks available for purchase during the performance. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

LIGHT UP LIBERTY 2021: 8-10 p.m. Sunday. Princeton Pike Church of God, 6101 Princeton Glendale Road, Hamilton. Free. Light Up Liberty is a 4th of July, alcohol-free, community celebration that exists to build the community and provide an evening of family-friendly fun for all ages. Come out and enjoy local food. The night will end with a Spectacular Fireworks Show by Yokum Fireworks. For more information visit the event Facebook page.

RED, WHITE AND BOOM: 8 p.m. Sunday. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Avenue, Anderson Township. $15 adults; $5 active military and veterans. Come together and celebrate America's birthday from sea to shining sea. Join the Cincinnati Pops for a showcase of American favorites inspired by the beauty of this land and its peoples. This is America the Beautiful for all—with music to lift your spirit and set your heart aglow. Stick around for the post-concert fireworks. www.cincinnatisymphony.org

Fourth of July Celebration: 3-11 p.m. Sunday. Stricker's Grove, 11490 Hamilton Cleves Road, Fairfield. Stricker's Grove's Fourth of July event is understandably the amusement park's most popular of its open to the public days. Enjoy rides, food, friends and family and cap the day off with fireworks. Admission to the park is free. There are multiple ticketing options to ride rides as well. stayhappening.com

Manuel Padilla is a foster parent to four teenagers.

“It’s not always hunky-dory, that’s for sure," Padilla said. "It comes with its good and its bad just like anybody else’s family.”

Normally, the four teens would be in the kitchen helping. He says they’re very self-sufficient. However, he says they can’t be on camera.

“It’s a safety thing," Padilla said. "It’s to keep them safe. It’s to make sure that people from their past [don't] get to know where they’re at.”

Padilla says he felt inspired to take on foster kids because he was one himself, in and out of homes since he was 3 years old.

He says he chooses to care for teenagers so he can give them a safe space to be their authentic selves. Two of the teens are in the LGBTQ community, and so is he. He wants to give them the home he never had.

“When I was 16 through 22, I struggled," Padilla recalled. "I struggled the most that I could have ever imagined. I mean, not knowing what credit was, the stability of a job and what it really meant, or you know, to survive in life, and so that’s where I wanted to make the biggest impact.”

When teenagers age out of foster care without a great support system, Minna Castillo Cohen says becoming independent is a struggle. Castillo Cohen is the director of the office of children, youth, and families at the Colorado Department of Human Services.

“If you’ve looked at the statistics nationally, young people who leave our systems without proper transition plans tend to have poor outcomes both in education as well as workforce," Castillo Cohen said. "They also find themselves homeless more than young people who had more intact families that had not been in our systems.”

Castillo Cohen says teens who aged out of the system last year were pushed into a pandemic world where stability was extra difficult to achieve. However, a federal pandemic stimulus bill passed last December made it possible for those young adults to return to the system for help.

“If a young person left during the pandemic, and they were let’s say 18 years of age, and they’ve tried to make it on their own and because of the pandemic were unable to, they would be able to contact the county that they live in and ask for additional services so that they could come back into foster care and reap the benefits of those services," explained Castillo Cohen.

Those services include independent living plans, food benefits, and workforce development. Although this federal help won’t last forever, Castillo Cohen says more and more states are making reentry for foster kids possible.

According to Juvenile Law Center, a non-profit, public interest law firm for children in the U.S., 38 states including D.C. currently allow for reentry.

If enough foster parents are able to establish a strong connection with teens before they age out of the system, Padilla says parents will see the progress their foster kids are able to make toward independence.

“They went from being in trouble--court cases and stuff like that--to being on softball teams, basketball teams, doing great in school,” Padilla said.

He says the experience is very rewarding and so worth it.

“I want to make sure that I can help them and prepare them to go out into the world before the world takes over them,” Padilla said.