Employees at a Sterling Heights Wendy's say they've been working without heat for years, forcing them to wear multiple layers and coats while serving customers.

Alexis Martin, who works at the Wendy's near 18 Mile and Ryan roads, said the restaurant has been without proper heating for two to three years.

Watch Carli Petrus' video report below: Sterling Heights Wendy's employees say they've worked without heat for years

"Every time I come in here, I always have my hoodie on, I have a shirt on underneath my work shirt, I always wear my coat and gloves if I have it," Martin said.

Martin said the cold conditions are so severe that employees can see their breath in the bathroom. She said complaints have been made to the franchise owners multiple times over the years, but nothing has been done.

"It's every day that people are complaining about us not having heat," Martin said.

The situation prompted Martin's mother, Angel, to contact 7 News Detroit for help. Angel Martin previously worked at the restaurant and said she's concerned about her daughter's safety.

"I don't want her to get frostbite, you know. I know the temperatures have been crazy lately and I worried about her all the last couple weeks working," Angel Martin said.

When contacted about the issue, a Wendy's corporate spokesperson said ensuring a safe and comfortable work environment is their highest priority.

"We are aware heat is partially working at this restaurant, and our teams have been on-site today to address the issue," the spokesperson said.

However, when I asked Alexis Martin if corporate representatives had visited the restaurant as promised, she said no one had come in.

"No, I spoke to my manager about that and several other employees that have been here all day and they've said nobody has come in at all," Martin said.

When I visited the restaurant to speak with the manager, he said he wasn't allowed to speak with me. Calls to the franchise owners have not been returned.

Angel Martin said she hopes the issue gets resolved quickly for all the employees trying to make a living.

"I just hope that it gets fixed and they can correct it as soon as possible. I mean, I know things like that aren't cheap but you still have people trying to make a living," she said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

An Eastpointe mother is warning other parents about the hidden dangers of sledding after her 10-year-old daughter suffered severe injuries in an accident at a local park.

Jennifer's daughter Cheyenne was sledding at Spindler Park on a Friday afternoon when what started as a fun winter day quickly turned into a terrifying emergency. The girl went down the back side of the hill, despite warning signs, and crashed into nearby poles.

Watch Carli Petrus' video report below: Eastpointe mother warns of sledding dangers after daughter's severe injuries

"I never would have thought they would have gotten hurt sledding like we go every year, we've always went," Jennifer said.

The accident left Cheyenne with a Stage 3 liver laceration that is almost a Stage 4, along with a severe concussion and possible brain damage due to brain swelling, according to Jennifer.

"I got a call that Cheyenne, you know, she was hurt, she was hurt bad," Jennifer said.

Watch our extended interview with Jennifer below: Extended interview: Mom talks about daughter's severe injuries after sledding accident

Now Jennifer is urging other parents to think twice before letting their children go sledding.

"I have heard of a broken arm over the weekend, and on the other side of the hill as well, someone hit a tree, someone went through the fence it's repetitive injury," Jennifer said.

The city of Eastpointe acknowledged awareness of the sledding activity on the hill. A spokesperson said in a statement: "While signage speaks to the risks of sledding on the hill, the City works to keep the hill as safe as possible, with staff routinely ensuring there are hay bales, fencing, and safety measures in place. We have empathy for the child and family involved, and will work to continue to make our parks and public spaces as safe as possible for all users."

Dr. Aamna Hafeez at Henry Ford Hospital says the best way to stay safe is to know the risks and take precautions.

"Sledding can definitely be a fun activity, but there are risks associated with it and those injuries can range from minor bumps and bruises all the way to severe head trauma," Hafeez said.

The doctor recommends families take safety precautions, with head protection being the most important.

"So, there's absolutely some precautions families can take in terms of safety for their children sledding. The most important being some sort of protection for their heads, so whether that's a helmet or a ski helmet or a biking helmet, either of those options because really what you're trying to do is prevent brain injuries," Hafeez said.

William Hirsch, who was at Spindler Park with his two young daughters, said sledding is an activity they enjoy regularly.

"It's something the kids love to do. It's an activity that gets us outside, gets us outdoors and something to do to have fun," Hirsch said.

He says he makes sure his girls are safe by going down the hill with them, making sure they're not going toward anything harmful.

"Sometimes, you slip and fall down, but you have to get back up, you know. It's a learning lesson," Hirsch said.

For Jennifer, her message is simple: awareness.

"It can happen, like I said, at any hill. Just because it was at this one doesn't mean that it can't happen at the one down the street from your house, right. So, just be aware," Jennifer said. "I just want these kids and people to be safe in general because it's scary."

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

As we continue News Literacy Week, we're lifting up the voice of one Birmingham librarian. She is making it her mission to make sure students learn how to separate fact from fiction early on.

The library at Birmingham Covington School recently turned into a full-on news literacy adventure with different learning stations and students led their families through each one to learn how to think critically about the information they see every day.

Watch Carli Petrus' video report below: Librarian hosts news literacy for kids and familys

Students at Birmingham Covington School are signing the news literacy pledge promising to pause, question, and verify before believing or sharing information.

Its never too young to start these skills," said Laura Amatulli, the librarian who organized the literacy night event.

It's designed for third and fourth graders and their families, and the goal is simple.

"To learn how to slow down, think critically, and ask smart questions before trusting and sharing information," said Amatulli.

Amatulli says this is especially important as artificial intelligence, or AI, becomes more prevalent in our lives.

"Were building habits of asking good questions. We want students to think, 'who created this? Why was this picture made?' Or 'why was this article made? What evidence supports this article?' and these critical thinking skills give them a lifelong piece in their toolbox," she said.

And it seems like those lessons are already sticking for fourth grader Melia Farr.

"How do you make sure what youre looking at is truthful? I asked.

"Well, its hard to make sure, but you have to like think about it and make sure it is, because its important, because if its not factual, then its not really that useful," she said.

Melia attended the event with her mom, Jasmine Farr, who says growing up, the news looked very different.

I remember getting the newspaper twice a day and it came on your porch and that was kind of it, you just took that for what it was but now we have it on internet, we have it on social media, youre getting it from left and right and all these different forms, you have to find out what really is the news," said Jasmine.

Jasmine says she wants her daughter to stay on the offense as AI technology continues to advance and she believes events like this one give kids the tools they need to do just that.

"It takes a village so schools cant do it alone, parents cant do it alone, and children definitely cant do it on their own so we all have to come together collectively and make sure that theyre protected, that theyre safe, that theyre learning and we can all do it together as a community," said Jasmine.