Mother in custody after boy’s body found encased in concrete
The body of a missing three-year-old boy found in a concrete structure over the weekend has been tentatively identified as Evan Brewer, whose grandfather served two terms as mayor of Wichita, Kan.
In a statement Tuesday, Carl Brewer said he and his family “are devastated by the death of our sweet and loving grandson. We can not begin to make sense of this tragedy but are thankful the suspects are in custody.”
Wichita police Lt. Jeff Gilmore said investigators were waiting on the results of DNA tests before positively identifying the body. He declined to comment on the nature or size of the concrete structure, which he said was found by the property’s landlord Friday after he had served an eviction order.
Evan Brewer’s mother, 36-year-old Miranda Miller, was arrested Wednesday last week on suspicion of aggravated interference with parental custody. Miller’s boyfriend, 40-year-old Stephen Bodine, was arrested the same day on suspicion of aggravated assault and aggravated interference with parental custody.
Gilmore added that Kansas welfare officials had investigated reports that Evan was being abused earlier this year. In July, a protection from abuse order was issued to Evan’s father, Carlo Brewer, on the boy’s behalf. However, Gilmore said, authorities were unable to find Miller to serve the order to her.
The police spokesman said Miller had been “actively eluding police” and was thought to have left the state at one point.
Miller and Bodine are each being held on $25,000 bond. No charges have yet been filed in Evan’s death.
via: http://nypost.com/2017/09/05/mother-in-custody-after-boys-body-found-encased-in-concrete/
Teen died after five bags of ecstasy exploded in her stomach
A teenage law student from Britain died while on holiday in Ibiza after five bags of ecstasy exploded in her stomach, an inquest heard.
Rebecca Brock, 18, was discovered with a pool of blood next to her head in a hotel room after traveling to the party island for a friend’s birthday.
Nottingham Coroners’ Court heard staff found the “academically gifted” student unresponsive in her room at the Hotel Marco Polo on Sept. 28, 2015.
Spanish police began an investigation after the amount of the class-A drug in her system was “double the level” of a normal fatal dose.
Giving evidence, Brock’s mother, Margarita Brock, said: “Spanish authorities say five bags were found which were wrapped with elastic bands. They said it would probably have been four hours before something happened.”
Brock revealed how her daughter had openly talked about experimenting with cocaine in the past but did not think she would’ve taken so much ecstasy at one time. “She tried cocaine with people she knew and people around her she knew.”
“She said to her sister afterwards that she didn’t like it so she didn’t have to worry. She was very clear about what she let into her body and what she didn’t.”
Brock added that her daughter had a difficult time swallowing pills and couldn’t imagine how she would have ingested the bags.
“Becky would tell me difficult things — she was quite open about the drugs, it was the weight issues she was less keen to talk about.”
“She wouldn’t take any pills easily — I can’t imagine that getting in her body at all. If she didn’t have to take a pill, she wouldn’t do because she couldn’t swallow it.”
“I can’t see any other way than someone making that happen.”
Nottinghamshire Coroner Mairin Casey recorded a conclusion that Brock’s death was drug-related.
Casey said: “Becky’s parents, Margarita and Martin, dearly cared for her. She was academically gifted and was clearly cherished by her friends and family. She was well-travelled with her family and had impressive results in her A-levels.”
“Rebecca was also very body-conscious and at one point was very thin. This was something her family were mindful of and they trusted that it was something in her own way she was addressing. She moved away from home when she went to study in the Netherlands.”
“She went on holiday to Ibiza in September 2015, where she visited twice in the summer. We remain, sadly, without some information that is particularly significant to the family and indeed for me.”
“On Sept. 22, Becky flew to Ibiza from the Netherlands — it was something she had organized herself. She was captured on CCTV imaging and it is clear she had checked into her hotel. On her arrival, Becky had various communications.”
“(Becky and her friends) planned to meet on the night of Sept. 22 and they went to a club — with many of them socializing together. She didn’t have any contact with anyone after Sept. 23.”
“On the morning of Sept. 28, she was tragically found deceased in the hotel room. Spanish authorities gave the cause of death as an adverse reaction to drugs and a ruptured body pack. The date of death was recorded as Sept. 26.”
“The evidence given (by the experts) was extensive and today I rely on their reports to make the following findings.”
“Becky died of MDMA intoxication commonly known as ecstasy. I find that no other substance was found in her body that could have contributed to her death. I find that she had not taken alcohol other than in a moderate amount.”
“There was no evidence of a form of assault. No witnesses to the investigation had seen her take drugs in Ibiza. I find it impossible to say how a pack or packs were ingested. How these bags were in her stomach we will never know.”
“It is likely that Becky became unwell and confused and most probably died a short time thereafter. It is not possible to say whether she would have been conscious or not. The conclusion I arrive at is this is a drug related death.”
Addressing the family, she added: “I would also like to mention your tremendous dignity here today. I cannot imagine what that loss must have felt like.”
“I have done the best I can to give you some answers and I offer you my sincerest condolences.”
After the inquest, Brock said outside court: “The coroner probably said it all. I don’t want to add much more than that.”
“There are some answers but there are also some clear gaps.”
via: http://nypost.com/2017/09/05/teen-died-after-five-bags-of-ecstasy-exploded-in-her-stomach/
Man who murdered college student transported body in Lyft vehicle
A Philadelphia man is charged in the murder of a Temple University student and is accused of transporting her body to his apartment using a Lyft car.
Joshua Hupperterz, 29, of Philadelphia, was charged Sunday with the murder of 22-year-old Jenna Burleigh, who had been missing since early Thursday morning. He was also charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and possession of an instrument of crime. Investigators said on Saturday he had admitted to elements of the crime. A coroner said Burleigh died from blunt trauma and strangulation. The manner of her death has been ruled a homicide.
Burleigh, of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, was last seen in the area of Pub Webb near Temple University’s campus around 2 a.m. Thursday. Police believe Burleigh and Hupperterz had just met before they left from the bar. Investigators say there is no indication of a prior relationship between the two.
Police said in a statement released Sunday morning, “Hupperterz informed him that he had been so drunk when he left the bar he had no recollection of who he had been with.”
Police sources say Hupperterz transported Burleigh’s body using a vehicle operated by Lyft between two residences.
Investigators processed a vehicle with a Lyft sticker late Saturday afternoon at police headquarters.
“Lyft” released a statement:
“The allegations are devastating. We stand ready to work with the authorities in their investigation.”
On Saturday afternoon, police discovered a body believed to be Burleigh on the lakefront property of Hupperterz’s grandmother in Paupack Township.
Police believe Burleigh was murdered in Philadelphia, then her body was transported to the Jenkintown home, then to Wayne County.
Sources say Hupperterz’s roommate told police he came home to cleaning products and it appeared someone tried to clean up blood.
Our sister station WPVI learned that after a search warrant was executed, blood and drugs were found inside.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said, “We still have a lot of work to do to include trying to figure out, who else may have been involved.”
Burleigh had just started at Temple. A longtime neighbor of the Harleysville native says she was always looking out for others.
“She was a great person, always happy, always energetic. She would advocate for anything you could think of, she was all about equality,” said Julie Hiltner of Lower Salford Township, Pa.
Hupperterz is a former Temple student. Court documents show he was charged with DUI, theft and burglary in 2013.
Charges against other individuals are possible, police said.
Burleigh’s father reacted to the news of her death on his Facebook page Saturday afternoon.
In a statement, the Temple Student Government said:
Those that knew Jenna described her as “big hearted,” “hilarious,” “fiercely feminist,” “unapologetically herself,” and “an incredibly woke young woman.” She spent much of her time combating racism and sexism, as well as defending the rights for LGBTQIA+ community.
Indian Man’s Parents Fly To Florida To Beat Son’s Wife For Being ‘Disobedient,’ Police Say
Florida police rescued an Indian woman Saturday who was beaten by her husband and his parents who traveled from India to help assist him with the assault.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said Silky Gaind, 33, called her parents in India to tell them of the abuse. They then called the authorities.
Police said Gaind was being held in the Riverview home by her husband Devbir Kalsi, 33, and his parents Jasbir, 67, and Bhupinder Kalsi, 61, who traveled from India to help their son “counsel and discipline his wife for being disobedient” after he asked for their assistance, according to Fox 13.
When a deputy arrived at the residence, no one responded to a repeated knock. Then Gaind attempted to open the door and screamed for him to help her and her 1-year-old daughter.
The deputy forced his way in despite Kalsi trying to keep the door closed. While the deputy started to handcuff Kalsi, his parents confronted the officer, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Kalsi and Gaind argued Friday night where he battered her “repeatedly and forcefully,” according to the arrest report. Kalsi’s parents started striking her after Gaind attempted to defend herself. The infant was accidentally struck in the face while Gaind was holding her during the attack, the report stated.
Kalsi was threatened with a knife by Jasbir Kalsi. After the incident, Gaind was locked in a room and her cell phone was taken from her.
“Awful, nobody should go through that,” an unidentified neighbor told Fox 13. “It really is heartbreaking. There’s a brand new baby. But who beats their wife up and his mother and dad help him? Who does that?”
Devbir and Jasbir Kalsi may face “charges of false imprisonment, child abuse and denying access to 911,” according to the Tampa Bay Times. Devbir Kalso also could face felony battery charge, and Jasbir Kalsi was accused of “aggravated battery with a deadly weapon,” the paper reported. Bhupinder Kalsi could face “charges of battery domestic violence and failure to report child abuse.”
They were all booked into Hillsborough County Jail and were being held without bond. Fox 13 reported that the three could face deportation back to India. Gaind and her infant were put in a safe place, the sheriff’s office said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Woman pleads not guilty to throwing urine on bus driver
A woman accused of splashing a bus driver with a tumbler full of urine told police she did it because she “hates Metro,” but later felt bad after seeing news reports and decided to turn herself in. Meanwhile, the bus driver was so traumatized by the incident that she hasn’t returned to work and is fearful she contracted a disease or infection from the attack, co-workers said.
Opal L. Brown, 38, of Southeast Washington pleaded not guilty Thursday to misdemeanor simple assault in D.C. Superior Court.
She was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to appear again in court in late September. Until then, a judge ordered her to stay away from the X2 bus line and from the bus driver she is accused of assaulting.
The judge also ordered Brown to undergo weekly drug tests and be assessed for possible mental health services.
Brown, who appeared in court wearing a pink-and-black skirt and gray zip-up sweater, was quiet as she appeared before the judge. She declined to speak with reporters.
According to the police report, Brown told police she was standing by the door of the bus, waiting to get off. The driver, a newly hired Metro employee, told Brown to “have a nice day.” Brown shot back, “Are you talking to me?” Brown said she then threw the purple coffee tumbler at the driver. She said she had used the tumbler to relieve herself at the back of the bus, according to the report.
“[The defendant] stated the cup was filled to the top with urine and she tossed the urine on the [bus driver] because she was mad at [the driver] and hates Metro,” the police report said.
The incident was captured on the bus’s surveillance video.
The bus driver went to a hospital to be cleaned up and “decontaminated,” and transit police searched for the assailant, without success, in the area where the bus had stopped.
According to the report, Brown’s actions began to hang heavy on her conscience after she saw news reports that police were looking for the assailant.
She told police that she spoke with her pastor about the incident, and he encouraged her to turn herself in. She also told police that she had an apology letter that she wanted to have read to the media.
Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said the agency has the letter but cannot release it because it is considered evidence.
Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, Metro’s largest union, filled the courtroom Thursday and waited hours for Brown’s appearance.
Union Vice President Carroll Thomas said he spoke to the victim Thursday morning. She has not returned to work, he said, and she is fearful that she might have contracted a disease or infection from the attack, particularly because the contents of the cup splashed onto her face and into her mouth.
“She’s so torn up, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “She’s so scared that she might be infected with something.”
The driver, who could not be reached for comment Thursday, is a relatively new bus operator, having just completed her initial 90-day probationary period. But Thomas said similar incidents happen frequently to operators.
“Juice, a fire extinguisher — things get poured on us or thrown at us all the time,” said Thomas, who has been driving buses for Metro for 18 years. Operators have even reported being spat upon.
Assaults on drivers have long been a concern; there were 75 last year. The X2 route has among the highest number of reported incidents of crime among Metro’s nearly 300 routes.
Thomas and other union officials say Metro Transit Police have not done enough to protect drivers and prevent assaults.
“They have no real plan on how to combat this, and they’ve done nothing to protect the operators,” Thomas said.
Union officials say Metro has not sought input from the union on potential solutions or strategies and that transit officials don’t take the problem seriously.
Thomas gestured at the courtroom and the union members filling the seats, many wearing matching red union T-shirts. “Not a soul from management is here,” he said. “They’re two blocks away, and no one comes down here for this.”
Stessel, the Metro spokesman defended the agency and disputed the allegation that management is indifferent to violence against drivers.
“We absolutely agree with the union that bus operator assaults are a serious concern. No one should be assaulted for doing their job,” he said.
Stessel said three dozen police officers are assigned to a special Metrobus Enforcement Division. They ride buses and check in with operators about problems they’re noticing along their routes — often while wearing plainclothes to avoid tipping off would-be offenders.
“Of course that doesn’t cover every bus every day . . . but it is a sizable devotion of resources exclusively to bus,” Stessel said.
The agency also installed clear plastic guards that are meant to separate the driver’s seat from the rest of the bus.
But the union says they do not provide sufficient protection.
The shields are intended to protect operators from being punched or otherwise seriously injured by a passenger, but the one on the X2 bus Saturday did not prevent the attack. There also is a gap in the shield to allow drivers a direct line of sight to the rearview mirrors.
Stessel said the shields are installed on a third of buses now, and officials are working to retrofit older buses with the devices — the design of which was tested and vetted by union representatives.
“We are open to any and all recommendations that bus operators have to help solve this problem,” he said.
Metro management and the union agree on one thing: They both would like to see legislation that would increase the penalty for attacking a transit operator, automatically making it a felony rather than a misdemeanor.
2 armed men arrested for robbing bar while officers held retirement party inside
Two Gwynn Oak men allegedly robbed the wrong bar on Tuesday night.
Baltimore County police say Joseph McInnis, 20, and Tyree McCoy, 22, walked up to Monaghan’s Pub on in Woodlawn on Tuesday at around 5:30 p.m. for a stickup. Corp. Sean Vinson, a spokesman for the department, said they went inside, went to the takeout window, got behind the counter and held up a female employee at gunpoint.
It was the wrong time and place. Inside, off-duty officers had gathered to celebrate the retirement of a sergeant who’d been with the department for 29 years.
McInnis and McCoy made off with some money from the register, but another employee saw the alleged robbery take place and told the cops gathered in the bar. They ran outside and gave chase.
“One of the officers never lost sight of the two suspects and was able to chase them down with the assistance of other officers,” Vinson said.
In hindsight, Monaghan’s Pub may have been a bad target, considering it’s located roughly two blocks from the police department’s Woodlawn precinct on Windsor Mill Road.
The bar’s owner wasn’t immediately available to comment Thursday.
Booking photos (above) show McCoy’s face bruised up with his eye swollen shut, and McInnis with cuts near both of his eyes. Vinson said the police report on file didn’t mention any injuries sustained during their arrests.
McCoy and McInnis face charges of robbery, armed robbery, theft of less than $1,000 and first-degree assault. Neither have attorneys listed in court records. Both are due to appear in court on Sept. 29.
Husband thinks he killed wife in his sleep
A North Carolina man is using the bad dream defense — telling a 911 operator he awoke from slumber to find his wife stabbed to death and drenched in blood, reports said.
Matthew Phelps, 28, told the operator in Raleigh early Friday that he fell asleep after taking too much cold medicine and may have accidentally killed his wife in his sleep, ABC 13 reported.
“I think I killed my…,” Phelps said to the operator, according to the outlet.
“What do you mean by that? What happened?” the dispatcher asked.
“I had a dream and then I turned on the lights and she’s dead on the floor … I have blood all over me and there’s a bloody knife on the bed. I think I did it. I can’t believe this,” Phelps told the dispatcher.
Raleigh police charged Phelps with murder on Friday shortly after he made the emergency call. His wife, Lauren Ashley-Nicole Phelps, 29, was found dead from multiple stab wounds.
“I had a dream and then I turned on the lights and she’s dead on the floor,” Phelps can be heard saying on the call.
“How? How?” the dispatcher asked.
At the end of the call, which lasted 7 minutes, Phelps sobbed to the operator and said his wife didn’t deserve what happened.
“She’s not moving at all. Oh my God. She didn’t deserve this,” Phelps said.
He told dispatchers he took the cough medicine Coricidin because he has trouble sleeping.
The makers of the drug told ABC there’s no evidence to suggest it’s associated with violent behavior.
Police don’t believe the crime was a random act and Phelps is being held without bond. He’s due back in court Tuesday.
via: http://nypost.com/2017/09/04/husband-thinks-he-killed-wife-in-his-sleep/
Cleveland unions say they’ll refuse to hold flag at Browns’ opening game
Talk about biting your nose off to spite your face!
CLEVELAND — Members of unions representing Cleveland police officers and paramedics have said they won’t hold a large U.S. flag during pregame ceremonies before Sunday’s Browns season opener after a group of the team’s players knelt during the…..
READ MORE: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20562272/unions-refuse-hold-flag-cleveland-browns-opener