Mother, boyfriend beat 7-year-old, tied him up in infested basement
CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. — A 7-year-old boy who Caroline County deputies say was abused by his mother and her boyfriend is in critical care at VCU Medical Center, according to WTVR.
Investigators were trying to get a clearer picture of what the sheriff called “one of the worst abuse and neglect cases” he’s seen in his over 40-year career.
They executed a search warrant at the home where the boy lived with his mom, 29-year-old Ashley Karam and her boyfriend, 40-year-old Edward Childs.
Neighbor Lacey Collins said she had several interactions with the boy months ago at the bus stop. She had a gut feeling that something was wrong, but she didn’t want to make the boy feel awkward.
“He mentioned that his back hurt, but I never checked him or anything,” she said. “I never knew.”
The sheriff’s office got involved Sunday afternoon after a neighbor called saying the boy was at their home and had visible injuries.
Sources said detectives believe the boy was left for extended periods of time at his home, bound by duct tape, surrounded by roaches and moldy walls. The sheriff said he had some old injuries and obvious new ones.
“I don’t even want to describe what the young boy went through,” Sheriff Tony Lippa said.
Karam and Childs have been charged with abduction, abuse and cruelty.
Karam has a history of child abuse dating back to 2012.
WTVR reported a different child was removed from her care after she was convicted of abuse and disregard for life. She was sentenced to five years in prison.
“He didn’t need this. He was so sweet,” Collins said. “His mom would tell me he’s bad, and I was like, ‘He’s not bad,’ you know?”
Aram and Childs are at Pamunkey Regional Jail with no bond.
Deputies said an additional child was found to be in the custody of the accused; that child is now in protective custody.
Photo Credit: pix11.com
102-year-old accused of killing 92-year-old at French retirement home
PARIS – A French centenarian is suspected of strangling and bludgeoning her 92-year-old neighbor to death.
The 102-year-old woman, who has been transferred to a psychiatric hospital, allegedly told a staff member at the retirement home where the two lived that she had “killed someone,” according to the BBC.
The 92-year-old victim was found dead at the home in Chézy-sur-Marne, about 60 miles east of Paris.
An autopsy revealed that the woman died of “strangulation and blows to the head.”
A staff member at the home reportedly found the victim lying unconscious in bed Saturday, according to the AFP.
Authorities believe the suspect may have been going through a dementia-related crisis at the time of the alleged attacks and is now being monitored at the psychiatric hospital.
A homicide investigation is ongoing.
via: https://pix11.com/2019/05/23/102-year-old-accused-of-killing-92-year-old-at-french-retirement-home/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Walmart cashier surprised with car after officer sees her walking 6 miles to work
SLIDELL, La. –Anita Singleton no longer has to walk six miles to her job at a Louisiana Walmart store, all thanks to a chance encounter with a police officer early Sunday morning.
Officer Bradley Peck saw Singleton walking to work, along a narrow bridge in Slidell, he picked her up thinking she was going to the nearest Walmart.
“She said, ‘No baby, I’m headed to the Northshore.’ I said, ‘Ma’am that’s a really long walk, why don’t you jump in and I’ll give you ride over there.’ She climbed in and we talked the entire way. Like I said in my Facebook post, from faith to life lessons. How I was raised, how she was raised. It was really cool, super sweet lady. (I) got her to Walmart, shook hands, and she went on into work,” Officer Peck told WGNO.
Officer Peck wrote a Facebook post about their encounter.
“We just had a wonderful interaction with one another on that morning,” Anita said.
That post caught the attention of Matt Bowers’ Chevrolet dealership. They decided to let her choose between two cars, even paying the insurance and all the bills that come with it.
“I was momentarily speechless. This is an incredible blessing. I’m so very grateful for it, I really am,” Singleton says.
Her commute to work is now easier. No longer will she have to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to make it to work by 7 a.m.
Officer Peck says he’s inspired by her work ethic – before he left the dealership his message to others was “work like Ms. Anita,” adding, “I’m gonna work harder now. I feel like I’m slacking.”
Photo Credit: pix11.com
Man says intruder broke into his home, cleaned it immaculately, and left
MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – A Massachusetts father came home to a sparkling clean house – but he has no idea who tidied it.
Nate Roman told NBC News he knew something was wrong when he and his son returned to their Marlborough home on May 15th and the 5-year-old noticed the back door was ajar.
The 44-year-old said he was worried someone was still inside, but instead of an intruder he found the smell of cleaning supplies still in the air, and every room except the kitchen immaculately clean.
Roman said his son’s room, which had been a mess that morning, was spotless – complete with a “very neatly folded rose” folded origami-style on his toilet paper.
Unsure of who had been in the house, Roman called the police. Marlborough police officials didn’t immediately return a call for comment, but told NBC News that they had no leads or suspects in the case.
Roman called the experience “creepy,” but thinks it may have been a housecleaning service with the wrong address. The Massachusetts dad said he likely left the back door unlocked, something he doesn’t plan on doing in the future.
via: https://pix11.com/2019/05/23/man-says-intruder-broke-into-his-home-cleaned-it-immaculately-and-left/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Border Patrol Agent in Ariz. Accused of Raping Multiple Women
An Arizona Border Patrol agent is accused of raping multiple women over the course of seven years, PEOPLE confirms.
Steve Charles Holmes, 33, was arrested Tuesday and charged with three counts of sexual assault and three counts of aggravated assault, Tucson police announced in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.
On May 13, police were informed of a Border Patrol agent allegedly assaulting a woman. The woman told investigators she had met Holmes on an online dating app and that during their conversation he identified himself as a Border Patrol Agent.
When the pair went out on a date, Holmes allegedly sexually assaulted the woman, she said.
During their investigation, authorities uncovered additional women who alleged having similar experiences with Holmes over the course of seven years, from January 2012 to January 2019.
Holmes has been a Border Patrol agent for seven years.
“We do not tolerate misconduct on or off duty, and will fully cooperate with all investigations of alleged misconduct by our personnel,” the Customs and Border Protection said in a statement to the Arizona Daily Star.
Holmes was arrested and booked into Pima County Jail. It is unclear whether he has an attorney.
Photo Credit: start.att.net
Off-duty Philly cop shoots panhandler he thought had a gun
An off-duty Philadelphia cop shot a panhandler who approached his car because he thought the man was carrying a gun, according to reports.
The detective, who was driving an unmarked car and wearing civilian clothes, was stopped in traffic soon before 9 p.m. in the Kensington neighborhood when the man walked up to the driver’s side of his car, video published by NBC Philadelphia shows.
The cop then fired four rounds through his window, hitting the man on in the stomach, according to the report. The man was critically injured in the shooting, but expected to survive.
The officer had his windows up and could not hear what the panhandler was saying to him, NBC reported.
He believed the man had a weapon and was trying to rob him, according to several local reports.
The detective, a seven-year veteran, was placed on paid leave while the department investigates.
via: https://nypost.com/2019/05/23/off-duty-philly-cop-shoots-panhandler-he-thought-had-a-gun/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Kansas Buffalo Wild Wings Managers Said It’s OK To Refuse Black Customers
May 22– May 22–Managers at an Overland Park Buffalo Wild Wings regularly made derogatory comments about African American customers and allowed employees to refuse them service or give them poor service, according to a federal lawsuit filed Monday.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Gerald Gray, said white employees refused to serve black customers because, they said, “blacks don’t give good tips.”
The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Kansas by a former employee of the Buffalo Wild Wings at 105th Street and Metcalf Avenue, who is suing the company for fostering a “racially hostile work environment,” and for racial discrimination, age discrimination, discrimination based on a disability and retaliation. It names as defendants Buffalo Wild Wings and the parent company Inspire Brands.
The employee, Gary Lovelace, says he was fired after reporting his concerns about discrimination and workplace safety. Lovelace, a 55-year-old black man, worked as a cook at Buffalo Wild Wings for 12 years before he was fired.
A Buffalo Wild Wings spokesperson told The Star Thursday that the company is conducting an internal investigation of the allegations but will not comment on pending litigation.
“Buffalo Wild Wings values an inclusive environment and we have no tolerance for discrimination of any kind,” the spokesperson said.
Management at the Overland Park location did not immediately respond to The Star’s request for comment.
According to the lawsuit, much of Lovelace’s troubles began after the hiring of a new general manager in late 2016 or early 2017.
In addition to witnessing management’s derogatory comments about African American customers, Lovelace said, he was consistently subjected to racial comments that were dismissed as jokes despite his complaints.
In one instance, an assistant general manager introduced Lovelace to another employee as the “angry black man.” Lovelace does not believe the manager was disciplined after he reported the incident, according to the suit.
The lawsuit also said Lovelace was targeted because of his age and disability.
His general manager was angered when he requested breaks from working in the freezer when it triggered his asthma, the lawsuit says, and the manager complained that Lovelace was old when it took him a long time to finish a task.
Lovelace was unable to get pay raises or promotions despite his efforts, and his general manager consistently complained that he was overpaid, the lawsuit said.
He was consistently asked to take out the trash and clean floors, even though it wasn’t part of his job description and management “tried to force Mr. Lovelace to work less favorable shifts” despite his seniority, according to the lawsuit.
This occurred despite Lovelace reporting to management that the younger workers incorrectly rotated products, creating health risks, Lovelace said.
In 2017 Lovelace was regularly disciplined for arriving late to work because of his role as a caretaker for a sick family member, the suit says. He was told that, rather than informing managers ahead of time, he should call in sick and not come in when he had to be late to work.
According to the suit, younger, non-African American employees did not receive similar treatment.
“Mr. Lovelace became fearful and was often stressed due to the tension he faced on the job during his shifts over the last year of his employment,” the suit said.
Lovelace reported his concerns of discrimination to management multiple times but was ultimately fired in October of 2017 for arriving late to work.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Infant dies after being left inside Florida day care van
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A baby girl, just a few months old, died on Wednesday after being left in a day care van in Florida, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Police responded to a call about an unresponsive baby at the Ewing’s Love and Hope Preschool and Academy around 1 p.m. The infant was found in a car seat inside the van. She was transported to the hospital, where she died.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Assistant Chief Brian Kee told CNN that preliminary information shows she was in the van from around 8 a.m. till the call came in.
Temperatures in the area reached as high as 92 degrees on Wednesday, according to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen.
Kee said the day care facility uses the van to pick up some children in the morning, and it was a day care worker’s responsibility to make sure all children were out of the van.
According to the center’s website, it opened in 2015 and have programs ranging from after-school care for school age children to care for infants beginning at 6 weeks old.
CNN called the facility. The person who answered had no comment.
The center cares for around 14 children, and no others were injured, Kee said.
On average, 38 children die each year in hot cars, according to the safety organization Kids and Cars. That’s about one death every nine days. Last year the fatalities were the highest recorded with 52 deaths. Between 1998 and 2018, Florida had the second highest deaths with 88, according to NoHeatStroke.org.
The investigation is ongoing and charges could be filed once the case is submitted to the district attorney’s office, according to Kee.
via: http:// https://pix11.com/2019/05/22/infant-dies-after-being-left-inside-florida-day-care-van/
Boy sells popcorn to help pay for grandfather’s medical bills
GOSHEN, Ind. (KMOV.com) – An Indiana boy is selling popcorn to help pay for his grandfather’s medical bills; his grandfather is waiting for a heart transplant.
Owen Holmes said he desperately wanted to do something to help his grandfather, adding the two have always had a strong relationship.
“When I was younger, when I went to his house, he’d always make model rockets and we’d go launch them in the park,” said Owen. “I just hope we’re able to make it through. I just hope he’ll be able to make more model rockets again. That’s one of my biggest memories
His goal was to raise $100 but he has already raised $300. His new goal is $500.
Photo Credit: Getty Images