Parents Arrested After 2 Kids, Ages 1 and 2, Left Alone for Hours at Lake Elsinore Motel
Two young children were found by themselves at a motel in Lake Elsinore, and their parents were both allegedly under the influence of different substances when authorities contacted them, officials said Wednesday.
Deputies initially responded on Tuesday to a report a 1-year-old walking alone in a motel parking lot in the 31700 block of Casino Drive, according to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
The child was wearing only a diaper at the time.
Deputies picked up the baby and then noticed the door to a motel room was open. Inside, they found a 2-year-old alone, sheriff’s officials said.
While authorities were trying to locate the children’s parents, their father showed up.
Joseph Salas, 50, of Temecula, was taken to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station, as were the two children, according to the statement. Salas was allegedly under the influence of marijuana at the time.
A short time later, the mother — 32-year-old Tamara Ross of Temecula — arrived at the station. She was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when she drove there, the department said.
Investigators said they determined the two youngsters had been left alone for more than three hours.
Salas was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and being under the influence of marijuana in public; Ross was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and DUI, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Child protective services was called to take custody of the two juveniles.
Authorities continue to investigate, and anyone with more information is asked to call Cpl. Brown at 951-245-3300 or sheriff’s dispatch at 951-776-1099.
Photo Credit: Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
An 8-year-old girl wasn’t allowed to take her school picture because of her red hair extensions
MICHIGAN — An 8-year-old girl said she felt “singled out” after being blocked from getting her school picture taken because of her hairstyle.
Marian Scott told CNN affiliate WILX she cried after she was told that she couldn’t get her photo taken because of the red extensions in her hair.
Ben Kriesch, principal of Paragon Charter Academy, told the station that Marian’s red extensions violated school policy.
Marian’s father Doug Scott called the incident “upsetting.”
“All of this is uncalled for, they didn’t even call us,” Scott told WILX. “They let her stay in school. … So if she’s not a disruption to the class, then why is she a disruption to the picture?”
The Jackson, Michigan, school’s handbook says students’ hair color must be “of natural tones” to get their picture taken, WILX reported.
Kriesch told the station that students with a hair color or style violation have a week to get it corrected, which is why Marian was allowed to remain in class.
The girl’s family said they don’t have plans to remove her from the school, but they said they would like to see better communication from school administrators.
“If they would have reached out to us and say come get her … she’s got a hair issue, we need you to change it, that’s not allowed — I would have been fine with why this happened, but they didn’t reach out to us,” Scott told WILX.
The school sent out a recorded message the Sunday before photos were taken going over the dress code policy that Scott said he never heard nor saw, according to the station.
“Had I seen the email, I probably would have told Marian’s mother to not do it, but I guess I think it’s good that this happened because now people are going to get the opportunity to see what is really going on,” he said.
This isn’t the first time a dress code has been criticized. In September, a Texas school district said a 4-year-old boy had to braid his hair or cut it off, saying his long hair is in violation of the school district’s dress code. Parents argued that it was discriminatory against black hairstyles.
Action has been taken to stop employers from discriminating against people based on their natural hair.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Crown Act into law in July, making it illegal to enforce dress code or grooming policies against hairstyles such as afros, braids, twists and locks.
Marian went to school on Monday for the first time since the incident with all black hair. She plans to get her picture taken on retake day, November 12.
Photo Credit: pix11.com
‘Armed’ robber forced to buy cheeseburger so McDonald’s staff could open the till
An “armed” robber was forced to buy a 99p cheeseburger so staff could open the till at the McDonald’s he was attempting to rob.
Daniel Parra-Braun, 37, burst into the fast-food restaurant and placed a note on the counter which read: “I am armed. Give till cash now.”
But he was left stunned when he was told the tills would not open unless he bought something off the menu.
Incredibly, Parra-Braun ordered a 99p cheeseburger and even handed over a £5 note before making off with £136 in cash.
The bizarre robbery was one of four Parra-Braun carried out in Coventry in just 12 hours before being caught on June 16 last year.
Parra-Braun, of Coventry, has now been jailed for five years after he admitted two charges of robbery and two attempted robberies at Warwick Crown Court.
Judge Peter Cooke told him: “I accept that this bizarre few hours in your life was the product of something of a psychiatric collapse you had suffered.
“Your behaviour has that peculiar flavour to it and was not just about obtaining money.
“There is no suggestion you produced or had a weapon, but the people on the other end of the threats were not to know that.”
The court heard Parra-Braun struck at the McDonald’s on the Gallagher Retail Park in Coventry at 8pm on June 16.
He marched up to the counter and told the terrified server: “Give me the money from the till. You’re going to have to, I’m armed.”
The man behind the counter said he could not open the till until a purchase was made so Parra-Braun ordered a cheeseburger and gave him £5.
The assistant still did not hand over any money, but the manager gave him £136 from the till, and Parra-Braun fled.
Earlier in the day, Parra-Braun also held up another McDonald’s as well as a bookmakers and a hotel in the city.
The court heard Parra-Braun had 11 convictions for offences including theft.
Ian Windridge, defending, said: “He has mental health conditions, but they did not
contribute to the offending, nor did they require hospital treatment.
“He goes back to Coventry. He doesn’t really know what he’s doing. He makes comments and writes notes.
“He wasn’t in need of money. It was a cry for help, but not a substantial one.”
Photo Credit: SWNS/Getty
9-year-old to face 5 murder charges in deadly Illinois fire
EUREKA, Ill. – A prosecutor says a central Illinois 9-year-old will be charged with five counts of first-degree murder in connection with a mobile home fire that killed five people.
Woodford County State’s Attorney Greg Minger tells the Journal Star the juvenile also will be charged with two counts of arson and one count of aggravated arson.
The April 6 fire near the village of Goodfield killed a 1-year-old, two 2-year-olds, a 34-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman.
Minger would not reveal other details about the suspect, including a possible relationship to the victims.
Minger said charges were expected to be filed Tuesday.
He said the child, if convicted, could be placed on probation for at least five years but not beyond the age of 21. Therapy and counseling would be likely.
via: https://fox2now.com/2019/10/08/9-year-old-to-face-5-murder-charges-in-deadly-illinois-fire/
Photo Credit: fox2now.com
Singer, reality TV star Tameka ‘Tiny’ Harris says $750K worth of jewelry stolen from Lamborghini
ATLANTA — The reality television star and wife of rapper T.I. says more than $750,000 in jewelry was stolen from her Lamborghini outside an Atlanta bar.
Tameka “Tiny” Harris told Atlanta police she left wedding rings, watches and stud earrings in a blue velour bag on the center console of her 2019 Lamborghini SUV.
Atlanta police investigator James H. White III said Harris told officers she parked her car around 8:45 p.m. Sunday and discovered the items missing about an hour later. A preliminary police report says the estimated value of the stolen items exceeds $750,000.
Officials told WSB-TV that security near the bar didn’t see anything suspicious.
Harris was part of the R&B group Xscape and starred in “The Family Hustle” alongside Clifford “T.I.” Harris.
Photo Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Barclays exec says he killed wife after she mocked his erectile dysfunction
The British Barclays bank executive who beat his wife to death with a crowbar tearfully testified Monday that he “killed the woman I love” after she taunted him about his erectile dysfunction.
David Pomphret, 51, said during his trial in Liverpool Crown Court that he felt “terrible” about hitting wife Ann Marie Pomphret over the head with the tool more than 30 times at their Cheshire home in 2018.
“I killed the woman I love. It’s a horrible thing to do,” he testified, according to the Manchester Evening News.
“She ranted at me for being a bad parent, calling me f–ing useless,” David said. “Called me limp and useless. Bit embarrassing — we have been having, I have been having, erectile dysfunction. I was not performing very well.”
The couple of 22 years had gotten into a fight after David went to their stables to pick up some tools for a DIY project, which apparently angered his wife, who suffered from autism and had been undergoing cancer treatment.
Ann Marie, 49, allegedly shouted that he was “f–ing crazy” and “just going to create more s–t,” before turning on their teenage daughter and criticizing her over her clothes, which she found too revealing, David told the court.
At one point, she slapped David across the face. He grabbed the hood of her coat — then blacked out.
The next thing he remembered was “standing at the side of her body.”
“There was blood on my hands and the crowbar,” he said. “She was on the floor.”
After the attack, David said he “stupidly” tried to cover up his tracks, washing his hands and the crowbar and burning his blood-covered sweatshirt.
Prosecutors allege David, who is charged with murder, intended to kill his wife. But his defense lawyers argue he suffered a “loss of self control” consistent with manslaughter.
Photo Credit: Twitter
Mom intentionally drove in front of UPS truck, killing 10-year-old daughter
An Ohio mom allegedly drove in front of an oncoming UPS truck on purpose — killing her young daughter and injuring her son, authorities said.
Kia Ferguson, 37, was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in connection to the deadly collision in January on Interstate 90 in Mentor, news station WOIO reported.
She pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and other charges.
Police said the mom “intentionally pulled in front of the semi-truck” before the vehicle slid down an embankment.
Her daughter, Jia, died at the scene while her 6-year-old son required treatment in the intensive care unit at Cleveland’s MetroHealth Hospital, WOIO reported.
Authorities declined to comment on the evidence used to indict the mom for purposely causing the crash, Cleveland.com reported.
Ferguson has been released on bond and is expected to appear in court next on Oct. 23.
Photo Credit: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Florida man arrested for trying to get alligator drunk
A Florida man was reportedly arrested for trying to get an alligator drunk after his pal captured the reptile.
Timothy Kepke, 27, of Hobe Sound allegedly fed some beer to the animal, which also bit him, on Aug. 26 in Palm City, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report obtained by TC Palm.
Moments earlier, Kepke told police, Noah Osborne, 22, caught the gator with his bare hands, the report said.
Kepke told authorities he had consumed a few beers that day, but claimed he wasn’t intoxicated during the incident.
After the beer feeding, which was recorded, the duo released the animal back into the wild, Kepke told officers.
Authorities obtained the video, though it’s unclear how, and on Sept. 17 confronted Kepke at his home, where he copped to the crime.
A woman who was with the two men confirmed Kepke’s account with police on Sept. 21, the report said.
Both Kepke and Osborne were arrested on Oct. 3 and charged with unlawfully taking an alligator.
via: https://nypost.com/2019/10/07/florida-man-arrested-for-trying-to-get-alligator-drunk/
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Mom charged after leaving baby to die in car while she went ‘dumpster diving’
An Alabama mom was reportedly charged with murder in the death of her 13-month-old baby who she left alone in a car for 8 hours on Saturday.
Elizabeth Anne Case, 36, took her son with her about 10 p.m. Friday while she was “dumpster diving” in Limestone and Madison counties, according to AL.com.
Case, who has a history of drug use, returned to her East Limestone Road home at about 5:40 a.m. Saturday and left her child inside the locked car, the report said.
Later that day around 1:30 p.m., the infant’s grandmother came over and woke up Case when she couldn’t find her grandson.
They found the baby inside the car and Case placed him into the shower before the grandmother called 911.
The duo then took the boy into the car and met local police at a nearby recreation center.
The baby was declared dead at Athens-Limestone Hospital.
Before her murder charge, police said the Case had been out on bail for a robbery charge.
Photo Credit: Limestone County Public Jail
College student pleads guilty to killing bestie, says she was ‘doing cocaine with the devil’
A Virginia college student told police she was “doing cocaine with the devil” when she flew into a psychotic rage and fatally knifed her best friend and roommate more than 30 times, a report said.
Luisa Ines Tudela Harris Cutting, 21, pleaded guilty on Monday to the Jan. 24 slaying of Alexa Cannon and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the Roanoke Times reported.
Cutting admitted to stabbing Cannon to death in the off-campus apartment that the two students shared near Radford University in Southern Virginia.
Cutting had been binging on a cocktail of drugs — including cocaine, mushrooms, Adderall, Xanax and marijuana, according to the report.
During her confession to police, Cutting allegedly spouted rambling statements about the apocalypse and said the Hail Mary prayer a number of times in Spanish, according to the report.
She also repeatedly tried to shove her entire hand in her mouth, the newspaper reported.
During her sentencing Monday, Cutting offered a brief statement, asking for forgiveness and expressing regret for the killing.
“There are no words for this tragedy and my heart is filled with sorrow and grief,” she said.
Prior to the killing, Cannon shared glowing social media posts about Cutting, saying she was her best friend.
A post on Cannon’s Facebook page from July 2018 read: “So incredibly proud of my best friend, Luisa Cutting for becoming Latinos Student Alliance’s President! I know you’re going to be amazing with everything you do! Love you more!!”
“Love you so so much,” Cutting wrote in response to Cannon’s Facebook post.
Photo Credit: Facebook