3 Children Found Living in Trash-Filled Florida Home With 245 Animals, Including Over 80 Rats
Three young girls — all under the age of 10 — were found living in a house with 245 animals, police said. Among them were four dogs, 10 sugar gliders, a hedge hog, 14 birds and 60 adult rats with 23 babies.
You couldn’t walk anywhere without stepping on debris, or animal urine or feces, wrote Officer Anthony Binz, of the Edgewater Police Department in Florida, in his affidavit.
There were flies everywhere, and the children’s bedroom was covered in ankle-deep trash, he wrote.
They lived in the residence with their parents and their father’s girlfriend, police said.
The father, Gregg Nelson, called a wellness check on the home on Sunday, after he decided to end his relationship with both his wife, Susan Nelson, and girlfriend, Melissa Hamilton, according to the police affidavit. He wanted to take the children with him, but their mother wouldn’t let him, he told police.
He “believed the residence was uninhabitable for the children,” according to the affidavit.
Some of the animals were caged, while others roamed freely, Binz wrote. Some of the caged animals were lying in their own feces and urine, and all of them appeared to be infested with fleas, while a few were found to have mange.
Some were simply dead.
“In my five years of experience as a law enforcement officer this is the absolute worst residence I have been to regarding the overwhelming odor of ammonia, animal hoarding, and just the everyday living conditions in which these three juveniles have had to endure while residing at this residence,” Binz wrote.
Police did not say how long the children had been living in the residence, but they have since been placed with a responsible family member, police said.
Meanwhile, the Edgewater Police Department and Edgewater Animal Control removed the animals from the property and took them to the animal shelter.
The police department is taking both monetary and clothing or toy donations for the children, and the Edgewood Animal Shelter is taking donations for the animals.
All three adults were charged with multiple counts child abuse and animal cruelty.
The Florida Public Defender’s office said it’s representing Gregg and Susan Nelson. Asked for a comment, the spokesman for the office declined.
No attorney was listed for Melissa Hamilton. CNN’s attempts to reach her were unsuccessful.
Photo Credit: ktla.com
A police officer will be fired for pulling a gun on the parents of a 4-year-old girl who allegedly stole a doll
A Phoenix officer will be fired for pulling a gun on the parents of a 4-year-old girl who allegedly stole a doll from a Family Dollar store, the police chief says.
Officer Christopher Meyer will be terminated following an internal investigation into his use of force in the May incident caught on video, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said at a press conference Tuesday.
The Phoenix Police Department gave a second officer involved in the incident a written reprimand, and the police chief agreed with the decision. The board recommended Meyer receive a six-week unpaid suspension, but Williams did not think that disciplinary action would suffice.
“In this case, a 240-hour suspension is just not sufficient to reverse the adverse effects of his cations on our department and our community,” Williams said.
The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. CNN has also attempted to reach Meyer for comment.
The couple, Dravon Ames and Iesha Harper, said they didn’t notice their daughter had walked out with a Barbie from the store on May 29.
After they left the store, they pulled into an apartment complex to drop their daughter off at a babysitter, Ames said. Then an officer began banging against their window, yelling and threatening to kill them.
“Our hands are up, we’re just trying not to get shot, trying to stay calm,” Ames said. “He had a gun drawn.”
In the 12-minute video shot by bystanders and posted on Facebook, one officer can be seen handcuffing Ames, first on the ground and then against a police car. The officer kicks Ames and can be heard yelling multiple times, “When I tell you to do something, you f****** do it.”
Ames said there were no sirens or lights to indicate they were being pulled over beforehand and the man pointing a gun at them did not immediately identify himself as an officer.
Another officer appeared to be pulling a gun on the passenger side of the couple’s vehicle before Harper exited the car, holding a small child, with a second child by her side.
An officer attempted to yank the child from her arms before a bystander offers to take her children.
Harper, who was five months pregnant at the time, said she was terrified.
“I really thought he was gonna shoot me in front of the kids,” she said. She chose to give her two children to a “complete stranger because I didn’t trust the police to have her.”
During the video, officers can be heard telling her to get her hands up.
The police chief said she was disturbed by the language and the actions of our officer.
“I assure you that this incident is not representative of the majority of Phoenix police officers who serve this city,” Williams said.
Earlier this year, the couple filed a notice to sue the city for $10 million.
Photo Credit: pix11.com
Alabama School Teacher Paints Fake Bullet Wound On Black Second Grader’s Forehead
A second-grader in Birmingham returned home from school with a bullet wound painted on his forehead. The boy’s teacher applied the makeup.
Now, his upset mother is speaking out, saying, “this actually happens to our black young men,” AL.com reports.
Zakiya Milhouse shared the photo of her son, Amonn Jackson, 7, on Facebook Tuesday (October 15).
The second-grader at Phillips Academy in downtown Birmingham can be seen with a small bullet hold painted on his forehead.
“So they did this in drama class and my boy said the teacher said it’s like he got shot,” Milhouse wrote in her Facebook post. “I don’t like that sh**! I don’t care if it’s Halloween or NOT! A bullet hole in the head.” She added two angry emojis at the end of her message.
“It looked so real in person, that it looked like something happened,” the concerned mother told AL.com.
“It was supposed to be a gunshot wound,” she said. “That’s when I got upset. A gunshot wound.”
Milhouse didn’t feel that putting makeup on a child to mimic a bullet wound was an appropriate school lesson, AL.com reports.
“This actually happens to our black young men,” she said. “If you saw it in person, it looked real.”
The principal of the school empathized with her, calling the teacher’s actions “unacceptable,” according to Milhouse.
The teacher, who teaches drama at the school, also apologized but Milhouse said, “He didn’t think it was a real big deal. He said he did paint on different kids such as black eyes. He said he was going to take it out of his lesson plan.”
Although she admitted she signed a permission form for the use of the makeup in drama class, Milhouse said, “A bullet wound — that’s too much.”
“Birmingham City Schools is aware of an image posted by a parent on social media depicting a wound on a student’s head,” school officials said in a statement. “The student was participating in a theater class unit on stage, film, and special effects.”
The school also stated that all the students participating in the lesson had a choice of where they’d like the makeup, and Amonn chose his face. Students were also given the option to skip a design, AL.com reports.
The teacher, whose name was not released, told Milhouse there was no malice behind the depiction and explained the lesson was intended to help students appreciate and understand the technical elements of performing arts.
“As a culturally responsive school system, Birmingham City Schools takes issues like this very seriously and does not condone the graphic nature of this lesson on special effects,” school officials stated. “We regret any issues and perceptions this incident may have caused, and this portion of the lesson will be removed from the unit.”
Photo Credit : Zakiya Milhouse Facebook via AL.com
Court rules in favor of beauticians who refused to wax transgender woman
A Canadian court ruled in favor of several beauticians that refused to provide a bikini wax to a transgender woman, according to a report on Tuesday.
Jessica Yaniv, who was born male, claimed that five Vancouver estheticians discriminated against her on separate occasions when she requested a Brazilian bikini wax, KOMO News reported.
Yaniv, who has male genitalia, filed various complaints against the women after she was told they were unable to provide her the service.
The women insisted in court that they only offer the service to female clients and weren’t trained to wax men, KOMO News reported. Several of the estheticians also cited religious reasons, claiming they were uncomfortable waxing a man.
“No woman should be compelled to touch male genitals against her will, irrespective of how the owner of the genitals identifies,” defense lawyer, Jay Cameron, told KOMO News.
Photo Credit: Justice Centre for Constitutiona
Texas jury rules against divorced dad trying to stop 7-year-old son’s gender transition
A Texas jury has ruled against a dad seeking custody of his twin 7-year-old sons in an attempt to stop one of the boys from transitioning their gender, according to reports.
The Dallas panel denied Jeffrey Younger’s petition for sole custody of sons Jude and James — which came as the boys’ mom is pushing for James to begin hormone replacement therapy, according to the Washington Examiner.
The mom, pediatrician Anne Georgulas, contends that James is transgender, likes wearing dresses and prefers to be identified as “Luna,” according to The Texan.
Georgulas has secured a letter of recommendation for James to “receive a full psychological assessment for gender dysphoria and potentially take hormone blockers,” the Examiner reported, a move that Younger strongly opposes.
The battle came to the courts when Georgulas filed suit to restrict her ex-husband’s contact with the kids, require that he refer to James as “Luna” — and keep him away from those who refused to do the same, the Examiner reported.
Younger responded by petitioning the court for sole custody of the boys, with expert witnesses testifying that James’ identity is still very much in flux.
“There is still some fluidity in his thinking,” said Dr. Benjamin Albritton, according to the Examiner. “Neither child appears to be depressed, anxious or aggressive. … He gave no indications of other significant psychological difficulties.”
The jury on Monday sided with Georgulas, paving the way for her to pursue a possible transition for James.
At stake, potentially, is not just James’ identity in the here and now, but his health down the line.
Hormone therapy can cause infertility, as well as carrying potential health risks ranging from hair loss to blood clots, according to medical professionals.
A judge is expected to issue a formal ruling Wednesday.
Photo Credit: SaveJames.com
Girl, 4, accidentally shoots father and herself after finding gun
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee police say a 4-year-old girl found her father’s handgun then accidentally shot him and herself, but both are expected to survive.
Police said Monday that they arrested the 33-year-old father because he lied about the circumstances of the shooting Sunday morning. Prosecutors are reviewing the case for possible charges.
Police say the father and his daughter were treated at hospitals and that their injuries are not life-threatening.
Police released no further details, including how the girl managed to get her father’s gun. His name has not been released.
via: https://pix11.com/2019/10/23/girl-4-accidentally-shoots-father-and-herself-after-finding-gun/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Man found bound, stuffed in sleeping bag inside closet with vacuum running to conceal his screaming
FAYETTEVILLE, AR (KFSM) — Fayetteville police say a man and woman tied up their roommate, put him in a closet, and then turned on a vacuum to conceal his screaming.
Megan Osborne, 38, and Jordan Trujillo, 28, were arrested Saturday (Oct. 19) in connection with kidnapping, aggravated assault and theft by receiving.
Police were called about 8:08 p.m. to the West End Apartments for a mental person call, where they found Trujillo sitting outside, according to an arrest affidavit.
Trujillo told police he lived in the unit behind him, where police met Osborne. After she let the officer inside, he heard the vacuum running from inside the closet.
He opened the door to find a man stuffed inside two sleeping bags with his hands and feet bound by a sheet. The bindings were so tight he had to be cut loose, according to the affidavit.
The man said he’d been beaten while on the ground as well, and police noted bruising to his head, a cut on his arm and blood coming from his ear.
Trujillo said he and Osborne tied the man up, covered him with sleeping bags and put him in a trash can.
Trujillo also told police officers they restrained the man and were going to leave him like that while they went out to eat.
Trujillo said he would return later with food once the man calmed down, according to the affidavit.
During their investigation, police also found a stolen scooter and license plate in the apartment.
Osborne and Trujillo were being held Tuesday (Oct. 22) at the Washington County Detention Center on bonds of $250,000.
Both are due Nov. 20 in Washington County Circuit Court.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Bed, Bath and Beyond Pulls Blackface Pumpkins From Shelves After Outcry
Bed, Bath & Beyond has pulled black jack-o-lantern pumpkins from their shelves after a Nyack community complained publicly about the pumpkins. The jack-o-lanterns, which are black and feature white paint for the grin, nose, and eyes, were placed out in front of a Nyack law firm Feerick, Nugent, and MacCartney. Within 48 hours, the law firm had gotten enough complaints about the pumpkins that they took the display down — but the firm also raised the question as to how the pumpkins got to Bed Bath & Beyond shelves in the first place.
When a local news crew investigated the incident, the law firm said that their intention was to never offend or exclude anyone — so as soon as they got complaints, they took down the display. Local NAACP Director Wilbur Aldridge said the pumpkins being displayed depicted an “extreme lack of sensitivity.”
Meanwhile, Bed, Bath & Beyond apologized for the fact that the pumpkins were on sale in the first place — and immediately removed the pumpkins from all store locations. This is not the first time that a company has been criticized for selling products that have a likeness to the racist image recently. Last year, Gucci and Adidas dropped products that had a striking resemblance to the image, and just this year, Prada got in hot water for a fictional animal that depicts blackface, and Katy Perry Collections pulled a shoe that depicted the same image. Clearly, major companies have a long way to go when it comes to making sure their designs are, well, not racist.
via: https://currently.att.yahoo.com/lifestyle/bed-bath-beyond-pulls-blackface-183855546.html
Photo Credit: twitter
Always takes female symbol off its packaging to be inclusive of transgender, nonbinary customers
(CNN) — Always sanitary products will remove the Venus symbol, historically used to represent the female sex, from its products to be inclusive of transgender and nonbinary customers.
Transgender activists and allies had publicly urged Proctor & Gamble to redesign its pad wrapper without the gender symbol, a circle atop a cross. Among their arguments were that not all people who menstruate are women and that not all women menstruate.
The change is the latest in a series of actions companies and governments are taking to affirm the identities of transgender people as transgender equality activism surges. Companies including Lyft, Mastercard, and Tinder are making similar moves.
“For over 35 years Always has championed girls and women, and we will continue to do so,” Proctor & Gamble said Tuesday in a statement. “We’re also committed to diversity & inclusion and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of all of our consumers.”
Getting periods can be a dysphoric experience for transgender and nonbinary people, especially because of the way that periods are generally discussed and addressed as something that only happens to people who are assigned women at birth.
Proctor & Gamble has not said when the design change will happen.
“We routinely assess our products, packaging, & designs, taking into account consumer feedback, to ensure we are meeting the needs of everyone who uses our products,” the company’s statement said.
Photo Credit: Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
Florida Uber Driver Charged After Allegedly Shooting Passenger While Trying to Secure Gun
A Florida Uber driver has been charged after accidentally shooting a passenger while he tried to secure his gun.
Hollywood police say 27-year-old Adrian Harper had stopped to pick up an additional passenger Sunday and was trying to put his gun in a holster while the person loaded their belongings into the trunk. The gun was lying in the seat beside Harper as he attempted to put it in a holster. The bullet hit a juvenile passenger sitting in the backseat.
Ebony Collins told police she was loading her belongings into the truck when she heard the gunshot. She ran to the police station to report the shooting.
The unidentified child was taken to the hospital.
According to an arrest report, Harper was issued a misdemeanor notice to appear in court for culpable negligence inflicting harm. Police also confiscated the gun.
Photo Credit: ktla.com