Wisconsin Health Teacher Allegedly Sexually Abused 15-Year-Old Boy For Months
A 23-year-old high school health teacher in Wisconsin is accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy for months.
In August, Talia Jo Warner was charged with second-degree sexual assault of a child, use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, child enticement, causing a child older than 13 to view sexual activity, two counts of exposing genitals, pubic area or intimate parts to a child and exposing a child to harmful material, according to online court records obtained by PEOPLE.
Warner was released from jail after posting the $10,000 bond imposed by a judge.
The charges come nearly nine months after officials at Somerset High School first learned of the allegations, according to RiverTown Multimedia.
Warner was replaced as the school’s health teacher after resigning back in February.
Citing the criminal complaint filed in court, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the alleged abuse began between Warner and a 15-year-old sophomore in October 2018.
For roughly three months, Warner and the victim kept in contact, and allegedly had two sexual encounters outside of the high school.
One, the paper claims, occurred in Warner’s car, while it was parked down the street from her home in White Bear Lake, Minn. The other reportedly happened in the house.
The complaint alleges that Warner sent the student 10 inappropriate, sexually explicit pictures and videos, the paper reports.
Investigators reviewed Snapchat records, unearthing months of exchanges between the two that allegedly included “sexual talk and behavior.”
In January, students alerted a teacher who brought the allegations to district officials.
“Based on the information received, Somerset School District officials believed the information was false and investigated the incident before law enforcement was contacted,” the complaint states, according to the paper. “Several persons were interviewed prior to law enforcement including Warner and several others that brought this information forward.”
Police interviewed the student four times. At first, he denied anything inappropriate occurred.
Warner had not entered pleas to the charges.
Online court records indicate a preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 30.
RiverTown Multimedia obtained a statement from the school district, saying, “When the District first learned of the potential allegations, Ms. Warner was removed from the classroom and the District undertook a full investigation and has cooperated with law enforcement through this process. District staff appreciate the support of the community during this difficult time, and also want to thank the community for respecting the privacy of the alleged victim.”
PEOPLE reached Warner’s attorney, Chris Gramstrup, by phone Tuesday but he would not comment on the case.
Photo Credit: people.com
Joan Johnson, who co-founded the black hair company that made Afro Sheen, has died
Joan Johnson, who helped create one of the nation’s largest black-owned companies, has died.
Johnson, 89, co-founded Johnson Products Company, the pioneering black hair care company which made iconic products such as Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen. She died Friday in Chicago after a long illness.
She started Johnson Products Company in Chicago in 1954 with her husband, George Johnson. They took a $250 investment and turned it into a multi-million dollar company which became the first black-owned company to be traded on the American Stock Exchange (now known as NYSE American).
“When I think about pioneers, the real pioneers are the people who are able to make a path where none exists,” her son Eric G. Johnson told CNN. “Johnson Products in many ways was that company. She and my father had no provided path. They created a path where there was none.”
Eric Johnson said his mother was the true matriarch of the family.
Her company helped another icon
“(Joan was) someone I always admired,” publicist Dori Wilson told CNN. Wilson had known Johnson since about 1970 and said Johnson and her husband were role models for many.
“The Johnsons were the first successful family we in the African American communities read about,” she said. “She was perceived as a shrewd and smart businesswoman. I can’t remember any other product that was really synonymous with the African American community.”
The company also helped the growth of another American icon which got its start in Chicago: “Soul Train.” In the early 1970s Johnson Products became a sponsor of the groundbreaking TV dance and musical variety program, which went on to run in national syndication for almost four decades.
ohnson’s family described her as an advocate for women. She was a trustee at Spelman College, the black women’s college in Atlanta, according to her obituary, and her family plans to continue her legacy by supporting the school with an annual scholarship.
She was also known for her sense of style and was a sponsor and organizer of the Congressional Black Caucus Fashion Show.
“She truly was a grande dame in every sense of the work,” said Linda Johnson Rice, CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, which formerly published Ebony and Jet magazines. “Dignified, smart, sharp-witted and fun. I have many fond memories of my conversations with her…dispensing life advice. Her life is one to be celebrated.”
Services for Johnson will be held Friday in Chicago.
Photo Credit: family photo
High school swimmer DQ’d because ref saw ‘butt cheek touching butt cheek’
A high school swimmer from Alaska was disqualified from a race on Friday because the referee ruled she could see “butt cheek touching butt cheek” during the girl’s victorious race, according to a report.
The young Dimond High School swimmer was faulted with breaking a National Federation of High Schools rule in her match against Chugiak that states boys must conceal their buttocks and girls must cover their buttocks and breasts, according to The Anchorage Daily News.
The meet’s referee explained to Annette Rohde, who was working as an official, that the swimmer’s suit “was so far up I could see butt cheek touching butt cheek,” the report said.
The Anchorage School District said in a statement to the paper that they’re reviewing the incident.
“The disqualification appears to stem from a difference of opinion in the interpretation of the rules governing high school swim uniforms,” the statement said.
“We intend to gather all the facts surrounding the disqualification so we can accurately address the matter with officials and take appropriate action to ensure fair, equitable competition and consistent application of the rules for this athlete and her peers.”
The district noted the girl was wearing her “approved, school-issued suit,” on Friday.
After the meet, Rohde consulted with the referee over the decision, which left her in “disbelief.”
“I told her, ‘I need to know how you’re defining this, because this is going to blow up,’ ’’ Rohde told the paper.
Rohde’s said she didn’t see the infraction.
The refs call denied the swimmer a win, the report said. She competed in four other races Friday.
Photo Credit: nypost.com
St. Louis mom makes meals for dozens of hungry kids in her community nearly every day
ST. LOUIS — A North St. Louis woman is paying it forward one day at a time, feeding hundreds of kids just by opening her front door. Champale Anderson is on a mission to feed kids in her community who live in poverty.
Anderson says a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread will go a very long way putting smiles on the faces of many kids in her community and warming their hearts and filling their bellies.
She is a healthcare provider and mother of six. She has been feeding kids in her St. Louis neighborhood for five years.
Anderson said she has an open-door policy on school days for kids in the community. Kids can knock on her door before and after school and she will hand them a snack for breakfast and lunch.
“I noticed the kids they are always hungry. They get off the bus and they take off running and they never know what I will have in the bag. I switch up and have special treats for my special babies,” said Anderson.
The bags are filled with goodies that many kids love to eat. Some of the items include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, fruit, vegetables, juice, snacks and a few surprises helping many kids in need.
“It makes me proud. My goal is to go to different neighborhoods and give out bags,” said Anderson.
Residents say what makes this act of kindness so impressive she makes about 100 bags a day and pours so much love into the bags to make it possible.
Outside her home stands a sign that reads Champ Tears Drops free snack anytime and donations welcome. Inside her home, a cross sits in the center of her table where she prepares the snacks.
Anderson says she lives by a quote by Mother Teresa, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
To donate you can call 314-346-3451, or head to the GoFundMe page.
Photo Credit: pix11.com
56-year-old woman accused of tying up and cutting off husband’s penis
NEWPORT, N.C. — Authorities in North Carolina have locked up a woman accused of cutting off her husband’s penis.
A news release says 61-year-old James Frabutt told Carteret County deputies his wife, 56-year-old Victoria Thomas Frabutt, tied him up and pulled out a knife early Tuesday morning.
James Frabutt was taken to a Greenville hospital where his condition is unknown. Deputies were able to recover the body part, put it on ice and give it to medical personnel. A motive for the castration is unclear.
Victoria Thomas Frabutt has been charged with kidnapping and malicious castration. She’s in jail on a $100,000 bond and has a court hearing scheduled for Wednesday. It’s unclear whether she had an attorney who could comment on her behalf.
via: https://pix11.com/2019/09/10/56-year-old-woman-accused-of-tying-up-castrating-husband/
Photo Credit: Carteret County Jail
Pumpkin spice lovers, we may have finally outdone ourselves
You can smell it in the air. It’s pumpkin spice season.
Sure, it’s September and maybe it’s still 90-plus degrees if you live in the South. But fall is on its way, so let all pumpkin spice lovers rejoice.
During this transitional time in our seasonal earthly world, let us also take a moment to reflect on our ever-growing passion for the scientifically proven addictive flavor.
We’ve gotten Starbucks to provide us with our yearly dose of pumpkin spice drink options. (Three cheers for PSLs!) Krispy Kreme has even joined the pumpkin spice movement, adding a pumpkin spice doughnut with cheesecake filling to its menu.
But we must ask ourselves the question: How far is too far? Because let’s be honest. Some pumpkin spice items don’t make sense.
Here’s a list of eight pumpkin spice items you can buy right now that have no business being on the market.
Pumpkin spice spam
If pork wanted to taste like pumpkin spice, then it would be a pumpkin. But it’s not. It’s pork.
Pumpkin spice CBD drops
You can scare your anxieties away with Pumpkin Spice CBD drops in your preferred drink, courtesy of Summit CBD.
Pumpkin spice dog treats
Please Greenies, don’t addict our lil pups to the pumpkin spice flavor, too.
Pumpkin spice beard oil
A well moisturized beard is 1000% necessary. A beard that smells like you’d like your beard to be eaten is quite the opposite.
Pumpkin spice protein powder
Pumpkin spice in your protein powder is just going to confuse your body. Is it time to build up our muscle strength and go workout or is it time to cuddle up by the fire and devour everything that smells like pumpkin spice?
Pumpkin spice dish soap
If we’re trying to get food off our dirty dishes, why would someone want pumpkin spice dish soap to add the scent of food back on it?
Pumpkin spice kale chips
You’re either kale or you’re pumpkin spice. You can only be one, Angel Kale..
Pumpkin spice lip balm
Because consuming it isn’t enough. We have to wear it on our lips to remind us of the flavor we crave.
Photo Credit: Hormel Foods
Boy ‘humiliated’ on birthday after cafeteria worker takes food off lunch tray due to negative balance
(Meredith/WEWS/CNN) — A 9-year-old boy from Green, Ohio, said he was humiliated on his birthday when a cafeteria worker took away his hot meal and replaced it with a cold sandwich due to an outstanding balance.
Jefferson Sharpnack said he tried to purchase cheesy breadsticks at Green Primary School on Sept. 3, but experienced an issue at the checkout line.
“I got my cheesy breadsticks and put in my number,” he said. “And when I was going to check out, the lunch lady didn’t say anything and took away my cheesy breadsticks and sauce.”
He said the cafeteria worker reached into the fridge and gave him a cheese sandwich instead, embarrassing him in front of his friends.
The boy’s grandmother, Diane Bailey, said prior to the incident, Jefferson came home from school on Aug. 30 with a note stating he owed $9 for his lunch account.
Bailey said she spoke to a school administrator to straighten things out. She said Jefferson and his two brothers recently moved to Ohio to live with her, and they are supposed to be enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program.
The school reportedly told Bailey she could write a check for her grandson’s lunch balance until the free and reduced lunch registration paperwork was processed.
Bailey said after speaking with the school administrator, she thought Jefferson was in good-standing, until he came home from school complaining about his lunch being taken away.
“In my mind, he didn’t owe anything,” Bailey said. “And my other question is, if they take the food off of your tray, they have to throw it away. You’re going to throw it away and not feed the child? That doesn’t make sense to me.”
Green Local Schools released the following statement about the incident:
We are in the process of looking into this specific situation. We were not notified directly from the family, but district employees reached out after being made aware of a social media post. The lunch program is complex due to federal requirements. As it relates specifically to our policy, students receive multiple means of communication when their accounts become negative. Currently students who are $15 or more in debt are provided a lunch that includes fruit, vegetables, and either a cheese quesadilla or cheese sandwich.
Additionally, our district works hard to ensure that students who qualify for free and reduced lunches receive them. We have Family Support Specialists on staff whose primary jobs are to reach out and help families in need. It is important to us that students have positive experiences in the lunchroom and all areas of the school. For that reason, we will continue to look into our practices and come up with solutions that work for our students and families.
Photo Credit: kten.com
Man Who Ran Heroin and Cocaine Delivery Service in the San Fernando Valley Gets Nearly 20 Years in Prison
A man who oversaw deliveries of heroin and cocaine in the San Fernando Valley was sentenced Monday to nearly 20 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sigifredo Gurrola Barrientos pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in April 2018.
Barrientos, 42, ran “Manny’s Delivery Service” from 2013 until December 2017, when law enforcement officials busted the drug ring and discovered about 11 and a half pounds of heroin and just over a pound of cocaine at a so-called “stash house” in Van Nuys.
Authorities said Barrientos and a co-defendant possessed $434,327 in drug money that was also found at the house.
As part of what federal prosecutors have described as a “sophisticated, high-volume narcotics business,” authorities said Barrientos would obtain wholesale quantities of narcotics and maintain a fleet of vehicles to deliver them to street dealers and others.
He also managed employees, kept drug sale ledgers and arranged the storage and transportation of the narcotics and money made from them.
The delivery vehicles were equipped with hidden compartments to transport bulk amounts of cash and drugs, according to prosecutors. Others in the drug ring moved hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and obtained pound quantities of heroin.
The stash house was used to store bulk narcotics while smaller amounts were packaged and sold to customers from the drug ring’s main facility in Van Nuys. Delivery drivers would meet customers at different locations around the San Fernando Valley.
During one such instance in November 2014, prosecutors said, Barrientos coordinated the delivery of nearly one pound of heroin but law enforcement officials seized the drugs.
In a federal grand jury indictment charging him and 13 other people, Barrientos was named the lead defendant and has been in custody since his arrest in December 2017. Prosecutors said he is the last to be sentenced out of the 14 defendants charged in the indictment.
Others in the case have received up to 97 months in federal prison, or just over eight years.
Another three drug dealers associated with the drug ring were charged in separate indictments. They each pleaded guilty to distribution or possession with intent to distribute heroin and have been sentenced to up to 63 months in prison.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Florida mom charged after two sons drown in pool
A Florida mom has been charged in the deaths of her two young sons, who drowned in a pool after playing unsupervised for about two hours, according to authorities.
Branario Minto, 5, and Ja’Kye Joseph, 6, were found by a relative submerged in a community pool at a North Lauderdale condominium in May, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
The brothers were pulled from the water and raced to a local hospital but could not be saved.
Surveillance showed the boys completely unsupervised as they played by the pool hours earlier, officers said. Investigators believe the boys may have climbed a fence to reach the pool, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
“The brothers had been submerged under water for almost two hours prior to being found,” the sheriff’s office said.
Mom Wildline Liline Joseph, 23, was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of aggravated manslaughter of a child.
“Detectives said Joseph failed to provide proper care and supervision for the brothers, which made her responsible for their deaths,” the department said.
Joseph’s boyfriend, John Louis Lynn Jr., 24, had been arrested Tuesday on the same charges. He is not the biological father of either boy but was living with Joseph at the time, the Sun Sentinel reported.
The couple’s two other children, a 1-year-old and a baby, were removed from their home in May as part of the death investigation, the paper stated.
Lynn and Joseph were booked into the Broward Sheriff’s Office Main Jail on $500,000 bond each.
via: https://nypost.com/2019/09/09/florida-mom-charged-after-two-sons-drown-in-pool/
Photo Credit: Broward Sheriff’s Office
Tesla driver apparently caught sleeping at the wheel going 60 mph
The driver of a Tesla on autopilot appeared to be asleep behind the wheel while whizzing along a Massachusetts highway, new video shows.
A fellow motorist captured the driver with his head slumped forward — and his passenger equally zonked out — along I-90 on Sunday.
“Some guy literally asleep at the wheel on the Mass Pike (great place for it),” tweeted fellow motorist Dakota Randall with the clip. “Teslas are sick, I guess?”
Randall guessed he and the Tesla were both going about 60 mph through Newton at the time. He said he tried to wake up the daredevil drivers by honking — but “it didn’t work at all,” he told NBC10 Boston.
“I kind of looked over and saw what I thought was somebody asleep at the wheel and I was like that can’t be right, so I did a double-take, looked over and sure enough this guy was just, head between his legs completely asleep,” Randall told the network.
While the autopilot system features advanced safety features, Tesla takes pains to stress that it is “not a self-driving system.”
Autopilot is intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time,” the company states on its website.
Randall said he’ll always watch out for Teslas on the road.
“I’m always going to look to see if somebody’s asleep,” he said.
State police told NBC10 Boston they were aware of the incident from media reports but had not been contacted by anyone.
In June, another Tesla driver was similarly caught snoozing behind the wheel in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In a statement, the company implied the video was a hoax and claimed it’s cars would not allow users to fall asleep at the wheel.
“Many of these videos appear to be dangerous pranks or hoaxes. Our driver-monitoring system repeatedly reminds drivers to remain engaged and prohibits the use of Autopilot when warnings are ignored. At highway speeds, drivers typically receive warnings every 30 seconds or less if their hands aren’t detected on the wheel,” the company said.
“Tesla owners have driven billions of miles using Autopilot, and data from our quarterly Vehicle Safety Report indicates that drivers using Autopilot experience fewer accidents than those operating without assistance.”
via: https://nypost.com/2019/09/09/tesla-driver-apparently-caught-sleeping-at-the-wheel-going-60-mph/
Photo Credit: nypost.com