Elderly man kills wife, then himself over health care costs
FERNDALE, Wash. – A 911 call made Wednesday morning ended in tragedy when deputies found an elderly man and his wife dead in an apparent murder-suicide.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded about 8:30 a.m. to the 6500 bock of Timmeran Lane near Ferndale after a 77-year-old man called 911 and told the dispatcher, “I am going to shoot myself.”
He told the 911 operator that he left a note with information and instructions. The dispatcher tried to keep the man on the line, but he ended the call after saying, “We will be in the front bedroom.”
Deputies set up a perimeter around the house, and a crisis negotiator tried for an hour to contact the people inside using a phone and a loudhailer, the sheriff’s office said. When that didn’t work, deputies deployed a robotic camera, which found the man and his 76-year-old wife were both dead from gunshot wounds.
According to the sheriff’s office, there were several notes left in the home, citing ongoing severe medical problems with the wife and concern that the couple didn’t have enough money to pay for her health care. One of the notes also listed next-of-kin. Deputies are working with law enforcement from out of state to notify relatives.
There were also two dogs inside the home when the couple was found. They’ve been turned over to the Humane Society.
“It is very tragic that one of our senior citizens would find himself in such desperate circumstances where he felt murder and suicide were the only option,” Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo said. “Help is always available with a call to 911.”
via: https://pix11.com/2019/08/09/elderly-man-kills-wife-then-himself-over-health-care-costs/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Nursing home sued after video shows staff taunting elderly woman
GLENVIEW, Ill. — An Illinois nursing home was sued after caregivers allegedly posted Snapchat videos of themselves taunting a dementia patient.
The short Snapchat video shows 91-year-old Margaret Collins who has dementia. In the video, it said “Margaret hates gowns!” with two laughing and crying emojis. It showed a certified nursing assistant repeatedly putting a hospital gown on top of an elderly woman while she tries to wave it away.
“You just can’t believe you’re seeing this,” Joan Biebel, Collins’ daughter, said. “You think your mom is safe and now this is going on. You’re just trying to figure out what the heck is happening here.”
The incident happened last December at the Abington of Glenview nursing and rehab center. Family members said staff knew that Collins did not like hospital gowns and preferred to wear her own clothes.
Brayan Cortez and Jamie Montesa were both charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Police said Cortez was in the video and Montesa recorded it and they said she told investigators she had recorded video of Collins in her wheelchair once before.
“If they’re in her room, they should’ve been there for a reason to help her, assist her, not to exploit her and threaten her and demean her and post it on social media,” Biebel said.
Now, the family is suing the nursing home, its parent company and the workers. The lawsuit seeks more than a million dollar in damages.
Administrators said in a statement:
“The privacy and dignity of our residents are of the utmost concern at The Abington. Recently, two employees were immediately terminated when it was determined that they violated our standards and policies.”
Police reports said Cortez and Montesa did initially return to work after serving a six day suspension. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported administrators initially concluded the allegations were unfounded after co-workers vouched for the pair.
“This was a sick game that two CNAs tried to play for their own enjoyment and by filing this lawsuit and pursing this lawsuit we will prevent this from happening to other individuals in this facility, as well as other facilities across the state,” John Perconti, attorney, said.
The state found Abington failed to implement its abuse prevention policy. Family members moved Collins to another facility, but they say her health has deteriorated.
via: https://pix11.com/2019/08/10/nursing-home-sued-after-video-shows-staff-taunting-elderly-woman/
Photo Credit: pix11.com
Ohio family sues after ancestry kit reveals their daughter isn’t related to her dad
An Ohio family says in a civil lawsuit that a fertility clinic used another man’s sperm more than 20 years ago when the parents used in vitro fertilization to have a child and they only found out because of the results of a recent Ancestry.com test.
It is unclear who Rebecca Cartellone’s biological father is. It is not Joseph Cartellone, who with his daughter and his wife, Jennifer, is suing the Institute for Reproductive Health, Ovation Fertility Cincinnati and The Christ Hospital Health Network.
“I never would’ve imagined the Christmas gift of home DNA kit would unveil this kind of abuse of our trust,” Joseph Cartellone told reporters Wednesday.
The Cartellones say in documents filed Wednesday in a Hamilton County court that in 1994, Jennifer Cartellone underwent in vitro fertilization but the sperm came from someone else, not her husband. Rebecca Cartellone was born later that year.
“This is a massive betrayal of trust and an unthinkable break of trust,” said Joseph C. Peiffer, managing shareholder of the Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane law firm. He told reporters in Washington it was the results of a home DNA kit from Ancestry.com that showed no relation between father and daughter.
The law firm represents a number of families who are suing fertility clinics, alleging misconduct.
A paternity test confirmed Joseph Cartellone is not Rebecca’s biological father, the lawsuit said.
In vitro fertilization is a series of procedures in which an egg is fertilized in a lab and then transferred to a uterus, according to the Mayo Clinic. The process is generally used by couples who otherwise have struggled to get pregnant.
The couple entered a contract for IVF through The Christ Hospital and its affiliated Greater Cincinnati Institute for Reproductive Health, which the lawsuit says later split into two entities: the Institute for Reproductive Health and Ovation Fertility Cincinnati.
The Christ Hospital Health Network declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation. It said it was “evaluating the allegations surrounding events alleged to have occurred in the early 1990s.”
The Institute for Reproductive Health wrote in a statement that it didn’t exist in 1994. Officials said the problem occurred in a different and unaffiliated lab.
“Because this alleged incident occurred in the Christ Hospital’s laboratory, before our practice and laboratory existed, we cannot comment on what may or may not have occurred in their laboratory,” they wrote.
They added: “Embryology procedures are performed in a distinct laboratory during all IVF processes. Our physicians are not involved in the fertilization of eggs with sperm, as this process is handled by embryologists in the IVF laboratory. IRH has stringent protocols in place to verify patient identity and maintain the chain of custody of all specimens involved in the IVF process. Our lab protocols have been inspected and accredited. … We take very seriously the trust and faith that our patients have in our practice, and we will continue to provide the highest quality individualized care.”
Ovation Fertility Cincinnati said it opened in the 2000s.
“And therefore any action that could have occurred in The Christ Hospital’s laboratory 25 years ago is unrelated to our lab,” it said.
The Cartellones’ attorney Adam Wolf said the same doctor and lab director from the original lab, The Greater Cincinnati Institute, are now listed as working with the Institute of Reproductive Health. The doctor and lab director are not named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges breach of contract, negligence and breaking a legal-binding promise.
It also alleges battery against Jennifer Cartellone because she would not have consented to an embryo that had been fertilized by a stranger being used in the procedure.
The family is asking for a monetary compensation and the name of the biological father and information about his medical history.
Joseph Cartellone said his daughter is struggling with the news that came from the DNA tests she gave as a Christmas gifts last year.
“She’s experiencing significant emotional distress and confusion concerning her own identity,” he said.
She wonders whether she has brothers or sisters, and who her other grandparents are.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Walmart pulls violent video game displays from stores, but will still sell guns
Walmart is taking down displays of violent video games in its stores in the wake of recent shootings. But the company plans to still sell the controversial video games — and guns.
The change in policy does not apply to the sale or display of actual firearms. As the nation’s largest retailer, Walmart is also one of the largest sellers of guns and ammunition in the world.
Walmart has previously promoted violent video games in its stores with displays that demonstrate the games. Some shoppers could conceivably mistake the soundtrack of those games for actual gunshots. Walmart and its customers are particularly sensitive to gun shot sounds following two recent fatal shootings at Walmarts in Texas and Mississippi.
“We’ve taken this action out of respect for the incidents of the past week, and this action does not reflect a long-term change in our video game assortment,” said Walmart spokesperson Tara House.
The company will also stop playing violent movies and shows on televisions in its electronics section. It will similarly stop playing hunting videos in its sporting goods section. A memo to store personnel directing the change in policy was first publicly disclosed on social media Thursday.
The memo follows a statement from Walmart CEO Doug McMillon earlier in the week in which he vowed a “thoughtful and deliberate” response to the shootings.
“We will work to understand the many important issues that arise from El Paso and Southaven, as well as those that have been raised in the broader national discussion around gun violence,” McMillon said in a memo to employees.
Although some public officials, including President Donald Trump, have pointed to violent video games as a cause of the rise in gun violence, numerous studies have found no link between the games and actual violent behavior.
Many people have called on Walmart to stop selling guns altogether. Some Walmart employees have voiced their concerns about the store’s gun sales.
Walmart does not sell assault style rifles, nor does it sell handguns outside of Alaska. It also does not sell any weapons to customers younger than 21. Walmart stopped selling assault rifles after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2015, and it changed its age policy followed the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, last year.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Florida Father Accused Of Forcing 4-Year-Old Daughter To Drink Bleach Mixed With Flavor Packet
Police have released bodycam footage showing the moment they arrested a father accused of trying to force his 4-year-old daughter to drink bleach. Police say he also tried to suffocate the child.
Michael Dublin, 28, was arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse following a May incident in the Tangelo Park area of Orlando, Florida.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Dublin pinned his daughter to the ground and tried to make her drink bleach from a water bottle. The suspect allegedly put flavoring in the bleach before trying to force her to drink it.
Bodycam footage released by the department shows Dublin calmly speaking to officers as they approach him, while people can be heard screaming in the background. When an officer asks Dublin what happened to a little girl who had stopped breathing, Dublin replies: “She good.”
According to an affidavit seen by Fox 35, the officer noted Dublin “did not appear to have any remorse,” and was more concerned about being arrested than what he was accused of doing to his daughter.
The bodycam footage also shows officers interviewing one of the suspect’s young cousins.
“He [Dublin] put bleach and a flavor packet in there, he shake it up, and let her drink it. Put it in her mouth, she’s holding it, he put a pillow over her head, and then started suffocating her, and then she swallowed it,” the child said.
“I heard her screaming ‘Help me! Help me!’ We were in the backroom, and he said ‘Get out of here! It’s none of your business.'”
The family said they managed to pull the girl away from Dublin and perform CPR on her outside until she started breathing again.
The family said Dublin is bipolar and schizophrenic, according to WESH Orlando. Court records show that Dublin was previously committed to a mental health hospital, but his mother said he was off his medication for schizophrenia.
The family also believe the incident with the bleach was sparked by a conversation Dublin had with the girl’s mother earlier that day. The child’s mother told police that the pair had a phone call in which she told the 28-year-old that she did not want to get back together with him.
Dublin did not have custody of the girl at the time of the alleged attack. Police said the suspect has several previous criminal convictions, including battery, theft and drug charges.
Photo Credit: metro.co.uk
Father Accused Of Murdering 14-Year-Old Because He ‘Didn’t Want A Gay Son’ Gets Reduced Bail, House Arrest
A Nevada man accused of shooting and killing his son because the teen was gay has been allowed to live at home under house arrest while awaiting trial.
The boy’s mother, who says she feels “betrayed,” has called on the District Attorney’s office to investigate.
In 2017, Wendell Melton was charged with the murder of his 14-year-old son, Giovanni, in Henderson, Nevada.
Wendell, 53, told police he killed Giovanni during an argument over the teen skipping school. He maintains that, after Giovanni shoved him to the ground, he got up, pulled out his gun and accidentally shot the teen in the chest.
Despite only being 14, Giovanni had been allowed to live on his own in an apartment rented by his father. Wendell called police to the home around midnight. He was brought to the hospital but died later the same day.
But Giovanni’s mother, Veronica Melton, says her ex murdered their son because he was gay.
Sonja Jones, Giovanni’s foster mother, told The Las Vegas Review-Journal that Wendell “hated the fact that his son was gay.”
“I’m sure that inside of his mind, he would rather have a dead son than a gay son,” she said, claiming Giovanni had been abused “physically and mentally and spiritually for many, many years.”
Giovanni’s brothers reportedly told Jones that Wendell pulled a gun on the boy once when he caught him with his boyfriend.
“I hope they throw the book at him. I hope he never sees the light of day,” she added. “I hope every day when he looks in the mirror, he sees his son’s face.”
Wendell, who has a prior conviction for domestic battery, was charged with murder, illegal possession of a gun, and child abuse. His original bond was set at $808,000 but, despite the horrific nature of the accusations, at a March 22 hearing the judge lowered bail to $200,000.
He also allowed Wendell to leave jail, placing him on house arrest as he awaits trial. Veronica says prosecutors told her, “Well, these things happen.”
Now Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson is investigating Wendell Melton’s pre-trial release. “[Wolfson] said to me that he is going to be investigating this case,” Veronica told KTNV 13 on Monday. “He was going to see all of the transcripts from the March 22 hearing and what actually occurred because we only have bits and pieces of that court date.”
After losing her son, Veronica Melton said it felt like “justice wasn’t being served.”
She’s also asking why, even though Nevada hate crimes statutes include sexual orientation and gender identity, hate crimes enhancements were never added to Wendell’s charges.
At the time of the arrest, a Henderson police spokesperson told HuffPost that the investigation didn’t indicate the shooting was motivated by Giovanni’s sexual orientation and authorities knew of no prior trouble between father and son.
“We’re treating that as a rumor at this point,” said officer Scott Williams.
Photo Credit: start.att.net
Maniac with AR-15 guns down two people on Houston highway, sparking manhunt
A maniac is on the loose after he gunned down two people with an AR-15 in the middle of Houston rush-hour traffic — and then bolted in his car, with a trash bag full of weed inside, according to a new report.
The chaos unfolded just before 6 p.m. Thursday on eastbound Interstate 10, when the shooter and another person inside his sedan struck another vehicle, causing it to spin out, local outlet ABC 13 reported.
Both suspects got out of the car — and one of them opened fire, according to the report.
“A Hispanic male, tan shirt, holding a really big gun, shooting at another car,” a police dispatcher said.
Assistant Chief Bobby Dobbins of the Houston Police Department told the station a witness caught a glimpse of the weapon.
“He’s familiar with guns and he believes it was an AR-15,” the police official said.
“Unreal scene just witnessed on I-10 in Houston, eastbound lanes at Holland, just outside the east loop,” KHOU reporter Daniel Gotera tweeted at the time. “A guy gets out of his car with gun just shooting in the middle of freeway. Unbelievable.”
As the victims’ car rolled toward the gunman, he popped off multiple shots, killing both men in the vehicle, authorities told ABC 13.
Then the shooter and his passenger took off in their car, which had a large garbage bag filled with marijuana, police sources told the outlet.
Authorities do not have a solid description of the suspects or their vehicle, according to the report.
One driver told authorities he fired at the shooter with a pistol that he carries for personal protection. It was unclear if the gunman was hit, according to the report.
“This is a scary event to happen at 6 o’clock at night on a busy freeway,” Dobbins said.
Police weren’t ruling out any possible motives.
“Road rage? An accident? Narcotics? We don’t know yet,” the assistant chief said.
Later Thursday night, authorities were checking in with local business, including hotels — urging them to be extra cautious about about who walks in.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
77-year-old woman fatally struck in Manhattan by taxi driven by 82-year-old man
CHELSEA, Manhattan —A 77-year-old woman was fatally struck by a cab driven by an 82-year-old man on Thursday, police said.
Irish Crespo went into cardiac arrest after she was hit near Eighth Avenue and 22nd Street, officials said. She was using a cane to help herself cross. Crespo was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue where she was pronounced deceased, police said.
The taxi driver, Daniel Fusaro, continued to drive north before it struck a parked vehicle, police said.
He was taken into custody and faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident, failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to obey a traffic signal and fail to exercise due care, according to police.
Officers had closed down Eighth Avenue for about four hours while investigating.
Photo Credit: pix11.com
Man With Rifle, Bulletproof Vest Arrested At Springfield, Missouri, Walmart Store
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Police say a man was arrested Thursday after he showed up at a Springfield Walmart store with a loaded rifle and a bulletproof vest.
Lt. Mike Lucas with the Springfield Police Department said the incident occurred at about 4:10 p.m. at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on West Republic Road.
Lucas said the man showed up to the business with body armor and military-style clothing and then walked inside carrying a “tactical rifle” and another gun.
As shoppers were panicking and fleeing the store, Lucas said the man was taking video on his phone and making comments to people while pushing a shopping cart.
Lucas said the suspect then walked out of the store, where an off-duty firefighter held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived moments later.
The suspect, a 20-year-old white man, was arrested, but Lucas said police are still working to determine his motives and whether he intended to shoot anyone.
Lucas said the man had more than 100 rounds of ammo.
“His intent obviously was to cause chaos here, and he did that,” Lucas said.
Thursday’s incident comes five days after a gunman opened fire at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 22 people.
Lucas said Springfield police officers arrived on scene 3 minutes after the initial 911 call Thursday. He said the scene was chaotic.
He described the suspect as “pretty stoic” during the initial police contact. He said officers would be interviewing the suspect at the jail on Thursday to try to learn more about his motivations.
“His intent was not to cause peace or comfort to anybody that was in the business here,” Lucas said. “In fact, he’s lucky he’s alive still, to be honest.”
Julie Belew of Springfield said she stopped at the store Thursday afternoon to buy milk, and before she could exit her car she heard someone nearby shout: “Is that a real rifle?”
Walking straight toward her Kia Soul, coming down a grassy rise, was a young man with a rifle, wearing a bulletproof vest and military-style clothing. He had his hands raised.
She turned and saw another man near her car aiming a handgun at the man coming down the hill. Belew now believes this was the off-duty firefighter, who responded when he saw the man with the assault rifle.
Someone shouted at the man, “Why are you walking around in a tactical jacket carrying a rifle?” Belew said. She did not hear what he said back.
“He did not seem surprised. He did not seem angry. He looked like he had accomplished whatever he wanted to accomplish,” Belew said.
Police told the young man to get on the ground, she said. The man got on the ground and was handcuffed.
Lucas said police would be reviewing any surveillance video from the store and also checking the suspect’s social media accounts to see if he was live-streaming the events.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Man gets life for impregnating 10-year-old in South Carolina
HAMPTON, S.C. — A 37-year-old man in South Carolina will spend the rest of his life in prison for impregnating a 10-year-old.
Prosecutors said Tony Orlanda Singleton was found guilty Wednesday of first-degree criminal sexual assault.
Authorities say they took DNA evidence from the fetus after the girl had an abortion and it proved Singleton was the father.
The 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said in a news release that Singleton came into a room while she was watching cartoons in a home in Estill in April 2016, turned off the lights and raped her.
Prosecutors said jurors deliberated less than an hour Wednesday before finding Singleton guilty. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen then handed down the life sentence without parole.
via: https://pix11.com/2019/08/08/man-gets-life-for-impregnating-10-year-old-in-south-carolina/
Photo Credit: 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office