A New York woman admits to pulling the drain plug from her fiancé’s kayak before he drowned, according to authorities. A New York State Police investigator says she told him she not only removed a plug from his kayak, but she admitted to also manipulating his paddle. Police say Angelika Graswald pulled a drain plug from her fiancé Vincent Viafore’s kayak and pushed a floating paddle away from him after his kayak capsized in April 2015.

Fox News reported that a Cornwall police officer testified this week that the woman appeared calm and lacking emotion after she was rescued on that fateful day. Aniello Moscato, a senior investigator with the New York State Police, also testified that Graswald told another investigator that she had pulled a plug on the kayak and manipulated the ring on Viafore’s paddle. No one from the prosecutor’s team at the district attorney’s office or the defense team can comment on the case due to a gag order that was issued.

Graswald denies murder and manslaughter charges, and her lawyer is arguing that Viafore’s death was an accident, that he had a few beers before he fell into the cold water and drowned. His drowning death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner. According to the New York Times, the medical examiner wrote in his autopsy report that the man’s death was the result of a “kayak drain plug intentionally being removed by other.”

The couple went kayaking last April and, due to someone pulling the plug, the kayak began taking on water. Viafore was tossed off the boat and struggled desperately to get back on board. His fiancée, Angelika Graswald, told police that trouble started when a three- to five-foot wave crashed into their kayak. In an article previously published by the Inquisitr, she said her fiancé attempted to swim back to the boat but couldn’t reach it, and he ultimately disappeared under the water. Police weren’t able to locate and recover the body until May, at which time the investigation led to the determination of homicide as the cause of death. Graswald’s attorney, Richard Portale, said the medical examiner’s ruling was “ill-informed and lacked medical evidence.” Graswald said last November that she loved her fiancé and “wouldn’t have done anything to kill him.” She said she’s a “good person, not a killer.”

Angelika Graswald has been charged with second-degree murder as well as second-degree manslaughter, both of which she has pleaded not guilty. Her defense attorney has stated he believed ruling Viafore’s death as anything but an accident was a “rush to judgment.” The woman still proclaims her innocence, even though she admits to pulling the plug from her fiancé’s kayak before he drowned. In the pretrial hearing today, another officer who took the stand was Stephen Pedetti, who told the defense attorney that Graswald was calm after she was rescued, that she seemed “very matter-of-fact,” and didn’t seem concerned. He called her “emotionless.”

The judge has issued a gag order, which means we won’t be hearing any comments about the case from the prosecution or the defense outside of court. Viafore’s family members were in court today, but they declined to give any comments. The hearing will continue on Tuesday. As of now, there’s a very uncertain outcome, since the woman fully admits to pulling the plug on her fiancé’s kayak before he drowned.

What do you think? Please weigh in on the comments section below.

[Photo by watcher fox/Shutterstock Images]

Woman Admits To Pulling Plug From Fiancé’s Kayak Before He Drowned, Police Say is an article from:

Following a year-long Coconino County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the death of 6-year-old Jason Hester, four people from Northern Arizona have been indicted for his murder, including his aunt and grandmother. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the boy was found unresponsive in the home of his aunt and primary caretaker, Lillian Hester, on June 22, 2015. Attempts to save his life were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead later that day at Flagstaff Medical Center.

Prosecutors say Jason Hester weighed just 29 pounds at the time of his autopsy and showed signs of dehydration and suspicious bruises and abrasions. The official cause of death was undetermined by the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Four people indicted on charges for death of 6-year-old boy in Coconino County. Details soon. pic.twitter.com/1m511FpNvr

— AZ Family (@azfamily) June 7, 2016

The Arizona Daily Sun reports that 37-year-old Lillian Hester was indicted on one count of first-degree murder and one count of child abuse. The victim’s maternal grandmother, 64-year-old Lenda Hester, was also indicted on one count each of negligent homicide and child abuse. Lenda and Lillian’s live-in boyfriends, 61-year-old Kimmy Wilson and 36-year-old Jason Conlee, were also indicted on negligent homicide and child abuse charges. A grand jury indicted all four suspects on May 25.

Check out the video report about the tragic story via the clip below.

AZFamily reports that the child’s biological mother, Shyrl Hester, is the sister of Lillian Hester. She gave custody of Jason to her sister very shortly after he was born. Investigators reached out to the boy’s biological parents, but they declined to be interviewed. Their story is the latest headline-making indictment related to child abuse. In recent news, prosecutors say that an Ohio man “waited 15 hours to call for help despite knowing his wife had placed their 4-year-old son in scalding water,” subsequently causing his death.

4-year-old placed in 130-degree water as punishment dies; dad indicted in death https://t.co/avMRTKvhFz pic.twitter.com/QHhwCsml8k

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 24, 2016

A Warren County grand jury indicted Robert Ritchie on charges including involuntary manslaughter and child endangering. Prosecutors say that in March, Anna Ritchie put Austin Cooper in water estimated at 130 degrees for at least 20 minutes as punishment because the child didn’t want to take a bath.

Another recent sensational indictment is that of a Tallahassee man charged with the death of a 10-month-old baby. Dajuan Barnes was indicted for first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse of his girlfriend’s infant son on May 6. The medical examiner said the baby suffered a broken spinal cord and a severed aorta from the result of being “slammed” against an object.

Tallahassee man indicted for murder in death of infant https://t.co/XKVd17S8w7 pic.twitter.com/JsREykQNKS

— Tallahassee FL (@TallahasseeFLrr) May 27, 2016

Meanwhile, a Maryland daycare provider was indicted last month for the murder of a baby girl in her care. Forty-three-year-old Beatrice Manning was arrested in connection with the death of nine-month-old Savannah Wright back in December. “There is no crime worse than killing a defenseless child,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said.

“In addition to holding Ms. Manning responsible for her actions, it is our hope that the county’s Child Care Safety Campaign will continue to provide parents with the information and resources they need to ensure that their children are being cared for by licensed providers so we can avoid these terrible circumstances going forward,” she added.

Maryland daycare provider indicted for murder in death of baby girl https://t.co/pnXVp7gAjT #fox5dc

— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) May 26, 2016

Terry Turner is yet another alleged abuser of children recently indicted for the death of a 15-year-old girl. Police say Turner fled after she was initially charged with second-degree murder for the March 14 shooting death of Vianca Harris, who was pregnant at the time of her death. When a grand jury re-indicted Turner last month she was nowhere to be found, but was later apprehended and remains jailed.

What type of punishment do you think is appropriate for individuals who are indicted for harming children?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Family Members Indicted For Death Of 6-Year-Old Jason Hester is an article from:

“Child snatching” is a term used to refer to child abductions, but it does not usually mean that the abductor literally grabbed the victim. That was not the case this Tuesday morning at the Dollar General in Hernando, Florida, reports TV news station WFLA, when a man actually grabbed a 13-year-old girl standing next to her mother and attempted to drag her out of the store.

At about 11:30 a.m., a mother and her daughter were browsing the aisles of Dollar General, as was a man later identified to be 30-year-old Craig Bonello.

Suddenly, Bonello grabbed the teenage girl by the shirt and began dragging her along Dollar General’s smooth enamel floor toward the door as fast as he could.

A Dollar General surveillance video of the incident later released on Facebook by police shows that the mother was not even looking away when her daughter was grabbed, though. Bonello may have been quick, but what with the weight of the girl, which slowed him down, combined with the fact that he got basically no jump on the mother, who obviously began chasing him down immediately, he only got to around the Dollar General register before the mother caught up, grabbed ahold of the shirt, and tried to pull her daughter away in a twisted game of tug-of-war. The Dollar General clerk watched on from the other side of the desk in horror.

After a few seconds of the back-and-forth (presumably a few seconds; the video does not show that part), Bonello realized he was not going to be able to pull the girl away from her adrenaline-aided mother. He let go of the shirt and sprinted out the Dollar General’s door to the parking lot.

Luckily for the girl’s mother, an off-duty County Sheriff’s Office deputy named Jonathan Behnen had been pulling into the Dollar General at about the time she and Bonello were fighting over the girl. Also luckily for her, the Dollar General clerk happened to know Behnen – Hernando, FLA is a fairly small town. The clerk ran to the door, and called out to him by name, letting him know the man hurriedly getting into his car had just attempted to abduct a child.

Thinking quickly, Behnen backed up and parked his cruiser (yes, police can drive them while off-duty in most areas) in front of the Dollar General parking lot’s only entrance/exit. Without a way to escape except on foot, Bonello was trapped. He hesitated, but he finally complied and was taken into custody, reports FOX News.

Authorities have revealed that the Dollar General botched kidnapping incident was “violent enough to tear the girl’s shirt up pretty badly that she was wearing.” But the mother and daughter, although obviously rattled, are uninjured.

Police backup would soon show up at Dollar General, and they soon began analyzing the scene and the testimonies given by those present. They were baffled by the crime and were at a loss as to what Bonello’s motives might have been, as he did not have any predatory or sex-related crime record.

Not only that, but Bonello’s Dollar General crime seemed, from testimonies and security camera footage, to be so doomed to fail. It appears obvious that even a very fast person would have been unable to make it out of the store with the girl, and the middle of Dollar General at midday is a very inopportune place and time to attempt a kidnapping.

“In my 10 years on the road I have never seen anything like this,” mused Police Sergeant Craig Callahan from the scene. “He truly intended to abduct this child right in front of everyone in the store.”

Squad Commander Buddy Grant would later voice his relief.

“This was a chaotic scene with a lot at stake. Thank goodness the girl’s mother jumped into action to prevent this man from kidnapping her daughter. And, thank goodness Dep. Behnen used his training and experience to stop this man from escaping.”

Police later released Dollar General’s surveillance footage of the incident, viewable below, that shows Bonello grabbing the girl and the mother catching him.

[Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images]

Dollar General: The Site Of A Uniquely Terrifying Child Abduction Attempt [Video] is an article from:

NBC Bay Area reported yesterday that Stephen Billingsley, Nikki Lee Williams, and a large gang of transients known as “Travelers” tortured and killed 66 year-old Stephen Williams in a strangely systematic three-day torture session in San Francisco.

According to CBS SF Bay Area, Billingsley, known by the moniker “Pizza Steve,” was charged with torture, murder, assault, conspiracy, and elder abuse, while Williams, who goes by the subtle nickname “Evil,” was charged with assault, false imprisonment, elder abuse and conspiracy. The two were aided in the crimes by other members of their San Francisco homeless gang as well, but the co-conspirators’ identities are unknown.

Although they would not give up their accomplices, Billingsley and Williams were very willing during the San Francisco trial to recount what had happened during their three-day encounter with the victim. They said they had wanted to deliver “street justice,” writes SF Gate, because they believed Williams had been exposing himself to children around San Francisco, and the methods they employed to do so were certainly harsher than what San Francisco’s police department would have meted out, especially without proof.

On May 22, “Pizza Steve” Billingsley encountered Williams in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, where SF Examiner says he pulled Williams into the park’s Alvord Lake with the help of other “Travelers.” Williams struggled, but the other members of the San Francisco gang allegedly hit him while Billingsley kept dunking him repeatedly, eventually causing Williams to pass out.

Williams survived the first brutal attack, but the Travelers apparently did not feel justice had yet been served.

They found Williams again near San Francisco’s famous intersection of Haight and Clayton Streets, at which point they knocked him to the ground. They proceeded to beat him senseless by striking and stomping on him, and once again they left him in bad shape but alive, remarkable considering Williams is 66 and, as a denizen of San Francisco’s streets, probably not overly healthy.

Still, however, the Travelers did not think Williams had been properly punished for his unproven crime.

They sought him out again the next day, finding that he was once again lingering around San Francisco’s Alvord Lake. They pushed the man down and delivered a beating similar to that of the day before. Either the beating was more severe, though, or Williams’ aging body could not withstand another round, because he did not survive the attack. Billingsley himself then dragged the body into Alvord Lake and left it floating for San Francisco authorities to find.

Surely San Francisco police would agree the Travelers’ punishment, even if it had not been of the vigilante justice variety, was overkill for alleged public masturbation.

The NBC Bay Area piece reports Billingsley walked into one of San Francisco’s police stations and voluntarily surrendered shortly after the final incident took place, before the body was even reported.

Tracking down Nicki Lee, whom Billingsley must have not liked very much if he ratted him out without exposing any of his other accomplices, did not take long; homeless people are relatively easy to find.

Max Szabo, a representative for the San Francisco district attorney’s office, noted that even though the criminals are homeless, their sentence will be just as severe as it would be for anyone in poetic terms.

“The circumstances surrounding the victim’s death are incredibly tragic. All human life is precious, and whether you live in a palace or in a park, we will pursue those who resort to violence.”

The two men have not been officially convicted yet, although they have confessed to the crimes. Their bail has been set at $1 million, and they will have to return to San Francisco’s courthouse on June 17 for their pre-hearing conference.

[Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images]

San Francisco: Vigilantes Torture Public Masturbator With Sick Series Of Tableaus is an article from:

A Tennessee man has been given a sentence of life in prison for selling his daughters to a child pornographer, ABC News is reporting. The girls’ mother has also been sentenced to 18 years in prison for her role in the crime.

In an exceptionally rare scenario, the media is not naming the mother or the father for fear that revealing that information could compromise the girls’ privacy and possibly lead to them being identified. The media only rarely reveals the names of child victims of sex crimes.

It is not clear, as of this writing, when police initially became aware of the girls’ plight. According to court documents, the three girls — aged 12, 14, and 16 when they were discovered — were brought to the attention of the authorities after receiving a complaint that they were being neglected, not going to school, and experiencing medical problems that were not being treated, according to Tony Clark, the district attorney in Tennessee’s Washington, Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi counties.

A fourth child living at the home — a girl aged five — was removed from the home, along with the three other girls. The younger girl was not involved in the child pornography complaint.

The now-63-year-old father was indicted in 2013, and later found guilty by a jury in federal court. He was convicted of selling of a child by a parent, production of child pornography, production of child pornography by parents, and coercion and enticement of a minor. The girls’ now-41-year-old mother pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography by a parent.

“This offense is the most serious… that undersigned counsel has prosecuted during her thirty years of federal service. Words cannot adequately describe the seriousness of the offense.”

U.S. District Judge J. Ronnie Greer agreed and sentenced the father to life in prison, according to Indian Express.

As of this writing, the name of the child pornographer who produced the images of the children has not been made public, and the outcome of his or her role in the criminal case has not been made public.

According to a 2015 WSMV (Nashville) report, child pornography is a huge problem in middle Tennessee. Dr. Lisa Milam, a forensic social worker with Our Kids (an agency that works with Tennessee kids who have been victimized by sexual abuse), says that cops are increasingly finding images of child pornography and then tracing those images back to Tennessee children.

Much of the problem has to do with teenagers, and even younger kids, using cell phones and mobile devices to take pornographic pictures of themselves and share them with one another.

“We, as adults … have become unwitting allies to the child pornography industry. Because every time we hand a child an electronic device, we’re handing them pornography, or at least access to it. If you give me 100 teenagers with 100 cell phones, I would dare say that 95 percent of them have images of themselves that would stun or shock a parent.”

Do you think a life sentence in prison is fair punishment for selling one’s children to a child pornographer?

[Image via Shutterstock/fasphotographic]

Tennessee Man Sells Daughters To Child Pornographer, Gets Life Sentence is an article from:

It’s amazing that two decades later, people are still talking about the murder trial of OJ Simpson, and though he was acquitted, people wonder if he really did it. But some of those close to Simpson believe that after he is released from prison on another matter, he will finally confess to killing his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. Simpson is said to be tormented, and confessing his guilt in this crime will help him move on. Simpson cannot be punished for the crime, as double jeopardy applies, but if Simpson confesses, it would likely stop others from going after Simpson’s son, Jason Simpson.

According to the Inquisitr, Martin Sheen is putting together a dramatic documentary that proclaims the innocence of OJ Simpson and puts the guilt in the murders squarely on Jason Simpson, OJ Simpson’s son from his first marriage.

Certainly, as the father of Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen knows something about troubled sons, but Jason Simpson was close to his stepmother, Nicole Brown Simpson, and had no motive to kill her so brutally. OJ Simpson, on the other hand, had a history of violence with Nicole Brown Simpson. It is being suggested that Martin Sheen is attempting to cash in on the OJ resurgence with a dramatic twist that could ruin Jason Simpson’s life.

The Washington Post is quoting Ron Shipp, a one-time close Simpson friend, as saying that OJ Simpson is currently a mess and is close to confessing to the murders. Shipp, who used to be a Los Angeles police officer and part-time actor, had Simpson’s back for years and believes that Simpson is ready to spill the details of how he actually murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman and, perhaps the bigger question, why.

“The guy is in total torment today. Someone told me he is 300 pounds and he looks horrible. O.J. has always felt his appearance meant everything and now, deep down inside, he is starting to live with himself.”

Shipp is likely no longer truly a Simpson confidante, as he testified at Simpson’s murder trial that Simpson told him that he had dreams of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson.

“I hope one day he actually will rid us of all the doubt and all the conspiracy theories and say, ‘Sorry I cannot go to prison [because of double jeopardy laws], but I am sorry I did it.'”

Shipp also says that he is dismayed that Jason Simpson is being accused of the murders in the Sheen documentary and says this is the time for Simpson to show some character and tell the world that his son didn’t do it.

“I got a call about a conspiracy theory about Jason [Simpson’s son from his first marriage] being the killer and I thought, man, come on Juice, just say, ‘my son didn’t do it.'”

The New York Daily News claims that OJ Simpson might be release soon from the Nevada prison, and to get a fresh start, he just might confess. Ron Shipp claims that even though OJ Simpson had told him of his dreams about killing Nicole Brown Simpson, his love for OJ Simpson blinded him to the idea that Simpson might actually go through with it and kill his former wife.

Shipp now says he just didn’t want to believe it was possible at the time, but after Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered, he was sure that Simpson did it. Ron Shipp says that unlike many of Simpson’s other friends, he can sleep at night because he told the truth at the trial. Shipp says that he is one of the few without blood on his hands.

Do you think that OJ Simpson will ever confess to killing his ex-wife?

[Photo by Nevada Department of Corrections/AP Images]

Is OJ Simpson Ready To Confess To The Murders Like Friend Claims? is an article from:

Michael Dunn, the Florida man who shot and killed a teenager over loud music coming from the teen’s car, has asked that his conviction be overturned and wants a new trial, the Florida Times-Union is reporting.

Focusing largely on technicalities and procedural mistakes, Dunn’s lawyers argued Tuesday before a three-judge panel that Dunn deserves a new trial. Specifically, the attorneys argued, prosecutors during Dunn’s original trial failed to properly refute Dunn’s claim that the teenager whom Dunn shot had threatened Dunn’s life, and that a witness for the prosecution overstepped her bounds during her testimony.

This guy can’t be serious! Michael Dunn, who fatally shot #JordanDavis, wants a new trial. https://t.co/mmofHCyipG pic.twitter.com/J3UEaSgfRV

— JET magazine (@GetJETmag) June 8, 2016

On November 23, 2012, according to the Orlando Sentinel, Dunn, a gun collector who was in town for his son’s wedding, shot and killed 17-year-old Jordan Davis at a Jacksonville convenience store. Dunn pulled up in his SUV and parked next to a Dodge Durango occupied by Davis and his companions. Dunn took exception to the loud music coming from Davis’ vehicle, and the two “exchanged words.”

What happened next is unclear.

Dunn would later testify that he asked Davis and his companions to turn down the music, and that they complied. However, Davis, sitting in the back seat of the Durango, didn’t appreciate being told to turn the music down and told his companions to turn it back up. Dunn testified that Davis threatened to kill him and opened up the door of the vehicle, holding a shotgun.

Davis’ companions, however, dispute that claim, and said that Davis never opened the door and that there were no guns in the vehicle — a statement corroborated by police. A witness would later testify that he heard Dunn yelling, “You’re not going to talk to me that way!” That same witness said that he or she did not hear Davis threatening to kill Dunn, and no other witnesses heard any such threats, either.

Dunn, nevertheless, fired several shots into the vehicle, striking and killing Davis, The other occupants of the vehicle were not injured.

Dunn and his girlfriend fled the scene — Dunn would later testify that he believed he had encountered gang members and was afraid that more would turn up. He was arrested at his home the next day due to witnesses having been able to record his license plate number.

Dunn invoked Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law, a provision that basically allows someone to use lethal force if they sincerely believe that they are in danger. It was the same legal argument that Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman used.

Protestors to rally outside #MichaelDunn appeal hearing in #Tallahassee https://t.co/cGJfGraK2S #JordanDavis Tuesday 8:30 a.m.

— anne hillebrand (@annehillebrand2) June 6, 2016

In fact, at the time of Davis’ shooting, the crime drew comparisons to the Trayvon Martin shooting, according to Time. In both cases, according to Time, the shooter was an armed, white male and the victim was an unarmed black teenager. And in both cases, the shooters invoked the “Stand Your Ground” defense on possible shaky circumstances.

Dunn was later convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder, and sentenced to life in prison plus 90 years. He remains in prison to this day.

During Dunn’s trial, forensic pathologist Stacey Simons’ testimony included her thoughts on whether or not Davis opened his door. Dunn’s attorneys say that testimony should never have been allowed because she is not an accident-scene reconstructionist. Dunn’s attorneys want that testimony thrown out and Dunn to be given a new trial.

Whether or not Dunn will be given a new trial remains to be seen. In general, according to Florida Times-Union writer Larry Hannan, appellate judges generally rule on whether or not to grant new trials in criminal cases “a couple of months” after hearing arguments.

[Photo by AP Photo/The Florida Times-Union, Bob Self, Pool]

Michael Dunn: Florida Man Who Killed Teenager Over Loud Music Appeals His Conviction, Wants New Trial is an article from:

A Florida mom desperately fought off her 13-year-old daughter’s would-be kidnapper on Tuesday, and the entire struggle was caught by an array of security cameras.

The suspect fled the scene when he failed to pry the 13-year-old girl from her mother’s grip, but he was later captured by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy.

The New York Daily News reports that the mother was shopping with her daughter at a Dollar General store in Hernando, Florida, at around noon on Tuesday when a man identified as 30-year-old Craig Bonello attempted to abduct her.

Security camera footage shows the suspect casually push a shopping cart down an aisle and then briefly pace back and forth while stretching. He then leaves the camera’s field of view.

“You can tell he searched out his victims, he stretched and he went after that child with terrible terrible motives,” Citrus County Sheriff Jeffrey Dawsy said at a press conference Wednesday.

When Bonello shows back up moments later in the corner of the screen, he appears to calmly approach the mother and daughter before suddenly grabbing the girl. He then enters full view dragging the unidentified 13-year-old girl down the aisle, while her mother chases after them.

Surveillance footage from a different camera, located closer to the front of the store, shows the mother struggling to prevent the man from pulling her daughter past the cash registers and onto the street.

“He was getting his butt kicked by mom,” Dawsey said of the struggle.

The security video ends when the mother finally proves too much for the Bonello, and the suspect subsequently flees the scene.

CBS News reports that the mother and daughter were able to flag down off-duty sheriff’s deputy John Behnen outside the Dollar General immediately after the failed kidnapping attempt.

"As I pulled into the DG….I saw a commotion inside and knew something wasn't right." – Deputy John Behnen pic.twitter.com/lZJveFTC7W

— Sheriff Citrus (@SheriffCitrus) June 8, 2016

The deputy initially believed it was a case of shoplifting when he saw the suspect flee, but the store manager and the mother both informed him that the man had just attempted to kidnap a 13-year-old girl.

Behnen followed the suspect to his vehicle, managed to get the door open, and apprehended Bonello.

“I banged on the glass with my gun to try and break,” Behnen said at a press conference Wednesday. “He fought a little bit, but when he realized I had the upper edge, he complied with everything thereafter.”

"The mom was stellar in getting her daughter back….hats off to her." -Sheriff Dawsy

— Sheriff Citrus (@SheriffCitrus) June 8, 2016

Bonello was arrested and appeared in court on Wednesday. He faces charges of both child abuse and kidnapping.

According to an affidavit, Bonello claimed that he did not know the victim prior to the failed abduction attempt. He also refused to indicate what his intentions were.

“The defendant would not advise what he planned on doing after he would have taken the victim.”

Sheriff Jeff Dawsy told the Tampa Bay Times that Bonello claimed to have “done this before,” which would indicate that he has either kidnapped or attempted to kidnap another girl at some time in the past. However, detectives have not been able to substantiate that claim, and Bonello has never been arrested for kidnapping before.

According to NBC News, Bonello was arrested for trespassing in an area Walmart store last February, and he has accumulated a number of other misdemeanor arrests on his record since 2009. If this isn’t the first time he has attempted to kidnap a young girl, any previous attempt may not have been reported.

The suspect’s uncle told NBC News that he suffers from psychological problems.

“It’s just sad that this has happened, because this is not the kid that grew up with my kids,” the uncle explained. “He needs to talk to some psychiatrists and find out what the issue is.”

While it isn’t clear why he targeted the 13-year-old girl, her mother’s quick reaction thwarted any plans he might have had, and Sheriff Dawsey encouraged other parents to fight the same way if ever placed in a similar situation.

“In that particular situation you don’t back away,” Dawsy said at a press conference. “If your child is being snatched, you are going to do anything.”

Although the mother was ultimately successful in her tug-of-war with the would-be kidnapper, nobody else came to her aid until after she had fought him off and the suspect fled the store. If you witnessed a man attempting to kidnap a 13-year-old girl, would you step in?

[Image via Citrus County Sheriff’s Department]

Florida Mother Fights Off 13-Year-Old Daughter’s Kidnapper [Video] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A Baltimore, Maryland, man allegedly pulled out a gun and shot his own father inside the church where family and friends had gathered to honor the suspect’s recently deceased brother after a religious service.

The shooting incident yesterday afternoon occurred in the recreation hall of the New Song Worship & Arts Center in West Baltimore where mourners had gathered for a post-funeral meal.

The suspect, Antonio Addison, 25, allegedly argued with his dad about the content of the brother’s obituary, according to the Baltimore Sun, when the shooting occurred. The obituary may have omitted the suspect’s name, prompting the quarrel, according to various reports.

The deceased brother who was being remembered at the church reportedly was fatally gunned down on May 25 in the city, less than a mile from where yesterday’s shooting took place, in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood.

“They got into some sort of an argument at this repast over what was said or how it was said at the funeral, and the suspect in this case decided to pull out a gun that he brought with him to this event and shot his own father,” a police spokesman told the Baltimore CBS affiliate and other local media outlets after yesterday’s church recreational hall shooting.

In a press conference, the same spokesman remarked that the gathering was supposed to be a celebration of a life of a loved one, but another loved one brought a gun to the celebration of life and used it against another family member to “settle a beef.” Distinguishing the family dispute that turned violent from a church shooting or a random violent crime, he also insisted that the “senseless act” was otherwise unrelated to last month’s homicide of the other brother in the family.

“The shooting happened inside the vestibule of the tall, tan building at Gold and North Calhoun streets, police said. Dozens of officers and detectives, along with the police commissioner and deputy commissioner, converged on the church as attendees, dressed in white, watched from the street,” the Baltimore Sun separately reported.

The suspect was arrested at the scene.

First responders transported the father, 47, to a local hospital where he is receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries to his stomach and is said to be in stable condition.

The Baltimore Police Facebook page indicates that Antonio Addison, who is currently in custody, faces charges that include attempted first-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, using a firearm in the commission of a violent felony, concealment of a dangerous weapon, reckless endangerment, and discharging a firearm.

Detectives from Baltimore’s special unit devoted to gun crimes are probing the incident further and interviewing witnesses. No one else was injured in the recreational hall shooting.

An elementary/middle school nearby the church was temporarily put into lockdown until cops who arrived at about 2:15 p.m. secured the area.

“Antonio Addison’s face appeared swollen and bruised in a mug shot released by the department. Police said his injuries came from an altercation with family members after the shooting,” the Sun added.

“The Baltimore Police Department has made handgun arrests a priority citywide to stem the tide of violence, at a time when federal officials say a spike in violent crime has been plaguing cities nationwide for the past year,” the North Baltimore Patch explained.

Last year, 344 homicides occurred in Baltimore, evidently most of them gun-related. “So [far], there have been 113 homicides and 253 nonfatal shootings this year, which means Baltimore is on pace for a decreased number of homicides… and an increase in nonfatal shootings… according to the latest data available,” the Patch recalled. West Baltimore has seen 54 murders and 131 nonfatal shootings to date.

[Photo via Baltimore Police Department]

Baltimore Man Allegedly Shoots His Father In Church After Brother’s Funeral is an article from: The Inquisitr News

After a gruesome murder in Tenerife, the naked torso of a man was discovered, stuffed in a suitcase and floating in the ocean off a beach on the Spanish island. Reportedly the head and limbs had been hacked off and were, at that stage, missing.

Reportedly, it was when divers were performing routine cleaning work off the coast near the capital city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife – a popular travel destination for vacationers – that they made the startling and gruesome discovery. The divers immediately contacted the police about the murder in Tenerife.

When the suitcase was opened by the port police, they made the gruesome discovery of the naked male torso with its head and limbs missing, wrapped in plastic bags.

Detenido en Canarias un menor de edad tras aparecer descuartizado el cadáver de su padre https://t.co/5Kx81Tc6T4

— ABC.es (@abc_es) June 8, 2016

When the discovery was made, shocked vacationers were told to vacate the beach while police carried out their investigation. The nearby beach in the town of Valleseco was then closed by police as they set up a crime scene and continued their work.

Reportedly, a second suitcase was found in the area several hours later, and while Spain’s Civil Guard have not yet revealed the contents, that suitcase is likely to have contained the remainder of the man’s limbs. Both suitcases are reportedly being examined by forensic experts on the island.

In related crime news on The Inquisitr:

• Texas Teens Confess To Shooting, Beheading Llamas
• Random Attack: Taiwan Man Arrested After Allegedly Beheading 4-Year-Old Girl In Front Of Mother As She Rode Her Bike
• Suspect In Beheading Death Of 4-Year-Old In Taiwan Beaten By Mob, Suffers Mental Illness
• 14-Year-Old’s Terror Charges Say Teen Boy Encouraged Australia Beheading, Muslim Terrorist Attacks

According to a report by the Spanish daily newspaper ABC, a 16-year-old boy, who is currently unnamed, has been arrested in connection with the incident, which happened on Tuesday, June 7. Reportedly various forensic tests carried out had led police to believe the decapitated torso was that of the boy’s 37-year-old, also unnamed father.

According to detectives, a taxi driver later told the police he had taken the young man to Valleseco from his family home. The police then searched the house, located in the island capital’s Salamanca neighborhood, where the father and son had lived. Reportedly, it was in that house that police found evidence to prove this was the crime scene and the place where the father’s body had been hacked up, allegedly by his son.

Tenerife: Teen arrested after father’s headless torso is found inside suitcase floating in sea https://t.co/sEVgF0LhUX via @IBTimesUK

— Rachel Middleton (@NewswithRachel) June 8, 2016

As reported by the International Business Times, soon afterward, witnesses reportedly came forward to say they had seen a young man – thought to be of South American or Moroccan origin – carrying two suitcases close to the water in Valleseco on May 30. The man had reportedly asked local residents the best place to access the water.

According to initial reports, the teenage boy and his father may have been involved in an argument prior to the alleged murder.

This latest incident brings to mind another gruesome story which occurred three years ago on the island. As reported by The Inquisitr, back in May 2011, there was another murder in Tenerife, as a homeless Bulgarian man killed a 60-year-old English woman in the island resort of Los Cristianos.

BBC News – Beheaded mum Jennifer Mills-Westley ‘was defenceless’ http://t.co/JcHrAtG9M8

— ad colligenda bona (@FRamabama) February 24, 2015

Deyan Deyanov was homeless and thought to be on drugs when he murdered Jennifer Mills-Westly while she was out shopping on the island. Deyanov reportedly first stabbed and then decapitated Mills-Westly and later told the court that “voices made him do it.”

[Photo Valleseco via Flickr by Carlos Nóbrega, cropped and resized/CC BY-NC 2.0]

Murder In Tenerife: Teen Arrested After Decapitated Torso Of His Father Found In Suitcase is an article from: The Inquisitr News

An Indonesian maid has been sentenced to six weeks imprisonment for mixing milk with her urine and feeding the infant in her care. Astonishingly, the practice is still commonly followed in the interior regions of the country.

A 27-year-old Indonesian female, who was employed by an urban family in Singapore to care for a four-year-old boy, has been jailed for six weeks. Her seemingly noxious crime involved mixing her own urine in the milk meant for the little boy. The maid admitted to her actions before a court and was sentenced to mere six weeks in a local jail. The brevity of her punishment perhaps stems from the fact that, in rural Indonesia, the practice of feeding an infant with food laced with the caretaker’s urine is considered important to develop a close bond.

The maid has been identified as Ela, who like many Indonesians uses only one name. She added her own urine to the milk because of a traditional rural Indonesian belief that it makes a baby more obedient and closer to the caretaker. The judge was further informed that the maid didn’t have any intention of harming the child. The woman pleaded guilty on Monday to one of two charges of mischief, committed at a flat in Pine Close on October 16 last year, reported The Straits Times. The presiding judge could have jailed the woman for about a year and fined her for mischief, but perhaps considering the background, he decided to be lenient.

The Indonesian maid had been in the service of the family for slightly more than a month at the boy’s family home before committing the offense, reported Channel News Asia. The incident came to light when the mother of child returned home from work and poured some water from a flask to drink. When she took a sip of the water, it tasted odd. Moreover, the woman observed the water appeared slightly yellowish. Concerned about the same, she took the water to show it to her mother-on-law and husband. After everyone had taken a sip and confirmed the odd taste, the man decided to investigate further.

The employer of the Indonesian maid kept the flask in his bedroom overnight to observe any changes in the water. Sure enough, the flask had a pungent odor. When urine is left overnight, the water content reduces, increasing the concentration of urea. Moreover, chemical compounds that haven’t completely broken down impart a strong offensive odor to the urine.

When confronted about the water, Ela denied any wrongdoing. But the next day, the employer caught her thoroughly cleansing the incriminating flask. Ela broke down and confessed to her actions after she was taken to the agency that had hired her and sent her to the family, reported Coconuts Singapore. She admitted that she had indeed collected some of her urine and poured a small portion into the bottle that contained the milk for the child. She added that she had given the milk laced with her urine to the child, but she stressed that she had no ill-intention behind her actions.

Women like Ela are quite common in Singapore. The poorly educated women hail from rural regions of Indonesia and often migrate to other countries looking for work. Restricted by their poor communication skills and education, these women have very limited career opportunities and often end up doing odd-jobs for sustenance. Quite a few are employed by companies that offer housekeeping services. The women usually earn close to the minimum wage and even agree to be live-in domestic helpers.

Incidentally, this is isn’t the first instance where an Indonesian maid or caretaker has mixed her own urine with the food meant for toddlers, reported Mid-Day. Hence a support group for Indonesian helpers have been educating these women, and cautioning them not to indulge in such practices.

[Photo by Fred Dufour/Getty Images]

Indonesian Maid Who Fed Infant Milk Mixed With Her Urine, Gets Six Weeks Imprisonment – Practice Has A Bizarre Purpose is an article from: The Inquisitr News

An all-girl band was cut from several upcoming music gigs when one of the members defended Brock Turner, the convicted Stanford rapist.

Fox News reports that a Brooklyn music festival cut Good English from its lineup when it learned that the drummer — a childhood friend of the convicted Stanford University sex attacker — sent a letter to the California judge in Turner’s defense.

The Northside Festival posted on its Facebook page Tuesday that the Ohio-based band axed the group from its entertainment lineup. It reads that “Due to recent information brought to our attention, Good English is no longer playing Northside Festival.”

Friend who wrote letter defending Brock Turner is being dropped from all upcoming gigs: https://t.co/zSudJmA7On pic.twitter.com/f42SlXjvWU

— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) June 9, 2016

Leslie Rasmussen, a drummer for the three-sister rock band, wrote a letter to Santa Clara Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky defending Brock Turner. The ex-Stanford swimmer was convicted of rape after sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster in January, 2015. He cited the reason for his conviction on political correctness.

Rasmussen began in her letter defending Brock Turner: “I don’t think it’s fair to base the fate of the next ten + years of his life on the decision of a girl who doesn’t remember anything but the amount she drank to press charges against him.”

Rasmussen called Turner “innocent” in her message to the judge.

“I am not blaming her directly for this, because that isn’t right,” Rasmussen continued. “But where do we draw the line and stop worrying about being politically correct every second of the day and see that rape on campuses isn’t always because people are rapists.”

The Good English drummer added in her letter that Brock’s case is “completely different” from a woman who gets “kidnapped and raped as she is walking to her car in a parking lot” — defining that individual as a “rapist.” She wrote that men who do what Brock did “are not rapists.” She refers to the whole situation as “idiot boys and girls having too much to drink and not being aware of their surroundings and having clouded judgment.”

Rasmussen views the case as a “huge misunderstanding.”

Elle had the conclusion of Rasmussen’s letter by revealing that “Brock Turner was tried and rightfully convicted of sexual assault,” and that his “crime caused enormous pain for the victim,” but that alcohol is what’s really to blame in this regard. The drummer added that Turner’s “character was seriously affected by the alcohol he consumed” and that she thinks “the court needed to consider this issue during their sentencing deliberations.”

Brock Turner was found guilty on three felony sexual assault counts for the attack.

Indie band Good English has had shows cancelled over their drummer’s defense of Brock Turner https://t.co/c1eEpYN583

— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) June 9, 2016

As the report notes, several were outraged at Good English before Northside Festival announced it was pulling the band from its roster of music.

“Leslie Rasmussen is in a band called Good English and are playing a string of shows soon. Please don’t support them,” wrote one Twitter user.

A Facebook user directed anger at the festival for featuring the band by writing “you profile yourself as ‘a stage for [..] thought-leaders’ and as an encouragement to ‘think outside the box’. Step up your game and show what kind of ‘out-of-the-box’ you do and do not support. Don’t let Good English play.”

Northside Festival listened and yanked Good English from the event.

Users rallied behind the festival for making that decision. Five Brooklyn venues were set to host Good English this weekend.

“Good move guys, thanks for protecting the women of New York,” wrote one woman on the festival’s Facebook page.

Do you agree with the festival pulling Good English after its drummer penned a letter to the judge defending Brock Turner?

[Photo by Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office/AP Photo]

Brock Turner: Female Drummer Of Band Defends Stanford Rapist, Good English Group Loses Gigs is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A North Carolina is accused of pouring vodka directly into a seven-year-old child’s eyes because the woman was upset with the boy for splashing water near her, The Smoking Gun is reporting.

Roseanna Marie Kiser, 33, was hanging out at the pool at Clearwater, Florida’s tony Sheraton Sand Key Resort on Monday, apparently quite liquored-up and drinking vodka directly from the bottle.

Room view…..yes sir (@ Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach, FL) https://t.co/FSwvrdsoPC pic.twitter.com/qCB5AgIt5H

— Chris perdomo (@cwperdomo1) November 15, 2014

Meanwhile, a group of children were playing nearby and, as children playing in a pool are wont to do, were splashing water. One of those children, an unnamed seven-year-old boy, splashed water too close for Ms. Kiser’s comfort, and she became irate, according to the criminal complaint.

“The defendant became angry at one of the children, [redacted], age seven, because he was splashing water near her, so the defendant opened her bottle of vodka and poured some directly into the eyes and face of the seven-year-old child.”

You may think that pouring vodka into the eyes of a child – especially someone else’s child – is a bit much. Well, this story gets worse.

“The defendant then battered the child again by grabbing him around the chest and pushing him further away from her into the water in the pool.”

For the record, getting alcohol into one’s eyes will sting like – well, a word that won’t be printed in this post – but unless it’s there for hours, isn’t likely to cause permanent damage. The Mayo Clinic recommends a simple eye wash if you get a chemical such as alcohol in your eyes.

This is not the first time a person has assaulted a stranger’s child over a perceived slight. In fact, just this week in London, Ontario, Canada, a man assaulted a preteen girl at a London city park, according to The London Free Press. Police say the victim was riding her bike when she accidentally crashed into another young child. An adult man then came and physically assaulted the preteen, before taking the other girl by the hand and walking away. The victim sustained minor injuries.

Similarly, in Aberdeen, Scotland, a neighborhood dispute seems to have played a role in a young child getting verbally and physically assaulted in 2015, according to the Aberdeen Press and Journal. Kelly Smith, for reasons that aren’t clear, apparently had an ongoing dislike of an unnamed local schoolboy, and had been known to call him “Pepper the Poof.” Things got even further out of hand when the young boy gave Smith a look she didn’t approve, so she began assaulting him to the point that the boy’s father had to put himself between the two.

In general, it’s probably not a good idea to get involved with the child directly if you have a beef with someone else’s child, says Yahoo News Australia. Instead, if someone else’s child is disturbing you, putting himself or others in danger, or otherwise misbehaving and you have a problem with it, take it up with the child’s parents.

Ms. Kiser, who poured vodka into a child’s eyes, has been charged with felony child abuse and felony assault on a police officer.

[Image courtesy of Clearwater Police Department]

Roseanna Marie Kiser: North Carolina Woman Allegedly Pours Vodka Into Child’s Eyes For Splashing Her At Resort Pool is an article from: The Inquisitr News

After Target stores recently stood up for the rights of transgender people regarding the use of their bathrooms, they received backlash from hundreds of thousands of people who signed a petition promising to boycott the company. A shocking occurrence this week may have proved that the issue of transgender people and public bathrooms has not cooled off.

According to local Illinois news WGNTV, a bomb was set off at a women’s bathroom at a Target in Evanston, Illinois, on Wednesday. Authorities are investigating whether or not the small explosion was detonated in protest to Target’s decision to allow transgender people to use the bathroom of the sex they identify with.

Fortunately, the bomb was small and caused only minor damage. Commander Joe Dugan explained that the explosion happened shortly after 4 p.m., and no one was inside the women’s bathroom at the time. The culprit reportedly manufactured a bomb using a plastic bottle, but did not fill it with deadly projectiles like nails or tacks. Nobody was injured by the bomb, but it seems possible that an activist wanted to send an angry message about Target’s stance on the transgender issue.

The exact policy that has caused so many people to turn against Target is their decision to openly welcome “transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.” This announcement came in response to the controversial HB2 “bathroom bill” backed by Pat McCrory in North Carolina, which forces transgender people to use the public bathroom of the gender they were born with.

The bathroom bomb is only one of many examples of activists protesting the policy with frightening public antics. According to Mic, many videos have been published online showing people protesting Target’s transgender policy, including individuals yelling and berating Target employees and customers. Another common tactic has men dressing up as women to demonstrate how easy it would be a for a predator to exploit the inclusive transgender policy as a way to abduct, molest, or spy on young girls.

However, transgender allies have pointed out there are virtually no reported instances of this happening, and transgender people have been using the bathroom of the gender they identify with for years. Also, under the HB2 bill, male predators would be able to prey on young girls even more easily. Without even needing to put on a disguise, criminals could enter the women’s bathroom claiming to be a trans man who has been forced to use the women’s bathroom — then gain the same access as a man in drag would have in a Target bathroom.

To read more about the transgender bathroom bill, click here.

Target insisted that the safety of their customers and employees is their top priority and would not allow criminal or predatory behavior in their bathrooms under any circumstances.

“We have zero tolerance for any illegal or unsafe behavior in our stores,” said a Target representative.

According to the Chicago Tribune, since the bomb was small and the damage was limited to a single stall in the women’s bathroom, police determined it was safe for Target to remain open for the rest of the day.

What do you think? Did someone set off the bathroom bomb to protest Target’s policy on transgender individuals? Do you believe transgender people should be allowed to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with, or were you one of the people who signed the petition against Target? Leave your thoughts below.

[Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images]

Bomb Set Off In Target Bathroom — Are Anti-Trans Activists To Blame? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A Florida man, who was working as a construction worker in a gated community, was arrested after being accused of attempting to lure a 10-year-old girl back to his truck for a kiss, according to WESH 2 News.

On Wednesday, June 1, 43-year-old Eder Batista – who was born in Ipatinga in Brazil, but later moved to Orlando – was doing construction work in a gated neighborhood, near Apopka-Vineland and Sand Lake roads in Dr. Phillips, when he spotted a young girl, who was stretching outside near her house.

@OrangeCoSheriff charged Eder Batista w/ Luring, Enticing Minor this morning on Firenze Blvd in Dr. Phillips #FOX35 pic.twitter.com/NYtiNrihKT

— Holly Bristow (@hollybnews) June 1, 2016

Documents stated that while the young girl, whose name has not been released due to legal reasons, began walking toward a nearby fountain to continue her stretches, he followed behind her. An affidavit stated that he then approached the child, “but didn’t get too close” and “motioned for her to come to his truck.”

When the girl made no attempt to follow him back to his truck, sources say that he told the child “she was pretty and puckered his lips while saying, ‘kiss’ and ‘come on.'”

The child reportedly ran back to her house and immediately told her parents that she felt uncomfortable when the construction worker allegedly approached her and attempted to lure her back to his truck for a kiss.

Orange County police officials were immediately called to the scene, where the suspect was taken into custody on charges of “luring and enticing a child under 12 years old, which is a first-degree misdemeanor.”

When neighbors learned that a construction worker allegedly tried to lure an underage girl back to his truck for a kiss, they were in complete and utter shock. One neighbor, Ranjit Wasu, told reporters that “it’s a sad world we live in, I think.” He went on to say that he “live[s] two minutes away, and how this is happening, I have no idea.”

“Shocking. I’m a father, as well, and we have three children. You need to be more alert and aware of your surroundings.”

According to Orlando Sentinel, Eder Batista was taken to the Orange County jail and was released after paying a $500 bond. However, the Brazilian man claims that his intent was not to lure the girl to his truck for a kiss. He was only saying “hi” to the child, who he said had walked by him while he was working.

On his Facebook page, he posted, “I want to make a clarification here to friends and family and for those who know me. The law in the USA prohibits an unknown adult speaking to a child alone.

“A 10 year-old-girl who lives next to the house that I was renovating, ran pass my truck, I greeted her, she smiled and greeted me from afar, and after a while I was on the side of the house working, the police summoned me. They said the child said I called her into my car so that I could kiss her.”

“I was arrested for investigation of my background as it was not proven that I committed the act of pedophilia,” Batista’s Facebook continued. “I paid the minimum bail of $ 500 and left free, but still have to appear before a court, pray for me and ask God to rid me, I did no such thing.”

However, Abrão add that he gave a “big hug” to his friend, and he has “faith that everything will be clarified.”

Orange County police officials stated that after Eder Batista was accused of trying to lure a child to his truck for a kiss, they are now “interviewing people in the community.”

[Image via Getty Images/ China Photos]

Florida Man Arrested For Allegedly Trying To Lure 10-Year-Old Girl To His Truck For A Kiss is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A Florida mom has reportedly admitted to killing her own children, and now she’s facing the possibility of the death penalty if she’s convicted. CBS News reports that 40-year-old Sophia Hines has been charged in association with the deaths of her 7-month-old son and her 3-year-old daughter. The details surrounding this case are shocking, but will justice be served?

Authorities in Broward County say that the murders of the two children took place over the past week, just north of Miami. The Florida mom had been visiting from the Philadelphia area with her children, and was staying with them at a family member’s home. It was in this residence that Hines reportedly decided to commit two unspeakable murders, claiming her own children as her victims.

The Sun Sentinel reports that the horrifying incident took place on Wednesday. The 40-year-old Florida woman told authorities that she smothered both of her children with a bedsheet. This corroborated with how authorities discovered the bodies of the two children. When police arrived at the Broward County residence, they discovered the bodies of the 7-month-old and 3-year-old, laying face-up, on a bed.

Why did Sophia Hines, suffocate her two children to death? https://t.co/lCKnWUO6A5 #maternal fillicide #David Bjorklund #Miramar #Florida

— Scallywagandvagabond (@ScallywagNYC) June 10, 2016

Loved ones of the Florida mom have expressed shock regarding what happened on Wednesday. The father of one of the slain children has given comments to reports which indicate that the children have always been safe in the care of Hines. Anthony Singleton is reportedly struggling to make sense of what has happened.

“This is the last thing I would expect, the very, very last thing.”

This isn’t the first time maternal filicide has made media headlines. One famous case of a mother killing her own children involved Texas woman Andrea Yates. Yates’s case is one of the most notorious incidents involving a mother killing her own children, due to the shocking nature of the crime she committed. The Texas woman methodically drowned every single one of her five children after she had a mental breakdown.

@LouisFarrakhan she killed her 4 babies Andrea Yates won’t see an inside of a prison. Her or her husband pic.twitter.com/trLfokGzh0

— Thea F. (@theame2) May 1, 2016

Aishia Pacheco who smothered her 4-day-old infant son charged with murder pic.twitter.com/96qh4McayH

— Ksley8 (@KonnieMoments1) May 26, 2016

This year, a North Carolina mom was arrested for allegedly smothering her newborn baby son. The reason she reportedly committed this heinous act was because the days-old baby “wouldn’t stop crying.” Aishia Pacheco reportedly said that it was an accident, and that she “didn’t mean to.” However, she has still been charged with the murder of her own newborn child.

Also this year, a Minnesota woman was arrested after an investigation found that she killed her 13-week-old baby after a night of consuming wine and prescription pills. However, instead of facing murder charges, the mom was charged with second degree manslaughter, and crimes associated with child neglect.

Like many shocking cases involving crimes against children, this latest double-homicide has attracted a lot of attention on social media. Comments vary surrounding the admitted slaying of the two children, but most people are expressing shock and disgust that a mother would do such a horrendous thing. Meanwhile, loved ones of the Florida woman say that postpartum depression may have played a role in the children’s deaths.

Family members say Sophia Hines was suffering from postpartum depression. New details @nbc6 at 6 pic.twitter.com/MID2dqRjxz

— Dan Krauth (@DanNBC6) June 9, 2016

Sophia Hines has given no explanation for what led her to suffocating her two children with a bedsheet. At this time, authorities have also not commented on a possible motive. However, The Sun Sentinel reports that in many similar cases, mental illness is often present. The Florida mom has been charged with two counts of premeditated murder. If convicted, Hines could find herself sitting on Death Row. Meanwhile, authorities haven’t explained what evidence, if any, led to these particular charges. She is currently being held without bond in Broward County Jail.

[Photo via Broward County Jail]

Florida Mom Admits To Killing Her Children With A Bedsheet is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Brock Turner, the former Stanford swimmer who recently was convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a frat house in January 2015, has been banned from competing in USA Swimming-sanctioned events according to an official statement sent to USA Today on Monday, June 9.

USA Swimming is the governing body that handles professional swimming in the US. According to the organization’s official statement, not only will Brock Turner be banned from competing on a professional level, he is also restricted from participating in future Olympic trials.

In addition, the organization’s statement clearly states that Turner’s membership had already expired in 2014, in which case they don’t have any jurisdiction over the 20-year-old convict. The governing body, however, emphasized that they have zero tolerance against sexual offenders as stated in their Code of Conduct policies.

“Brock Turner’s membership with USA Swimming expired at the end of the calendar year 2014…He was not a member at the time of his crime or since then. USA Swimming doesn’t have any jurisdiction over non-members.”

“Brock Turner is not a member of USA Swimming and, should he apply, he would not be eligible for membership…. Had he been a member, he would be subject to the USA Swimming Code of Conduct. USA Swimming strictly prohibits and has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, with firm Code of Conduct policies in place, and severe penalties, including a permanent ban of membership, for those who violate our Code of Conduct.”

While USA Swimming’s official statement has definitely put an end to Brock Turner’s professional swimming career, the former Stanford student can take comfort in the fact that his original six-month sentence has been cut down to three months, as previously reported by Vox.

The source came from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office’s official website, which states that Brock Turner is scheduled for release on September 2, three months after the day of his sentence.

The sheriff’s spokesperson James Jensen explained to the Washington Post that the date was given to them by the court system. He added that by default most inmates serve only half of their sentences, and that the system only imposes the sentence in full length if an inmate incurs a disciplinary violation.

Of course, this can only mean that Brock Turner will most likely be out of prison in September 2, barring bad behavior.

Brock Turner’s sexual assault case has sparked international outrage with many criticizing the ex-swimmer for shifting the blame of his actions to Stanford’s “party culture” and alcohol, as previously reported by The Inquisitr. In his official letter to the judge, Turner never apologized even once to his victim, but instead lamented about how the case has ended his future prospects as a professional swimmer

“I’ve lost my ability to obtain a Stanford degree. I’ve lost employment opportunities, my reputation and most of all, my life,” wrote Brock.

“I’ve been shattered by the party culture and risk taking behavior that I briefly experienced in my four months at school,” added Turner. “I’ve lost my chance to swim in the Olympics.”

Brock Turner’s father also sparked outrage when he said that his son should not have to go to prison for “20 minutes of action,” with many saying that his statement is a testament to how rape culture has permeated society.

“That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life,” wrote Brock Turner’s dad. “He will never be his happy go lucky self with that easy going personality and welcoming smile.”

Of course, both statements bring home the sad reality of how most sex offenders often paint themselves as victims, seemingly oblivious of the emotional scars their crime may have inflicted on their victims — scars they will have to face for the rest of their lives.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the Brock Turner case in the comments section below.

[Image via Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office]

Stanford Rapist Brock Turner Banned From USA Swimming For Life is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The human trafficking boom in the Greater Toronto Area has forced a 15-year-old visitor from British Columbia to provide sex to as many as 10 clients a day for about three weeks. The underage girl was reportedly drugged and forced into the sex trade by three men now facing a total of 15 human trafficking and material benefit charges.

According to Inside Toronto, the British Columbia girl visiting relatives in Ontario last September 2015, met a man with whom she exchanged mobile phone numbers. In November, he texted her for a date, and she agreed to meet him. He showed up with another man to pick her up, and a police press release on Wednesday, June 8, 2016, said her two companions “supplied her with a large quantity of alcohol and drugs” that made her compliant to their human trafficking gig.

Police indicated that the teen was then taken to a Toronto hotel where she would provide the sex in their human trafficking scheme. The police report detailed how she was coerced into the trade.

“The men took photos of her in certain degrees of undress and posted them on backpages.com, advertising sexual services. They told her what to charge her clients for specific sex acts.”

When she was kicked out of a room in an Oshawa hotel, a third man was brought into the human trafficking operation to book rooms for her and her clients. She was told she had to work more to pay for the inconvenience of being removed from the hotel.

According to CKNW News, the victim was able to call police for help on December 17, 2015, less than a week before Christmas. The human trafficking enforcement team of the sex crimes unit, began an investigation that led to the arrest of three men between June 2 and 6, 2016.

Charges of human trafficking have been laid against Ahmadu Ahmed, 20; Maher Saleh, 20, and 19-year-old Jerome Laing, all of Toronto. The crime they face involves the coercion of a person under 18 to participate in sex acts and receiving material benefit from the sexual services she provided.

The Star report defines sexual human trafficking as the forced confinement or transportation of a person for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The report also asserts that, contrary to popular belief, almost all of the victims in Canada are Canadian born.

Police authorities attribute the growth and staying power of human trafficking to its being so lucrative. A pimp can earn $280,000 a year from one sex-trade worker, by current estimates.

Online solicitation has also changed the rules of The Game by spiriting the merchandise off the streets and offering them behind closed doors. The girls are typically sold on the website Backpage.com which police investigators blame for running human trafficking advertisements across North America.

Recently, The Star tracked human merchandise lured into The Game and sold throughout the GTA. The game plan was to move them every few days between four-star downtown hotels to cheap motels and strip clubs along Highway 401 and the Queen Elizabeth Way.

The Star discussed the problem with Suni, the owner of the Mississauga Gates Inn, who described the trafficking of young girls as a daily occurrence. He explained the challenge high-end hotels and small motels like his have to face every day.

“We are kicking these people out like f#@king crazy. We are battling the struggle every day.”

Human trafficking was written into the Criminal Code of Canada in 2005, but it was only in 2015 that the first pimp in Toronto was convicted. Tyrone Burton, 31, was found guilty of keeping two teenagers against their will, withholding their identity documents, and coercing them to work in the sex business.

Ontario Parliament Member Laurie Scott put forward a motion to the legislature in May, calling for the creation of a provincial task force to combat homegrown human trafficking and increase funding.

Her motion passed, an acknowledgment of the ordeal experienced by the 15-year-old human trafficking victim on a family visit from British Columbia.

[Photo by Jason Merritt /Getty Images]

Human Trafficking In Greater Toronto: 15-year-old B.C. Visitor Forced To Sell Sex And Pay Off Debt With Pimps is an article from: The Inquisitr News

An Ohio man who shot a sheriff’s deputy and one other civilian is in custody after a seven-hour manhunt through a Cincinnati neighborhood Thursday night into the early hours of Friday, authorities said.

According to WCPO, a Warren County Sheriff’s deputy was responding to a report of a domestic disturbance at an apartment complex in Deerfield Township’s Landen around 9:45 p.m. Thursday, when Mohammed Abdou Laghaoui, 19, reportedly opened fire, wounding the female deputy, according to Warren County Sheriff’s Lt. John Faine.

Sheriff: Suspect in Ohio shooting of sheriff's deputy surrenders after 7-hour manhunthttps://t.co/o72VJElPeP pic.twitter.com/vd9HaBd7B0

— WEWS NewsChannel 5 (@WEWS) June 10, 2016

According to the sheriff’s office, Laghaoui also allegedly shot another Ohio man before fleeing from the scene.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that a manhunt that would last seven hours ensued. Deputies quickly issued a shelter-in-place order, which warns residents to remain in their homes or an indoor location with doors locked. The alert left dozens of residents and owners and patrons of nearby businesses stranded for hours and unable to leave or return to their homes until the alert was lifted.

BREAKING: Warren county deputy shot. Condition unknown. Suspect on the loose. Behind Kroger in Landen. Residents stay inside @WCPO

— Jay Warren (@JayWarrenWCPO) June 10, 2016

As the manhunt expanded, officials issued a Blue Alert for all of southwest Ohio around 2 a.m. Friday, which notifies the public that a law enforcement officer has been critically injured, killed, or missing and that the suspect or suspects are still at large. The Blue Alert also calls on the public to aid in locating a suspect or suspects.

A supervisor for Warren County dispatch later confirmed authorities were searching for an “active shooter” suspect in the area around the Kroger grocery store.

The manhunt ended peacefully after Laghaoui returned to his apartment at the Orchards of Landen complex just before 5 a.m. and surrendered. According to officials with the sheriff’s office, Laghaoui said he had thrown his weapon in a nearby lake and returned to surrender. Officials took the suspect into custody.

Active shooter in the area behind Kroger in Landen. Be advised to stay inside and not open doors to strangers.

— Deerfieldtwp Fire (@DTFRWarrenCoOH) June 10, 2016

The injured deputy was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where she reportedly was awake and talking. After treatment, the unidentified deputy was released from the hospital shortly before 4 a.m. The other victim, a male civilian, suffered non-life threatening injuries, Faine said.

Police arrest suspect who wounded a female Warren County, OH deputy, another person in shooting. https://t.co/iysy0VQrPU

— Eric Clay (@EricSClay) June 10, 2016

Faine would not comment on the nature of the domestic disturbance.

Elizabeth Everheart, the manager of a nearby Shell station, said the scene was tense after the shooting and during the shelter-in-place order.

“There was police with assault rifles going through the yards, scanning the area, and I just told him that police had it under control and that we were fine.”

Emily Johnson, 17, of Maineville, Ohio, told the Enquirer that she was stranded in the parking lot of a nearby Meijer grocery store for about seven hours as a result of the shelter-in-place order and police road blocks.

Once the suspect was apprehended, Johnson said she felt relief to be returning home, but she remained concerned about the events of the overnight hours.

“It’s crazy. This kind of thing doesn’t happen around here. You never think it’s going to happen to you. I’m just glad we get to go home.”

According to the Warren County Sheriff’s Department’s Persons Currently in Custody website, Laghaoui is being held on two counts of felonious assault, aggravated murder, and murder and is set to be arraigned on June 13.

Faine said more details on the shooting and subsequent manhunt in Ohio would be forthcoming in a press conference.

[Warren County, Ohio Sheriff via Associated Press]

Ohio Manhunt For Suspect In The Shooting Of A Female Deputy, One Other, Ends Peacefully is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Tovonna Holton killed herself after a nude shower video was posted to Snapchat by her classmates at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

The Florida teen did not give permission for the nude video of her to be filmed. Tovonna Holton committed suicide just a few hours after the shower video was posted to Snapchat, WFLA reports.

Holton, from Wesley Chapel, took a gun from her mother’s purse, walked into the bathroom, and shot herself dead.

Levon Holton-Teamer, the 15-year-old girl’s mother, said she told her daughter to go clean her room and then went looking for her a while later when she hadn’t reappeared.

“I go into the bathroom, I couldn’t get into bathroom,” the grieving mother told local reporters. “The bathroom light was off so I tried to get in and I looked down and I saw the puddle of blood. I tried to apply the pressure, the pressure to her head. I tried to save her. My baby… my baby.”

Holton-Teamer also said that several hours before her daughter killed herself, she had mentioned a nude photo her friends had taken of her without permission. Tovonna Holton reportedly said she “owed them” over and over to her mother before going off to her room.

“I said, ‘What do you mean you owe them?’ I couldn’t understand what was wrong,” the mother added.

On what would have been Tovonna’s last day of her freshman year of high school, her family was forced to begin planning her funeral.

Tovonna Holton, 15, Shoots Self Dead After Nude Snapchat Leak https://t.co/dXTpu9087R pic.twitter.com/aLbPkY7Ypq

— UJReview (@UJReview) June 10, 2016

Angel Scott, the 15-year-old Florida girl’s aunt, said she got on Facebook to see if she could find out more about what had happened at school with her niece’s friends. Scott said it was then she discovered a nude video had been taken in the locker room shower and had been posted online.

The aunt is pleading with anyone who knows anything about the video or what led up to what is now being deemed “revenge porn” on social media to come forward.

“The kids started inboxing me. Everybody was out there talking about her and calling her names and they said it went up on social media, Snapchat,” Angel Scott added.

The Pasco County Sheriff is now investigating the incident at Wiregrass Ranch High School. Multiple allegations of cyberbullying were brought to his attention after the Tovonna Holton suicide.

During an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office representative Eddie Daniels said the law enforcement agency is continuing to “investigate all angles” related to the nude video taken in the school shower and posted to Snapchat.

So far, no arrests have been made for a crime that can legally be charged as the making of child pornography. No suspects have been named publicly. The Wiregrass Ranch High School has turned the investigation of the incident over to the sheriff’s office and is not making any comment about what happened in the locker room shower.

Tovonna Holton’s family is demanding justice for the posting of the nude shower video to Snapchat. The #stopbullying hashtag went viral after the story garnered national headlines.

Crystal Belle, a close friend of Tovonna’s, authored a now-viral Facebook post to bring awareness about the impact of cyberbullying.

“She [Tovonna Holton] took her own life after being filmed nude in the shower by peer students, who then shared and shamed her on Snapchat. My prayers go out to the family of this beautiful young woman. I hope that all schools and parents begin to attack the beast of bullying and social media.”

Although photos and videos uploaded to Snapchat are usually deleted after 24 hours, screenshots of the Tovonna Holton shower video were saved and reshared on multiple social media platforms.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Tovonna Holton: Florida Teen Kills Herself After Nude Shower Video Is Posted To Snapchat is an article from: The Inquisitr News