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May 4, 2008

Elderly Woman Trapped under Dead Husband for Four Days

A newspaper carrier rescued an 84-year-old Illinois woman pinned under the body of her dead husband, Marion Daily Republic reported.
Carrier Bruce Pitts found Blanche Roberts March 27, trapped under her husband Fred, who apparently died of a heart attack after mowing the lawn, CBS News reported. The woman had been unable to move for four days.
Pitts said he grew suspicious after the couple’s newspapers were not picked up.
“It was never like them to leave a newspaper in their tube,� Pitt said. “That wonderful, small voice inside me said, ‘This isn't right.’� (CBS News)
According to CBS News, Blanche Roberts was coherent when rescuers found her. She knew her name and the names of her relatives, though she didn’t realize her husband was dead.
“She said, ‘Well, he’s sleeping. He’ll be up in a little while,’’’ Pitts said. (Marion Daily Republic)
As of March 30, Blanche Roberts was in intensive care at Herrin Hospital and “doing fine,� the Marion Daily Journal reported.

April 20, 2008

2-year-old Blows into Lake Michigan

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that a 65-year-old man was pushing his grandson in a stroller along Belmont Harbor in Chicago when a strong gust of wind blew the child into Lake Michigan.
The boy was listed in critical condition Friday night after being submerged in the 42-degree water for 15 minutes.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the grandfather, a Serbian who speaks limited English, went in the water to search for the boy. The paper reported he was shouting, “Boy,� while CNN reported the he shouted, “Child.�
Witness John Derscheid called 911 after he realized what had happened. Rescue crews pulled the child and the stroller out of the water and took him to Children’s Memorial Hospital. The grandfather was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital where being treated for exposure, CNN reported.
CNN reported that the grandfather was in stable condition Saturday night, while the Chicago Sun-Times reported he was in critical condition.
CNN reported that the winds at the time of the incident were about 20 mph, with gusts of about 30 mph. “The wind picked up,� witness Derscheid said. “I was getting stuff blown in my face.� (Chicago Sun-Times)

April 13, 2008

Never-Before-Seen Elvis Photos Surface

Previously unseen photos of Elvis’ 1972 Madison Square Garden concert were discovered this week, CNN reported.
Madison Square Garden’s official photographer, George Kalinsky, 64, was looking for photos to use in a billboard campaign titled “Great Moments in New York� when he came across the Elvis photos he took over thirty years ago.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Kalinsky had asked Graceland for permission to use a photo for the project, and was asked if he had any other Elvis photos.
“I thought I had eight or 10 good photos, but I found four rolls of film,� Kalinsky said (Daily Telegraph). CNN reported that 40 unpublished photos were uncovered, while the Daily Telegraph reported that 100 photos were found.
Graceland officials consider some of Kalinsky’s photos to be the most iconic Elvis photos taken, the Daily Telegraph reported.
“These are very crisp, clear, professional photos of Elvis. It's such a rare find,� Kevin Kern, spokesman for Elvis Presley Enterprises, said. (CNN)
One photo, in which Elvis has his arms spread and looking up, is now on a billboard on top of the Virgin Megastore in Times Square.
The photos will now be part of an exhibit called “Elvis Jumpsuits: All Access� that will also feature 50 of the star’s jumpsuits, CNN reported.

April 2, 2008

Teen Gives Birth in Airplane, Leaves Stillborn Fetus in Trashcan

KHOU reported that a 14-year-old Houston girl gave birth in an airplane bathroom Sunday and left the fetus in a trashcan. Preliminary autopsy reports indicate that the fetus was stillborn, police said Monday.
Investigators believe the birth occurred sometime during the flight, KHOU reported.
Dallas Morning News and KHOU reported that the girl, an eighth grader, didn’t know she was pregnant. Therefore, charges are unlikely to be filed.
“We're dealing with a scared child at this point,� investigator Keith Lovelace said. (Dallas Morning News).
Police were called to Bush Intercontinental Airport after cleaning crews found the fetus stuffed in a trash can in one of the airplane’s bathrooms Sunday afternoon. All of the passengers had exited the plane before the fetus was found.
The girl was questioned by investigators Sunday night, Dallas Morning News reported.
Dallas Morning News reported the girl was on the non-stop Continental Airlines flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport as part middle school field trip. KHOU reported that Houston Independent School District confirmed that a choir from Perishing Middle School was on board the flight, but would not confirm whether the girl was part of that group.
KHOU’s article ended with a Q&A with a Houston-area obstetrician who answered questions about the logistics of the incident. This helped to clear up the ‘How?’ question.
The Dallas Morning News article was more of a breaking news article. It was short and filled space with specifics about the flight itself that didn’t really pertain to the story at hand.

March 30, 2008

Woman Dies after Falling While Snowboarding

A 28-year-old Indianapolis woman died after suffering a stroke that was caused when she fell “quite hard on her buttocks� while snowboarding at a Colorado ski resort, RTV 6 reported.
Jennifer Ash suffered a tear in a vertebral artery, which caused irreversible brain damage, the coroner said Friday. The fall occurred March 16, and Ash was pronounced dead on March 23, 7 News, an ABC affiliate out of Denver, reported.
“This type of injury occurs with an indirect trauma -- where there is a whipping motion of the neck that can be a hyperextension or from side to side,� Coroner Joanne L. Richardson said in a report. (7 News)
Ash was not wearing a helmet at the time of her fall, but Richardson said a helmet would not have had an effect.
Keystone Ski Resort, where Ash was snowboarding at the time of her fall, said ski patrol was not notified about the fall because no one deemed the accident severe enough, RTV 6 reported.
However, when Ash continued to experience pain, friends brought her to Summit Medical Center, 7 News reported. She was later air-lifted to St. Anthony's Central Hospital in Denver, where her injury was discovered.
Ash was in her first year on faculty at Butler’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, both sources reported. She had arrived at Keystone Ski Resort March 15 for vacation.

March 16, 2008

Kansas Woman Stays in Bathroom for Two Years

A 35-year-old Kansas woman required surgery to remove a toilet seat after she reportedly sat on her boyfriend’s toilet for over a month, CNN reported.
Pam Babcock’s boyfriend, Kory McFarren, told police that his girlfriend had stayed in his bathroom for around two years due to a phobia that stemmed from childhood abuse. KSN did not mention her phobia as a possible reason that Babcock stayed in the bathroom, though the source did make it clear that she did so voluntarily.
“It just kind of happened one day; she went in and had been in there a little while, the next time it was a little longer. Then she got it in her head she was going to stay -- like it was a safe place for her,� McFarren said (CNN).
McFarren would bring Babcock clothes, food and water, and ask her to come out everyday, he said. In the beginning, Babcock would move around the bathroom to bathe and change. But authorities believe she sat on the toilet without moving for over a month.
Police received a 911 call Feb. 27 from McFarren. CNN reported that he told dispatchers that his girlfriend was acting “groggy,� as though she didn’t know where she was. KSN reported that McFarren called only because Babcock wouldn’t come out of the bathroom.
When police arrived, they found Babcock, fully clothed and sitting on the toilet, her sweatpants around her thighs, CNN reported. They had to use a pry bar to remove the toilet seat from the toilet, and then transported Babcock to the hospital by ambulance to have the seat removed from her body.
CNN reported that Babcock was in fair condition in a Wichita hospital Wednesday, though she had nerve damage in her legs and may have to be in a wheelchair.
KSN spelled the boyfriend’s first name as “Corey,� where CNN reported the spelling as “Kory.� Also, KSN did not give Babcock’s name until the very last sentence. Throughout the rest of the story, she is simply referred to as “the woman.� Possibly, the source did not want to give her name, but accidentally put it at the end.

March 9, 2008

New York Taxi Driver Admits He Lied about Abandoned Baby

The Washington Post reported that a 44-year-old New York City taxi driver who left a 6-month-old girl at a fire department Feb. 28 claiming she was left in his cab has admitted to police he made up the story.
Ecuadorian immigrant Klever Sailema said he was trying to help the baby’s overwhelmed family. The baby’s mother is a 14-year-old girl who ran away after she had a fight with her father, the BBC reported. According to the Washington Post, Sailema said Maria Siavichay, 21, his girlfriend and the child’s aunt, asked him to drop the baby off because he was the only one in the family in the country legally.
“I feel bad, but ultimately I feel like I did the right thing,� Sailema said. “My intentions were not to lie to the police.� (Washington Post)
Sailema was arrested March 1 and charged with criminal facilitation and falsely reporting an incident. Siavichay was charged with criminal facilitation. Both were released without bail, but will appear in court on April 7. Police are seeking the baby’s father, Siavichay’s 27-year-old brother. The baby’s mother will not likely be charged because of her age.
“These are good people, and this was a case of people doing their best to do what they thought was right for the child,� Kevin Faga, Sailema and Siavichay's lawyer, said. (Washington Post)
The baby has since been placed in a foster home. The BBC reported that the baby had not been named while the Washington Post said the baby’s name is Daniella.

March 1, 2008

USS New York Christened

The USS New York, the ship built from steel taken from the World Trade Center, was christened Saturday in Avondale, Louisiana, The New York Times reported. Families and friends of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were present at the event. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England’s wife Dotty did the christening.
The bow of the USS New York is constructed from 7.5 tons of steel taken from Ground Zero, the BBC reported. The bow also has a shield, a banner reading “Never Forget� and two bars that represent the Twin Towers.
“I tell you, it's a fantastic day. Sometimes you think you're over something and then you realize you're not completely,� said New York Police Lt. Matt Murphy, tears welling in his eyes. (The New York Times)
According to BBC, the Navy generally reserves state names for submarines, but, after the attacks, former New York Governor George Pataki had requested that the ship bear his state’s name.
The USS New York, capable of carrying a crew of 360 sailors and 700 Marines, was specifically designed to be used during special missions against terrorists, The New York Times reported. The ship will be added to the fleet sometime next year.
“We're sending a message that we're standing strong,� said Lee Ielpi, president of the September 11th Families' Association. “This ship, as it cuts through the water, is going to send a ripple. That ripple will say, ‘We cherish our freedom’.� (BBC)

February 24, 2008

Bus Driver who Duct-Taped Children Charged

A South Carolina bus driver who used duct tape to discipline children on her bus has been charged with cruelty to children, Fox Carolina reported. Helen Curry, 39, is accused of duct taping the mouths and possibly the wrists of eight children, one of them being her own daughter.
The Greenville News reported that the incidents occurred between November 2007 and February 2008 and that the children ranged from the ages of 8 to 12. Curry could face a $1,600 fine if convicted, Fox Carolina reported.
Greenwood School District 51 learned of Curry’s behavior after she was terminated from her position for unrelated reasons Feb. 15. Students told the new bus driver about being duct taped, The Greenville News reported. The school contacted police immediately.
According to WYFF, Curry said that she was trying to act in the best interests of the children on the bus. "If I've got two, three or four students that are habitually making it unsafe for the other 70 on the bus I feel it's my responsibility to do what I have to do to ensure the safety of the other kids," she said. WYFF reported that she gave the children the choice of being duct taped or given an administrative write-up.

February 17, 2008

Kentucky Man Charged in Death of Grandson

Police have charged a man with reckless homicide in the death of his 2-month-old grandson, MSNBC reported.
David Cull, 50, apparently passed out Wednesday evening on top of infant Xavian, who was asleep in a chair. Cull is believed to have been intoxicated from taking too much prescription medication.
When a family member woke Cull around 5 a.m. Thursday, the infant’s grandmother, Donna Marie Cull, found the child unconscious.
"His lips were purple, and he had four purple stripes down the side of his face,� she said. “I blew in his face and he wouldn't breathe. His hands were clenched, and he was cold." (WLKY)
A 911 call was placed aroud 7:30 a.m. The county coroner confirmed the infant was dead, MSNBC reported.
After interviewing family members, police arrested David Cull Thursday morning. According to WLKY, he is being held at the Carroll County Regional Detention Center.
The Culls had custody of Xavian and his 5-year-old half-sister. Child Protective Services removed the girl from the home and placed her with relatives Thursday afternoon, WLKY reported.

February 10, 2008

Severe Weather Kills 55 in Southern United States

Tornados killed 55 people in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee Tuesday night in the deadliest storm of its kind to hit the United States in 20 years, CNN reported. Many residents had very little or no warning that the bad weather was approaching.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency was sent out to aide with the disaster. Thousands of buildings were destroyed. Pictures on CNN.com showed cars smashed and thrown on top of one another.
On Tuesday night, CNN reported many personal stories from victims of the storms. In Tennessee, a baby was found alive 250 yards away from the body of its mother. A tornado struck Union University in Jackson, Tenn., trapping students in dormitories. One resident took his children to the local storm shelter when he heard the sirens. They escaped injury, but he called his community “total destruction.�
Throughout the week, CNN continued reporting personal stories. On Wednesday, CNN gave a detailed account from a Union University student who huddled in her dorm bathroom throughout the storm. This article also gave several personal quotes from victims. "We had a beautiful neighborhood; now it's hell,� Bonnie Brawner of Tennessee said.
On Thursday, CNN told the story of a Tennessee woman who watched her brother-in-law die in the back of a pick-up from his injuries sustained during the storms. An Alabama couple and their 19-year-old son were killed when a tornado struck their home 3 a.m., Wednesday. An Arkansas letter carrier had built her home in an area that she thought would be protected from tornados. She was killed in the storm and her teenage daughter and husband were injured.
Thursday, the BBC reported that President Bush offered prayers for the victims of the storm. "I do want the people in those states to know the American people are standing with them," he said.

February 3, 2008

Baltimore Teen Murders Family in their Sleep

A 15-year-old boy has been charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder after killing his sleeping parents and brothers, the Star Tribune reported. The teen was allegedly not getting along with his father.
Friday, Nicholas Waggoner Browning shot his father, John Browning, 45, mother Tamara, 44, and brothers Gregory, 13, and Benjamin, 11. He used his father’s handgun.
After the killings, Browning threw the weapon in bushes on the property and fled the house to spend Friday night and Saturday with friends. When he returned to the house Saturday night, Browning told friends his father was dead and called 911. At 1:05 a.m. Sunday morning, the teen admitted to killing his family.
Browning is being held in the Baltimore County Detention Center until a bail review hearing on Monday. Even though he is being charged as an adult, Browning is too young for the death penalty.
WBAL TV News reported that neighbors described the Browning family as “quiet, friendly and active members in the community.�
"These people would do anything in the world for you - just incredible people," neighbor Mike Thomas said. (WBAL TV News)