List of All Articles with Tag 'america'

YouTube parenting influncer Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing. Both women were ordered to be held without bail; their bond hearings are slated for 21 September. Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail, but the reasons for her move are unclear. Over 1,000 people tuned into the hearing and after a cacophony of bizarre noises and pleas to be quiet, the court shut down public access. It transpired later the Zoom link had been shared on TikTok. The pair were arrested on 30 August after Ms Franke’s 12-year-old son climbed out of a window and pleaded for neighbors to give him food and water, court documents showed. After a neighbor noticed that duct tape covering the boy’s ankles and wrists, prompting the neighbor to notify law enforcement. In a chilling 911 call, the neighbor can be heard describing the boy: “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.”

YouTuber Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, are supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding has yet to officially begin as tech issues have plagued the virtual hearing. Over 1,000 people have tuned in — and have been told to quiet down numerous times — to see what happens to the women, who have both been charged with six counts of felony child abuse. Each of the child abuse counts carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted, according to the Washington County Attorney’s Office. “There are two juvenile victims in these cases, and each defendant is accused of causing or permitting serious physical injury to the victims in three different ways: (1) a combination of multiple physical injuries or torture, (2) starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life, and (3) causing severe emotional harm,” the county attorney said. The pair were arrested on 30 August after Ms Franke’s 12-year-old son climbed out of a window and pleaded for neighbors to give him food and water, court documents showed. After a neighbor noticed that duct tape covering the boy’s ankles and wrists, prompting the neighbor to notify law enforcement. In a chilling 911 call, the neighbor can be heard describing the boy: “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.” His voice shaky, as if holding back tears, the neighbor told 911, “This kid has obviously... he’s been detained. He’s obviously covered in wounds.” Following the call, officials determined the 12-year-old to be severely malnourished, and transferred the child to a nearby hospital. The 12-year-old was placed on medical hold after it was discovered that he was also suffering from “deep lacerations” due to “being tied up with rope,” arrest records said. When police arrived at the home, they also found Ms Franke’s 10-year-old daughter who appeared to also be malnourished, authorities said. The two children were taken to a hospital for medical treatment, court documents said. The Utah Division of Child and Family Services had custody of four of Ms Franke’s children. According to theSalt Lake Tribune, police determined that Ms Franke’s two kids had been staying with Ms Hildebrandt, but it’s unclear for how long they had been there. An affidavit noted that “Ruby Franke was seen on a YouTube video filmed in Mr Hildebrandt’s downstairs” just two days prior to the incident, showcasing that the women were “present in the home and having knowledge of the abuse, malnourishment, and neglect.” When police arrived at the home to arrest Ms Franke, the influencer “requested a lawyer” and refused to speak with police, the affidavit stated. Ms Franke’s family has said that behind closed doors, they expressed their worries about her children. Since her arrest, Ms Franke’s family has not been shy about speaking out. Ms Franke’s estranged 20-year-old daughter, Shari, rejoiced at her mother’s arrest on social media, writing “finally” over a video capturing the arrest. “Today has been a big day,” she wrote in a separate post. “We’ve been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up.” Ms Franke’s three sisters have also come forward on social media in defence of her children. Bonnie Hoellein, Julie Griffiths Deru and Ellie Mecham posted a joint statement on Instagram, writing that although they haven’t posted publicly about their concern, in private, “we have done everything we could to try and make sure the kids were safe.” They added that they won’t be commenting on the arrest further. “Ruby was arrested which needed to happen. Jodi was arrested which needed to happen,” they wrote. “The kids are now safe, which is the number one priority.” Ms Franke’s claim to fame was her “8 Passengers“ YouTube channel, in which focused on her — and her now ex-husband’s — lives with their six children in Utah. Some viewers accused her of being too strict and controlling of her children. In one video Ms Franke said: “My kids are literally starving. I hesitate to say this because this is going to sound like I’m a mean barbarian, but I told the kids, I said, ‘I’m not even going to let you eat breakfast until you get your chores done.’” But now all of Ms Franke’s videos have been removed from Youtube. Ms Hildebrandt invited Ms Franke to join her Connexions life counseling service, where they gave daily advice to viewers. According to The DailyMail, Ms Franke appeared in juvenile court on Thursday via video call regarding a shelter hearing for four of her children, who are minors. At the hearing, she made a shocking allegation: the influencer said said that one of her children had been sexually abusing a younger sibling for years. Ms Franke added that her child, according to the Mail, confessed to sexually abusing 20 people in May. In response, the judge said the alleged abusive child “will then need to be placed in a home with no other children.” Read More Parenting advice YouTuber Ruby Franke and business partner due in court on child abuse charges Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed Influencer Ruby Franke is formally charged with felony child abuse

Danny Masterson received letters of support from Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher ahead of his sentencing, it has been revealed. Masterson, 47, was given a sentence of 30 years to life in a Los Angeles court on Thursday for the rapes of two women two decades ago. It has since emerged that his That 70’s Show costars Kunis and Kutcher were among 50 people who wrote letters of support before the sentencing. In their letters, published by Los Angeles-based court reporter Meghann Cuniff, the couple vouched for Masterson’s “exceptional character” and pleaded for Judge Charlaine Olmedo’s leniency. A jury found Masterson guilty of two counts in May after seven days of deliberations. Both attacks took place in Masterson’s Hollywood Hills home in 2003, when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom. The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on a third count, an allegation that Masterson also raped a longtime girlfriend. Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology — where all three women were also members at the time — to avoid consequences for decades after the attacks. Read More ‘You’ll be caught:’ Resurfaced Danny Masterson chat show clip takes on chilling light after rape sentencing Leah Remini hits out at Church of Scientology following Danny Masterson rape sentencing That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rapes

One person was shot and critically wounded at a concert headlined by rapper Lil Baby in Memphis, Tennessee, on Thursday night, police and local media said. The Memphis Police Department posted on social media that officers responded to a report of a shooting at 10:23 p.m. at 191 Beale Street, which is the address of FedEx Forum. A male victim was transported to Regional One Health Medical Center in critical condition and no other injuries were reported, police said. The identity of the shooter was not known, the police statement said. Lil Baby was rushed off the stage when shots were fired inside the venue, WREG-TV reported. A representative for the rapper did not immediately respond to a request for more information from The Associated Press.

A Kentucky man has been charged in connection with the death of Crystal Rogers, a mother-of-five who vanished without a trace during the Fourth of July weekend in 2015. Joseph Lawson, 32, was arraigned in Nelson Circuit Court on Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal conspiracy to commit murder and complicity in tampering with physical evidence. His bond was set at $500,000 cash. The conspiracy to commit murder charge was filed 24 July and the charge of tampering with evidence was filed in June, according to Nelson County circuit court documents. Ms Rogers was not mentioned by name in the indictment, but Attorney Kevin Coleman, who represents Mr Lawson, acknowledged his client’s case is in relation to the mother’s death, according to WRDB. He declined to comment further. Mr Lawson has not been charged with Ms Rogers’ murder, but instead faces a conspiracy charge which means prosecutors believe he was involved in some way. The indictment states that on July 3, 2015, and/or July 4 2015, “the above-named Defendant, committed the offense of Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Murder, when, with the intention of promoting or facilitating the crime, when he agreed to aid one or more persons in the planning or commission of the crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit the crime, when he, and/or a co-conspirator, intentionally caused the death of another.” Ms Rogers has not been seen or heard from since the evening of 3 July 2015. Her red Chevrolet Impala was found abandoned the same day at mile marker 14 on Bluegrass Parkway. The car had a flat tire and inside were her keys, phone and purse, according to the FBI’s office in Louisville. Her boyfriend at the time, Brooks Houck, who is also the father to her youngest child, was named a suspect just months after she went missing, but has never been charged. He’s considered to be the last person who saw her alive. Several homes in Bardstown, Kentucky have been searched over the years, including the homes of Houck family farm, the homes of Mr Houck and his brother, Nick, and a storage unit belonging to Ms Rogers. Her case was taken over by the FBI in 2020. The FBI is also investigating the death of her father, Tommy Ballard, who was shot and killed in 2016 while hunting on his own property more than a year after his daughter went missing. Read More Mother charged after New Jersey investigators solve 1984 ‘Baby Mary’ cold case DNA evidence links man to three sexual assaults over more than a decade Police name man who died in custody after being held for murder of missing woman

Danny Masterson, star of That ’70s Show, has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the rapes of two women two decades ago. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo handed down the sentence to the 47-year-old actor after ruling on a defence motion for a new trial that she rejected, and having heard impact statements from the victims. A jury of seven women and five men found Masterson guilty of two counts on 31 May after seven days of deliberations. Both attacks took place in Masterson’s Hollywood Hills home in 2003, when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom. The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on a third count, an allegation that Masterson also raped a longtime girlfriend. The verdict came in a second trial after a jury failed to reach verdicts on three counts of forcible rape in December 2022 and a mistrial was declared. Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology — where all three women were also members at the time — to avoid consequences for decades after the attacks. Read More ‘You’ll be caught:’ Resurfaced Danny Masterson chat show clip takes on chilling light after rape sentencing Leah Remini hits out at Church of Scientology following Danny Masterson rape sentencing That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rapes

A bizarre mystery where several swimming pools near Atlantic City in New Jersey suddenly turned green has apparently been solved. Patrick Spina IV, 45, was arrested last week when police tracked a drone dropping dye into pools in neighbourhoods in Absecon back to his business. He is facing multiple charges of criminal mischief. Mr Spina’s peculiar pastime was first spotted in late June by a local hotel manager who noticed the pool used by guests had turned a neon colour. "I saw it totally green and I was like, ‘Oh wow what is going on?’ So we saw a dye pack in the bottom of the pool and we didn’t know what it was," Sandra Woolstion, general manager of a Quality Inn in Galloway Township, told ABC. Ms Woolstion said she knew it was not green algae, but even after having the pool drained and cleaned, the dye kept being dropped by the drone bandit at least a dozen times over the summer. The pool was very expensive to clean every time, she said, costing tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance, and guests were often very disappointed by the closure of the pool. "The girls are standing here like, ‘Oh my God we want to go swim.’ Some of them were crying," Ms Woolstion said. "I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?!’ I myself cried. I went into my office and I had a meltdown." Not only were there bills for refurbishments to the pool, but she also took on losses because of pool closures and also had to give her staff overtime pay to monitor the pool. “It was just more than we bargained for,” she told The New York Times. “I was like, ‘I can’t deal with this anymore. This is crazy. This is costing me too much.’” Police also started to receive other calls that reported the same incident happening to their home pools. "We had a resident who was enjoying time in his pool and saw a drone over top and the drone actually dropped something in his pool and it turned green immediately," said Absecon Police Chief James Laughlin. However, Mr Spina’s drone had now been on too many outings for it to fly under the radar. When the drone holding the green dye was seen hovering over the Quality Inn again last Friday, the police brought in staff from the Federal Aviation Administration to track the drone back to a nearby business, Comfort Solutions Heating and Cooling. With this information, police arrested the business owner, Mr Spina. The green pigment turned out to be sea dye that is usually used by search and rescue teams, and which can have a damaging effect on pools. Police say they are still unsure of Mr Spina’s motive for dyeing the pools. Meanwhile, the FAA is investigating the crimes and said that people who use drones in an unsafe manner could face up to $30,000 in fines and have their drone license suspended or revoked. In a statement on Tuesday the agency warned: "FAA regulations prohibit the unsafe or unauthorized operation of any aircraft. We encourage the public to report unauthorized drone operations to local law enforcement to help discourage this dangerous illegal activity." Read More Drone helps ‘adventurous’ 93-year-old ‘go out in style’ Mother charged after New Jersey investigators solve 1984 ‘Baby Mary’ cold case New Jersey failed veterans in state-run homes hit by dozens of COVID-19 deaths, federal report says

A newly released 911 call reveals the chilling details of the incident that led to Youtube influencer Ruby Franke’s arrest, when her 12-year-old child sought food and water from a neighbor. Court documents previously showed that Ms Franke’s child, who was reportedly also in the care of her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, “climbed out of the window of an Ivins residence belonging to Jodi Hildebrandt and ran to a neighbor’s home” on 30 August. The child reportedly showed up at the neighbor’s home with “duct tape” covering his ankles and wrists as the he begged for food and water. Alarmed, the neighbor called the police. Now, the neighbor’s side of the story is revealed. “I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here at my front door asking for help,” the neighbor says, according to a recording of the call obtained by ABC. “And he’s said he had just come from a neighbor’s house and we know there’s been problems at this neighbor’s house,” the person said of Ms Franke’s home. The neighbor continued, “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.” “He has duct tape around each ankle. There’s sores around them. He has them around his wrists as well,” the neighbor told 911. “This kid has obviously... he’s been detained. He’s obviously covered in wounds.” Following the call, officials determined the 12-year-old to be severely malnourished, according to the probable cause statement, and was transferred to a nearby hospital. The child was placed on medical hold after it was discovered that he was also suffering from “deep lacerations” due to “being tied up with rope,” arrest records said. Police then searched Ms Franke’s house, where they found a 10-year-old girl who was also allegedly malnourished and suffering from wounds. This child was also taken to the hospital. Ms Franke faces six felony child abuse charges. Four of her children wound up in the custody of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services, KUTVreported. Read More Parenting advice YouTuber Ruby Franke and business partner due in court on child abuse charges Ruby Franke charging documents reveal son’s chilling escape that led to child abuse arrest Influencer Ruby Franke is formally charged with felony child abuse

A human skull was found in a donation box at a Goodwill store in Arizona, prompting local authorities to open an investigation into the "unusual" contribution. The skull with a fake eye and several teeth still attached was discovered by an employee on Tuesday who informed the authorities as they feared it was related to a crime. Police said officers responded to the reports of skull discovery and took possession of what was believed to be “an actual human skull”. The box was dropped off at some point over the weekend, Goodyear Police spokesperson Lisa Berry said. It “did not ever make it to the floor. It was in the donation box, again, with other taxidermy items”, Ms Berry told ABC15. "This is an unusual one," she added. A Goodwill spokesperson said the employee “followed protocol” by calling the police immediately after discovering the skill. “Goodwill is cooperating with the appropriate authorities,” the spokesperson said in a statement. The box was placed into a store’s bin without a return address, according to authorities. The skeletal remains were sent to the Maricopa County medical examiner’s office where the officials found the skull to be of "historic origin" dismissing any possibility of foul play. "It appears to be historic, ancient and does not appear to have any forensic value at all,” said Ms Berry. “And what that means is that no crime is attached to this skull.” She praised the employees who alerted authorities, saying: "Goodwill did do the right thing. Anything suspicious should always be reported." Sydney Steele, a Goodwill shopper, KPHO-TV that they were shocked to hear about the news of the skull discovery. “I’ve never heard of anything donated like this, especially here,” she said. “I come to this Goodwill all the time and I’ve never heard of anything that crazy being donated.” Read More Woman in ‘living hell’ with brain slipping down her spine after ice-skating accident Confessions, a damning dog video and ‘family annihilator’: Key revelations from Alex Murdaugh’s trial An Indiana worker allegedly smashed his colleague’s head with a hammer. He then told a coworker ‘s*** happens’

The technology giant's stock market valuation has fallen by almost $200bn in the last two days.

Chaotic scenes unfolded as climate protesters interrupted Coco Gauff’s US Open semifinal against Karolina Muchova with at least one person glueing their feet to the floor in the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands. Gauff was ahead 6-4, 1-0 when play was halted for around 49 minutes as security tried to remove the protesters. The group was wearing shirts that read, “End Fossil Fuels” and at least one person glued their feet making their removal difficult, a spokesperson for the US Tennis Association told The Associated Press. At least two people were taken away by police officers, who were cheered by the New York crowd who had chanted “Kick them out” as the disruption went on. Gauff sat in her seat on the sideline and ate fruit before hitting some practice serves, while Muchova was seen by a trainer. Eventually, both players headed back towards the locker room with Gauff chatting to members of her team until the disruption was handled. The US Open becomes the latest sports event to be impacted by climate protesters railing against the use of fossil fuels. At Wimbledon in July, two matches were interrupted when activists got onto Court 18 and threw orange confetti on the grass. The All-England club announced that the protester, along with another wearing shirts reading “Just Stop Oil,” were arrested “on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage.” The Just Stop Oil group has also protested at cricket, football and rugby matches, as well as at the World Snooker Championship. Just Stop Oil describes itself as a “nonviolent civil resistance group demanding the UK Government stop licensing all new oil, gas and coal projects.” Gauff, a 19-year-old American, and Muchova, a 27-year-old from the Czech Republic, were both playing in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the first time. The other women’s semifinal, between Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Madison Keys of the United States, was set to begin after Gauff vs. Muchova finished. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read More Chris Packham climate change protest: TV presenter leads scientists in Westminister demonstration Climate activists hailed by Fearnley-Whittingstall for ‘putting liberty at risk’ Climate activists target jets, yachts and golf in a string of global protests against luxury Sierra Nevada lakes change more in past 100 years than three millennia How the climate crisis played a role in fueling Hurricane Ida Against the odds: The fight to save sea turtles in Ras Baridi

Nearly 40 years after an infant was found wrapped in a towel, inside plastic bag and left to die on a cold December morning in a wooded area of Mendham Township, New Jersey, investigators have solved the case. The baby girl’s body was discovered by two young boys who were fishing at Woodland Lake in the Dismal Harmony Natural Area on the morning of Christmas Eve in 1984. She was baptized by Rev. Michael Drury of St. Joseph Church, who gave her the name “Baby Mary.” But her identity remained a mystery until this year. After a multiyear investigation and new DNA analysis, the baby’s mother was arrested in South Carolina and charged with manslaughter, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll announced at a press conference on Thursday. Prosecutors declined to share the mom’s name because she was a minor at the time of the alleged crime. The man who authorities identified as the baby’s father has since passed away. There is no evidence that he was aware of the pregnancy or the birth. The baby was found around 10.35am on the morning of Christmas Eve near Mt. Pleasant Road in Mendham Township, New Jersey. Her body was wrapped in a towel, inside a plastic bag. Her umbilical cord was still attached. The Medical Examiner determined the infant had been alive at the time of her birth. Her death was ruled a homicide. On April 24, 2023, a juvenile delinquency complaint was filed against Baby Mary’s mother. She was charged with one count of manslaughter, an offense which would be a second-degree crime if committed by an adult. “This arrest is the culmination of decades of effort, across multiple generations of law enforcement,” Mr Carroll said. “It is a tribute to the tenacity and dedication of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, our Major Crimes Unit, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mendham Township Police Department. “The death and abandonment of this baby girl is a tragic loss and even after nearly 40 years, remains just as heartbreaking. Justice may not take the form the public has imagined all these years, but we believe with this juvenile delinquency complaint, justice is being served for Baby Mary. Nothing can right this terrible wrong. Thanks to the men and women who worked so diligently on this case, we hope the community is given a sense of closure.” Read More Date set for retrial decision on serial killer nurse Lucy Letby Stepfather who murdered 10-month-old baby will not have sentence increased Lucy Letby: Mum demands fresh probe into baby’s death after finding picture of her with killer