The Quirky Chronicle

Man Punches Shark And Lives

2010-06-26T01:53:00.002-04:00

Sydney, Australia - An Australian surfer managed to escape what was believed to have been a great white shark after he punched it...read on.

Anger Management Counselor Ordered To Complete Anger Management

2010-06-26T01:16:00.001-04:00

Alexandria, VA - An anger-management counselor was sentenced to 12 months in prison after he pulled a gun on two US Marshalls....read on.

Cop Terrorizes 11-Year-Old Girl

2010-06-26T00:06:00.002-04:00

Albany, New York - A veteran NYPD detective was arrested in Albany after he allegedly stalked an 11-year-old girl on her way to school....read on.

11-Year-Old Awarded Divorce From 80-Year-Old Husband

2010-04-22T19:17:00.002-04:00

Saudi Arabia - The case of the girl, who married last year, has prompted the state-run Human Rights Commission to call for a legal minimum age in the kingdom...(read on)

Crooks Break Into Jail To Steal TVs.

2010-04-22T19:12:00.002-04:00

Hoorn - Twice in the past six weeks, burglars broke into a minimum-security prison and stole televisions from cells while prisoners were on weekend furlough, a spokesman for the justice ministry said on Wednesday...(read on)

And The New Mayor Is..... (uh) Dead!

2010-04-22T07:02:00.002-04:00

TRACY CITY, Tenn. (AP) — A dead man has been elected mayor of Tracy City, Tenn...(read on)

Drug bust in Drug Court

2010-04-22T06:53:00.003-04:00

MANATEE CO., Fla. (970 WFLA) According to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, three woman were arrested after they were found with drugs when, ironically enough, they showed up for drug court Tuesday morning...(read on)

Woman Arrested For Searching For Lost Purse

2010-04-22T06:40:00.004-04:00

PERTH, Scotland, April 21 (UPI) -- Scottish police said a woman who visited the station to collect her lost purse was arrested immediately for possession of the cocaine found inside the bag...(UPI)

Disabled Man Spotted On Home Improvement Show

2009-12-04T00:52:00.002-05:00

Los Angeles, California - Ronald Hunt plead guilty to two counts of felony counts of fraud after he was spotted on a home improvement television show.

Hunt claimed that he was disabled and for over three years collected almost $150,000 in benefits. At the same time he earned about $400,000 as an interior designer.

His sweet scheme was uncovered when an employee of the insurance company was watching HGTV, saw Hunt on the show and turned him in to the State Department of Insurance.

Hunt has been ordered to pay more than $180, 000 in restitution, taxes and fines and has to perform 200 hours of community service.

(KABC-TV)

Man Tried To Steal ATM

2009-12-03T23:44:00.003-05:00

Boulder, Colorado - When police responded to an alarm that was set off at a Chevy Chase bank they found an ATM machine lying on it's side about 15 feet away from the bank. The machine was check and found to have no money missing.

Surveillance photos showed a man hooking the chain on the ATM to the back of a U-Haul truck and attempt to drive off with it. Obviously he failed.

The U-Haul truck which was also stolen was found later that day.

(AP)

Bully Allowed To Terrorize Disabled Boy

2009-12-01T16:16:00.006-05:00

Victoria, Australia - 7-year-old Tyler Fishlock had to be removed from Caroline Springs College for his own safety after his mother, Georgette realized that school authorities were unwilling to protect her son from a vicious bully. What makes this story even more heart wrenching is the fact that Tyler is unable to defend himself and has no warning of when the attacks are going to occur. Tyler is blind. He had to have his eyes removed in order to save his life when he was diagnosed with Cancer.

Tyler has been beaten with a ruler and a xylophone stick, punched, kicked, pushed and has had scissors waved dangerously close to his face. Many of these attacks have occurred in front of a teacher.

The "bully" was suspended for two days and after the school director refused to remove him from Tyler's class, Georgette made the decision to pull him from the school.

When approached for a comment principal Patrick Waring stated that the Fishlocks had no right to demand that the child be removed from their son's class.

He went on to say, "Parents are in no position to tell us what they want done with other peoples children. He also went on to make this utterly outrages statement that makes me wonder if he should even be in charge of children. " These are just six-year-olds who are having a bit of trouble getting on with each other. We are not talking about high-end bullying. It's just spasmodic bad behavior. " Apparently he soon realized that his handling of the situation was extremely bad form and he hastily attempted to rectify his error in judgement by notifying Tyler's mother that the bully would be removed from the classroom.

I have just one word for this clueless principal, "COLUMBINE."

Herald Sun

Teacher Tries To Take Out Hit On Student

2009-11-23T00:46:00.004-05:00

Atlanta, Georgia - High school teacher, Randolphe Forde has been placed on paid administrative leave from Mundy's Mill High School after he allegedly threatened a student and attempted to pay another student to kill him.

According to the parents of the 16-year-old student, Forde pulled him out of his class several days prior to the incident and asked the student if he was gay. A few days later the two engaged in a verbal altercation in class and Forde threatened to punch the student in his mouth.

After the class room incident the parents claimed that Forde told another student that he would pay him to kill their son.

After the parents went to the police, Forde was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats. He has since been released on $10,000 bond.

Read more....

10-Year-Old Tased By Police

2009-11-20T04:23:00.004-05:00

Ozark, Arkansas - Mayor Vernon McDaniel has launched an investigation into whether the use of a Taser was necessary and appropriate to subdue a 10-year-old child.

The incident occurred when police responded to a domestic disturbance call from the girl's mother. According to Officer Dustin Bradshaw, when he arrived the 10-year-old was curled up on the floor screaming and refusing to get into the shower.

Bradshaw claims that the girl's mother gave him permission to use the stun gun on her daughter.

When Bradshaw tried to take the young girl into custody she apparently kicked him in the groin and he very briefly applied the taser to her back.

The girl was not injured and was taken to the Western Arkansas Youth Shelter.

Police Chief Jim Toggle says that the taser was not used to punish the young girl and was probably the safest of the alternatives which could have possibly caused physical injury to the unruly child.

Bradshaw was suspended for seven days with pay. Not for using the taser but for failing to attach the video camera to it.

The 10-year-old girl faces disorderly conduct charges.

Man Calls 911 To Report Stolen Pot

2009-11-10T23:29:00.003-05:00

Salem, Oregon - Calvin Hooper, 21, called 911 to report that someone had broken into his truck and stole his jacket, $400 and his stash of marijuana while he was parked at the Free Loader Tavern in Salem. When the Marion County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the tavern Hooper had already left.

An hour later Hooper again called 911 angry at the fact that deputies were not working faster to recover his stuff.

Deputies found Hooper's truck parked in Southeast Salem and Hooper was on foot. He told the deputies he was looking for the people who stole his weed.

Hooper was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants. He was also given a little friendly advice. Next time he might want to think twice about reporting the marijuana theft. If he had been got with the stash he would have been charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Funeral Director Charged With Abuse Of A Corpse

2009-11-10T22:58:00.003-05:00

Houston, Texas - James Patton, 38, was arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse after police uncovered graphic pictures of him and what appears to be a corpse on his computer. He is accused of engaging in sexual activity between himself and female corpses...

Woman Gets Busted For Calling 911

2009-11-10T22:15:00.003-05:00

Clarksville, Tennessee - Hee Orama, 34, was arrested when she repeatedly made non-emergency calls to 911 to complain about a man lying to marry her.

Police responded to the first two calls and instructed Orama to stop calling. The third time she called Orama was cited by police and warned that she would be arrested if she called again.

Sure enough Orama called a fourth time and was arrested and taken to the Montgomery County Jail....

Mother Uses Teenager As Paperweight

2009-11-10T20:38:00.005-05:00

Albertville, Alabama - Jackie Denise Knott, 37, drove her minivan down highway 431 without a care in the world. That is until she was pulled over by police.

Knott was driving down the highway with a large cardboard box on top of her minivan but that wasn't what had fellow drivers reaching for their cellphones to call police. It was the unbelievable sight of a teenage girl sitting inside of it.

Knott was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

What do you ask was this brilliant person thinking? When police asked her the same thing her reason must have had them shaking their heads. According to Knott the box was too large to fit into her van and she used her 13-year-old daughter as a paperweight and she had made sure the box was secure by tying it to the roof with a wire coat hanger.

She was released on $500 bail.

Woman Fakes Cancer To Pay For Breast Implants

2009-11-10T17:13:00.005-05:00

Robinson, Texas -24-year-old Trista Joy Lathern recently underwent breast surgery and was receiving chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer. Her co-workers at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service in Hewitt donated their vacation time to assist her during the time she had to take off for her chemotherapy treatment.

Her friends and family arranged for a fundraiser for Lathern, a mother of two small boys, because she had lost her health insurance. The August 16th benefit raised $10,000 for Lathern's medical expenses.

There was only one problem with this heartbreaking story. It was all a lie!

Lathern's carefully constructed story began to unravel when a plastic surgeon, who Lathern spoke with, approached the police, through his attorney, claiming that Lathern had inquired about breast implants and never once mentioned that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer or was undergoing chemotherapy.

McLennan County Sheriff's department immediately launch an investigation into the accusations. When Sheriff's investigator James Pack interviewed Trista Lathern she admitted to him that had lied about the cancer and chemotherapy although she does claim to have had a benign cyst removed in February. She even shaved her head to make it appear like she was receiving treatment. She claims that she and her husband were having marital problems and she hoped that by telling him she had cancer it would bring them closer together.
In addition she admitted to using the money from the fundraiser for breast augmentation surgery in a last ditch effort to save her 7-month marriage.

Lathern was arrested in felony theft charges and her husband, William Lathern, filed to have the marriage annulled based on the allegations that she induced him into marriage by fraud.

Lathern is currently free on $7,500 bail.

Video Captures Drunk Woman Falling Into Path Of Oncoming Train

2009-11-10T15:01:00.004-05:00

Boston, Massachusetts - As bystanders could only watch in horror, CCTV at Boston's North Station captured a drunken woman as she stumbled on the edge of the railway platform and fell onto the tracks.

When the lights from the approaching train appeared at the end of the tunnel, bystanders ran to the edge of the platform and began waving frantically in an attempt to get the train to stop...

Bus Driver Arrested For Driving Students While Under The Influence

2009-11-05T21:44:00.003-05:00

Skokie, Illinois - On the afternoon of Sept 17, police were notified that a bus full of students was swerving across the road and that the bus driver had his head resting on the steering wheel as if he were sleeping.

Several of the 41 Solomon and Schechter Day School students pulled out their cell phones and called their parents to inform them of the driver's erratic driving.

As parents arrived on the scene where the bus was pulled over on the side of the rode they watched in horror as the driver slowly lurched the bus forward, rolled over the curb and hit two signs before again coming to a stop.

The terrified seventh-graders stuck their heads out of partially open windows and screamed for help while police yelled for the driver to stop.

The driver, Brian Skoglund, 40, was charged at the scene with driving under the influence of drugs after he failed a sobriety test and no odor of alcohol was detected. His charges were later amended to include 41 counts of child endangerment.

A spokesperson from Skoglund's employer, First Student Bus Company, said that Skoglund has been suspended.

Prior to coming to work at First Student, Skoglund was a driver for the village. First Student claimed that they had done a thorough background check on Skoglund and had hired him after receiving a glowing recommendation letter from the village. However the village denies that they were ever contacted for a reference and that they never sent a letter of recommendation. They also say that if they had been contacted First Student would have been notified that Skoglund was fired for a drug related incident.

Mourners Robbed While Visiting Loved Ones

2009-11-05T20:06:00.004-05:00

Southland, Illinois - Stacy Egan, 23, and Thomas Beach, 22, were charged with felony burglary and criminal trespassing after they were found to be in possession of items reported stolen by the Cook County Sheriff's Department.

The brazen duo allegedly targeted vehicles left unattended while the owners visited the grave sites of their loved ones or attended funerals. They also staked out funeral home parking lots.

Egan and Beach were released on $75,000 bail.

"Told Ya We Shoulda Use A Mask!"

2009-11-05T18:08:00.008-05:00

Carroll, Iowa- Matthew Allan McNeely, 23, and Joey Lee Miller, 20, appear to be somewhat lacking in the brains department after their somewhat hilarious attempt to conceal their identities led to their easy capture.

Police received a call from the victim claiming that two men broke into his home wearing hooded sweatshirts and painted faces. When they pulled over a car matching the description given by the victim, the police were left with little doubt that they had apprehended the men responsible for the attempted robbery.

Their attempt to conceal their identities, albeit stupid, was definitely original. These two geniuses decided to mask their faces by coloring them with permanent black marker.

Both men were charged with attempted robbery and in addition McNeely was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Carroll Police Chief Cayler said, "I've seen a lot of things that make me laugh and weird things. But this was probably the best combination of the two."

Man Eats Mushrooms, Strips Naked And Walks Into Train

2009-11-05T17:00:00.003-05:00

Stafford, Virginia - What 18-year-old James Lampiris was thinking when he decided to munch on wild mushrooms is anyone's guess, but this was truly not one of the brightest ideas he has ever had.

After consuming the mushrooms Lampiris stripped naked and ended up walking directly in to an oncoming train. Source....

Don't Cry Tianna

2009-11-03T23:13:00.003-05:00

Wrexham, North Wales - Who would have guessed that the simple act of crying could bring on such a terrifying consequence. Unfortunately for 2-year-old Tianna Lewis McHugh this is a frightening reality.

Little Tianna suffers from a rare condition known as Reflex Anoxic Seizure (RAS). A seizure is triggered by an unexpected stimuli such as pain, fright or fear. The trigger causes the heart to slow down or stop beating which in turn reduces blood flow to the brain. Tianna's condition is so extreme that her episodes are triggered by simple crying.

She was first diagnosed at 18 months and has since survived 10 episodes.

Her parents, Ceri Lewis and Andy McHugh face the arduous task of making sure Tianna does not cry.

more...

11-Year-Old Gives Birth On Wedding Day

2009-11-03T15:02:00.004-05:00

Sliven Bulgaria - Kordeza Zhelyazkova was rushed to the hospital during the second day of a three-day Roma wedding when she went into labor. Kordeza gave birth to a beautiful 5lb 8oz girl who she named Violeta. As her family proudly watched she showed off her newborn daughter to reporters. What makes this story so disturbing is the fact that Kordeza is on 11 years old. Kordeza told reporters, "I used to play with my toys but now she is my new toy. I am not going to school - I am a mother now."

In a city where 12 and 13 year-old mothers are common Kordeza is the youngest so far. A fact of which her family is proud.

Kordeza met her daughter's father, 19-year-old Jeliazko Dimitrov on the playground of her Roma gypsy school when he rescued her from bullies. Within a week their daughter was conceived.

Jeliazko, who claims that he thought Kordeza was 15, faces 2 to 6 years in prison for having sex with a girl under the age of 14. Legal age of consent in Bulgaria is 14. The two are not allowed to live together as husband and wife while prosecutors pursue the statutory rape case. Both grandmothers have been appointed legal guardians of baby Violeta.

When asked about her future plans Kordeza stated, "I don't want more children right away. I think one is enough for now."

Woman Fakes Kidnapping To Extort Money From Husband

2009-11-03T14:38:00.005-05:00

Jacksonville, Florida - In what can only be described as a bizarre movie plot, authorities are accusing 37-year-old Quinn Gray of faking her own abduction in order to extort $50,000 from her husband. They also contend that her accused kidnapper, 25-year-old Jasmin Osmanovic, is actually her lover. more...

Fake 911 Call Nets Tragic Results For Former Paramedic

2009-10-21T14:43:00.003-04:00

Caldwell, Idaho - On October 1 a 911 call went out to the Canyon County Station to report a traffic accident. Minutes later another 911 call came in from a woman in need of emergency assistance.

Melissa R. Farris, 35, was a former paramedic who was assigned to the station. She made the first call to 911 to lure the paramedics out on a fake call. After the ambulance cleared the garage, Farris attempted to gain entrance to the station under the garage door while it was closing.

During the second 911 call when the dispatcher asked Farris' location she responded, "Medic...4...help...door." Not quite sure what she had said the dispatcher again asked her location and Farris said, "Medic...4."

Dispatchers knew that Medic 4 was responding to a call so it was unclear what the woman was trying to tell them.

When paramedics returned to the station late that night they found Farris pinned under the garage door. She was unresponsive and not breathing. Paramedics attempted to revive her.

Farris died of her injuries early the next morning at Saint Aphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.

According to the police report Farris was having leg pain and could not sleep. It is believed that she had attempted to gain access to the station in order to procure prescription medication she knew was kept there.

Farris worked as a paramedic from 2001 to 2008 until she was fired. Her husband told police was taking his medication and it caused her to fail a drug test.

Farris' death was attributed to accidental compression asphyxia.

Officials are investigating why safety features failed causing Farris to become pinned under the garage door.

Son Reunites With Father...And Than Takes His Wife

2009-10-21T13:24:00.004-04:00

Acomb, York - 18-year-old Benjamin Smith never knew his father.
His father, Andrew Smith, had not been a part of his life since Benjamin was a newborn. The two managed to reunite with each other in June of 2008 and Andrew invited Ben to move into his home.

Sadly Andrews gesture of kindness would yield tragic results for him. Andrew's wife Dawn, 34, also welcomed Benjamin into their home with open arms. Unfortunately her arms stayed open a little to long and he soon became smitten with his stepmother. Within a few weeks they were embroiled in a full blown affair and the Andrew's marriage was shattered.

To make matters worse, on July 1 Benjamin compounded his betrayal of his father by stealing €200 from Andrew. He had accompanied Dawn to his father's home to help her collect her belongings when he spotted the cash in a drawer and being unemployed at the time decided to help himself. Andrew Smith was not at home at the time.

Benjamin plead guilty to theft and was ordered to perform 60 hours of community service and to pay full restitution to his father.

Doctor Found Guilty Of Attempting To Poison Mistress

2009-10-21T00:14:00.007-04:00

Kensington, West London - Dr. Edward Erin, 44, was found guilty by a jury at the Old Baily of two counts of attempting to poison his mistress, 33-year-old Bella Prose, in order to cause a miscarriage.

The two met at St Mary's at Paddington and began an affair. Erin, a married father-of-two, was shocked to learn that after only one month Prose announced that she was pregnant with his child. Erin attempted to bully Prose into having an abortion claiming that she would destroy not only his career but their relationship if did not do as he asked, she steadfastly refused.
She claims that after Erin realized that she intended to have the baby he made her a cup of Earl Grey Tea and when she noticed a yellow powder in the bottom of the teacup he claimed it was limescale and quickly took the cup away to wash it. A week later they met at a Starbucks and Erin handed Prose a cup of coffee purchased prior to her arrival. Prose became suspicious when she noticed the lid had been removed and replaced. She did not drink the coffee and poured it into a bottle for safekeeping. The next day at work, Erin brought Prose a bottle of orange juice. Again she noticed that the seal had been broken and did not drink it. She took the bottles to the police for testing along with her fears. When the results of the contents were made known she knew her fears were well-founded. The liquids contained the drugs Methotrexate and Diclofenax which can cause an abortion and fetal death when mixed together.

Erin of course denied any attempts to poison Prose. He claimed he obtained the drugs at her request because she wanted an abortion and did not want to go to a clinic. He claimed she knew about the drugs from doing research on the internet and he only gave the pills to her once to show her that her plan would never work. Erin also claimed that she was already involved in another relationship when they met and that he doubted her child was even his. It was brought out during his trial that Erin was a philanderer. He hid the fact that he had a wife and child in order to carry on multiple affairs.

Erin's wife, Dr Lowri Erin, an imminent microbiologist, believed her husband was innocent. She knew of his affairs but claimed that they were of no importance to her and that Prose was but one of several women that her husband had had relationships with. She stated that theirs was not a conventional marriage but they loved each other.

Because Bella Prose trusted her instincts she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

Dr. Edward Erin is scheduled to be sentenced in November.

Father Attempted to Kill Nis Girlfriend And Unborn Child For Money

2009-10-20T20:57:00.008-04:00

Prestatyn, North Wales - Looking every bit the proud papa, 37-year-old Simon Morris held his newborn daughter, Freya, in his arms.

Unfortunately it was all a disgusting act on his part. Less than a week later Morris was arrested for the attempted murder of his child's mother, Nerys Price. His motive, money. Morris was at least £30,000 in debt and he knew that Price's death benefits and the equity from her previous home could net him up to £500,000. He put his plan into play one night while Price was asleep in their home. Morris crept up to the bed and bludgeoned her twice over the head with the sharp end of a bricklayer's hammer. Imagine his shock when he realized Price was still alive and had called the police thinking they had been the victims of a break-in.

Morris, a muscle-bound, 6ft 6in, former bouncer, told police that two men had burst into their bedroom and attacked her. The police became suspicious when they could find no evidence that Morris had tried to defend his girlfriend during the break-in and placed him under arrest.

Price's daughter was born prematurely by Cesarean section but is very healthy.

Morris was sentenced to 25 years in prison. During the hearing Judge Merfyn Hughes QC told Morris he made a "callous attempt to rid yourself of a partner who...had done nothing but give you love and affection."

Price is hoping to rebuild her life adding, "My gorgeous bonny daughter has made this nightmare bearable."

Bus' Brakes Fail Commuter Narrowly Escapes

2009-10-20T19:13:00.005-04:00

Perm, Russia - One minute you're rushing across a busy street on your way to work, the next minute you're diving for your life. That's what happened to this Russian commuter as CCTV captured his harrowing brush with death...

CCTV captured the runaway passenger bus as it ploughed through traffic and demolished 20 cars...

According to authorities the bus was parked on a hill when the brakes failed and it rolled 5 blocks downhill until finally coming to rest in a plaza in the town square...

Witnesses to the rampage reported seeing passengers jumping off the bus as it hurtled down the busy streets. Although four people were taken to the hospital, miraculously there were no fatalities.

Woman Threatened With Prison For Praying Too Much

2009-10-20T16:18:00.003-04:00

Tunbridge Wells, Kent - Martina Rabess' neighbors were fed up. Her bizarre behavior sparked numerous complaints to the police and earned her an appearance in Sevenoaks Magistates court.

Martina Rabess likes to pray. The problem was she would recite her prayers over and over and over again. In addition she chose to include her neighbors in her prayer recitals much to their dismay. Every morning around 3am they would be rudely awoken with loud chanting and prayers that lasted for hours. Rabess would go to one of the communal areas in her apartment building, light candles, and begin her ritual of reciting among others the Lord's Prayer. She would also ring her neighbors doorbells and attempt to preach to them.

Neighbors became increasingly concerned for their safety as her behavior became more ominous. She would ring their doorbells and then walk away and sprayed their doors, plants and cars with an unknown liquid.

The court imposed a two-year Antisocial Behaviour Order against Rabess. Under the terms of the order she is not allowed to leave or enter her home between the hours of 11pm and 7am, she is also prevented from holding impromptu prayer meetings at a neighborhood playground, and from conducting her prayer ritual at a volume that can be heard outside of her apartment.

Rabess has been warned that if she breaches the terms of the order she could face time in prison.

Rabess' neighbors are greatly relieved. Rabess, on the other hand, thinks "this is unjust. I need to pray somewhere."

Woman Causes Riot With Lottery Hoax

2009-10-19T11:44:00.003-04:00

Columbus, Ohio - A woman identified caused a riot at a Burlington Coat Factory when it was revealed that she lied about paying for their purchases.

Linda Brown rented a stretch limo and had the driver drop her off at the store where she promptly announced to everyone within ear shot that she had won the lottery and offered to pay up to $500 on everyone in the store.

She maxed out her debit card to the tune of $5000 and told the remaining crowd that she was going to the bank to get more money.

When she returned empty handed the already tense situation quickly spiraled out of control.

The store suffered thousands of dollars worth of damage after outraged patrons began looting.

Brown quickly left the store but was later turned in by the limo driver after he realized he too was not getting paid.

Brown, who has a history of mental illness, was arrested on outstanding warrants but pending a mental evaluation has yet to be charge for the Burlington fiasco.

Woman Stuns Trooper

2009-10-19T10:48:00.003-04:00

Farmington, Maine - State Trooper Aaron Turcotte showed up at the house of Carol Murphy, 65, with a warrant for her arrest.

In 2005 Murphy was convicted of animal cruelty and possessing animals without permits. Murphy was sentenced to a 6-month prison term, ordered to pay restitution, and permanently barred from keeping animals on her property.

Trooper Turcotte went to the house in response to tips that Murphy had violated the court order and was again in possession of animals.

As Murphy was escorting Murphy from her home she hit him with a 975,000-volt stun gun.
Trooper Turcotte was not seriously injured during the assault.

Murphy was charged with assault on an officer, criminal threatening, refusing to submit to arrest and criminal use of an electronic weapon.

Murphy plead not guilty...more...

Corspe Dismissed As Halloween Prop

2009-10-18T02:25:00.001-04:00

Marina Del Ray, California - When police were summoned to the apartment home of Mostafa Mahmoud Zayed, 75, they found his lifeless body on his 3rd floor balcony. He had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the eye.

The body was in plain view of neighbors for days but they thought it was a dummy dressed up for Halloween.

Authorities were finally notified when one of his downstairs neighbors realized that the blood dripping onto his balcony was real.

My guess is the putrid smell from a decaying corpse was starting to get a little ripe also.

Man Pepper-sprayed His Moither-in-law

2009-10-18T01:18:00.004-04:00

Juelsminde, Denmark - This 20-year-old man obviously had a healthy dislike of his mother-in-law. He kicked her out when she showed up at a party he was having at his home on Thursday. Any one else would realize that they were not welcome but apparently not this woman. When she had the audacity to show up once again the young man became incensed and proceeded to empty a canister of pepper-spray directly into the woman's face.

His mother-in-law reported the incident to the police and the man is facing charges of vilence and possessing an illegal weapon.

(The Copenhagen Post)

Miracle Baby Survives Being Hit By Train

2009-10-16T16:17:00.002-04:00

Melbourne, Australia - This is truly a miracle. The 6-month-old baby boy was dragged 100 feet under a train and survived with only minor injuries and a bump on his head. One can only imagine the horror this mother felt as she watched the massive train hit the pram that contained her child. Truly there was an angel protecting this little one.

Mom Uses 13-Year-Old Son As Designated Driver

2009-10-15T19:25:00.004-04:00

San Anselmo, California - Heather Choulos, 32, has been charged with child endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of a minor for letting her underaged son drive.

Choulos, her boyfriend, Donald Hughes, 29, and her 13-year-old son went to Lo Coco's pizzeria for dinner and after consuming a bottle of wine between the two of them Choulos and Hughes decided they were to intoxicated to drive. The pair have multiple convictions for driving under the influence so they piled into the back seat and decided to pressure Choulos' son into driving her 2008 Land Rover.

The boy, who had never driven before, received no help from the couple in the back because they were to busy making out. The child became scared and frustrated when he realized he was driving the wrong way.

Police responded to a stopped vehicle call and when they arrived they found the Land Rover stopped in the middle of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. The boy apparently had stopped the car and refused to drive any further.

The child endangerment charge against Hughes was dropped but he still faces a charge of public intoxication.

The boy is staying with relatives at the moment.

(SFGate)

Man Gets Probation For Stabbing Fish

2009-10-14T21:05:00.003-04:00

Portland, Oregon - Donald Earl Fite III, 27, was sentenced to 2 years probation and a psychological evaluation after he attacked his girlfriend and killed her pet fish.

His ex-girlfriend, Sarah Davis, returned home to her apartment to find Fite lying on her bed. He was insisted on them getting back together. Davis refused and told him she had plans for the evening.

Davis alleges that Fite cornered her in the bathroom and when she tried to rush past him he grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall and then threw her against the bathtub causing her to strike her head. She managed to break free, then fled the apartment and called 911 from a pay phone.

When Davis returned with a police officer she found her purple betta fish dead on the floor with a knife stuck through it.

Fite allegedly told an officer, "If she can't have me, then she can't have the fish."

Fite plead guilty to first-degree animal abuse and fourth-degree domestic-violence assault. In addition to probation, he has to work 80 hrs of community service, pay $617 in fines and fees and has been ordered to stay away from Harris.

(Oregon Live)

Woman Assaulted For Singing Badly

2009-10-09T21:19:00.003-04:00

Stamford, Connecticut - Six underage women were arrested and charged with third-degree assault and other crimes after they attacked another woman in a Stamford sports bar.

The incident happened during a karaoke night at Bobby Valentine's Sports Gallery Cafe in Stamford.

The 25-year-old victim was singing " A Dios Le Pido" by Juanes when the six girls, less than impressed by her vocals started heckling her and making derogatory statements about her performance. The victim reportedly shouted at the girls to leave if they didn't like it prompting the six to rush the stage and attack her. They knocked her to the floor and repeatedly punched her and pulled her hair. She suffered bruises and a chipped tooth.

The women, who have since been arraigned in court, have been identified as Kiana Strickland, 20, Martisa Chambers, 19, Danielle Swanson, 19, Deja Hines, 19, Michelle Rosedom, 19, and Chaniel McRae, 20.

Man Needs Permission To Sue

2009-10-09T20:40:00.003-04:00

Cincinnati, Ohio - Saint Torrence, 42, has been ordered to stop filing lawsuits unless he is granted permission to do so by the court.

Since 2007 Torrence has filed 21 lawsuits in Hamilton County and 16 complaints filed with the Ohio Supreme Court. Judge Ralph Winkler says that the frivolous cases have wasted the resources and time of the courts and has had enough.

Torrence who claims he is a disabled vet seeking justice, has filed a complaint with the Ohio Supreme Court, again!

(AP)

Mom Alleges Cousin Gave Beer To Her Baby

2009-10-09T19:43:00.004-04:00

Charleston, West Virginia - James Williams, 19, has been arrested and charged with felony child neglect creating risk of injury after he placed beer in the bottle of his 11-month-old cousin whom he was babysitting.

Police responded to a domestic disturbance call on the city's west side where they were confronted by the infant's mother, Ebony Williams. She told them that she had allowed her cousin, James Williams, to babysit her child and when she returned home she found the baby holding a baby bottle with what appeared to be a golden liquid inside. Williams claims her cousin admitted to putting Natural Ice Light beer in the bottle.

When police examined the bottle they found that the nipple and inside of the bottle did indeed smell of alcohol. They were unable to determine if the infant had actually consumed any of the beer but the mother says that the infant vomited shortly after she took away the bottle.

Williams claims that he did not allow the infant to drink any of the beer. He says he only did it as a joke.

Some joke!

(dailymail.com)

Man Stuffs Kitten In Bong To Calm Her Down

2009-09-28T21:06:00.006-04:00

Lincoln, Nebraska - Acea Schomaker, 20, claims he never intended to hurt his girlfriend's kitten, Shadow, when he stuffed her into a homemade bong. He says that Shadow was hyperactive and would scratch and bite at them. He heard that people could calm down their pets by blowing marijuana in their faces.

So Schomaker attached a garden hose to a 12-inch by 6-inch Plexiglass box wrapped in duct tape and stuffed Shadow inside at least three times.

Sherrif's deputies allege that when they responded to a domestic call at the residence they caught Schomaker smoking marijuana with Shadow inside the bong box.

Schomaker was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty and paid a $400 fine. He also faces drug charges.

Schomakers girlfriend, Marissa Vieux, 22, said she took the cat from friends because they had abused the kitten. She was also charged with animal cruelty because she never tried to stop Schoemaker.

(AP)

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Man Duct Tapes Cat

2009-09-28T19:53:00.008-04:00

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - James Davis, 19, was arrested and charged with animal cruelty after he admitted to binding a cat in duct tape.

He states that he found the gray tabby in his back yard, taped it from neck to tail, stuffed the cat in a shopping bag and then placed the bag in his neighbor's back yard.

A woman spotted the duct taped tabby wandering on the street and brought it to the humane society. Animal welfare workers had to sedate the cat, nicknamed sticky, in order to cut off the tape.

Other than suffering from dehydration, Sticky has recovered nicely and workers are searching for her owner.

If convicted Davis could face up to 2 years in prison and a minimum $1,000 fine.

(AP)

Bull Makes A Break For It

2009-09-28T18:50:00.006-04:00

Paterson, New Jersey - Police had their hands full when a 1,400 pound bull escaped from the ENA meatpacking plant (can you blame it?) in Northern New Jersey.

Police tried to corral the bull by lassoing a rope around it's neck but ended up being dragged for nearly 10 blocks until the bull could be captured and sedated.

The officers suffered nothing more than injured pride. The unfortunate bull was returned to the slaughterhouse.

(AP)

Woman On Deathbed Claims Relatives Robbed Her

2009-09-24T22:33:00.010-04:00

Portland, Oregon - Kathleen Sue Jingling, 53, and Virginia Ann Kuehn, 66, are facing charges after they obtained power of attorney over a dying relative and then allegedly robbed her of her possessions.

Evelyn Roth, 83, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and underwent surgery to have the tumor removed. She was driven home after the surgery by Kuehn and then left unattended until four days later when a friend of hers came to check up on her. Roth was found on the floor. She had fallen and was severely dehydrated and confused. She had to be hospitalized for two weeks and then was sent to a nursing home to continue with her treatment for cancer.

At this time she was approached by Kuehn, her cousin, and Jingling, her niece, who insisted that she give them power of attorney so that they could care for her.

Four days later the two women wrote checks for $12,000 each out of Roth's checking account and then they systematically set out to divest Roth of her possessions.

They arranged and prepaid for her funeral and then they sold the house that she had lived in for 56 years for $235,000. They cleaned out her bank account for $35,000 and cashed in her annuities totaling $88,000 and sold her car. The money was divided amongst themselves and other family members.

Kuehn and Jingling also helped themselves to Roth's antique china and glassware collection, her silverware, the furniture her husband made, wedding pictures, and an antique grandfather's clock.

However, much to the surprise of the doctors and the dismay of her family, Roth's health steadily improved and by time she had fully recovered she realized what her relatives had done.

Roth says that the only thing her relatives did not get was the 25th anniversary diamond ring her husband gave her because they could not get it off of her finger. "They robbed me blind. Everything was for money. Just to get money, money, money."

Kuehn and Jingling face a 35-count felony indictment charging them with first-degree theft, aggravated theft, and first-degree mistreatment.

Portland police officer Deanna Wesson, who investigates crimes against the elderly, interviewed the two women who claim that they sold Roth's possessions to avoid probate. Through out the interview Jingling kept saying the the doctors guaranteed them that Roth was going to die.

Kuehn and Jingling have plead not guilty.

(Oregon Live)

12-Year-Old Trained To Be Dominatrix

2009-09-24T21:10:00.006-04:00

Kansas City, Missouri -Todd Barkau, 37, from Blue Springs, and his 45-year-old girlfriend will be going to prison after pleading guilty to training the woman's 12-year-old daughter to be a sexual dominatrix and then prostituting her online.

Barkau began having sex with the girl in 2000 when she was 12. He also showed her how to perform sex acts with men including bondage and sadomasochism. Starting at age 14 she was prostituted from to 2002 to 2005 mostly, on the web, under the name of "Mistress Alisha".

Barkau appeared in U. S. District court and acknowledged that he used pornography to teach the girl and watched while she had sex with other men. He also admitted to producing and selling videos of the girl's sex acts. Under his plea agreement he will be spending the next 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

The unremorseful mother admitted that she knew what was happening to her daughter and profited from her daughter's horrific ordeal. She will serve 15 years.

Also under their plea deal the couple must forfeit the $80,000 profit they made while they prostituted the child.

Prosecutors say it is the first case they have handled in which a parent was charged in the commercial trafficking of their minor child for the purposes of sex.

(AP)

Police Raid Daycare/Dogfighting Ring

2009-09-24T19:07:00.005-04:00

Chicago, Illinois - Cook County Sheriff's department raided a dogfighting ring that was being operated out of a Maywood home daycare center where they seized nine mutilated and abused dogs, four of which were puppies.

Approximately 10 children were present at the home during the raid playing on a swing set just 10 feet away from the garage where the dogs were kept.

Police found a dog with his eye ripped out, one with it's leg twisted backwards, and one with its genitals nearly severed. Along with the dogs in the garage, police found blood on the floor, syringes, bite sticks, harnesses, and a tread mill that had been altered to train the dogs.

The daycare operator claimed that she took no part in the dogfighting operation and insisted that the children were never near the dogs or the equipment.

She has since surrendered her license and her daycare has been permanently closed.

Three men were arrested and charged and authorities are seeking two others. Charles Sutton, 42, husband of the daycare operator, and Lance Webb, 27, were charged with felony dogfighting.

The dogs were kept at a nearby home of convicted felon, Martez Anderson, 38. He was charged with possession of a unspayed or unneutered dog.

(WGN)

No One Is Safe From Repo Man...Even Cops!

2009-09-24T17:15:00.004-04:00

Cairo, Illinois - It appears that in this time of increasing financial woes, no one is safe from a visit from the repo-man...even the police.

Sheriff David Barkett of Alexander County was forced to turn over 5 of his patrol cars to the First National Bank of Cairo for nonpayment, leaving the sheriff's department with only one county-owned car.

In addition Barkett has had to lay off 10 of his deputies due to budget restraints.

He did receive some aide when he met with federal and state officials and was given an SUV to keep.

Barkett says that the sheriff's department will still respond to 911 calls and patrol the county with the assistance of the Illinois State Police.

Classmate Films Teacher Beating Student

2009-09-22T21:42:00.003-04:00

Bangkok, Thailand - A teacher sparked a national angry backlash when a video of him beating a student was broadcast on a nationally televised morning news program.

The 14-year-old student had forgotten a textbook and when he was reprimanded by the teacher, Weerapong Pongchanoh, 29, he responded with a string of profanities that caused Weerapong to fly into a rage.

Weerapong grabbed the student in a choke hold and repeatedly struck him about the head while shouting at him, "Are you really going to stop?"

After having his head slammed against the blackboard by Weerapong with his classmates looking on, the boy screamed, "I won't do it anymore!"

The entire incident was videotaped by a fellow classmate of the student on his cell phone. He showed the video to a neighbor who gave it to a television station in Thailand.

Weerapong was forced to resign and when reached for a comment he stated, "I feel terrible for what I did to my student. But I knew what I was doing. I did not use excessive force to hurt him. Otherwise he would have started bleeding."

Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit denounced Weerapong's actions and says that an investigation is currently underway to determine whether he will face criminal charges. He has promised parents that, "We will not let a situation like this happen again!"

(AP)

Police Taser Double Amputee

2009-09-22T19:05:00.008-04:00

Merced, California - The Internal Affairs Division of the Merced Police Department is investigating a complaint that an officer used a taser on an unarmed, wheel-chair bound man.

40-year-old Gregory Williams had both of his legs amputated in 2004 after he he developed a case of life threatening gangrene.

According to Williams the incident occurred when police responded to a domestic call at his apartment where he and his wife, 28-year-old Demetrice Shaunte Phifer and their 2-year-old daughter reside.

Williams was told by the officers that his wife claimed that he had struck her and he was being arrested. A fact which he denied. One of the officers, Ofc John Pinnegar, grabbed Williams' left arm and twisted it behind his back. Next he jammed his taser into Williams' rib cage and jolted him twice. Williams' fell out of his wheelchair and landed on his stomach. As he lay on the ground another officer, Sgt. Rodney Court, placed his knee on Williams' neck and his hands were cuffed behind his back. To add to his humiliation, Williams' pants slipped down his legs and he was forced to sit on the pavement nude from the waist down until concerned residents witnessing the event yelled at the police to pull his pants up and allow him some dignity. Williams was charged with suspicion of domestic violence and resisting arrest and spent six days in jail.

The police however have a much different take on the incident. According to the report filed by the officers involved, they responded to a call of domestic violence happening at the apartment and alleged drug use in front of the child. They claim they tried to reason with Williams before he was arrested but he was uncooperative and refused to hand over his daughter to the Merced County Child Protective Services. The police claim that they were cognizant of his disability and were extremely careful in their handling of Williams.

Williams was released from the John Latorraca Correctional Center after the Merced County District Attorney's Office decided not to file charges against him.

(Merced Sun-Star)

Watch Video At: Raw Story

Drunk Teacher Caught In Car With 15-Year-Old Boy

2009-09-22T17:49:00.003-04:00

Fairfax, Virginia - Valerie Roesler, a 27-year-old Fairfax County special education teacher, was arrested and charged with being drunk in public and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Roesler was spotted parked in a car on Gunston Hill Lane around 2 a.m. on Sunday morning. When police investigated they found that she was drunk and in the company of a young man who turned out to be a 15-year-old minor. The minor apparently left the home without his parents permission to meet with Roesler.

Further investigation also uncovered what appears to be a sexual relationship between the two. Roesler and the teenager met at the school she worked at prior to taking a position as a special education teacher at Hayfield Secondary School. The police found text messages between the two that suggests their relationship had been going on for several months.

Roesler has since resigned from her position at Hayfield.

(Fox News)

Mother Implanted With Wrong Embryo

2009-09-22T16:16:00.003-04:00

Sylvania, Ohio - What should be one of the most blessed times in the lives of Sean and Carolyn Savage has turned into tragic series of events for the couple.

Carolyn Savage, who has difficulty conceiving and carrying a child to term, underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) and learned that she had successfully become pregnant in February with a baby boy.

The couples nightmare began when Sean Savage received a phone call at work from the fertility clinic where Mrs. Savage underwent IVF. Unbelievably the clinic implanted another couple's embryo into Carolyn Savage.

Mrs. Savage, who is 35 weeks pregnant, will be giving birth in approximately two weeks and will have to turn over the baby boy to the biological parents.

Full story: Today Show

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Parents Leave Infant In Car To Drink At Bar

2009-09-22T15:43:00.002-04:00

Omaha, Nebraska - Bryan and Tina Vannoy of Malvern, Iowa were charged with misdemeanor child neglect after they left their 4-month-old daughter in their car while they drank at the Reel Martini Bar in Omaha.

Employees at the bar became suspicious when they noticed that the mother had entered the bar with a baby bottle and a waitress informed the bartender, Scott Villotta that someone had left a baby in a BMW in the parking lot.

When Villotta went outside and indeed saw that the baby was in the back seat of the car with all the windows rolled up he immediately notified the police.

The Vannoy's have since posted bail and their daughter is now in protective custody.

Full story: KETV

Looking For Love

2009-09-20T20:52:00.003-04:00

Malaysia - Wook Kundor made the news four years ago when she married a man 70 years her junior in Northern Teregganu State. But she is apparently on the lookout for husband number 23 because she fears her current husband is planning to leave her.

Her husband, Muhammad Noor Che Musa, 37, is currently undergoing voluntary drug addiction treatment in Kuala Lampur. Kundor is afraid that he is going to leave her once he completes the program.

Kundor is quoted as saying, "Lately there is this kind if insecurity in me. I realize that I am an aged woman. I don't have the body nor am I a young woman who can attract anyone."

She is hoping that she will soon find someone to take his place.

You go girl!

(WAN)

Man Poops In Pot, Wife Wants Divorce

2009-09-20T18:40:00.003-04:00

Nigeria - Oluwakemi Ogundele appeared in a Lagos court seeking a divorce from her husband, Oluwafemi. She claims that when her husband gets drunk he defecates in her cooking pots and plates. She also claims that in addition to being a drunkard he also fails to provide for his family and that she no longer loves him.

Oluwafemi denies his wife's allegations but agrees that there is no longer any love between the two of them.

(Fox)

Woman Falls Asleep In Drive-Thru In Stolen Car

2009-09-20T17:10:00.005-04:00

Sacramento, California - Alicia Tavares caused a minor upheaval at a local Church's Chicken in south Sacramento when she fell asleep in the drive thru.

One employee said she took an inordinate amount of time placing her order because she kept stopping and then in a little while would start talking again. When she finally finished her order she drove up to the window and promptly fell asleep again.

The employees attempted to wake her up and when that did not work one of the whipped out her cell phone and videotaped Tavares sleeping.

The manager called the police and when they arrived they ran the plates on the vehicle Tavares was sleeping in and found at that the car was stolen.

Tavares was awakened, placed under arrest and taken to jail. But not before demanding the chicken she had ordered.

Tavares was drug tested but she came back clean. She is currently being held on $40,000 bail.

(CBS)

http://wbztv.com/video/?id=60497@kovr.dayport.com

Father Bets Daughter In Game Of Cards ...Loses!

2009-09-20T15:21:00.002-04:00

Malda, India - In the village of Satgharia, Ismail Sheikh was playing cards with Mustafa Sheik from the neighboring village of Sultanpur. Ismail, a heavy drinker and consummate gambler inevitably lost all of his money to Mustafa. Rather than accept his loses and walk away from the table, Ismail places one last bet in a desperate attempt to recoup his money. With no money left with which to bet, Ismail does the unthinkable, he staked his 18-year-old daughter.

As expected, Ismail lost and Mustafa collected his winnings. Even though she protested, Mustafa dragged her out of the village.

Witnesses to the game immediately informed the rest of the village and the Panchayat. The police were informed and a hunt for the daughter was initiated. On hearing the story, Naimuddin, Ismail's father, became angry and threw Ismail out of the house.

Even though it is illegal in India, gambling and Hooch addiction continue to be a tremendous problem in the villages.

(Times of India)

Monkey-Masked Man Refuses to Pay Parking Tickets.

2009-09-10T00:17:00.003-04:00

Phoenix, Arizona - According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Dave VonTesmar has attempted to try a novel approach to beat speeding tickets. According to DPS, VonTesmar was recently served with 37 citations totaling approximately $6,700 in fines.

VonTesmar received the citations when he was captured speeding past radar cameras. He posted a denial on his facebook page claiming that the police cannot prove that he was the person driving the car at the time the photos were taken.

Here's why:

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Would-be Robber Asks Victim For Date

2009-09-09T23:43:00.003-04:00

Columbus, Ohio - As Diana Martinez and a friend sat in their car in front of a north Columbus apartment complex they were approached by three unknown males. Intent on robbery one of the men placed a gun to Martinez's head through the window. The suspects ran when she screamed for help.

An hour later Martinez walked out of her apartment to find Stephon Bennett, 20, standing just a few feet away from her front door. Martinez immediately recognized him as one of the three men who had tried to rob her earlier and stalled Bennett by talking to him while her cousin called police. Bennett asked her if she had a boyfriend and asked her if she wanted to go out on a date.

When officers arrived they arrested Bennett in front of the apartment.

He faces charges of aggravated robbery.

Sgt Sean Laird of the Columbus police said, "It's never happened, in my eight years and some months I've never had anything like this before.

The other two suspects remain at-large.

(AP)

4-Year-Old Held Ransom For Pizza

2009-09-09T22:46:00.005-04:00

Melbourne, Australia - A mother claimed that a pizza delivery man allegedly tried to hold her 4-year-old son hostage when she refused to pay for a pizza that was over an hour late.

Cindy Paardekooper, 30 was upstairs on the phone with Pizza King when the driver arrived. Her sister Lisa Paardekooper went to the gate to get the pizza and deal with the driver.

It was at this point that the driver allegedly stuck his hand through the gate and grabbed the wrist of Cindy Paardekooper's son. He demanded that he either be paid or given back the pizza. The driver left when the pizza was handed back to him.

When interviewed, Tessie Muscat Couturier, Pizza King manager, stated the driver was still employed there. She went on to say, "I can't believe that he meant to harm the child." The driver claimed that he was just holding the boy's hand to tell his mother to pick up the pizza.

The police investigated the incident but so far no charges have been filed.

(Fox News)

Woman Charged With DUI On A Golf Cart

2009-09-08T02:49:00.004-04:00

Dover Plains, New York - Maureen A. Conklin, 45, of Wingdale was charged with driving while intoxicated after she was pulled over by state troopers on a rural highway in Dutchess County.

Conklin was spotted driving a golf cart along with her husband on old Route 22.

Her blood alcohol level was 0.13, well above the legal limit of 0.08.

She has also been charged with illegally driving a golf cart on the highway.

Conklin is scheduled to appear in court Sept 10.

(AP)

Toddler Found Wandering Street Alone

2009-09-08T01:44:00.004-04:00

Boston, Massachusetts - Two toddlers were placed into state custody and their mother was arrested after one of the children was spotted wandering alone on the street around 1 a.m.

The 3-year-old boy was dressed only in a T-shirt and shorts with what appeared to be a burn mark near his mouth. He was rescued by an unknown woman just as he was about to step into traffic on a busy street.

The child led police back to his home and when they entered through the unlocked front door, the police found his 2-year-old sister in the living room surrounded by piles of trash, rotting food and dirty clothes. The house was grossly unsanitary and unsafe for the children. There was also evidence of marijuana usage. In the bathroom was a curling iron that had been left on and plugged in.

The mother returned home after the police had been on the scene for at least twenty minutes and was taken into custody. She claimed that she had only left for a few minutes to visit a friend. She was later transported to the hospital after she tried to commit suicide.

The toddlers were taken to Boston Medical Center for evaluation prior to being placed with the state.

(Boston Herald)

Woman Charged With Hit and Run and Kidnapping

2009-09-07T00:44:00.003-04:00

Hawthorne, California -27-year-old Alexis Lewis plead no contest to kidnapping charges and was sentenced to five years in state prison.

In exchange for he plea, prosecutors dropped other charges of child endangerment when police discovered that her three children ages 2, 3, and 4 had been left home alone.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in early May. Lewis struck a 72-year-old woman at the intersection of 134th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard with her car. Then according to witnesses Lewis dragged the injured and screaming woman into her car and drove off leading police on a high speed chase.

She eventually stopped in front of her home in the 12600 block of Eucalyptus Avenue and was arrested. It was then that police determined the Lewis children had been left unattended. Lewis also had three outstanding arrest warrants.

Police found the woman in the front seat of the car and she was hospitalized from her injuries. Police are unsure as to what Lewis planned to do with the woman.

(LA Times)

Boy Found Hidden At Grandmothers House

2009-09-06T22:57:00.002-04:00

Royalton, Illinois -a six-year-old boy who was allegedly abducted two years ago during a custody dispute, has been found alive and well hiding with his mother in a specially built secret room at his grandmother's home.

Armed with a search warrant sheriff's deputies and federal marshals entered the home of 51-year-old Diane Dobbs where they found Ricky Chekevalia and his mother, 30-year-old Shannon Wilfong in a 5 x 12 feet room.

Wilfong disappeared with Ricky in November 2007 amid allegations that Ricky's father, 48-year-old Mike Chekevalia, abused him.

Chekevalia, a former police officer, denied the allegations and had won temporary custody of his son shortly before they disappeared.

In an interview last year, Diane Dobbs claimed that her daughter had been forced into hiding to protect her son. She has been charged with aiding and abetting and was being held on $1,000 bond.

Wilfong has been charged with felony child abduction and is being held on $42,500 bond.

Ricky is currently staying with a relative of his father under the supervision of child-welfare.

(AP)

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Man Left On Bedpan Causing Serious Injury

2009-09-04T22:19:00.002-04:00

Sydney, Australia - amidst accusations of gross negligence, the New South Wales Government has come under fire over the actions of doctors and nurses at Sydney's Concord Hospital. According to reports the 80-year-old man, who has a limited use of the English language, was left on a bedpan for several days and it was not discovered until he was transferred from the Intensive Care Unit, where he was admitted for pneumonia, to a respiratory ward.

When the bedpan was discovered it was found to have been embedded in the man's skin causing severe damage and a serious infection. It is alleged that he suffered large ulcers on his buttocks and a hole at the base of his spine. He has so far been forced to undergo two surgeries to repair the damage and is being treated with antibiotics and a special mattress to promote healing.

The hospital disputes the fact that it was several days but does admit that a error was made. They also deny that the bedpan was embedded in the elderly man's skin but the event did result in a pressure sore. And that once the error was discovered everything was done by the book.

(ABC)

Man Calls 911 For A Ride

2009-09-04T20:58:00.003-04:00

Delray Beach, Florida - Benjamin Dewer was arrested and charged with making a false 911 call after he called twice asking for a ride.

The first time he called 911 he tells the operator, "I'm just hungry and trying to get back to my neighborhood. That's all."

After being reprimanded and told not to call again, Dewer placed a second call. This time he tells the operator, "I can't walk no more. I haven't eaten in days."

The operator asks his location and when the police respond Dewer was placed under arrest.

He plead gulity to the charge and will spend the next 10 days in jail.

(Sun-Sentinel)

Teenager Attempts To Trade Nude Pics Of Sister For Car

2009-08-26T22:10:00.003-04:00

Santander, Spain - an 18-year-old identified only by the initials, J.R.A, has been arrested and charged with prostitution and corruption of a minor after he allegedly posted nude photos of his 11-year-old sister online. The teen was allegedly attempting to trade the pictures to a 25-year-old man in exchange for his car.

The plot was uncovered when a mother reported to police that her young daughter had been tricked into posing nude online. The police launched an investigation that ended up with the arrest of the 25-year-old man on charges of child pornography. Police also found 50 nude photographs of nude young girls in his possession and are attempting to identify the girls.

Police were led to the 18-year-old when they examined the older man's computer and uncovered the pictures the teen had posted of his sister. Both men admitted that they had discussed trading the car for the pictures when question.

The 18-year-old has been released from custody and is awaiting trial.

(Daily News)

10-Year-Old Jailed For Six Hours

2009-08-26T21:36:00.002-04:00

Exeter, Devon - 10-year-old Shannon Blake was handcuffed and jailed for six hours after she allegedly slapped a man who shouted at her at a local park.

According to her father, 55-year-old Michael Blake he was not informed of his daughter's arrest until two hours after she had been placed in jail and when he arrived at the station he was denied access to his daughter.

According to Blake the police took her shoes and pant strings, locked her in a cell with only a bucket for a toilet, and served her a single sandwich with a cup of cold tea.

Police claim that they received an emergency call from the park claiming that 20 young kids were attacking a man walking his dog. As a result Shannon was arrested along with two other boys ages 16 and 15.

Blake claims his daughter was only petting the dog when it's owner became agitated and shouted at her . He claims she then slapped the man and pushed him back.

Shannon was charged with assault and released to her father.

(Daily News)

Man Leaves Children In Car While He Drinks In Club

2009-08-26T20:42:00.004-04:00

Clearwater, Florida - 33-year-old Kenneth J. Summers was arrested after he was accused of leaving two small children in his car while he went into a Clearwater strip club.

A spokesperson for the Pinellas County Sheriff's office reports that Summers left a 3 and 4-year-old in his car in order to drink @ the strip club's bar for 30 to 60 minutes.

The nature of the relationship between Summers and the children are not known at this time.

Summers has be charged with two felony counts of child neglect and is being held at the Pinellas County Jail on $10,000 bail.

(AP)

Brazil Installs Obese Seats On Train

2009-08-26T20:14:00.002-04:00

Sao Paulo, Brazil - In a effort to keep up with the rising rate of obesity, metro officials have installed special chairs on several trains. The blue chairs are twice as wide as normal chairs and are strong enough to support passengers weighing up to 250kgs without breaking.

Above each chair is a cartoon of a person of larger stature saying Priority chair for obese people.

However, metro officials say the chairs are largely ignored by obese passengers, who they think are ashamed to use them.

Duh! Ya think?

(Courier Mail)

Man Has Appendix Removed Twice!

2009-08-26T19:18:00.006-04:00

Swindon, Wilts - After suffering for several months with severe abdominal pain, 35-year-old Mark Wattson finally had an answer to his dilemma, or so he thought.

On Tuesday, July 7, 2009, Mr. Wattson underwent an appendectomy at Great Western Hospital. He was discharged the next day after surgeons had informed him that the procedure had gone well.

However only one month later, he was rushed back to the same hospital by ambulance after he collapsed from excruciating stomach pains again.

To his shock surgeons informed Mr. Wattson that his "appendix" had ruptured and he needed an emergency appendectomy. Leaving Mr. Wattson just what had they removed from him 4 weeks earlier. He was released from the hospital on August 9 after his second "appendectomy."

He had to be admitted to the hospital for a third time after his second incision became infected and he had to be treated with antibiotics.

Wattson claims that he was fired from his job because they did not believe his story. He also claims that he is unable to work because he is in constant pain.

A spokesperson for the hospital would not comment on the case but did admit that an investigation is underway.

(Telegraph)

Cop Video Sparks National Outrage

2009-08-12T20:53:00.005-04:00

Whitehall, Ohio - Sitting in a car in the Walmart parking lot on E. Main St, 84-year-old Virginia Dotson panicked when she could not remember how to unbuckle her seat belt.

Ms. Dotson, who suffers from Alzheimer's, was left in the car alone while her daughter went in to Walmart to shop.

She managed to free herself when she somehow found a steak knife in the car and used it to cut through the straps. She exited the vehicle still holding the knife and began wandering in the parking lot calling her daughter's name. It was not long before the police were summoned.

Ms. Dotson was approached by Officer Tammy Scott of the Whitehall Police who asked her several times to put down the knife. When Ms. Dotson did not comply Officer Scott grabbed her arm and appears to have slammed her to the ground.

As Ms. Dotson laid on the ground bleeding profusely from a head wound, Officer Scott continues to wrestle with her until Officer Scott is able to get the knife away from Ms. Dotson. Ms. Dotson manages to get in a few good licks of her own until Officer Scott grabs both of her hands.

Ms. Dotson required stitches for her hand wound and a possible broken hand. No charges were brought against her and she was later released to her daughter's custody.

When the video was uploaded to YouTube, it sparked a national outcry of police brutality.

There is no question that the video footage was poorly shot but was there truly excessive force used by Officer Scott? You be the judge:

When Is A Nurse Not A Nurse?

2009-08-07T20:21:00.004-04:00

Norwalk, Connecticut - 56-year-old Betty Lichtenstein was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and criminal impersonation when it was revealed that she was pretending to be a registered nurse.

The state's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit began an investigation after a patient complained about an injection given by Lichtenstein caused considerable pain.

She worked at the office of Dr George Weiss in Norwalk where she gave medications, medical care and advice to patients.

Lichtenstein claimed she was named "2008 Nurse of the Year" by the Connecticut Nursing Association and forked out $2000 for a dinner in her honor. The Connecticut Nurses Association does not exist.

If convicted Lichtenstein faces up to 5 years in prison.

(AP)

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Woman Hailed As Hero After Setting Fire To Man's Private Parts

2009-08-07T18:25:00.007-04:00

Athens, Greece - 26-year-old Marina Fanouraki became an overnight national hero when she claimed she defended herself from a man who tried to sexually assault her by setting fire to his genitals.

The incident occurred at the Electra Bar in Malia on the island of Crete. A tourist hot spot favored by Britons.

Ms. Fanouraki claims that Stuart Feltham, a 20-year-old Briton, pulled down his pants, exposed himself to her and then fondled her.

After ignoring her pleas for him to stop, she poured Sambuca on his private parts.

When Feltham continued to make Lewd advances towards her, Fanouraki grabbed a lighter and set fire to the liquor.

Feltham has been hosptalized with second-degree burns to his chest, lower abdomen and genital area.

Ms Fanouraki turned herself into the police claiming justified self-defense. She has been charged with causing bodily injury and endangering private property.

A small crowd of bystanders applauded and shouted "bravo, bravo" when she left the police station after being freed on bail.

Felton swears he never saw her or met her. He claims he was sitting at the bar talking to some guy and when he got up leave she walked up to him, threw the liquor on him and set him afire.

Ms Fanouraki's trial has been postponed until Felton is well enough to testify.

(Telegraph)

Newlywed Hires Hitman To Kill Husband For His House

2009-08-07T16:06:00.006-04:00

Boynton Beach, Florida - 26-year-old Dalia Dippolito has been charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder after allegedly hiring an undercover police officer to kill her husband of six months.

Mrs. Dippolito gave the "hit man", who was in actuality an undercover officer, pictures of her husband, 38-year-old Michael Dippolito, $1,200 and the keys to the couples home. An additional $3,000 was to be paid when the hit was completed.

They had two additional meetings at which time the officer asked Mrs. Dippolito was sure if she wanted her husband dead.

According to the affidavit she said, "I will be very happy. I'm not going to change my mind. I am 5,000 percent sure I want it done. When I set my mind to something, I get it done."

What happened next was pure theater. Authorities staged an elaborate murder scene outside the Dippolito home. Next officers contacted Mrs. Dippolito at LA Fitness where she was working out and told her to come home. While cameras were rolling they informed her that her husband had been shot twice in the head and killed. She dissolved into tears and collapsed in the arms of one of the officers.

Mrs Dippolito was taken to police headquarters where she was confronted by the "hit man" and her husband, who had been informed of the plot to kill him by the police. At that time she was placed under arrest.

Mrs Dippolito allegedly hatched the murder plot to keep the townhome her husband purchased prior to their marriage and had transferred to her name in order to protect his assets.

Her scheme was uncovered when a close male friend, presumed to be her lover, informed the Boynton Beach police.

Mrs Dippolito was released from jail after posting the $25,000 bail on the condition that she have no contact with her husband or the confidential informant who notified police.

She plans to plead not guilty.

(AP)

Houston Inmate Found With Gun After Multiple Searches

2009-08-06T21:13:00.002-04:00

Houston, Texas - 25-year-old George Vera was charged with possession of a firearm in a correctional facility after multiple body searches turned up a weapon hidden beneath the folds of his skin.

Vera, who weighs in at more that 500 pounds, was arrested by the Houston police and booked into the city jail on suspicion of bootlegging compact discs.

He was searched at least once before being transferred to Harris County Jail where he was searched again.

Later that day while taking a shower, Vera told a correctional officer that he had a gun on him.

Officers searched him again and found an unloaded 9-millimeter handgun under the folds of his skin.

Vera was freed on $10,000 bail and was unavailable for comment.

(Houston Chronicle)

Mistress Glues Lover's Genitals To Stomach

2009-08-05T23:25:00.009-04:00

Wausau, Wisconsin - Therese Ziemann, 48, Wendy Sewell, 43, Michelle Belliveau, 43 , and Tracy Hood-Davis, 30, have been charged with being party to false imprisonment, a felony, after they bound, blindfolded, and assaulted a man the Lakevie motel in Stockbridge, Wisconsin.

It was all part of a plan to punish the man after the women found that the man they were involved with was married.

Ziemann lured 36-year-old Donessa T. Davis to the motel under the guise of a romantic interlude. Once there he agreed to be bound and blindfolded for a massage.

Instead she cut off his underwear and called the other women, including his estranged wife, Hood-Davis, into the room. Then Ziemann slapped him and glued his penis to his stomach with Krazy Glue while the other women watched.

When Davis started screaming and threatening them, the women fled taking along his wallet, car, and cell phone. He eventually got free by chewing threw one of his bindings and used the motel owner's phone to call the police.

Ziemann told police that she met the man on Craigslist and had been involved with him for the past two months. She also said that she had given him about $3000.

The plan for revenge was hatched after Ziemann learned from Hood-Davis that he was married, had other girlfriends, and was using them to get money.

In addition Ziemann has been charged with fourth-degree sexual assault.

Michelle Belliveau, Ziemann's sister was along only for moral support and was not involved with Davis.

The women are each free on $200 bail and if convicted could face up to six years in prison.

In a bizarre twist Davis was also arrested and charged with felony child abuse, misdemeanor counts of theft, unlawful use of a telephone, making threats with obscenities and harassment with threat of death.

Police allege that Davis beat the child who told his wife he was cheating. He also threatened to kill his estranged wife. He also allegedly looked into taking out a $1 million dollar life insurance policy on Hood-Davis and then arranging to have her killed in a crash. When told that his daughter could be killed or injured in the crash he was reported to have said, "it's OK I have two."

If convicted he could face up to 7 years in prison.

(AP)

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Mom Arrested After Locking Child In Attic!

2009-08-01T12:08:00.004-04:00

Lowell, Massachusetts - 27-year-old Kirsten Paquette, mother of four, has been charged with reckless endangerment and assault and battery on a child after police responded to a tip by a neighbor that a 3-year-old boy was locked in an attic.

When the police entered the home they were led to the attic by Parquette where they found the 3-year-old special-needs child in the locked room naked and covered in urine, feces and vomit. The temperature inside the attic was estimated to be at least 120 degrees and the only window was nailed shut. Police were told by the child's siblings present in the home, "Mommy does this when she gets angry.

When she appeared in court for her arraignment, Paquette admitted that the 3-year-old had been locked in the attic for "about an hour" and she had punished him because he would "interrupt cleaning."

She is being held on $10,000 bail and has been ordered not to have any contact with children unless approved by the court. The child has been hospitalized for observation and her children have been place in state custody.

(AP)

Stolen Car Found In Neighbor's Garage

2009-08-01T11:55:00.002-04:00

Berlin, Germany - When an 82-year-old woman took her Audi sedan in for repairs two years ago, she instructed the mechanics to drive the car back to her house when the the repairs were complete and park it in her garage. The keys and receipts were left in her mailbox but when she entered her garage to retrieve the car it was nowhere to be found. So she report her car stolen.

Two years later her neighbor went to clean out his unused garage so that he could rent it out and found the car under a thick coating of dust.

The police quickly figured out that the mechanics parked the car in the wrong garage!

(AP)

Child Steals Car To Avoid Church

2009-08-01T11:28:00.003-04:00

Plain City, Utah - A 7-year-old boy lead police on a merry chase after he stole the family Dodge Intrepid.

Concerned citizens called dispatchers to report a child driving recklessly on the streets.

When two deputies finally caught up with the youngster they tried unsuccessfully to stop the car.

The chase, which topped out at 40mph, finally ended when the boy pulled into a driveway and ran inside a garage.

When confronted by his father the boy said that he didn't want to go to church.

The boy is too young to prosecute but his father has been strongly urged to make sure that the keys to the car are inaccessible to the boy in the future.

No audio:

(AP)

Man Caught On Tape Molesting Horse...Again!!!

2009-08-01T10:04:00.004-04:00

Columbia, South Carolina - 50-year-old Rodell Vereen was arrested and charged with having sex with a horse after her owner caught him in the act on videotape.

Unbelievably this is not the first time. Vereen pleaded guilty last year to having sex with the same horse after her owner, Barbara Kenley, happened to find him asleep in the hay next to her horse on Thanksgiving day in 2007. Vereen was place on 3-years probation, placed on the state's sex offender list and ordered to stay away from the Lazy B Stables where the horse resides.

Kenley noticed several weeks ago that her horse Sugar was acting strange and getting infections. She also notice bales of hay stacked near the horse's stall and feared the worst. Kenley decided to install several surveillance cameras and when she reviewed the videotape she was stunned to witness the same man molesting her horse again.

Kenley staked out the barn armed with a shotgun until she caught Vereen inside. She chased him to his truck and held him a gunpoint until the police arrived.

Vereen, who has had mental problems for several years, has been charged with trespassing and buggery. He faces up to five years if convicted.

Kenley says she thought about shooting Vereen but did not want to go to prison.

Bridal Bouquet Causes Plane Crash

2009-07-19T21:24:00.004-04:00

Suvereto, Italy - The traditional throwing of the bridal bouquet ended in disaster when the flowers caused a plane crash.

The bride and groom hired a microlight plane to fly over Montioni park where the reception was being held so the bouquet could be thrown to female guests waiting below .

However things went horribly wrong when the flowers were tossed and they got sucked up into the plane's engine causing it to catch fire and explode.

Isidoro Pensieri, 44, who was in charge of throwing the bouquet, suffered multiple fractures and a head injury.

The bride and groom were not in the plane at the time of the crash.

(BBC)

Man Blows Up Apartment Instead of Air Mattress

2009-07-19T20:28:00.002-04:00

Duesseldorf, Germany - A 45-year-old man suffered burns on his arms when he tried to inflate his air mattress and blew up his apartment instead.

He used tire repair solvent to plug a hole in his airbed and when he tried to inflate the mattress a spark from the electric air pump ignited it. The blast caused extensive damage to his apartment.

Fire fighters had to evacuate the apartment building and surrounding houses to check for structural damage.

A 3-year-old girl also suffered first degree burns.

(Reuters)

Nurse Shoots Ex-husband to Exorcise Demons

2009-07-18T21:53:00.007-04:00

Chattanooga, Tennessee - While her two young daughters waited outside, 41-year-old Tina Loher entered her ex-husband's chiropractic clinic and shot him in the groin.

Loher, a registered nurse, has been charged with attempted murder and two counts of reckless endangerment after she seriously wounded 38-year-old Terrance "Terry" Loher on July 10th.

Her bizarre motive for the shooting was revealed when police uncovered her diary in which she detailed the shooting:

"Terry is filled with three demonic spirits. One is assigned to me, one to each of my children. The purpose is to destroy us. The only way Terry will stop trying to destroy us is if the spirits exit his body today. I will have to create three portals of exit, that way they can leave."

Tina Loher drove her two daughters, ages 5 and 7, to the clinic and left them in the parking lot while she went in and confronted her ex-husband.

Court records show that the Lohers are involved in an ongoing dispute over the children.

Her bail has been set at $600,000.

(AP)

Man Blasts Porn Tape At Children

2009-07-11T22:14:00.003-04:00

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - 27-year-old Michael Buck faces a charge of corrupting minors after he placed speakers in his windows and blasted a sound track from a pornographic film into a street full of playing children.

Parents state that Buck has a history of becoming annoyed at children playing on the dead-end street where he resides.

The charge will be dismissed in 90 days if Buck complies with the conditions of the court. They include attending an anger-management class, a mental health evaluation, community service, and avoidance of any inappropriate conduct will children. He would still face a noise complaint and disorderly conduct offense.

Mom Claims Daughter Impregnated After Swimming in Pool

2009-07-11T20:35:00.002-04:00

Poland - Magdalena Kwiatkowska has filed a lawsuit against an Egyptian hotel claiming that her 13-year-old daughter became pregnant after swimming in their pool. She claims her daughter was impregnated by a stray sperm floating in the mixed-sex hotel pool.

When the teen returned to Poland expecting a baby, her mother insisted she is a virgin and she had not met any boys while in Egypt.

(The Sun)

Science Teacher Charged With Attempted Murder of Student

2009-07-11T15:51:00.004-04:00

Mansfield, U.K. - 49-year-old Peter Harvey, a science teacher at All Saints' Roman Catholic School, is charged with the attempted murder of one of his students.

When police arrived at the scene, they found 14-year-old Jack Waterhouse lying in a pool of blood at the entrance to the classroom.

According to witnesses, Harvey was said to have "snapped" and attacked the boy after he allegedly swore at Harvey during a physics lesson. Harvey then is alleged to have grabbed a metal weight and struck Waterhouse several times about the head.

Woman Arrested After Assault Over Cooking

2009-07-11T14:29:00.004-04:00

Naples, Florida - 66-year-old Meredith Hart Mulcahy was arrested and charged with battery on an elderly person after she assaulted her 71-year-old common-law husband when he complained about her cooking.

She threw a phone at him after the two argued about the undercooked potatoes and burnt bread.

She later told the arresting officers that she burned the food because she was so drunk.

Hart is currently being held at Lee County Jail pending $1,500 bond.

Associated Press

2009-07-08T16:43:00.001-04:00

Cambridge, Minn - A 21-year-old female who claimed she was bored and just wanted to have a little fun, faces felony charges after she allegedly crank-called her grandmother 45 times in one day. The woman and her 20-year-old friend are facing five felony counts including harassment.

On February 5, she allegedly repeatedly called her grandmother and said "I'm gonna kill you," "You're gonna die," and "I'm watching you."

When the police answered some of the calls they heard a female voice issuing the threats.

When questioned the female claimed she wanted to scared her grandmother but did not want her dead. She also admitted that she knew it was wrong but did not realize that it was also illegal.

(Fox News)

Mother Admits To Killing Newborns

2009-06-24T15:22:00.006-04:00

Orleans, France - 41-year-old Veronique Courjault, mother of two, has been sentenced to eight years for killing three of her newborn infants.

Jean-Louis Courjault moved his family to Seoul, South Korea when he took a position as an engineer for Delphi, a US car parts company. The killings were uncovered when he discovered the corpses of two babies in his freezer. His wife and sons were on summer holiday in France at the time. He joined his family in france and he and his wife held a press conference to deny any knowledge of the babies.

But when the DNA proved that they were the parents of both infants, Veronique Courjault refused to return to South Korea and confessed to French authorities that she had suffocated the two infants. She also confessed to killing another newborn in 1999 while the family was still living in France and then burning the body in the family fireplace.

Mrs Courjault, a heavyset woman, was able to hide her pregnancies by wearing bulky garments.

Mrs Courjault told investigators that she killed the babies because she did not want any more children. When examined by psychiatrist she claimed that she could not except the pregnancies. "I could not feel them move inside me. As far as I was concerned they were never children. It was a part of myself, an extension of myself that I was killing."

The case focused on whether or not she suffered from a mental illness when she gave birth that led her to deny her pregnancies. Her lawyers argued that she "never had any lucid intention to kill."

Jean-Louis Courjault, who was cleared of any wrongdoing, has supported his wife throughout the trial. Insisting that she needs psychiatric help not punishment.

Pregnant Woman Thrown From Train By Police

2009-06-24T14:16:00.005-04:00

Lucknow, India - Dinesh Kumar Lodh, his pregnant wife, Kavita and their 3-year-old daughter, from Majhrapurab village, boarded the train at Tikuniya Railway halt. When railway officers, Ram Singh and Sudhir Singh, saw that Dinesh had carried his bike on board the train they demanded a bribe of 100 Rupees.

Mrs Lodh told the officers that she did not have that much and offered to give them 5 rupee instead. At this point the agitated officers allegedly pushed her from a now moving train. She attempted to grab hold of the door in order to keep from falling out and was swept under the wheels of the train. Mrs. Lodh died instantly. Her 3-year-old daughter who was sitting in her mother's lap when she was pushed escaped with minor injuries when she was flung far enough away from the wheels. Dinesh jumped from the train in an attempt to save his wife and child.

When news of the incident reached the village an angry mob approached Tikuniya Railway halt. They quickly located the two officers, dragged them from the train and assaulted them until more officers arrived to disperse the crowd. The two were admitted to district hospital Khiri for multiple injuries.

The Government Railway Police formally arrested and charged Ram Singh and Sudhir Singh with culpable homicide, assault, and extortion.

(Times of India)

Woman Feeds Daughter Boiled Head Soup

2009-06-24T12:32:00.003-04:00

Sichuan - Lin Zongxiu heard that if she made soup with a man's head it would cure her daughter's psychiatric problems. So Lin and her husband enlisted the aid of an unidentified man in December 2008. He preyed upon a drunk 76-year-old man who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and knocked him unconscious then beheaded him.

The Lins made soup from the man's head and a duck and fed the concoction to their 25-year-old daughter.

A local court sentenced the murderer to death with a two-year reprieve on Monday. The reprieve means that the sentence will likely be commuted to life in prison as long as he commits no further offences over the next two years.

Lin Zongxiu was convicted of helping to destroy evidence.

Belgium Girl's Tattoo Lie Uncovered

2009-06-24T12:15:00.003-04:00

Belgium - Kinberley Vlaminck, 18, claimed she asked for only 3 stars to be tattooed near her left eye. She insisted that she fell asleep as Rouslan Toumaniantz began tattooing her face and when she woke up the left side of her face was covered in stars. Her father, who had been outside eating ice cream, became furious when he saw her face and went to police. Kimberly and her father announced their intention to sue the tattoo artist for the £9,000 needed for laser surgery to remove the stars.

Well, she lied! Not only did she ask for all the stars, she was fully awake while she was being tattooed.

Watch Video:

(Telegraph)

World's First, Smallest Baby Fitted With Pace Maker

2009-06-19T17:32:00.004-04:00

Australia - Born at just 26 weeks and weighing just 541 grams, about 1.19 pounds, Taylor Graham is being kept alive with an external pacemaker that is larger than her fragile body.

A complication led Taylor to develop complete heart block in the womb. Nine hours after her birth her heart rate continued to drop between 40 -50 beats per minute instead of the average 150 beats per minute for a newborn. This left the cardiac team at Monash Medical Center no choice but to make the historic decision to wire her tiny heart, half the size of a cherry, to an external pacemaker. This marks the first time that a pacemaker has been attached to the heart of a premature infant under 1.65 pounds.

Five days after the miracle operation, Taylor suffered a perforated bowel and had to undergo another major operation. However she has made it through her first week of life and the doctors feel that her biggest dangers are behind her.

Hopefully in 3 months Taylor will weigh between 3 and 6 pounds. Only then will she be able to receive an internal pacemaker.

Six-Year-Old Burned In Voodoo Ritual

2009-06-19T16:28:00.005-04:00

New York City - During a Haitian Voodoo ritual known as Loa, Marie Lauradin poured an accelerant over her naked daughter, six-year-old Frantzcia Saintil. She then forced the child to stand in a ring of fire causing her to be engulfed in flames.

Ignoring the child's cries for help, Lauradin and the child's grandmother, Sylvenie Thessier, did not seek medical treatment for the child. Instead they washed her with cold water and put her to bed.

Another relative found Frantzcia in bed the next morning and insisted on taking her to the hospital. The child suffered burns to more than 25 percent of her body that resulted in permanent scars. Mother originally told hospital officials that the child was accidentally scalded with boiling water while the she was cooking rice. However, the child eventually spoke up and told how her burns occurred. She spent 55 days in the hospital. Frantzcia has been removed from her mother's custody and placed into foster care.

Marie Lauradin was ordered to be held on $50,000 bail and has been charged with first-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Sylvenie Thessier has been charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted the mother faces 25 years and the grandmother up to 7 years in prison.

Lawyer Ends Up In The Trash

2009-06-19T16:11:00.002-04:00

Jeffersonville, Indiana - Larry Wilder's neighbor got an unpleasant surprise when he walked out of his house in the morning. The Jeffersonville City council's attorney was asleep headfirst in his trash can. The neighbor called the police who then helped Wilder home.

Wilder states that he went out for dinner and drinks with friends of his the night before and does not remember what happened after he was driven home. He says he is embarrassed and has issued an apology to his neighbor. No charges have been filed.

(Fox News)

Trooper Stops Ambulance for Failure to Yield

2009-06-17T14:40:00.002-04:00

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - State Trooper Daniel Martin has been placed on paid administrative leave after he got into an altercation with a paramedic while a patient was in the back of the ambulance.

Trooper Martin pulled over the ambulance after the driver failed to yield to him during a routine police call.

Senior Paramedic Maurice White tried to explain to the trooper that they were transporting a patient at which time he was grabbed by the throat and slammed him up against the ambulance.

Martin claims that Trooper Martin assaulted a paramedic in the act of carrying out his duty.

Trooper Martin's attorney says that Martin had every right to stop the ambulance because the lights and siren were not on.

(ABC)

Toddlers Found Duct Taped In Garage

2009-06-17T13:03:00.008-04:00

Las Vegas, Nevada - 21-year-old Jonathan Weaver bound his girlfriend's small children and hid them in a locked garage because he wanted to go out and party.

Amanda and Justin Freeman happened to be walking by the garage when they heard one of the children screaming and she called 911.

When police and firefighters arrived the garage door was cut open and the children, ages 1 and 2, were discovered strapped in their car seats on the floor. They were bound with duct tape with their shirts pulled over their heads. The two-year-old had also been covered by a blanket. The babies had been left in the garage for over two hours.

The toddlers mother, who was in night school when the incident occurred, left the children in the care of Weaver. She has not been charged.

Weaver's charges include abuse and neglect, child endangerment, kidnapping and attempted murder.

Cop Tasers Grandmother

2009-06-17T00:44:00.004-04:00

Travis County, Texas - On the afternoon of May 11, Deputy Constable Chris Beize pulled over 72-year-old Kathryn Winkfein for speeding.

After finishing the paper work, the deputy returned to Winkfein's truck but she refused to sign the ticket. Deputy Bieze then orders Winkfein out of her truck and tells her that she is under arrest. The deputy shoves her and warns her to step back several times or else she will be tased. Her response, "I dare you!"

When the deputy tried to handcuff her she resisted and tried to get back in her truck. Deputy Bieze shocked her with the taser and she fell to the ground screaming in pain.

Law enforcement officials are standing behind his actions stating he acted properly in a "dangerous situation."

What do you think?...