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Dead baby found in woman’s bag at Mexico border drowned

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SAN DIEGO, CA - Police made a gruesome discovery at the California-Mexico border.  A baby girl was found dead in a woman's duffel bag at a check point in San Diego.

"The cause of death appears to be drowning as the primary cause with the contributing causes of malnutrition and dehydration," said Kurt Mechals, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney.

Border police busted John Hartley and Mercy Becerra while they were trying to cross into Mexico this week.  Prosecutors say the couple does not appear to be related to the child, but they did know her family.

Investigators are still searching for a  clear motive.  One thing for sure, the couple is charged with murder and are being held on a two million-dollar bail.  If convicted, they both could face 25 years to life in prison.


Utah fast food worker accused of poisoning cop’s drink with meth

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LAYTON, Utah - A fast food worker in Layton, Utah is facing a felony charge for serving an off-the-menu drink that could have killed a police sergeant.

Layton Police say 18-year-old Subway drive-thru worker Tanis Lloyd Ukena spiked the cop's drink with drugs.  The police sergeant says he took one sip and immediately felt ill.

"He made a call to our dispatch center, and said hey listen, something's going on.  I don't feel well.  I need to get checked out," said Lt. Travis Lyman.

Cops rushed him to a hospital after he made it back to the police station.  The drink tested positive for THC and methamphetamine.   The sergeant was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

Ukena bailed out on a $10,000 bond but is fresh out of a job.

Kenny Baker, ‘Star Wars’ R2-D2 actor, dies

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Kenny Baker, the British actor who gave life to the droid R2-D2 in the "Star Wars" films, has died at the age of 81, according to his niece, Abigail Shield.

Baker was being looked after by Shield's brother, who found him Saturday morning. Shield said Baker was ill for years with a lung condition.

She also said her uncle -- who was 3 feet, 8 inches tall -- did not expect to "live past his teenage years because he was a 'little person,' so it is pretty amazing he lived this long."

Baker died in his sleep Saturday morning, according to his nephew and caregiver Andrew Myerscough.

That was Baker's wish -- to go peacefully, his nephew said. "I couldn't ask for more."

Up until his final moments, Baker was in good spirits and was watching the Olympics on television, Myerscough said.

But the actor's family watched him deteriorate for years because of respiratory problems.

"I cared for him every day," Myerscough said. "He was a huge part of my life and I'm going to miss him."

"He was an inspiration to many people -- he never let his disability affect or stop him from doing anything he wanted to do."

Baker was best known for the robot character he first played in 1977's original "Star Wars."

"Baker created Artoo's (R2's) much-loved innocent yet adventurous personality from inside the droid," said a statement on the official Star Wars Twitter account.

"Whether it was the slow turn of Artoo's dome to convey suspicion or nervous wobbles signifying fear, Baker made a robotic being seem very human.

Baker also played Paploo the Ewok in 1983's "Return of the Jedi. "

"I have had a fairly quiet year, and when the sunshine has allowed I have enjoyed the peace and tranquility of my garden," Baker wrote on his website.

He was fondly remembered across the entertainment world on Saturday.

"Kenny Baker was a real gentleman as well as an incredible trooper who always worked hard under difficult circumstances," Star Wars creator George Lucas said in a statement.

"A talented vaudevillian who could always make everybody laugh, Kenny was truly the heart and soul of R2-D2 and will be missed by all his fans and everyone who knew him."

Screenwriter Brian Lynch tweeted: "Rest in Peace, Kenny Baker. Thanks for bringing my favorite STAR WARS character (and 1st STAR WARS figure) to life."

British actor Rahul Kohli said in a post: "You brought life to one of my favourite characters, thank you Kenny Baker. Rest in peace."

Actor Kevin Smith wrote on Twitter, "Rest in Peace @starwars legend #KennyBaker - whose name I learned at age 7 because he brought #R2D2 to life. Feels like losing family..."

Daniel Logan, who played Boba Fett in "Star Wars: Episode II" and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," tweeted: "So sad to hear one of my dearest friends passed away. Rest in peace Kenny Baker. Love you. Will miss you!"

Baker played R2-D2 in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi," as well as the three "Star Wars" prequels from 1999 to 2005.

In an interview on his website, Baker said he initially turned down the role that would define his career.

He recalled telling Lucas, "I don't want to be stuck in a robot. What for, for goodness' sake?"

But he relented: "I said, 'I'll help you out, I'll do you a favor.' He said, 'You've got to do it. We can't find anyone else. You're small to get into (the robot costume) and you're strong enough to be able to move in it.' And they couldn't use kids."

Baker added, "I could work all hours, from 8 in the morning to 8 at night. You couldn't do that with kids. I was a godsend to them really. They'd made the robot in rough form and I was the only one around at the time that was just right for it. I got into it and they put the lid on me like a boiled egg."

The actor told CNN in 1999 that he didn't think the original "Star Wars" film would take off.

"We all thought, 'What a load of rubbish. This is going to be a non-event,'" he said. "How wrong we were."

And wobbling around in a metal costume -- which was heavier than he was -- in the 100-plus degree heat of Tunisia wasn't easy, according to Baker.

"The thing weighed about 80 pounds," he said. "I weighed 70 pounds."

Baker also appeared in a number of other films in the 1980s, including "The Elephant Man," "Time Bandits" and "Flash Gordon."

In 1978, Baker immortalized R2-D2 with cement footprints of the droid outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Born in Birmingham, England, on August 24, 1934, Baker was 16 when he started performing with Burton Lester's Midgets, according to his website.

Baker also was a nightclub performer with the late British actor Jack Purvis, who appeared in "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope," "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back," and "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi."

Baker credited The Shaftesbury Society, a London Christian group that cares for children with disabilities, with helping him "overcome my height difficulties," according to his site.

He was married to actress Eileen Baker, who died in 1993. They had two children.

Historic, deadly Louisiana floods will worsen as waters rise

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BATON ROUGE, La. - Forecasters warned victims of ongoing historic and deadly Louisiana flooding to brace for more rain Sunday.

The disaster has forced rescues of more than 7,000 people so far, said Gov. John Bel Edwards at a news conference Sunday. Three deaths have been blamed on the floods, he said, and a fourth person is unaccounted for.

Although the storms that caused the flooding have moved to the west, another 2 to 4 inches of rain was expected Sunday in and around Baton Rouge. Rivers such as the Comite near East Baton Rouge and the Tickfaw near Livingston were expected to keep rising until Monday.

On Sunday in the town of Galvez-Lake near the Amite River, a frantic Christy Bourgeois and her husband Tom were preparing to use a fan boat to race to a nearby flooded home.

"The last I heard my sister was there and it was on fire," she said.

Elsewhere in the area, victims were salvaging toys, clothes and other belongings from their flooded homes. Down Highway 431, desperate families, including pets, gathered at a gas station waiting for the water at their homes to recede. Their pickup trucks were loaded with belongings they were able to save before the flood came.

Not far away, Jeremy Best said he and Henri Dufrane had brought their small boat from nearby Wallace and used it to help 30-40 people escape their flooded houses.

Best said the water is still rising.

"It's coming up fast, man," said Best, who was wearing little more than shorts and a pair of boat shoes. "And it's only going to get worse."

Edwards said he had made an official request Sunday for aid from FEMA and expected to get an OK for that very soon.

More than 24 inches of rain have fallen since Wednesday in Livingston, near Baton Rouge, making the disaster an extremely rare weather event, according to the National Weather Service. The statistical chance of such flooding occurring in any given year is 1%, the weather service said.

Three deaths

Deaths blamed on the floods include a 30-year-old woman whose body was recovered Saturday afternoon in St. Helena Parish, police said. The woman, who wasn't identified, was traveling with her husband and mother when their vehicle was swept away by the flood. Her mother and husband were rescued.

Police said they believe another victim -- Samuel Muse, 54, of Greensburg -- died Friday after he tried to drive through high water and floodwaters swept his vehicle off the road, CNN-affiliate WAFB reported.

Also Friday a 68-year-old man drowned when he slipped and fell in flood waters in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Rescue caught on video

The thousands of rescues include three men in a boat who came up on a woman's nearly submerged car and struggled to pull her out as the car filled with water.

In video of the rescue, the woman says in a faint voice, "Oh my God, I'm drowning, I'm drowning."

"We're coming, we're coming," one of the men says. They try to smash the car's passenger side window.

"Please help me," the woman said.

One man asks for a knife to cut the cloth roof of the car -- which was a convertible -- and hops on the vehicle's trunk, which juts into the air as the car quickly sinks.

As the car starts to float away under his weight, the man jumps into the water, frantically ripping at the soft top to no avail; then he reached in the car's driver-side window, trying to reach the victim.

Just when it looked like she was lost, the woman stuck her arms out of the water toward him. He got a good hold and pulled her to safety.

She popped up through the water and announced they needed to rescue one more victim.

"Get my dog, get my dog,'' she said, her frantic voice, choked with water. "Get my dog, now. I'll go down."

"I can't get the dog," he said, as he felt inside the submerged convertible.

He ducked under the water to reach into the car.

"Maybe she's gone," said one of the men in the boat.

"No -- she better not be," the woman said, her voice strained.

The rescuer reemerged and exhorted: "I got your dog."

He held up the small, white dog, turned to the victim and in an exhausted but happy voice said, "Swim for the boat."

National Guard soldiers, search assets deployed

Ray Cutrer told CNN that the flood seemed to come out of nowhere. His daughter, whom he had moved next door to two years ago, believed they might get a bit of water in the house but didn't fear a deluge.

"Our guard was down," he said. "And then it was a matter of just watching the water continually rise."

By midnight Friday they were storing furniture and other valuables in the attic and carrying what they could over the back property line as water continued to fill the road.

Saturday, when they returned, Cutrer found his house had escaped damage but his daughter's was devastated. She and her husband will be living with him and his wife until repairs are done, he said, while another washed-out neighbor is staying with Cutrer's brother.

"We're just keeping them right here in the neighborhood, and we are all going to be working right here with them, cleaning it out," Cutrer said. "That is the way we can give back to this community."

He added, "I promised God when I saw my house didn't have any water in it, I said, 'Lord, I will be here to help the ones who did,' and I am. I will be right here. We'll help them every way that we can."

He said the fire department had to rescue neighbors by boat.

The governor has deployed the Louisiana National Guard, which said Sunday it has mobilized about 1,700 soldiers to assist in search and rescue. That number is expected to increase to 2,000 and perhaps even 2,500, officials said. Military police also will be provided to help local law enforcement with security.

Louisiana State University closed

In Livingston Saturday, the sheriff's office was forced to move its 911 communications center to another building -- because the center was taking on water, the parish sheriff's office said.

Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge announced that the school was closed Saturday. It said in tweets that campus streets were impacted by water.

"Please stay away from campus if possible," the school tweeted. LSU "Football Fan Day and Media Day" on Sunday were canceled.

Donald Trump’s plan to combat ISIS involves ‘ideology tests’

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump is laying out his plan to combat radical Islamic terrorism.

The plan includes banning people from countries with heavy terrorist footprints, not issuing visas to citizens from places where our government can't adequately vet applicants, and issuing an ideology test to determine who harbors anti-American values.

“The time is overdue to develop a new screening for the threats we face today,” Trump said.

Trump said the U.S. also needs to work more with Middle Eastern allies, which is interesting given what he said last December.

“Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,” he said.

The Republican National Committee said there are no discussions about cutting off funds to Trump, despite reports to the contrary.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton's campaign isn't skipping a beat when it comes to Trump's connections to Russia.

"(Trump) can't be trusted!" Vice President Joe Biden said.

The New York Times  reports Ukrainian leaders have given Trump's campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, millions in cash while Manafort was a political consultant there.  Manafort calls the report unfounded, silly, and nonsensical.

But it still raises questions about a possible bro-mance between Trump and Vladamir Putin.   So does daughter Ivanka Trump's Instagram post showing her sightseeing with Wendi Murdoch in Croatia.

Murdoch is reportedly dating Putin!

Still wondering whether Putin and the presidential candidate are pals?

There’s a new Pot Profile. Where do you fit in?

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HOUSTON — Have you ever wondered who's blazing the chronic these days? The Journal of Drug Issues says there's a new Pot Profile, and the number of adults choking on the ganja everyday is aggressively on the rise.

The research also "bluntly" says, adult daily smokers are poor and don't have a high school diploma. The problem lies in the moderation.

In 1990, 1 in 9 reported marijuana users said they use did the dope daily, whereas today, 1 in 3 'smog out' on a daily basis. So, of the 13 percent of adults smoking now, 68 percent do it every day.

Let's break it down further. The total adult population that smokes dope has doubled in recent years, thanks to legalization and lax laws. Of those, 19 percent have less than a high school diploma and 29 percent earn a household income of less than $20,000.

To make matters worse, the numbers reveal that 15 percent of all Mary Jane enthusiasts spend at least a quarter of their income on buying weed.

Mayhem continues in Milwaukee after black man fatally shot by police

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MILWAUKEE — All eyes are on Milwaukee after violent riots, gunfire and protests erupted just hours after a black police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old black man Saturday night. The chaos continued early Monday morning.

"This is my brother, my protector, somebody who is suppose to be there for me,” said Sherelle Smith, the deceased man's sister. "I can't get him back. Never! Never! That's pain!"

Police say Sylville Smith and another person ran from the cops who pulled them over at a traffic stop.  Smith had a handgun and refused to drop it, and that's when a cop took aim.

Authorities say police body camera footage exists, but it has not yet been released to the public.

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward A. Flynn said, “I don't think there's anybody in the country that's released a body worn camera of an officer-involved shooting in 24 hours or 36 hours.”

It was a shot heard around the city, and fury swept through Milwaukee.

Demonstrators torched at least six businesses, including a gas station. They set cars on fire and hurled rocks at police, appearing to throw whatever they could get their hands on.  Squad cars were pelted with bricks, rocks and bottles.

Four officers were injured, and 17 people were arrested.

One shooting victim was rushed to a hospital in an armored car.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker declared a state of emergency.

“We keep focusing on the police,” said Sheriff David Clarke. “And I've said publicly before; stop trying to fix the police, fix the ghetto."

The officer involved in the shooting is on administrative leave, and tension between police and citizens continues to grow.

Houston’s Paul Wall holds annual Back-to-School drive for children in 4th Ward community

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HOUSTON -- In order to make sure children were well-equipped before returning to the classroom, Houston rapper Paul Wall held his annual Back to School drive Sunday at Wiley Park.

Teaming up with Parents against Predators (PAP), the rapper was able to give back to the community in a major way, with free food and drinks, backpacks, school supplies and uniforms. The children were able to blow off some last minute summer steam with plenty of activities, lots of dancing and a talent show!

Paul Wall said his mother was a teacher for 30 years, and he knows the importance of giving back and education.

"We are trying to build up the community," he said. "It's a lot of great people here and a lot of good things going on in the community in 4th Ward so we have to support them," he said.


Texas resident contracts Zika after Miami visit; survey shows vacationers still traveling to Florida

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GAINESVILLE, Fl. — The recent Zika outbreak has done little to frighten vacationers planning a trip to Florida, according to a recent college study.

The University of Florida's 'Tourism Crisis Management Initiative' surveyed 828 potential visitors planning trips to Sunshine State within the next six months, and less than 10 percent have changed their travel plans. Of those who changed their plans, researchers said about 60 percent postponed their trip.

Seventy percent of overall participants said they are concerned about the Zika virus being in Florida, but most respondents are aware the outbreak is confined to a small district in the Miami-Dade area.

National health officials report at least one Texas resident, who visited the outbreak area in Miami, has tested positive for the virus. This patient is the first Texas case linked to travel within the continental United States.

The Obama administration declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico, where  well over 10,000 Zika cases have been registered.

Florida researchers learned officials and community leaders can build confidence in potential Florida visitors by providing insect-repellent for guests in the public areas of hotels and by also directing visitors to websites with safety tips.

Broke to School: School supplies getting more expensive

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With back to school shopping in full swing, parents all over the country might have to add one more item to the long list of supplies – a second job.

Because according to a recent study from Ebiquity, the average family is spending an estimated 1642 dollars on getting their kids geared up for the big first day.

These costs are going up faster than ever. It’s a 33% increase on last year’s spending if you do the math - assuming you can afford a calculator.

“This is an important time of the year, its like a holiday. It puts an added stress on parents. You have to get new supplies as your kids go to another grade level. Its really pressing right now,” noted Carl Green, an Outreach Worker for the HISD Homeless Education Office.

And it seems our kids need more than books, crayons, and uniforms to compete in classrooms with almost 800 dollars of that budget going towards laptops, tablets, and cellphones.

In the study, over 92% of parents said that electronic gadgets are essential for the educational environment.

So what is a family supposed to do if that price tag gets to be too high?

“(You can) Reach out to your school, reach out to the district. There’s resources out there to help. We provide backpacks, uniforms, toiletries, coats, socks with our families’ year round.” Answered Green.

He continued, “The thing that we’re doing here at Team HISD is making sure that every kid has what they need to be successful.”

Thankfully, because of organizations like the HISD Homeless Education Office, help is out there.

HISD is hosting the Back to School Extravaganza this Friday from 12-4 pm at Bethel’s Empowerment Center, which is open to anyone who wants to attend.

Like Whitney Houston says, I believe that children are our future, and they need to be given every opportunity to get a great education.

VIDEO: Monkey gets loose, scuffles with Wal-Mart employee in parking lot

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LANCASTER, Ohio – A pet monkey got loose in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Lancaster, Ohio Sunday night after apparently escaping from a recreational vehicle.

Video taken by Richelle Stewart shows a store employee trying to corral the diaper-wearing primate near the shopping cart return area.

When the man gets close, however, the monkey can be seen jumping from the metal railing and grabbing him by the arm and clothing. A woman runs up to the employee yelling, “Let him go, let him go, let him go! If he bites you, they will put him down.”

The woman grabs the monkey by the hand and walks to an RV parked in the lot.

A 911 caller told the emergency operator that the Wal-Mart worker had been bitten, but Lancaster police later determined that the animal had only grabbed the man, and that he was unharmed. Since he wasn’t hurt, no report was filed, according to police.

The Department of Agriculture is trying to identify the woman to find out of the monkey has been registered in Ohio, according to KSNW-TV.

Swimmer breaks taboo, tells world she had her period at the Olympics

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RIO DE JANEIRO – On Sunday, Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhui did something kind of extraordinary: She told a TV interviewer she was menstruating.

After China finished 4th in the 4×100 relay, Fu was seen holding her stomach, and when asked if she was feeling ill, she put it plainly: “Because my period came yesterday, I’m feeling a bit weak, but this is not an excuse.”

Quartz explains how major such a simple statement is: Not only did she break “a great sporting taboo,” “it was the first time many Chinese people realized it is possible to swim while being on your period.” That it came from Fu made it all the more impactful.

China has, in the last week, fallen for the 20-year-old. Amid a sea of elite athletes whose “vocabulary is often robotically limited by the state parlance,” as the AP puts it, Fu has emerged as the foil.

An hour-long live-stream she did last Wednesday—during which she burped and ate cupcakes, reports Quartz—has been watched a staggering 11 million times, reports CNN.

Her post-race facial expressions and comments (like saying she used “primordial force” in Rio) are winning over the public. As for her period comment, the BBC reports it drove a lot of social media chatter—about Fu and about tampons, which are a rarity in China: A 2015 survey found 2% of women there use them, compared to four out of every 10 US women.

(A US startup has gotten $1 million in funding for a product that it calls an anti-tampon.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: After Olympic Loss, Swimmer Dares Mention Her Period

From Newser:

 

 

 

Pennsylvania dad of heart-transplant toddler killed family, self: DA

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The killer in a murder-suicide that took the lives of a family of five in Berks County, Pennsylvania, has been identified as the father, District Attorney John Adams said Monday.

Mark Short, 40, killed his 33-year-old wife, Megan, and the couple’s three children, 8-year-old Liana, 5-year-old Mark Jr., and 2-year-old Willow.

Willow was a heart transplant survivor whose story made national headlines.

Short apparently took the three kids to a theme park the day before he allegedly killed them in cold blood – the district attorney said they went to Hershey Park, according to KYW-TV.

Police found their bodies in their Sinking Springs home on August 6 dead from gunshot wounds, along with the family dog. Mark Short left a note admitting to buying a gun and killing his family, Adams said at a news conference. The note was likely written after Short killed his family.

Megan Short was terrified of her husband and planned to move out the next day, police told WPMT.

Megan Short’s mother called Sinking Spring Police after her daughter missed a lunch date.

The couple had domestic and marital problems and were in the process of separating, Adams said.

A few weeks before her death, Megan Short called 911 after an argument and said she was afraid of her husband, authorities said.

‘It looks so fake!’: Adorable ‘googly-eyed’ squid spotted off California coast

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CALIFORNIA – A research vessel exploring the ocean off the California coast recently captured footage of a “googly-eyed” Stubby squid, and the video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times since it was posted to YouTube on Friday.

The video was shot by a team from the E/V Nautilus, which uses a remotely operated underwater vehicle to explore the ocean floor.

As the vessel approaches the cephalopod, the team can be heard trying to determine at first whether it is an octopus or cuttlefish.

As the ROV gets closer to the creature, however, the team’s attention quickly shifts to its unusual-looking eyes.

“They look like googly eyes … It looks so fake!” one woman exclaims in the video. “It’s like some little kid dropped their toy.”

Two others in the video comment that the eyes look as though they were painted on.

The team later determined the cephalopod was a Stubby squid — also known as Rossia pacifica — which is closely related to cuttlefish, according to a description of the video posted by the team that captured the footage.

“This species spends life on the seafloor, activating a sticky mucus jacket and burrowing into the sediment to camouflage, leaving their eyes poking out to spot prey like shrimp and small fish,” the description on the E/V Nautilus YouTube page read.

Stubby squid live in the Northern Pacific between Japan and Southern California, and are usually spotted at a depth of about 300 meters, though sightings have occurred at much lower depths, according to the page. The one in the video, for example, was located 900 meters below the ocean surface off the coast of California.

The Exploration Vessel Nautilus is a 64-meter research vessel operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust, which is among a number of organizations that funds the Nautilus Exploration Program, according to its website. Other agencies funding the operation include the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the Office of Naval Research.

Click here to watch live video from the Nautilus Exploration Program. 

Mother who allegedly drowned children had history of drug abuse, theft, homelessness

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HOUSTON — Why did she do it? Were there signs? Could this have been prevented?

These are among a few questions that many have asked but sadly may never be answered about the mother accused of murdering her two children Friday at their home in the Third Ward. What we know for certain is Sheborah Latrice Thomas had a troubled past littered with drug use and a criminal record. Texas Child Protective Services said it was once forced to remove the children from her care.

Thomas, 30, was charged with two counts of capital murder Monday after she allegedly confessed to drowning her 7-year-old son, Araylon, and 5-year-old daughter, Kayiana, at their home in the 3000 block of Tierwester Street.

A friend who visited Thomas days after the crime happened reported that she “matter-of-factly” told him that she killed her kids when he asked of their whereabouts.  That friend drove her to the Houston Police Department, where Thomas told officers the location of her children’s bodies. She also outlined the horrific details, police said.

Houston police said Thomas called her children one-by-one Friday into the bathroom, beginning with Kayiana, and drowned them each in the bathtub. Investigators said Araylon struggled but could not fight off his mother.  Thomas then placed both children on a bed and wrapped their bodies in sheets, detectives said.

According to investigators, Thomas said she first tried to dig a hole in her backyard to bury her children but could not make one deep enough.  She then hid her children’s bodies underneath her neighbor’s house, police said.

Those who know Thomas are trying to figure out what made her snap.

Thomas’ actions are eerily similar to those of Andrea Yates, another Houston area mother, who drowned her five children in 2001. Yates suffered from post-partum depression.

According to court documents, Thomas had been arrested for theft once in 2009 and twice in 2010. She was charged with failure to identify and giving false information in 2011, according to police records.

It was a 2012 incident involving her daughter — who was only 2 years old at the time —  that prompted a CPS investigation, which resulted in the Kayiana and Araylon being placed with their maternal grandmother.

Documents state that a witness saw a little girl — later identified as Kayiana — sitting on top of man and shaking him.  The girl was crying and the man was passed out.

The passerby called police who arrived and found the Kayiana cold and hypothermic.  An ambulance rushed the girl to the hospital to be checked out. Doctors said Kayiana had some bruises and abrasions, but doctors found her to be overall healthy.

A caseworker did not interview Kayiana because of her age, but after observation the worker determined the girl was healthy and mentally on target for her age group.

Police said the man she was found with had a history of mental health issues and PCP abuse. He was taken to Ben Taub Psychiatric Hospital.

Investigators identified the man as Thomas’ friend — not her father. The friend told police he and Thomas were both homeless.

Investigators could not find Thomas but did find the children’s maternal grandmother.

The grandmother said she had not seen Thomas in weeks and, to her knowledge, the children should have been with their mother.

The grandmother told CPS she wanted her granddaughter and they placed Kayiana with her. Documents state Thomas later placed Araylon in her grandmother’s care before returning to live in a shelter by herself.

Detectives found Thomas living at the shelter and interviewed her.  Thomas told investigators on the night Kayiana was found with her homeless friend, the two adults were trying to catch a bus to the shelter but the buses stopped running. Thomas said she caught a ride to the shelter but her friend and Kayiana fell asleep at the bus stop, which is when the passerby saw them.

Thomas admitted to having used marijuana and PCP in the past, according to CPS caseworkers.

CPS removed the children from Thomas’ care because she did not have a stable home. Documents show the children’s father was in and out of jail. He has a lengthy criminal history that includes charges for car and home burglary, marijuana possession, criminal trespassing, terroristic threat and assault of a family member.

CPS documents stated the Thomas’ mother “is very protective of Kayiana and Araylon Thomas and will not allow any [Thomas or their father] to remove them from her residence. A preliminary home study has been completed on this placement and has been approved.”

Investigators said Thomas has an older son from a different man but he son is most often with his father.

According to court documents dated April 8, 2014, the children were returned to Thomas and were “doing fine” after spending 10 months in her care. CPS caseworkers determined it to be in the children’s best interest to remain with their mother, the document said.

NewsFix reached out to the Office of Child Safety about their involvement with the family and the agency responded saying, “We cannot discuss details because of confidentiality and because of the current criminal investigation. It is important to learn everything we can about this tragedy, and what we can learn about what may have led to it.”

Officials said caseworkers will be conducting an independent and comprehensive review of how CPS handled any prior allegations involving the Thomas family.


It’s National Rum Day! Here are some cool recipes for you

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HOUSTON — Timothy Dressel, head bartender at Milano Bar in City Centre, made us a couple of great cocktails for National Rum Day! They aren’t named — yet– but try these out and tell us what you think they should be called!

Cocktail #1:

Small batch, handscrafted spirits
craft cocktails
Fresh procuce
Homemade syrups
tinctures bitters
barrell-aged spirits
Infusions

Cocktail #2:

1 oz. Plantation dark rum
1 oz. Plantation pineapple rum
1/2 oz. Osbourne Sherry
1/2 oz. Pineapple juice
1/2 oz. Lime juice
Orgeat
Granish with spanish lime wheel cherry

Cocktail #3

2 1/2 oz. Pampers Anni Rum
1/4 oz. Simple syrup
2 dashes of Chocolate Bitters
2 dashes of Orange Bitters
Garnish with cherry orange peels

Recipes courtesy of:

Radio Milano | Milano Bar
800 Sorella Court
713.827.3545 
radio-milano.com

Houston Texans fans excited about what’s new at NRG Stadium

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HOUSTON — We hope you’re ready for this upcoming season Texans fans because NRG Stadium is ready for you. The Texans debuted several stadium and catering menu upgrades Tuesday afternoon that are sure to blow fans away this fall. The latest luxuries range from a better social media experience,  delicious new food options to better field turf.

World-famous brisket, Korean tacos and more

Texans fans were able to sample a variety of game foods such as burgers, hotdogs, nachos and baked potatoes. Killen’s Barbecue will be serving up its renown brisket, burgers and sandwiches with turkey, chicken and beef fresh from the smokers. The Kernel offers three flavors of fresh gourmet popcorn with options like the classic savory butter and cheddar cheese.

We recommend trying Berryhill’s Baja Cantina’s Korean Fired Chicken Taco, which has chicken strips tossed in a smoky, spicy Korean sauce, topped with cilantro, scallions, pickled cucumbers and sesame seeds. It’ll be available in Section 135. You should also try Killen’s Brisket Sandwich. It’s brisket smoked at the stadium, drizzled in barbecue sauce and served on Sheila Parton’s jalapeno bread. You can find it at the Texas Smokehouse and sections 109 and 129.

If you’re looking something sweet, head to the Cookie and Creamy for warm, Nutella-filled cookies and ice-cream.The Loop serves artisan soft pretzels with homemade dipping sauces.

Is game food often over-priced? Yes. But is it absolutely mouth-watering and delicious? Heck, yes!

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Enhanced social media experience

The stadium renovations also include improved WiFi connectivity, which makes it easier for fans to share pictures and videos on social media while inside the stadium. It’s an update most Texans would agree is long overdue.

We’re into food porn as much as the next person, but the best stadium upgrade is plastic, inedible and free for everyone on game days. The stadium has installed Go Portable Power stations, which provides visitors with portable phone charges.

Texans officials said the Go Pack works with all iPhone 4 and younger models as well as Android devices. Bonus: the packs are portable and users can charged their devices without cables or outlets from their seats. NRG Stadium features a total 12 Go Pack towers that are located on building levels one, three and five.

The Go Pack rentals are  free anytime for Reliant residential and small business customers.

UBU Sports Speed Series S5-M

The Houston Texans have finally jumped on the bandwagon with the Vikings and Saints  and have invested in UBU Sports Speed Series S5-M field turf — and it looks amazing! Or at the very least clean, mean and bright green. The synthetic playing surface is believed to be the stuff of dreams and Super Bowls.

According to designers, the 1.5-million blades of turf ensures a firm, safe and durable playing surface. They say it is “scientifically engineered to optimize performance and maximize player safety.” Neato!

UBU officials said the Texans are the third NFL team to install material in both its game and practice facilities.

Houston Texans take on the Chicago Bears in their first regular season match-up Sept. 11 at NRG Stadium.

Houston family’s Six Flags trip ends after fatal wreck leaves 3 children in critical condition

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FLATONIA, Texas — The daughters of a Houston couple killed in an accident over the weekend are fighting for their lives Tuesday after the family’s vehicle tumbled multiples times on I-10.

Melvin and Shaknaequi Gallow had plans to take their four children, four other kids in their care, a family friend and her two children to San Antonio Saturday morning for some family fun when they were in a fatal accident.

Investigators said the Gallows had reached Flantonia when Shaknaequi swerved to dodge a sudden halt in traffic. Their SUV was behind an 18-wheeler, and during an overcorrection, police said the vehicle turned over several times. The passengers were sent flying out of the car, investigators said.

Shakneaqui’s aunt Cynthia Krieger said she was notified about the accident a couple hours later.

“The kids went flinging out of the car, and the husband was on the pavement,” Krieger said. “The wife is in the car jammed against the steering wheel. She went quickly. The husband, he kept calling for his wife.”

The couple and their 8-year-old son Melvin Jr. all died from the wreck.

Makayla, Laquinta, and Mariah continue to fight for their lives at Dell Children’s Medical Center. They’re all listed in critical condition.

Krieger has set up a Go Fund Me page for the girls.

“To focus on the care of the girls, and their recovery, not just physical, but emotional, psychological. This is very traumatic,” Krieger said.

Investigators are still learning whether the passengers were wearing seatbelts. However, Krieger said now isn’t the time to be pointing fingers.

“We can deal with the situation at hand,” Krieger said. “There are children that need help who (are) on a path that’s very difficult,” Krieger said.

Through this time of struggle, Krieger said one message is clear.

“Cherish life where it is right now,” she said. “You never know when it’s going to be the last time to say goodbye.”

El Chapo’s son kidnapped in dramatic restaurant raid, Mexican officials say

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PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — Like a scene out of "The Sopranos," a group of armed men stormed a restaurant in the popular Mexican resort town of Puerto Vallarta and kidnapped the son of a Mexican drug lord and 15 others in a crime gang, according to a Mexican officials.

But the kidnappers didn't just grab any ole drug lord's son, they apparently captured the son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

"El Chapo" — or "Shorty" as he's also known — is an infamous drug lord who was busted last year after actor Sean Penn went south of the border for a visit.

Authorities recaptured El Chapo in January and then transferred him to a border prison in Juarez, Mexico last May. He is  awaiting extradition to the U.S.

And with dad all locked up, the drug lord's son, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman,  reportedly took control of the family business.

Mexican officials say they presume the kingpin's son was among those kidnapped.

Research: Greed is bad for your finances

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HOUSTON — More money, more problems. At least, that's if you love money.

State Street's Center for Applied Research recently conducted a study that found nearly 60 percent of investors who score high on the  "love of money" scale tend to have bad financial outcomes.

So the more you love money, the less it seems to love you back.

The study also found that those who love money the least make better investments!

And get this, although America might seem like the milk and honey land of money, folks here don't love it the most! India took the title followed by China and Brazil.

If you aren't rich, no worries. The survey didn't find a connection between loving money and level of wealth.

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