Month: February 2026

By Nicole Griffin

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    INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — This weekend in Indianapolis, families touched by the pain of a missing loved one will gather, not only to grieve, but to take action.

The grassroots group The Missing Struggle was born out of heartbreak. Members say they know all too well the uncertainty, the sleepless nights and the desperate search for answers.

Five years after Katrina Overstreet’s sister Cieha Taylor went missing, her family held a celebration of life.

“It’s like having a funeral for someone when you don’t know if they’re alive or dead. That’s really hard,” Overstreet said.

Overstreet told WRTV what pushes her to help others who are struggling.

“Her. That’s the only reason,” Overstreet shared.

Overstreet founded The Missing Struggle to help other families navigate the difficult journey of having a missing loved one.

“We print flyers, host events like the one coming up. We actually look for people. I have a search and rescue dog now, so we can go on searches,” Overstreet said.

She helps others while still waiting for answers in her sister’s case. Taylor was last seen in Plant City, Florida.

“She dropped her boyfriend off around 4:30 p.m. on February 6, 2020. A couple of hours later, her car was found running, abandoned, with the driver’s side door open and her cell phone on the ground. We haven’t seen her since,” Overstreet said.

From memorial tributes to sharing missing persons alerts online, Overstreet says every action counts.

According to the Indiana State Police, the most recent update shows 898 people on the ISP’s missing persons bulletin. However, state police say that number is typically between 930 and 1,000 missing people.

Tiffany Tyler joined The Missing Struggle after her own heartbreaking experience. Her youngest son, Zachariah Tyler, went missing in July 2021.

After four years of silence and searching, Tyler was notified that her son’s remains were found in Indianapolis. She joined the group, hoping to help other families.

“We want this to grow, and we want them to know we are here for them,” Tyler said.

This weekend, their mission comes to life at the group’s missing persons awareness event called Miss-versary in Indianapolis.

“Before I began this missing journey, I had no idea how many people go missing, who to call or what to do. It’s just to educate the public, let them hear from families, share statistics,” Overstreet said.

The Miss-versary event is Saturday at The Intimate Space Indy on East 71st Street from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Overstreet hopes the event provides a healing space for those affected by loss and uncertainty.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By KAKE Staff

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    WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) — A man who was seen on camera taking a woman by force in northeast Wichita last year has been sentenced to 12 months of probation.

Daniel Espitia Guevara was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. The Sedgwick County district attorney’s office said he pleaded no contest to two counts of domestic battery and one count of criminal restraint.

Judge Roger Woods sentenced Guevara to a year on probation with an underlying prison sentence of two years, meaning he’s subject to prison time if he violates the conditions of his probation.

The incident happened at around 2 a.m. Sunday, October 12 in the 1400 block of North Volutsia. The Wichita Police Department posted pictures and a video on social media after the incident was reported Sunday evening, hoping someone could identify her. The story garnered national attention.

Several days later, investigators received a phone call from a woman claiming to be the one in the video. Police said she lived in the area where the video was captured and that she did not have any significant injuries.

The woman reported that she and her boyfriend, Guevara, went to a baptism for one of her friend’s children at a church in south Wichita the night of October 11. A probable cause affidavit states that she drove Guevara back to his home on North Grove. She said Guevara had several beers, and the original plan was that she would drive to her house and Guevara would walk home. She said he was too drunk, so she decided to drop him off.

Once she pulled into Guevara’s driveway, the document states that he said “he was not going to get out ofthe car, so (the victim) drove to her house and parked in the driveway and told Espitia-Guevara he could walk home. Espitia-Guevara tried to grab (the victim’s) cell phone from the cup holder” and told her that “he wanted to see her messages with her ex-husband.”

She said she exited her car, and Guevara approached her and tried to take her phone away.

“Espitia-Guevara grabbed her hand and held her phone in front of her face to try and open the phone with Face ID. (The victim said Espitia-Guevara was unable to get the phone open,” the document states.

She said she tried to walk away, but Guevara grabbed her in a bear hug and threw her to the ground. She got up and tried again to walk away, but Guevara was walking with her and kept grabbing her left hand. She said they walked back and forth on 14th before she noticed a porch light on in the 1400 block of Volutsia.

“Silva said that she was trying to keep Espitia-Guevara calm and was looking for a way to get help. (She) said she ran up to the front door and tried to yell “Help!” when Espitia-Guevara grabbed her and spun her around and covered her mouth and nose with his left hand.”

Once back on the street, she tried to tell Guevara that she could not breathe. She said he pushed her down to the grass while still holding his hand over her nose and mouth. Guevara began to vomit, and she quickly walked away. A man in a car asked if she needed help, and she said yes. The driver took her home

The victim said she saw the news about the incident and did not come forward sooner because she was afraid that people would take her children away.

Guevara was ordered have no contact with the victim and complete a domestic violence offender assessment and batterers intervention course.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Jennifer Borrasso

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    WEST MIFFLIN, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A woman and her husband are fighting for a $400 refund after they bought furniture from a Value City Furniture store that filed for bankruptcy.

“It shows ottoman right here, and it shows that we bought it,” Jessica Reed said. “We paid in full.”

Reed, of Elizabeth, bought nearly $1,500 worth of furniture from the store in West Mifflin. She knew the store was going out of business, but she was promised she’d get her order.

“As you can see here, we are just getting the sofa, the recliner and the chaise, but no ottoman,” she said.

The sales representative told Reed that the ottoman was a limited stock, but they would get a refund if it did not arrive. On Monday, a delivery notification showed the $400 ottoman was not there. She called the store, but was told no refunds, and she needed to take the matter to court.

“It is never a good feeling when somebody gives you false hope,” Reed said.

She does not understand how she is now out the money and won’t have the furniture piece to show for it.

“It’s a feeling of being deceived, just being lied to and just taken money from us that we work hard for that now is just gone,” Reed said. “And I have nothing to show for it when we were promised we would get that back if the item didn’t come.”

KDKA-TV talked to a store manager on the phone on Tuesday, and he said “no comment.”

A Better Business Bureau spokesperson said the company has indicated it’s no longer responding to complaints since it filed for bankruptcy and is in the process of going out of business. The BBB added that there is a claims filing process on the company’s website that a consumer would have to follow for a potential refund.

Once a company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, someone who paid for goods or services that were never delivered may have a priority claim, but they are still not guaranteed a full refund, and any refunds received are dependent on funds available in the bankruptcy estate.

“Buyer beware, and do your research before purchasing anything from a company, especially if they are going out of business,” Reed said.

The chief of the West Mifflin Police Department suggests that Reed file a complaint with his department so detectives can look into it.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

KYW

By Natasha Brown, Adam Fox

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A historic church in Philadelphia’s Society Hill neighborhood will be an integral part of the city’s 250th anniversary celebration.

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church will offer tours, trips through its museum and programming to highlight the role it has played in the African American community for generations.

Deep-rooted history lies in every crevice of Mother Bethel, which sits on the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by African Americans.

Richard and Flora Allen purchased the land in 1791.

“We can think about the story and struggle of Richard Allen, certainly a freedom fighter, certainly an apostle of freedom and justice and hope,” Rev. Carolyn Cavaness said.

Cavaness is the senior pastor of the church and has made history in her own right. She’s the 53rd person in the role and the first woman to lead the congregation as pastor.

The historic church at 6th and Lombard streets still looms large as the mother of its denomination.

“We are the mother church of our denomination — the African Methodist Episcopal church, founded April 9, 1816 — her home is right here, Mother Bethel. We are the first church,” Cavaness said.

The church is home to anywhere between 800 and 1,000 members, many third- and fourth-generation legacy congregation members. It’s only fitting that this historic church be a focal point in Philadelphia’s 250th anniversary celebration this year.

“We have deemed our contribution to this celebration, celebrating Black excellence from America’s beginning, that we as people of African descent have been here from the onset, we have made considerable contributions,” Cavaness said.

The church will be home to one of the Bells of PA, and the museum will have special exhibits this year, Cavaness said.

“We are looking forward to an amazing year of tours, activity, programming, but also helping to again just connect with the rich history and contributions of persons of African descent,” she said.

Cavaness is excited to introduce to some and reintroduce to others the significance of this church to Philadelphia’s history and America’s history.

“It is not an accident that here Mother Bethel is nestled and you’re within range of where the first White House [was] and where independence was written,” Cavaness said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Natasha Brown, Adam Fox

Click here for updates on this story

    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A historic church in Philadelphia’s Society Hill neighborhood will be an integral part of the city’s 250th anniversary celebration.

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church will offer tours, trips through its museum and programming to highlight the role it has played in the African American community for generations.

Deep-rooted history lies in every crevice of Mother Bethel, which sits on the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by African Americans.

Richard and Flora Allen purchased the land in 1791.

“We can think about the story and struggle of Richard Allen, certainly a freedom fighter, certainly an apostle of freedom and justice and hope,” Rev. Carolyn Cavaness said.

Cavaness is the senior pastor of the church and has made history in her own right. She’s the 53rd person in the role and the first woman to lead the congregation as pastor.

The historic church at 6th and Lombard streets still looms large as the mother of its denomination.

“We are the mother church of our denomination — the African Methodist Episcopal church, founded April 9, 1816 — her home is right here, Mother Bethel. We are the first church,” Cavaness said.

The church is home to anywhere between 800 and 1,000 members, many third- and fourth-generation legacy congregation members. It’s only fitting that this historic church be a focal point in Philadelphia’s 250th anniversary celebration this year.

“We have deemed our contribution to this celebration, celebrating Black excellence from America’s beginning, that we as people of African descent have been here from the onset, we have made considerable contributions,” Cavaness said.

The church will be home to one of the Bells of PA, and the museum will have special exhibits this year, Cavaness said.

“We are looking forward to an amazing year of tours, activity, programming, but also helping to again just connect with the rich history and contributions of persons of African descent,” she said.

Cavaness is excited to introduce to some and reintroduce to others the significance of this church to Philadelphia’s history and America’s history.

“It is not an accident that here Mother Bethel is nestled and you’re within range of where the first White House [was] and where independence was written,” Cavaness said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.