Month: February 2026

By Jon Burkett

Click here for updates on this story

    RICHMOND, Virginia (WTVR) — A military veteran who was shot twice trying to protect a friend at a South Richmond bar last year is asking anyone with information to come forward to police.

The February 23, 2025 shooting at the Davine Bar and Grill on Hull Street left the veteran with life-altering injuries and mounting medical bills. The veteran, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, was shot twice in the neck after intervening when he saw his friend being attacked.

“You hear a loud bang, sounds like a smack or a punch, and my buddy is holding his face and leaning over, so I immediately came in to protect him, and as soon as I got in the middle, the suspect shot me twice,” he said.

The veteran used his own thumb to plug the wound to his neck while waiting for help to arrive.

Months of recovery followed, during which the veteran has struggled with the physical, emotional and financial aftermath of the shooting. He now relies on his small disability payments from his military service to cover astronomical medical bills from the emergency room and rehabilitation facility.

“The guy is still at large. I don’t know really who he is or what he’s about, and I don’t know if he could be in the area close to me or if he knows my name or any of that, so I had to protect myself and my family that does live in the area to try and keep myself isolated from everything,” he said.

The shooting has cost the veteran greatly. Jobs are hard to come by in his current condition, and he has been forced to relocate to a homeless veterans facility in a different state for his safety and recovery.

Nearly a year later, no arrests have been made in the case. Investigators continue to work with very little evidence, leaving the veteran and his supporters frustrated.

“Honestly it’s a waiting game right now trying to figure out the evidence, if there is any more evidence out in the public that might have anything,” he said.

Friends of the veteran, speaking off camera, say he has sacrificed enough for others and deserves justice.

The veteran is now making a public plea for anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.

“If you have any pictures, videos of that night, if you were an eyewitness and you’re willing to come forward and give a statement — it can be anonymous, I don’t care,” he said. “If you have anything at all that can help my case, I’d be grateful if you came forward with it.”

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Austin Pollack

Click here for updates on this story

    NASHVILLE (WTVF) — First graders at King’s Academy in Nashville wanted to show their appreciation for the Nashville Electric Service line workers who restored power after January’s devastating ice storm.

Many of the students lost power themselves during the storm, experiencing firsthand what it was like to be cold and in the dark. Now that power has been restored, they’re using the experience as a learning opportunity about kindness and gratitude.

“When the power went out, I felt really cold and it was really dark and scary,” one student said.

The school organized learning experiences where students do real work to meet real needs for real people. This time, the real people were the NES line workers who worked 14-hour days in dangerous conditions to restore power across Nashville.

Ryan Smith, a journeyman lineman with Nashville Electric Service, visited the school to receive the students’ thank-you gifts: a book and a video filled with messages of gratitude.

“Thank you for being brave in the cold weather,” one student said in the video.

“If I could meet a lineworker, I would say thank you for helping us with the lines,” another added.

“Last month has been long,” Smith said. “14 hour days, every day.”

“It’s hard to be away from them (family) for that long,” he added. “But they understand the sacrifices we have to make.”

This was actually Smith’s second visit to the school. Earlier this month, line workers brought the truck to show the students, sparking their interest in learning more about what line workers do.

For Smith, the recognition from the children was meaningful.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “It’s heartwarming and it’s nice to know they see what we do and they appreciate it.”

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Aaron Cantrell

Click here for updates on this story

    SUMNER COUNTY, Tennessee (WTVF) — Located along historic Zieglers Fort Road in Sumner County, the Cairo Rosenwald School was built in the 1920s to educate African American students.

The school closed in 1959, but for many in the community, it has continued to stand as a symbol of education and resilience.

Now, more than a century after it first opened, there is a renewed effort to restore the historic building — though significant upgrades are still needed.

After standing for decades, the structure is showing its age.

Cairo Improvement Club Chairperson Velma Brinkley is determined to preserve the school’s legacy.

“Eight different grades were taught in this space, if you can imagine — which I doubt that you can,” Brinkley said.

Built in 1922, the school served African American children from first through eighth grade for more than 35 years. Brinkley said her father-in-law, Hutch Brinkley, was the last teacher at the school before it closed.

“My father-in-law, Hutch Brinkley, was the last teacher in this school before it closed,” she said.

Even after its closing, pieces of the building’s history remain.

“The folding doors you see missing are actually in storage,” Brinkley said.

About 10 years ago, a grant helped secure a new foundation for the building. However, Brinkley said another $90,000 is needed to repair the roof and prepare the space to reopen to the public.

“One of the things we are desiring to do is restore it and return the school to its original design,” she said.

Plans for the space go beyond preservation. The Cairo Improvement Club hopes to restore the school as both an educational site and an event venue.

“We want people to come and do a walkthrough,” Brinkley said. “We are going to have the history of this school from 1920 through 1959, when it closed, on the walls — artifacts in clear glass display cases around the room.”

The organization is asking the community for support. Donations can be made online. The club is also seeking contractors and volunteers to assist with restoration efforts.

Brinkley hopes the school will once again flourish and serve as a cornerstone of the Cairo community.

This story was reported by journalist Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Robb Coles

Click here for updates on this story

    FRANKLIN, Tennessee (WTVF) — For nearly eight years, visitors to Williamson Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Franklin were greeted by an unlikely member of the team who helped ease their pain during some of life’s most difficult moments.

Mac Williamson Stephens, a sheepadoodle who served as the funeral home’s comfort dog, passed away last Friday after touching the lives of thousands of families throughout his lifetime.

“He has touched over 5,000 families in his lifetime,” said Mandi Goodrich, Mac’s owner and a funeral director and general manager for Williamson Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

From an early age, Mac had a natural ability to comfort people on their toughest days.

Goodrich described how the gentle dog would approach grieving visitors with an intuitive understanding of their needs.

“He would just come up to somebody sitting in a chair and just put his head like, right in their lap,” Goodrich said.

Mac’s compassionate nature didn’t go unnoticed beyond Franklin.

After appearing on NewsChannel 5 in 2019, his story gained national attention.

“Next thing we know, I got a phone call and they’re like, Mac’s on Sunday Mornings with Jane Pauley,” Goodrich said.

Year after year, Mac continued helping people heal in his own special way during funeral services and visitations.

“We just kind of passed him around the pews to people during visitation, and everyone loved on him,” Goodrich said.

The loss of Mac is hitting hard for Goodrich, other staff members, and community members who came by to sign a memory book for Mac.

“It’s only been three days, and it’s just not, it’s just not the same,” Goodrich said.

“Every morning, the three days a week that I work…I would cook three pieces of bacon and scramble two eggs just for my Mac,” said Henrietta Whidby, secretary for Williamson Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Now, Mac has his own memorial at Williamson Memorial, where friends and families he helped over the years can leave notes and memories.

“He’s got a couple of pages here where his friends have came by and signed and left notes of how they loved his face,” Goodrich said.

For Goodrich, Mac represented something truly special in the world of animal companionship.

“They talk about once-in-a-lifetime pets, and that’s what he was – a once-in-a-lifetime dog,” Goodrich said.

If you’d like to see the memorial or share a memory of Mac, the funeral home invites you to stop by any time between now and February 24, 2026.

Williamson Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services is located at 3009 Columbia Ave. in Franklin.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Tre Ward

Click here for updates on this story

    CHICAGO (WLS) — A gust of wind blew a baby girl in a stroller into Lake Michigan at Belmont Harbor on Chicago’s North Side Wednesday afternoon, the man who dove in to save the child told ABC7.

Chicago police said the stroller with the 8-month-old inside fell in the water about 3 p.m.

Multiple witnesses on the scene quickly reacted and rescued the baby from the water, police said.

The little girl was taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital for observation and was initially listed in good condition, CPD said.

Lio Cundiff says he doesn’t even swim, but knew he had only seconds to act when he says a gust of wind blew a stroller away from a mother and into the lake with an 8-month-old girl still inside it.

“Her kid could’ve been gone,” Cundiff said.

A daring dive by the good Samaritan helped to the save the life of the 8-month-old girl who fell into Belmont Harbor.

“I see a stroller getting blown into the lake… and a lady screaming,” Cundiff said.

Her mother was watching helplessly, he said.

“I can tell she was too panicked to do anything, so I was, like, ‘I guess I’m jumping in,'” Cundiff said. “That baby was – I wasn’t going to let that baby die. That’s crazy.”

Cundiff spoke to ABC7 from his hospital bed following the harrowing rescue of the infant during a Wednesday afternoon that saw windy conditions. Despite warmer air temperatures this week, Lake Michigan remains frigid.

“I’m just glad the stroller was up, not face down,” Cundiff said. “The baby dipped under a couple times, but I was able to keep her up. And she was breathing and crying when we got her out.”

Other witnesses helped them back on dry land.

Police say the girl was taken to the hospital for observation and was initially listed in good condition.

The girl was in good condition all due to the bystander-turned-rescuer who put his own life on the line to save another that’s just starting to grow.

“I hope she has a really cool future, and I’m happy I was there,” Cundiff said.

Cundiff says he’s in the hospital for heart monitoring and hopes to be released after an overnight stay.

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 Erin Miller

Click here for updates on this story

    NORFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — A Virginia Beach woman who beat an aggressive form of breast cancer at just 29 years old is now sharing her story about an unexpected second diagnosis that highlights a rarely-discussed connection between cancer treatment and heart health.

Christina Hornyak never expected to face cancer in her 20s, let alone heart failure three years later.

“I’ve never smoked. I’ve never been a big drinker. I live an active lifestyle. I was in my 20s. I was not at all expecting to be diagnosed with cancer at 29, let alone heart failure at 32,” Hornyak said.

Hornyak’s life turned upside down in 2021 when she received a devastating diagnosis.

“At 29 I was diagnosed with a very rare aggressive form of breast cancer. It’s called triple negative breast cancer,” Hornyak said.

Her doctors recommended an anthracycline chemotherapy regimen, but the very treatment designed to save her life also carried a different life-threatening risk.

“I learned that one of the chemotherapies I was going to receive had the potential to be difficult on the heart,” Hornyak said.

Christina went through 16 rounds of chemotherapy and celebrated being cancer free. Years later when life was back to normal, new symptoms started appearing.

“I noticed that I started getting very, very, very tired, and I’m not talking like tired, I’m talking extremely tired. I would do the smallest task, and I would have to take a 4-hour nap afterwards,” Hornyak said.

The exhaustion led to a shocking discovery about her heart health.

“My cardiologist called me and said that my ejection fraction had reduced down to 30%, which to say I was shocked was an understatement,” Hornyak said.

The ejection fraction, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a measurement of the percentage of blood leaving the heart each time it squeezes. A normal EF is between 50% and 70%.

“At that point, my cardiologist referred me to Doctor Tushak in the advanced heart failure clinic,” she said.

Dr. Zackary Tushak is the director of Sentara’s Cardio-Oncology Program, a highly-specialized program he started to connect the dots to who might benefit from closer monitoring.

“Cardio oncology is the intersection of cancer, its treatment, and how it affects the heart,” Tushak said.

He said oncology and chemotherapy have advanced very far in the past 20 years, but there’s still no one-size-fits-all on who may be diagnosed.

“Being young can be deceiving, and sometimes you don’t realize what your risk factors are,” Tushak said.

Risks include preexisting cardiovascular conditions like high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, and uncontrolled elevated cholesterol. Some breast cancer therapies, including anthracycline chemotherapy and HER2-targeted drugs, can be stressful on the heart. That’s why Dr. Tushak says patients are monitored in three phases.

“Our first phase is our pre-treatment phase, and that’s the phase where we evaluate pre-existing conditions. If you have a history of heart dysfunction or heart disease or high blood pressure, we try to optimize those conditions first,” Dr. Tushak said. “The second phase is our active phase or treatment phase.”

Christina is now in Phase 3, the survivorship phase, and her treatment has been successful.

“Through the collaboration between me, Christina, and her other cardiologists, we’ve now gotten her function back up to normal, and now she has improved in her quality of life and her symptoms,” Dr. Tushak said.

The improvement has allowed Christina to return to living a normal life.

“I was able to go to Disney past year and celebrate my niece’s 16th birthday, so I’ve lived a very normal life,” Hornyak said. “I still have bad days. Sometimes I have bad weeks, but then I also have a lot of really great days — I also have a lot of really great weeks.”

Despite the scary potential side effects, Christina encourages others not to fear recommended treatments.

“In my case, the benefit outweighed the risk,” Hornyak said.

“Don’t be afraid. You know, that’s why they monitor your heart before, during, and after. That’s why they educate you,” she said.

Through this process, Christina learned she has a cardiac gene mutation, which is likely why she was predisposed to heart failure.

According to the CDC, genetic testing looks for genetic changes, sometimes called mutations or variants, in your DNA. Some genetic changes can cause disease or other health conditions.

Genetic testing is available at several locations across Hampton Roads. It may or may not be covered by your insurance.

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 Romelo Styles

Click here for updates on this story

    VIRGINIA BEACH (WTKR) — A Virginia Beach man who once sought comfort at a local bar during his mother’s cancer battle now owns the establishment, creating a family legacy that’s bringing the community together.

Rondell Norfleet used to be just another customer at what is now Norfleet’s Bar and Grill, visiting the neighborhood spot for 25 years before circumstances changed everything.

“I use to come and patronize this spot.. 25 years ago,” Norfleet said.

When the pandemic hit Virginia Beach hard, many local businesses struggled to survive, including the bar where Norfleet found community during difficult times with his mother’s health.

“I come chains on the doors after my mom had a little situation she was hospitalized, so I came just to wine and dine and it was a chain on the door and it had a sign under new management coming soon,” Norfleet said.

That “under new management” sign sparked an idea that would change his family’s future.

“I called the number and said hey what do I have to do to reverse that sign,” Norfleet said.

Today, the former customer has become the owner, giving the establishment a personal touch with his family name.

“But how far we came as a family as a whole, there’s nothing better than putting your own name on it,” Norfleet said.

The transition wasn’t without concerns from family members. His mother, Shelica Norfleet, initially worried about the timing, especially with a new baby on the way.

“At first I was like it was a blessing, but then when I found out he was having a baby I was like ok son you just have to make sure you have your ducks in a row,” Shelica Norfleet said.

Despite the challenges, Rondell remained confident in his decision.

“I got the knowledge I put all my eggs in one basket and created Norfleets,” Norfleet said.

The family says their business is thriving while other establishments in the area have closed.

“A lot of big businesses shut down around here, and we’re still open,” Norfleet said.

For customers who walk through the doors, Norfleet’s offers more than food and drinks – it provides a sense of belonging.

“Family…when people come in here they become family,” Shelica Norfleet said. “Older people come with the younger people, and they be partying and just conversating. It’s beautiful.”

The success brings deep pride to Shelica, who sees her son making a positive impact in the community.

“When I’m not here and I see people anywhere they say you have raised some good sons,” Shelica Norfleet said.

For Rondell, carrying the family name means everything.

“That’s our family name so we got to stand on it,” Norfleet said.

Norfleet’s Bar and Grill is approaching its five-year anniversary, marking a milestone for the family business that transformed from a pandemic closure into a community success story.

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 Dominick Philippe-Auguste

Click here for updates on this story

    CRISFIELD, Maryland (WMAR) — For this story, we’re taking you somewhere pretty far — Crisfield, Maryland, to be exact. It’s in Crisfield where you’ll find a woman who has become a legend in the hearts of many in the community and the record books — a true contributor to Black history in the state.

Ms. Hazel Cropper is her name, also known as “Hurricane Hazel” to many, and she’s a 16-time crab picking world champion at the age of 87. Along with being a multi-time champion, Cropper is in the Guinness Book of World Records for picking nearly six pounds of crab meat in 20 minutes.

But to truly understand how Cropper rose to glory, we have to start from the beginning.

Cropper told us she first began picking at the age of nine, a skill she learned from her family.

“My half-sister would pick 35 pounds every day. That comes from a picking family, but one that didn’t like doing it with my mother. We learned how to pick crabs and, like I say, you go to school, back in the day, you work nights after school. Go change your clothes and come pick crabs. They work all day and half of the night because the crabs were plentiful,” Cropper said.

Cropper’s skills grew as the years went on, getting sharper and quicker with every crab-picking session.

Her rapidly growing skills would eventually lead her to the Crab Place on Maryland Avenue in Crisfield, a prime destination in the community where people across the country can get crabs delivered.

At the Crab Place, Cropper holds crab-picking demonstrations to anyone willing to learn.

The passion to instruct others is a “calling from God,” she says.

“God has truly blessed me… no weapon formed against me shall prosper,” said Cropper.

And through her prospering, she’s helped all those who have come to see her prosper as well.

From all over the world, crab lovers flock to the Crab Place to learn from Cropper, but one person came just to embrace the Crisfield legend — that person would be Governor Wes Moore.

“So this town is packed. So when Big Matt said, ‘Come on, somebody wants to see you,’ it was Governor Moore and his team. And I demonstrated — I picked a pound of crab meat, and that made his day. I said, ‘I’m not going in that marina to pick nobody no crab.’ So he came and found me, and he enjoyed it, and I gave him the crab meat I picked to take back to Baltimore,” Cropper said.

Baltimore is where Cropper also has reach. She has a salt box dedicated to her in the area of Charles and 27th Streets, as well as a mural that was painted for her in Crisfield.

Recognition for a hometown hero who has given much of her time to give back to the community where she was born and raised.

To the new generation, she tells them not to look back, learn how to work and live, and don’t waste your money. Use the knowledge you’ve gained and pay it forward.

“I’ve been on this road a long time, honey, teaching my family what’s right and good, and this, what I’m doing now, is history. There are a lot of people who know nothing about it, and they’re amazed when they see you in action. So that’s where I’m at. I’m in action, showing the new generation what the old generation did,” said Cropper.

Now Cropper isn’t hanging up the crab-picking materials just yet. She’ll be holding more demonstrations at The Crab Place beginning in May, with over 20 demonstrations scheduled through the end of September.

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 WMAR STAFF

Click here for updates on this story

    WHITE MARSH, Maryland (WMAR) — Ravens fans hope Jesse Minter brings another Super Bowl to Baltimore, and one lucky fan will get to watch that potential success unfold over the next two decades.

Sharon Kolzinski of White Marsh won Ravens seats for the next 20 years as the top “second chance prize” for those who bought a Ravens scratch-off ticket but didn’t win.

Kolzinski was one of six finalists for the prize and says winning the grand prize is unbelievable.

“I don’t know how to put it into, into words over here, yeah, from not being able to really come to a lot of the games. And now I get to cut to all the games over 20 years. It’s just, it’s just wacko,” Kolzinski said with a laugh.

Her seats won’t be too shabby either. The grand prize includes a pair of club level seats as well as a parking pass. Each finalist also won $10,000.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WMAR verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Blair Sabol

Click here for updates on this story

    ELLICOTT CITY, Maryland (WMAR) — Behind closed doors and on quiet streets domestic violence can happen anywhere. And sometimes, it can be deadly.

Earlier this month, in a tucked away neighborhood along Huntsmans Run, that was the reality for 47-year-old Amethyst Stephenson, a mother and stepmother to four children.

But could a notification that her estranged husband, now accused of the crime, had been released from jail only hours prior have changed things?

Legal clinic director with House of Ruth Maryland Deena Hausner says it’s difficult to say if one thing alone would have prevented the situation entirely, but a notification may have been helpful.

“It’s really hard, and the reality is that their safety isn’t 100%,” she said. “There can be a world’s worth of protections in place and still, as in this case, where the abusive partner was intent on inflicting the ultimate harm.”

There is no formal method, either through the courts or law enforcement, that requires such a notification. A third party, Vine Link, does provide this service using information from the National Crime Information Center, but people must sign up for notifications in advance.

Early on Sunday, February 8 investigators say, Amethyst’s son awoke to his stepfather, Alexander Stephenson, stabbing her to death.

Just days prior, the courts had finalized her protective order against him, the same one he had been arrested for violating the night before.

The pair had been going through a divorce. Hausner says it appears Ameythst had taken many of the steps advocates advise victims to take.

“It’s the worst kind of news to get. It’s a really, really tragic situation and we’re of course heartbroken for the family of the victim, especially her children,” Hausner said.

A neighbor who spoke to WMAR-2 News off camera said the police had been called to the house numerous times, though Howard County Police could not confirm an actual number citing privacy reasons.

Public records chronicle how the situation quickly became dangerous in just 24 hours. Beginning with a fight among Alexander and his two children while driving in Carroll County.

His son told state troopers that his 53-year-old father appeared to be intoxicated and when he attempted to call his stepmother Amethyst, to inform her of his state, his father grabbed the cellphone and “threw it out of the vehicle while in motion.”

The fight, which extended to a High’s parking lot where they pulled into, alerted an employee who called police.

Stephenson was later arrested on a slew of charges, including assault and violating the protective order, because Amethyst told investigators that he had tried to call her twice, against the “no contact” provision.

His attorney argues it wasn’t actually him making the calls.

The following day, on Sunday February 8, he appeared before Carroll County District Court Commissioner Kotoshia Ade-Oni, who agreed with his attorney Angela Holloway that he posed no danger to himself or others.

“Lawfully, you did not do what was right, and you knew that and you knew the laws and rules. But I don’t believe that you are a danger, I believe that you are capable enough to listen to the rules and get yourself together,” Ade-Oni said.

Under Maryland law, she would not have been able to grant pre-trial release if he had been charged with abuse or threatening to abuse while the order was in place.

The 24 year army veteran had served two tours in Afghanistan and another in Iraq and reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring in 2019. The Commissioner mentioned his service as a reason why he should understand that he should follow the protective order, no matter what.

During the hearing, Stephenson remained calm and collected.

But hours later, Amethyst was gone. The murder suspect reportedly cutting his wrists and fleeing the scene, and later turning himself into police.

“I think dropping the ball is, is putting it mildly,” Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees said. “I’ve been doing this for 37 years, and I’ve taken people in front of a District Court Commissioner, and I have walked away shaking my head going, why did you let that person go?”

DeWees wonders why the assaults and other actions that led to Stephenson’s arrest didn’t seem to factor into the Commissioner’s decision.

When it comes to a notification, DeWees told WMAR-2 News it appeared Stephenson was not signed up for Vine Link.

But Hausner says it’s a tool, but one of many, like moving locations, a protective order, and more.

She says it’s important to work with victims to formulate a specific plan that works for them.

“It’s really important that we listen to survivors because they are really the best people who can predict their risk,” she said.

She says, there will likely be a domestic violence fatality review of the case, which convenes to determine if there is a lesson to be learned or a systemic problem at play.

That won’t happen though, until the criminal case concludes.

Stephenson’s next court date is March 6, 2026.

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.