Month: May 2026

By Layza Pinero Resto & Muhammad Abdul Qawee

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    PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida (WBBH) — New details have emerged surrounding the case of Heather Mashburn-Smith, a Port Charlotte High School teacher accused of having sex with her student in her classroom.

According to an affidavit from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were first called to Port Charlotte High School when the school’s principal, James Vernon, told them that he had received an allegation of a possible relationship between a staff member and a student through the ParentSquare app.

The victim told deputies that for about four or five weeks, he had been in an inappropriate relationship with Mashburn-Smith, 37. He said that they began talking in a Snapchat group chat. He later sent a message saying that she was pretty, and she later sent a message to just him asking what he meant when he called her pretty.

Washburn-Smith reportedly invited the victim to her classroom so they could talk about the messages, a conversation that later became flirtatious, the victim said in the affidavit. He added that he would often go to her classroom to talk.

On one of these classroom visits, the victim said he and Mashburn-Smith kissed. She reportedly told him that he could not tell anyone what was going on between them because she could get in trouble.

The victim said that he and Mashburn-Smith had sex on two occasions in her classroom. Afterwards, the victim told deputies that Mashburn-Smith told him she was not in a good marriage and that she wanted to leave her husband for him once he turned 18. After this, the victim reportedly blocked Mashburn-Smith; however, she continued to contact him on Snapchat, the affidavit said.

When deputies spoke with Mashburn-Smith about the allegations, she reportedly said she had “made a mistake.”

The affidavit says Mashburn-Smith told deputies she had gotten too close with one of her students. She said that they were in a relationship and that it had ended. She reportedly called it an “emotional relationship.”

Mashburn-Smith reportedly told deputies that she knew the victim was “just a teenager,” but that he made her feel special and desired.

Mashburn-Smith reportedly said that she felt remorseful about the sex because she is married.

Mashburn-Smith was arrested on Wednesday and is facing charges of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors.

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 Zach Boetto

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    LOS ANGELES, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate, the Ontario Tower Buzzers, collaborated with Make-A-Wish to design a colorful jersey for the Minor League Baseball team.

“I feel like creativity is really important because it just lets your mind be free and have fun,” said Maggie, one of the kids who helped design the jerseys.

Maggie, a 13-year-old battling kidney disease, jumped into her Make-A-Wish art studio and tapped into her creativity after hearing about the jersey design contest.

“So colorful, so bright,” Tower Buzzers spokesperson Nina Grace Montes said. “It just stood out.”

Out of all the entries from across the Inland Empire and Orange County, Maggie’s design of butterflies, stars and rainbow watercolors, combined with another child named Mehul’s design, was chosen to become real jerseys.

“I have everything butterfly,” Maggie said. “I knew I wanted to do a butterfly, hence the butterfly.”

The team brought the two kids to Thursday’s game, where Maggie threw the first pitch. She got a few autographs and helped choreograph the team’s Macarena hit celebration.

“It was a way to let kids who are kind of down, they have medical illnesses, to be creative and do something fun,” Maggie said. It’s just kind of a way to get people’s thoughts off reality.”

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 Gino Vicci

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    DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) — Detroit Public Schools Community District police are investigating the mother of one of the six students hospitalized earlier this week after eating marijuana edibles.

On Tuesday, six students at Thomas Edison Elementary School were hospitalized after one student got a hold of edibles and gave them out to classmates. The school district says all students are OK.

The Detroit Police Department says there have been too many instances across the city where children’s lives were put in danger as a result of negligent adults.

“Children are vulnerable, and they deserve to be protected,” Detroit police officer Jaylon Nelson said. “Sometimes being absent-minded or not thinking before you make a decision, and it can be unintentional, that can still lead to criminal charges, especially when we talk about things like child abuse.”

On Saturday, the Detroit Police Department, along with community partners, is hosting a child abuse awareness event to educate the public on ways to prevent child abuse.

“It’s a child abuse awareness event, and it’s also about prevention, so we’ll be providing information about child abuse and ways to be prevented, you know, essentially by being mindful and not being careless or negligent,” Nelson said.

Saturday’s event at Fitzpatrick-Warwick Park runs from noon to 3 p.m.

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 Frederick Sutton Sinclair

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    POTTSGROVE, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A man has been charged with allegedly burglarizing two homes in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, last week and sexually assaulting two women, including a blind 90-year-old, prosecutors said.

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest of 37-year-old Derelle Williams, of Pottstown, in connection with two overnight burglaries involving sexual and physical assaults.

Lower Pottsgrove police responded to a 911 call at a home on Terraced Hill Court at 7:45 a.m. on April 23. When officers arrived, they found a blind 90-year-old woman who had been attacked and sexually assaulted after a man broke into the home overnight, authorities said.

Authorities said the woman was assaulted in her bedroom and that the man also attempted to choke her. She sustained multiple injuries, including bleeding in the brain, a broken nose and extensive facial bruising. During the home invasion, investigators said, Williams stole a PlayStation 5, along with games and controllers.

Earlier that same morning, around 6 a.m., officers responded to a home on Walnut Street. Authorities said the suspect broke into the home armed with a firearm and wearing black clothing, a face mask, one orange construction glove and one medical glove.

The homeowner told police she awoke to find the suspect standing over her bed and pointing a gun at her. He then sexually assaulted her, according to prosecutors.

A white Chevrolet Malibu, a car which Williams was known to drive, was spotted in surveillance video near the scenes of the crimes, authorities said. Investigators searched the vehicle and uncovered black and orange medical gloves, a black fleece face mask, a black hooded zip sweatshirt and other items used by the burglar.

Investigators also recovered the stolen PlayStation and games from Williams’ residence that matched items taken in the Lower Pottsgrove burglary, along with a gun, prosecutors said.

Williams was arrested on April 24 and charged with burglary, robbery, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion, strangulation and other related charges.

He remains in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post bail, which was set at $5 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 5.

A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said there may be additional victims.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lower Pottsgrove police at 610-326-1508 or Pottstown police at 610-970-6570.

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 Alice Gainer

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    BRONX, New York (WCBS) — A car theft ring that victimized more than 250 people in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens has been broken up, the NYPD said Thursday.

The NYPD dubbed the case “Operation Pit Crew” due to the speed and precision with which the alleged thieves operated. The NYPD said that the crew stole car parts and vehicles worth more than $1 million from August 2024 to June 2025.

“It’s like you’re looking at the ‘F1’ movie” “Like a race car pit crew in the dead of night. When I saw some of [the surveillance video footage], it’s like you’re looking at the ‘F1’ movie,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said it was all about supply and demand for the alleged thieves.

“These vehicles, mostly Hondas and Toyota sedans and SUVs, were targeted not because their tires and rims were the most valuable, but because they were the most common,” Tisch said.

Tires, rims, catalytic converters and vehicles totaling more than $1.2 million sold on Facebook Marketplace, or in person, according to police.

“There are 252 victims. Hard-working New Yorkers,” Clark said.

Police said the suspects would stash stolen cars in public garages in the Bronx before and after the thefts, and worked between midnight and 5 a.m. Sometimes they allegedly carried out six thefts a night, police said.

“It was gut wrenching” One victim said the damage to his car cost $10,000.

“It was gut wrenching. Came out from working all night and then noticing that my tires were gone on the car, and I have no way of getting home,” he said.

Sixteen people with alleged ties to the Trinitarios street gang face a 971-count indictment, according to authorities. Most have been arrested and arraigned on charges like auto stripping, grand larceny and conspiracy. Police are still searching for four more. A search of one defendant’s home turned up guns, ammo and $116,000 in a suitcase, police said.

If convicted, the suspects face 8-15 years behind bars.

Tisch said auto theft in the Bronx is down 22% so far this year.

The NYPD encourages people to use locking lug nuts on their tires to deter thieves.

“If they see that lug nut, that lock nut, they’ll move on to another car,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny 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 Leondra Head

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    SUWANEE, Georgia (WUPA) — A couple in Suwanee no longer has a home, after officials say lightning struck their attic and started a fire.

Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services responded to the house around 9:30 Wednesday morning.

Michael and Denise Gibson were at work when the fire began.

They say their alarm and security system alerted them.

“There’s so much water damage, you can feel the water under your feet,” Michael Gibson said.

“Then the bathroom here is where the ceiling fell,” Denise Gibson said.

The couple has lived in the house for more than 19 years. Both are pastors at Simply Redeemed through Christ Ministries in Sawanee.

“We’ve had church here, and we started our ministry here,” Michael Gibson said.

Now part of the home’s roof is gone, and its stars are covered in debris.

Denise Gibson says her faith is keeping her strong.

“It could have been a whole lot worse. We could have lost our life, but for the mere fact that God allowed us to escape this,” she said.

The Gibsons say they plan to rebuild and are living in a hotel in the meantime.

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.