Month: June 2026

By Madison Perales

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    BUFFALO COUNTY, Nebraska (KETV) — Four women have been arrested and accused of sexually abusing protected people in state custody.

They all worked at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center based in Kearney; one of them was sentenced.

According to court documents, Ruiz Palacios was sentenced for third-degree sexual assault and contributing to child delinquency. She’s also required to register as a sex offender.

Martha Ruiz Palacios, 29

Sentence ruling: third-degree sexual assault contributing to child delinquency required to register as a sex offender

Jessica Camacho, 37

Charges: first and second-degree sexual abuse possession of child pornography two counts of intentional child abuse

The judge gave her a $25,000 bond and ordered no contact with the two victims in her case.

Katrina Fewkes, 44

Charge: second-degree sexual abuse Fewkes paid her $5,000 bond and was released on the conditions that she doesn’t commit a crime or contact the victim in her case.

Tarah Ross, 23

Charge: second-degree sexual abuse Ross paid 10 percent of her $20,000 bond and was released on the same conditions as Fewkes.

Jennifer, a Lincoln woman, said her son was exploited by her during his time in the YRTC Kearney facility and said it’s been a long road to recovery for him.

“Mentally, it’s not been an easy feat for him to beat, it’s not,” Jennifer said.

Jennifer’s son had sex abuse allegations against Ruiz Palacios months before the courts and his mom were notified.

“They willingly sent progress reports to the judge, to myself and whomever else was on the team, saying that he wasn’t completing his tasks and his programming wasn’t where it was supposed to be,” she said.

In November, he was released and she said he’s been improving.

“I’m happy that it didn’t get swept under the rug, like usual things do,” she said.

Jennifer’s son sent a letter to the judge assigned in her case.

“I could tell it was a struggle, because some of the words that he wrote down, you could see he just rushed through it just to get it on a paper,” Jennifer said.

She gave KETV Investigates the letter.

“I keep replaying the day Ms. Ruiz-Palacios and I were upstairs over and over again. It makes my skin crawl to think of it,” Jennifer’s son said in the victim statement to the judge assigned to Ruiz Palacios’ case. “Yet, even when I stop thinking about it, I see it in my dreams.”

Jennifer said it took him a while to share this with her.

“I wish I had a stop to teach my kids about grooming,” Jennifer said. “That’s not something I’ve ever taught my kids about because I didn’t think nobody would do no stuff like that, especially not in a place like that.”

She said she’s content with the former staffer’s ruling and hopes the Department of Health and Human Services stays on top of reports like this in the future.

“I’m happy that these people have now been weeded out,” she said. “And are having to stand trial for these things. I’m praying that they keep their eyes open from this point forward.”

DHHS said in a statement:

“DHHS has further enhanced our reporting through a standard operating procedure which includes timely legal notification letters to the courts, enhanced monthly progress letters to the courts, and critical incident reports to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Chief Executive Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Director of Children and Family Services, Probation, the Office of Inspector General, and parents/legal guardians.”

The three other former YRTC staffers have been charged, but have not been sentenced.

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 Michael Pardee

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    DANVILLE, Virginia (WXII) — The man accused of setting Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler on fire was sentenced to life in prison for malicious wounding which carries 35 years. He was also sentenced to 10 years for attempted first degree murder and will serve five years for a total of 40 years.

Shotsie Buck-Hayes previously pleaded guilty to malicious wounding with intent to kill and attempted first-degree murder, according to Danville City Sheriff Mike Mondul.

Buck-Hayes entered the plea during a court appearance April 1. A breaking and entering charge was dropped.

AFTER FIRE ATTACK Vogler survived the attack and has since returned to serving the city.

PREVIOUS COURT HEARING During a previous court hearing, Sgt. Gerrit Clay with the Danville Police Department testified that Buck-Hayes told him he set Vogler on fire because he was engaging in an affair with his wife.

Vogler and his wife were in court when Buck-Hayes entered his plea in April.

Vogler spoke after the sentencing.

Today’s Court Notes The hearing was marked by emotional victim impact statements from Vogler’s family, who described how the July 30 attack permanently changed their lives.

Lee Vogler’s father, Jack Vogler, detailed his son’s long recovery from catastrophic injuries, including extensive surgeries, permanent nerve damage and months of rehabilitation. He told the court his son lost mobility, suffered PTSD, anxiety and depression, and continues to experience nightmares while working to regain his independence.

Vogler’s mother, Rhonda, recounted receiving the call that her son had been attacked and begging medical staff to save his life. She described the lasting emotional trauma of watching him recover in intensive care and said the family continues to relive the events of that day.

Vogler’s wife, Tiffany Blair Vogler, told the court their family’s lives “were changed forever.” She described balancing her husband’s recovery with caring for their children, withdrawing from graduate school, financial hardships and the continuing emotional toll on the family.

Buck-Hayes’ mother testified that her son struggled with mental illness and depression and had never shown violent behavior before the attack. She asked the court to show mercy and consider his mental health history.

Buck-Hayes also addressed the court, apologizing to Vogler and his family while accepting responsibility for the attack. He described suffering a mental health crisis and said he has been receiving treatment and counseling while incarcerated.

Prosecutors argued that while Buck-Hayes accepted responsibility through his guilty plea, the permanent physical and emotional injuries suffered by Vogler and his family warranted a lengthy prison sentence.

The Judge for the case ultimately imposed a life sentence with 35 years to serve on the malicious wounding conviction and an additional 10-year sentence for attempted first-degree murder, suspending five years of that sentence.

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 Rainey

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    NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina (WYFF) — A man who was about to receive a warning from police during a traffic stop in North Charleston, South Carolina, landed himself in jail after officers say he tried to slyly toss a baggie of fentanyl and cocaine.

Around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, officers with the North Charleston Police Department were patrolling near local hotels on Ashley Phosphate Road when they spotted a driver, later identified as 40-year-old Vincent Leonard Jones Jr., not wearing a seatbelt and initiated a traffic stop.

As officers followed the vehicle before it came to a stop, they reportedly observed Jones moving around and interacting with the center console, leading officers to suspect he may have been attempting to hide contraband or grab a weapon.

Officers said that the vehicle eventually stopped near Northside Drive and La Quinta Lane.

Police said Jones became uncooperative when officers attempted to conduct a frisk, backing away and refusing to comply. Although officers confirmed he was not carrying a weapon on his person, they considered his behavior, the area’s history of drug activity, and his criminal record in deciding to request a K-9 unit.

A K-9 officer with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office arrived and conducted a free-air sniff around the vehicle.

According to police, the K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, giving officers probable cause to search the vehicle. During the search, officers found two THC vape pens and a live 12-gauge shotgun shell inside the center console.

Officers said that while they were seizing the items and preparing to release Jones with a warning, Jones allegedly tossed a clear plastic bag to the ground. When officers picked up the bag, they discovered four smaller bags containing a white powdery substance.

Police said three of the bags contained a combined total of approximately 2.6 grams of suspected narcotics. Field testing indicated the substance was cocaine and fentanyl.

Further investigation revealed Jones had previous felony convictions, including possession of a stolen handgun and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, making his possession of ammunition illegal under state law.

Jones was charged with trafficking fentanyl, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and multiple drug distribution charges within proximity of a school or park.

He was transported to the Al Cannon Detention Center.

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 Rachel Whelan

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    CINCINNATI (WLWT) — A West Price Hill mother says she and her three children have been displaced after a tree crashed onto their rental home during severe storms last Thursday.

Among her children is 14-year-old Kennedy Ross, a quadriplegic who uses a ventilator, wheelchair and hospital bed. Kennedy had just returned home days earlier after spending two months at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital recovering from pneumonia.

“Being home was supposed to be a relief,” her mother, Kiera Whitmire, said.

Whitmire said she and her family were inside the home on Beech Avenue when the tree came down.

“We thought somebody drove into our house,” she said.

Kennedy said she was lying in her bed when it happened.

“Like woosh,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t think it hit my room at first because I didn’t see it.”

Whitmire said she took photos the following morning showing debris scattered throughout the yard and a tree resting on top of the section of the home where Kennedy sleeps.

As of Wednesday afternoon, seven days after the storm, the tree remained on the home.

“There’s a tree sitting on the house,” Whitmire said. “There’s a crack on the side of the house where the tree has basically sliced it like a can-opener.”

Whitmire said the damage knocked out power to part of the home, including the kitchen.

She said hundreds of dollars worth of groceries spoiled, and some of Kennedy’s medications require refrigeration.

“My daughter is on 13 medications,” Whitmire said. “Two of them require to be refrigerated.”

Whitmire said she has spent hundreds of dollars paying for hotel rooms while trying to care for Kennedy away from the family’s handicap-accessible home.

She said relocating has been especially difficult because Kennedy requires medical equipment and accommodations that many homes do not offer.

“It makes me really sad because as a single mother of three children, I really work really hard to take care of them,” Whitmire said.

When WLWT visited the property Wednesday afternoon, contractors were removing debris outside the home.

Whitmire said workers told her they had been called to the property about an hour before WLWT arrived. She believes cleanup efforts only began after WLWT contacted the property’s owner and management company seeking comment.

WLWT could not independently verify whether the cleanup was related to our inquiries.

Whitmire said she first reported the damage to the property’s owner and management company the morning after the storm. She said she also contacted the city of Cincinnati and filed a residential complaint after she felt no progress had been made.

She said she has received a 24-hour notice to enter from management and has spoken with office staff, but says she still has not been given a timeline for repairs or told when her family can safely return home.

WLWT called and emailed the property’s owner and management company Wednesday afternoon, asking when repairs began, whether temporary housing assistance had been offered, and when the family may be able to move back in.

As of publication, WLWT had not received a response.

Whitmire said she is now exploring other housing options but says finding an affordable, handicap-accessible rental has been challenging.

“My five-year-old came with me yesterday to check and see if the tree was still on the house,” Whitmire said. “And he said, ‘Mom, do they even care?’ And that broke my heart.”

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 Keenan Smith

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    Michigan (WXYZ) — June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Men are far less likely than women to seek mental health support, and the consequences can be serious.

But, one local program is trying to reach boys long before they become men in crisis. That organization, Building Better Men, is helping young men learn to name their emotions, manage conflict and take control of their future.

At just 8 years old, King Holliday can already tell you what anger feels like, and more importantly, what to do with it.

“When I get super angry, I take a break, I breathe 10 times and sometimes I draw,” King said.

“How do you feel after you do that?” I asked.

“After I do that, I feel more relaxed,” he said.

Those are not just childhood lessons. They are mental health skills. Inside Building Better Men, these lessons are being taught early.

The program was created by Odis Bellinger, a clinical therapist, author, and recipient of the 2016 Presidential Volunteer Service Award. He said the insight began with his own childhood.

“We created Build a Better Man, probably out of my dysfunction. I grew up in a household, didn’t have a biological father there,” he said.

Bellinger said he grew up in Detroit’s Dexter-Davidson area, knowing something was missing even before he could name it.

“Never having a man in a house, you really didn’t know what you were missing, but you know it affected you, right?” he said.

So, in 1990, he created a program for boys who needed what he once needed: Guidance, structure and the tools to process what they feel.

“We want them to be a better son, a better student, a better person, a better problem solver, and a future family man,” Bellinger said.

During Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the message is especially important. Men are less likely to seek help. Bellinger believes that pattern starts long before adulthood with boys who are never given the language or support to work through what they feel.

“That’s where everything starts, right? So to be able to understand how to process your feelings, to understand why you feel the way you feel,” Bellinger said.

For 10-year-old Cadin Scott, that lesson includes learning that recognizing emotion and expressing it is not weakness, and that being in touch with your feelings — be it sadness or anger — doesn’t mean being controlled by them.

“Let it all out, make sure somebody knows how you’re feeling,” Cadin said. “After I let out my emotions, it’s kind of like you go back to regular.”

Edward Spinks, 13, said the program brings him connection.

“Because I do not get out the house much [00:02:25][1.9]

He said it also brings him a chance to talk with other boys his age outside of school and outside of home.

“We need communication in our everyday life,” he said.

Bellinger said the work on emotions has to start early — before anger becomes violence, before loneliness becomes isolation, and before boys grow into men who don’t know how to ask for help.

More than three decades later, Bellinger said Building Better Men now reaches about 240 young men each year across five sites.

He said he sees the results in the men who come back years later. Some are athletes, some are doctors, some are lawyers. All were once boys who could use someone willing to invest in their potential.

“If you plant a seed, it can grow,” Bellinger said.

For the boys who are still in the program, what it means to be a better man is taking root.

“It helped me improve my manners and patience, definitely patience,” King said.

Bellinger said emotional health doesn’t start in adulthood. It starts by giving boys the books, the language and the support to handle what they’re feeling before it turns to something heavier.

He said Building Better Men is always looking for volunteers, donors, partners and schools or community sites interested in starting a chapter. You can find more information on their website.

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.