Month: July 2026

By Shelley Bortz

Click here for updates on this story

    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A lawsuit says a man walked into UPMC Mercy for treatment of an infected elbow, and 19 days later, he was dead.

His widow is accusing the hospital and two physicians of negligence, saying he had contracted Legionnaires’ disease while he was a patient, was discharged despite warning signs of infection, and died after returning to the hospital, critically ill.

Barbara Primiero says her husband, 62-year-old Reno Primiero, came to UPMC Mercy on Nov. 4, 2024, seeking treatment for a swollen, painful arm. He was admitted with a serious elbow infection and underwent surgery. The lawsuit says doctors knew he was immunocompromised, making him especially vulnerable to serious infection.

But during the next three days, the lawsuit says his condition changed. Attorneys say Reno Primiero developed a fever, productive cough and declining oxygen levels.

Despite what the lawsuit calls “clear warning signs” of a potentially hospital-acquired illness, attorneys say doctors documented Reno Primiero as “medically stable” before discharging him on Nov. 7 without further workup, chest imaging or Legionella testing.

Four days later, Primiero was back. The complaint says he returned struggling to breathe, was diagnosed with hospital-acquired pneumonia, later tested positive for Legionella, developed septic shock and respiratory failure, and was eventually placed on a ventilator in intensive care and died Nov. 23.

The lawsuit claims those complications could have been prevented had doctors recognized and treated the infection before he was discharged.

The lawsuit also alleges Reno Primiero contracted Legionella from UPMC Mercy’s water system, accusing the hospital of failing to properly monitor for contamination, protect high-risk patients and recognize warning signs before sending him home.

UPMC strongly disputes those claims. In a statement to KDKA-TV, Paul Wood, vice president and chief communications officer, says:

“UPMC Mercy appropriately reports positive legionella cases to the Allegheny County Health Department, which conducted extensive testing on November 20, 2024, to determine whether legionella pneumophila was present. The testing came back negative.”

UPMC has not yet filed a formal response in court.

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

Click here for updates on this story

    WILMINGTON, Delaware (KYW) — A 13-year-old boy accused of assaulting two people with fireworks earlier this month in Wilmington, Delaware, faces attempted murder charges, police say.

Authorities said the assault happened July 3 near 9th and North Pine streets just before 10:45 p.m.

The 13-year-old allegedly assaulted a 31-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman with fireworks, including a Roman candle. The assault also involved several other juveniles, police said.

The female victim was taken to a hospital, treated and later released. The male victim was also hospitalized but remains in critical condition.

Investigators identified the 13-year-old as one of the suspects and was taken into custody Tuesday on the 600 block of East 10th Street, police say.

The 13-year-old was charged with first-degree attempted murder, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony and first-degree conspiracy.

He is being held at the New Castle County Detention Center.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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 Tara Lynch

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — A serial flasher is running through the streets of Baltimore City, and neighbors say they want him to stop.

Neighbors in the Canton neighborhood say a bare-naked man is seen roaming the street, sometimes in the middle of the night. The flasher has been caught on camera in the act, and neighbors hope police catch him.

Samantha Pollitt told CBS News Baltimore that she has seen him seven times in the eight months she’s lived in the neighborhood, including on Foster Avenue.

She said she was walking home around 2 a.m. when she snapped a photo of him before he ran off.

“Completely naked head-to-toe, except for socks and shoes, popped out of nowhere, said happy birthday, danced around, and then I was like, ‘Why do you keep doing this?’ and he ran off,” Pollitt said. “You shouldn’t be able to walk around naked in a neighborhood and not get caught, especially how often it is.”

Baltimore Police said they responded to the Canton neighborhood on Thursday morning for a report of a lewd act. Officers spoke with a victim and took a report.

Neighbors on alert of serial flasher In June, Pollitt captured a video where the man is seen exposing himself. He is wearing a jacket or shirt, but no pants.

“The first time I saw him, I thought it was just a drunk person playing a prank. I even laughed,” Pollitt said. “Then the second time, I’m like, wait. The third time, I’m like, this is a problem, and that’s when I posted it in Canton Neighbors, and they said, ‘Oh, this guy does this every summer.’ I don’t feel like that should be allowed.”

She’s posted about her encounters on Facebook, and other neighbors told her they’ve seen him too.

“It stinks because this is like the fourth year going that he is still out there. I feel for her, but he’s sick, and he definitely needs some help,” neighbor Megan Worman said.

Pollitt said she’s changed how she walks home and even asks her friends to walk with her. She hopes the police patrol the area more frequently late at night to catch the man.

“I’ve gotten really scared,” Pollitt said. “Last night I was actually at my house when I saw him, so now I’m afraid he knows where I live. I’m afraid to sit out on my stoop, which I like to do.”

Other similiar flashing incidents in Canton This isn’t the first time this has happened in Canton.

CBS News Baltimore covered similar incidents in 2018 and 2020. Neighbors say it is concerning this continues to happen.

“We live in a city. It’s like any big city, you’re going to have stuff like this, so no. I’m more concerned about gunfire and things like that,” neighbor Becky Burke said.

Pollitt said she is hoping police will add more patrols to the area, especially late at night.

“I feel like I shouldn’t have to worry about that especially because it’s escalating,” Pollitt said. “How close he gets to me and now seeing him when I’m at my house and he’s coming up to me, that’s scary.”

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 Bryant Reed

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — A Baltimore group, Jews United for Justice, stood in front of the George H. Fallon Federal Building on Thursday to call for an end to what the organization claims are heavy enforcement actions from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Jews United for Justice, a coalition of 17 synagogues in the Baltimore area, says America is home to everyone.

They gathered on Tisha B’av, which is considered to be one of the solemnest days on the Hebrew calendar, as Jews worldwide mourn the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem.

“It represents all of the brokenness inside of the world that we feel inside of our souls so deeply,” said Rabbi Tyler Dratch, of Baltimore’s Beth Am Synagogue.

Protesting ICE raids, deportations Rabbi Dratch joined Jews United for Justice outside of the downtown Baltimore facility, where immigrants have been detained, to condemn the wave of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, detentions, deportations and killings.

Most recently, in Texas and Maine, traffic enforcement stops by ICE agents led to two deadly shootings. Homeland Security officials said in both cases body camera video was not available.

“The most frequent commandment is to love the stranger,” Rabbi Dratch said. “So to see this, you don’t have to be political to know this goes right against some of those most sacred values.”

Faith leaders said they’re also glad to hear Jesus Acevedo Sanchez, who was detained outside of a Baltimore school in June, was ordered to be released from a Virginia detention center.

CBS News Baltimore reached out to ICE for comment about Thursday’s protest and about the release of Acevedo Sanchez, but has not heard back.

“We’re with you in solidarity” Zackary Berger, a physician who serves immigrants, said he has built a connection with his patients, which has spurred his activism.

He said some of his patients were deported, abducted off the streets and sent to another country.

“A great sense of loss and tragedy and helplessness,” Berger said. “Always as a physician, you’re acting against an unjust system, so what can I do for my patients right now? That’s a thing I really think about.”

The group read from the Torah in a prayer, praying for good health and that all detainees make it back safely to their families.

“To our immigrant neighbors, we would say we’re with you in solidarity,” Berger said. “We’re supporting you. You belong here. To our Jewish community, our message is, we need to care about the effect of ICE on our immigrants and our immigrant neighbors, and in the U.S. in general. And to ICE, we say we don’t support you. You don’t represent us. We want you out of here.”

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 Neal Riley

Click here for updates on this story

    JAY, Vermont (WBZ) — A “vault supervisor” at Jay Peak in Vermont is accused of taking more than $70,000 from the ski resort’s safe.

Lisa Gaylor, a 41-year-old from Barton, is charged with embezzlement. Vermont State Police said she took increments of cash ranging from $2,000 to $6,000 between the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026. The total loss was estimated to be $70,790.

Police said they began investigating the reported thefts from the “secure vault room” back in April.

Gaylor was taken into custody on Wednesday. She was released with a citation and is due back in court on Aug. 25.

Police did not say how long Gaylor had worked at the resort. WBZ-TV has reached out to Jay Peak for comment.

Back in 2016, the previous owners of Jay Peak were charged with mishandling $200 million of investor funds. The former owner, Ariel Quiros, eventually pleaded guilty to a multi-year fraud scheme to defraud immigrant investors who were seeking green cards, federal prosecutors said in 2020.

Jay Peak is located in northern Vermont, only 5 miles south of the border with Canada.

“Featuring a year-round indoor waterpark, ice arena, rec center (with climbing walls, obstacle courses, arcades and a movie theater), championship golf course, easygoing disc golf course, and, of course, the East’s best skiing and snowboarding, Jay offers a mountain getaway for everyone,” the resort’s website says.

In 2022, Ski Magazine named Jay Peak the 10th best ski resort in the country.

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 Cheryl Fiandaca

Click here for updates on this story

    CONCORD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A WBZ-TV I-Team investigation into a brazen case of alleged land theft in Massachusetts has now led to criminal charges.

It began with a couple’s shocking discovery that their vacant property in Concord had been stolen by thieves who sold it to unsuspecting buyers, and those buyers were building a house on it.

In 2024, Omar and Halla Jaraki had the shock of their life, watching a house being built on the property that they owned.

“They stole our dream,” Omar Jaraki told the I-Team at the time. “They stole our property, they took a mortgage on it. They’re building a house on it.”

The couple learned that thieves sold their vacant land when they called town hall looking for their tax bill. By then, it was too late. The scammers allegedly impersonated the Jarakis with fake IDs and sold their vacant Concord land for much less than the $1 million it was worth, pocketing the cash.

The FBI opened an investigation, and now, nearly two years later, three people have been arrested and charged. The case involves the Jarakis’ stolen land and properties in Georgia, Indiana and Tennessee.

Kyon James, 44, of Middleboro, Massachusetts, Moshe Levi, 57, of Carrollton, Texas, and Bradley Beague, 41, of Somerset, New Jersey, were arrested on July 16.

Levi is charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. James and Beague are both charged with money laundering conspiracy.

“We’re very grateful that they appear to have found the perpetrators,” the Jarakis’ attorney, Richard Vetstein, told the I-Team. “It’s been a long road. Nearly two years now. So, we’re just, we’re happy, we’re grateful, and, you know, I hope justice is going to be served.”

The Jarakis have also filed a civil lawsuit; that case is ongoing.

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 Elijah Westbrook, Jennifer Bisram

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — A mother in Queens is mourning the unimaginable loss of her daughter, who was among four soldiers killed in an attack on a U.S. base in the Middle East last week.

Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, died during an Iranian missile attack on a base in Jordan. She was initially reported missing before the military confirmed she died.

“I am a mother that is highly proud of her” Carol Acevedo was in tears as she stood beside her family Thursday, remembering her first-born daughter.

“My daughter was a good soldier. She fought for this country, and she died for this country, and I am a mother that is highly proud of her,” she said.

And so is Queens.

“We’ll remember her as the drummer, singer and star athlete at Forest Hills High School. Her family will remember her as a model daughter, wife, sister and a dog mom,” Borough President Donovan Richards said.

“She was a daughter of Ozone Park, hometown hero, and American hero whose life and service will never be forgotten,” said Sam Esposito, president of the Ozone Park Residents Block Association.

“We know that our heroes in uniform don’t serve alone. Their families serve right along with them,” Richards said. “To Angel’s wife, her parents, sister, and loved ones, we thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice because it is a sacrifice.”

Leaders and family members announced that a vigil will be held in front of the family’s home at 7 p.m. Monday, and funeral services are still being arranged.

Rampersad was a decorated soldier Born in Trinidad, Rampersad came from a military family. She attended P.S. 108, then Forest Hills High School, and later graduated from John Jay College with a degree in criminal justice.

“She was unable at 18 to sign up for the military without her mom’s permission. So a few days after her 21st birthday, she made an appointment with the recruiter and signed up on her own,” aunt Judy Rackal said.

Her mother said Rampersad had found her calling.

“I know she was really, really focused on what she was doing. She loved it,” Acevedo said.

She is survived by her parents, older sister and her wife, whom she met in the military.

Rampersad earned several awards during her service, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon, according to Army officials.

“Our country will remember. Even though she wasn’t born in the U.S., she loved it so much that she was willing to defend it with her own life,” Richards said.

Rampersad was a “gentle giant,” family says Neighbors say they remember her just as much for her kindness as they do her service.

“She was faithful to her family, and to her friends she was a loving daughter,” said Deacon Carlos Garcia. “She loved her family fiercely and will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched.”

Affectionately known as Sarah, her family said their angel will always live in their hearts.

“She had a quiet strength even as a child,” Rackal said.

Rampersad’s family released a statement calling her a “gentle giant.”

“She stood up for those who couldn’t fight for themselves — a defender, a friend. She loved her family fiercely and will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched,” the statement read in part.

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 Joan Murray

Click here for updates on this story

    BROWARD COUNTY, Florida (WFOR) — The Broward County school district has announced a partnership with safety technology company BusPatrol to outfit its fleet of 1,300 buses with artificial intelligence technology, aiming to identify drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.

Under Florida law, motorists are required to stop for a school bus when the stop signal is displayed and must remain stationary until the bus resumes motion.

“A moment of patience can save a student’s life,” said School Board Chair Sarah Leonardi.

The district will begin a warning period immediately. Starting Sept. 9, the grace period will end, and drivers caught passing a stopped bus will be issued a $225 citation, said Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn.

According to the district, BusPatrol will perform initial video reviews, while school police will issue the citations in Broward County. In neighboring Miami-Dade County, where the program has resumed following operational challenges last year, the sheriff’s office is responsible for issuing tickets.

Officials noted that violations are tied to the vehicle’s owner. However, both counties provide an appeals process, and owners may submit affidavits if they were not operating the vehicle at the time of the violation, said Jim LaRosa, the district’s director of safety.

BusPatrol claims that 99% of drivers caught on camera do not repeat the offense. Last year, the Broward district reported 1,244 instances of drivers ignoring stop bars, based on self-reported data.

“We are gonna do everything to protect the lives of Broward children,” said School Board Member Dr. Allen Zeman.

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 Ivan Taylor

Click here for updates on this story

    MIAMI BEACH, Florida (WFOR) — A South Florida man accused of forcibly kissing a 13-year-old girl inside her family’s restaurant has been arrested following a weeklong investigation by Miami Beach police.

Newly released body camera footage shows detectives taking 38-year-old Guillermo Mayorga Prado into custody after tracking him to North Miami Beach. He is charged with lewd and lascivious conduct involving a minor.

According to investigators, the incident happened July 9 at a Nicaraguan-Honduran family-owned restaurant on Washington Avenue, where Mayorga Prado was a regular customer.

Police said the 13-year-old victim was sitting with her brother when the suspect approached them. According to the arrest report, Mayorga Prado allegedly told the girl’s brother there were dirty tables outside that needed attention, causing him to step away.

Detectives said Mayorga Prado then took advantage of the opportunity by forcibly grabbing the girl and kissing her on the lips before leaving the restaurant.

“He told the brother that there were some dirty tables so that he could go and tend to those so that he could take advantage of the victim,” Miami Beach Police Public Information Officer Christopher Bess said. “He kissed her before leaving the establishment.”

The girl screamed, prompting relatives to confront the suspect and force him to leave the restaurant, police said. Family members then went to Miami Beach police headquarters, where they filed a report and turned over surveillance video from the restaurant.

The victim later told CBS News Miami off camera that she has been traumatized by the incident.

Suspect taken into custody after weeklong investigation Detectives spent the next week identifying and locating the suspect before tracking him to North Miami Beach. The newly released body camera footage shows detectives approaching the suspect, asking him to identify himself and then taking him into custody.

“We wanted to identify the subject, locate him and, no matter the time of day, as we see on the body camera footage, we followed him all the way to North Miami Beach to arrest him and hopefully provide some type of justice to this family,” Bess said.

The suspect was taken into custody. On Wednesday Mayorga Prado faced judge Mindy Glazer who said there was probable cause for his charges and set a bond of $7,500 dollars.

Mayorga Prado is out on bond, but was instructed to stay away from the minor and the family owned restaurant.

“Our message to the public is very simple whether you’re a resident or a visitor we have zero tolerance for anyone taking advantage of a minor in our city,” Bess 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.