Month: September 2026

By Dave Savini

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    CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — Newly uncovered video shows that, two years before dozens of decomposing bodies were found inside the South Chicago Chapel funeral home, police in nearby Evergreen Park found two bodies in the owners’ minivan outside their home.

The follow-up investigation raised a red flag that apparently was ignored.

Around 1:45 a.m. on June 14, 2024, an Evergreen Park police officer on patrol spotted a minivan double-parked outside Clark and Johanna Morgan’s home and noticed a stench coming from the vehicle.

A second officer pulled up to help a short time later, and the two confirmed together what they were seeing inside the minivan was real – two dead bodies in the back.

“Tell me what this looks like. Those are two bodies right?” one officer said in body camera footage from the incident.

“A thousand percent,” the other officer said.

As more officers arrived on scene, police ran the minivan’s plate, which showed the vehicle was owned by Clark Morgan.

The same Clark Morgan that the CBS News Chicago investigative team exposed seven months later for mishandling bodies at Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, a business he was running with his wife, Johanna Morgan, until the Illinois State Comptroller’s Office – which regulates crematories in Illinois – shut them down in 2025.

At Heights Crematory, bodies were improperly stored in trailers, stacked on top of each other with body parts exposed and covered in bugs. One man had been dead an entire year.

The Morgans lost their license to operate that crematorium in 2025, but were still able to own and run the South Chicago Chapel funeral home on the South Side of Chicago.

Last month, the funeral home was also shut down after 56 decomposing bodies were found inside.

After Evergreen Park police found two bodies inside Clark Morgan’s minivan outside their home, both Clark and Johanna Morgan spoke to the officers.

“Do you have contact info for their next of kin?” an officer asked.

But Johanna Morgan at first declined to give that information to police.

“I’m not giving you that information. That’s ridiculous. I’ve been doing this for 27 years. I’ve lived in this village my entire life,” Johanna Morgan said.

Clark Morgan told police he was in the process of transporting the bodies from a hospice care facility to Heights Crematory.

He even showed them his state license claiming to be a licensed funeral director and embalmer intern.

“They both have credentials,” an officer said.

But how carefully did police check Clark Morgan’s credentials? His state license to transport bodies was officially revoked two months before police found the bodies in his minivan.

State disciplinary records revealed Morgan was fined $10,000 for using that expired funeral director’s and embalmer’s intern license after he was caught transporting bodies at a hospital. In addition, his license had been altered. Morgan had changed the expiration date to make it appear valid.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), which regulates funeral directors, said whatever Clark Morgan handed Evergreen Park officers on the night the bodies were found in his minivan could not have been valid.

Further investigation the day after the incident revealed a conversation with Cook County Medical Examiner’s chief investigator, who told Evergreen Park police he had “filed numerous complaints against Heights Crematory for unprofessional practices.”

In the end, the officers bought the Morgans’ story but still pressed them to identify the bodies in the minivan.

“Just so I can document it in my report,” an officer said.

“It’s like a hospital, it’s HIPAA. Nope,” Johanna Morgan said. “The family didn’t give you the information, they gave it to me. We keep it safe.”

Evergreen Park police later discovered Clark Morgan’s license was invalid, but neither police nor Cook County prosecutors filed any criminal charges for that, which IDFPR said they could have.

Police also found out the identities of the bodies in the minivan and contacted relatives.

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 Marvin Hurst

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — An open records request from the Fort Worth police produced nearly nine pages of black redaction for the case of bystander Regina Allen.

Allen, a mother and grandmother, says she is the person that police won’t acknowledge in a non-criminal injured person report from April 12 on Purington Avenue publicly.

“I was literally about to be inside,” Allen said. “It just chose me.”

According to Allen, she was trying to alert officers to an elderly neighbor’s mental state when a Fort Worth police K-9 attacked her. Before she could complete that mission, her arms went up in the air, and the video shows a dog taking her to the ground.

“I was screaming for help,” Allen said. “The officers couldn’t even get him off. Even his handler was saying what they say to them, their commands, and he was not listening.”

Her husband, Thomas Fisher, joined their son and officers trying to break the dog’s grip.

“She’s laying there bleeding,” Fisher said, describing severe wounds to his wife’s arms.

Allen remembers looking at the injuries.

“There’s stuff all over me that are supposed to be inside of me,” she said.

The 50-year-old was taken to the hospital with nine puncture wounds. She got 19 stitches, which made things worse. As soon as she left the hospital, Allen was back within days.

Attorney Blerim Elmazi says the family believes accountability begins with acknowledging what happened.

“What happens is wrong is wrong, mistakes are mistakes,” Elmazi said. “And we expect officers and cities who are in the wrong to just admit it, right?”

Fort Worth has been lawful but silent. The department has refused to confirm why they were in Allen’s neighborhood in the first place or share information about an arrest, if any.

Instead, CBS News Texas received redactions and documents proving that video footage of the incident exists. The department denied a request to release the video to the public. Instead, it used what many law enforcement agencies shield behind Texas’ Rule of Evidence to protect footage, documents, images, and other information from becoming public. Agencies send a lawful review to the Attorney General’s Office, which tends to rule in law enforcement’s favor even if the public has a right to know.

In Allen’s case, not redacted was an officer’s report that says, “The K-9 broke free” and “The K-9 bit.” The victim is covered by black redactions on paper.

In real life, Allen’s pain from that cannot be covered up by evidentiary privileges.

“I saw a flash of fur, and next thing I know I was on the ground,” she 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 Christine Sloan

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    MANASQUAN, New Jersey (WCBS) — Jellyfish, known as “purple meanies,” washed up along the Jersey Shore over the weekend and stung beachgoers.

Brothers Jack and George Slager and their friends all said they got stung on Saturday by what experts say are “mauve stingers” at Manasquan’s beach.

The boys described the sting as “bumpy and itchy.”

“It was starting to get red. I thought it was a rash at first, but it stayed the same amount of pain for a while and noticed it was probably a jellyfish sting because there were hundreds of them,” Jack said.

“It was like, really painful,” George said.

Bay Head lifeguard Chris Li said they have medical kits to treat stings.

“First thing is rinse it off. Some people might be highly allergic, like a bee sting; they would have to get medical attention for that,” Li said.

The boys said lifeguards rinsed their rashes and sprayed them with a vinegar concoction.

Mom Allison Slager said her pediatrician said there’s no serious concern, but she took George to get checked out anyway.

“When I looked at the back of his leg, I could see big bubble blisters had already formed,” she said.

Experts say mauve jellyfish are pretty infrequent down the Jersey Shore because they live farther offshore.

Montclair State University Professor Paul Bologna said he has been getting reports of them washing up on Ocean and Monmouth County beaches.

“It’s not the typical species we see on a regular basis,” he said.

Bologna and Li said there are more of these jellyfish due to offshore winds pushing them toward the coast.

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 John Dias

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    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — A quarter century after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the NYPD is making sure the heroes that ran toward the danger are never forgotten.

Several members of the Emergency Service Unit were honored Tuesday with a newly rededicated memorial wall at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said more than half of the NYPD officers killed on 9/11 were members of the ESU.

“No single day exemplifies the bravery, the selflessness, the heroism, of this unit more profoundly than Sept. 11, 2001,” Tisch said. “ESU officers were the tip of the NYPD spear. They fought to get as many people [as possible] out of buildings.”

“This wall is not merely wood, pictures and name plates. It is a permanent reminder that the highest traditions of the ESU department are written in the very lives of those who have given everything in the line of duty,” said Gerry Dowling, NYPD EMS commanding officer.

As the curtain fell during the ceremony, emotions rose, and 45 faces with 45 stories faced out from the wall. The NYPD honored all the ESU members who died in the line of duty, including 14 who were killed on 9/11, like John D’Allara.

“[It] means a lot to know that he will never be forgotten,” Carol D’Allara, John D’Allara’s widow, said. “[I’m] very touched that they would honor him in such a way.”

John D’Allara also left behind two sons. One of them is now following in his father’s footsteps, becoming an officer about a year and a half ago.

“Really carry on his legacy. This is his badge number as well,” Carol D’Allara said.

Next to the wall and behind glass is a piece of that legacy — John D’Allara’s firearm. It was recovered from the World Trade Center months after the attack.

For John D’Allara’s son, it’s a physical connection to a father he lost, and a reminder of why he chose this life of service.

“I really wanted to help people. He helped people up until his last day. I would like to help as many people as I can while on this job,” Nicholas D’Allara said.

And on the memorial wall, which was strategically placed at the ESU training school, the names and faces will continue to watch over the next generation of officers.

It’s daily reminder of the courage, sacrifice and commitment to service that came before them.

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 Web Staff

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    MARTHA’S VINEYARD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A beach on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts was closed to swimming after a woman suffered a potential shark bite on Monday afternoon.

Emergency personnel responded to Norton Point in Edgartown at approximately 1:40 p.m. for a report of a swimmer who sustained an injury to her lower leg while in the water.

Edgartown Town Administrator James Hagerty said the woman in her twenties had “wounds consistent with a bite from a marine animal.”

“No shark or other marine animal was observed or confirmed in connection with the incident,” Hagerty said in a press release. “Based upon the nature of the injuries, however, the wounds were considered consistent with a potential shark bite.”

The woman was treated at the scene by Edgartown Fire and EMS and taken to the hospital for further treatment. Her injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening.

Swimming at South Beach was suspended for several hours as a precaution while town personnel assessed conditions.

“Beachgoers are reminded to remain aware of their surroundings while in the water and to comply with instructions from lifeguards and any posted beach advisories,” Hagerty 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 Bryan Lynn

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    HARFORD COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — The rabies vaccine is to be placed in a bait mixture throughout Harford County to attract wild animals in an effort to immunize them against the illness.

The pilot project, known as the Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (ORV), will place over 15,000 bait containers across the county, the Harford County Health Department announced Monday in a statement. The main animals targeted are raccoons.

The vaccine to be used, called Raboral V-RG, is a live virus vaccine. But health officials say it cannot cause rabies and is not harmful to raccoons, pets, or other animals.

The same vaccine has been used successfully in Anne Arundel County, Maryland since 1998, as well as in other states in an effort to control rabies in raccoons, the health department statement said.

Vaccine not considered harmful to most humans While the vaccine is considered low risk to human health, it is advised that the bait should not be handled by anyone under 18 years old, or someone pregnant, immunocompromised, or who has a chronic skin condition.

Officials said the bait containers are made of fishmeal and polymers and come in two forms. One is a small brown brick containing a packet of liquid rabies vaccine, while the other is a condiment-style packet coated with a waxy fishmeal attractant.

A raccoon must bite into the packet to be vaccinated. Ground teams in marked state vehicles will distribute the bait packets in likely raccoon habitats throughout Harford County parks and neighborhoods.

“We are committed to keeping our community healthy, and the launch of this program marks an important step forward in preventing the spread of rabies and keeping Harford County residents and animals safe,” said Harford County Health Officer Lauren Levy.

Rabies is spread by the bite or scratch of an infected animal, such as a raccoon, groundhog, cat, fox, skunk or bat. It is also spread when an infected animal’s saliva comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth or open cut of a person or another animal.

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 Mike Hellgren, Bryan Lynn

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    EAST BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — The mother of six children found unattended inside a home in Baltimore on Monday has been arrested and faces multiple child neglect charges, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) said.

An officer was called to the 2900 block of East Monument Street on Monday at 11:30 a.m. on a report of child neglect.

At the location, the officer discovered six unsupervised children inside the home. The ages of the children were 9, 7, 6, 5, 3, and 1. BPD initially said the home appeared to be vacant, but investigators later determined it was a rental property.

The officer transported the children to Johns Hopkins Pediatrics, where they were medically evaluated. They were then turned over to representatives of Child Protective Services (CPS) or a family member, BPD said in a statement.

This case has generated strong feelings in the community, and one concerned resident who knows the mother urged people not to judge her.

“You guys saved these kids’ lives” Police responded to the rowhome in the 2900 block of East Monument Street just before noon Monday after receiving a call that the children were left unattended.

The home sits in the middle of the block between North Potomac and North Curley streets.

Tyesha Denise showed the scene as it unfolded on a Facebook livestream. People on the recording said some of the children were nearly naked and playing in trash.

“You guys saved these kids’ lives today,” a first responder said on the livestream.

The videos have been seen by more than 40,000 people.

“I had to do the right thing. You all know me. I had to do the right thing,” the poster told her audience.

Police told WJZ Investigates the children are ages 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 and were placed in the care of Child Protective Services and/or a family member after being evaluated at Johns Hopkins Pediatrics, which is nearby.

Police said they took the children’s mother into custody, and she faces multiple child neglect charges.

In Maryland, it is a crime to leave a child under age 8 without supervision by a reliable person who is at least 13 years old.

Concerned neighbor says mom was getting help A concerned neighbor deeply familiar with the situation spoke to WJZ Investigates about the case. Because emotions are running high, she asked that her identity be concealed.

She is upset police initially said the home “appeared to be vacant.” Hours later, BPD clarified it was a rental.

“The house that they’re living in was part of her trying to rehabilitate and a stabilization. It wasn’t broken into. It wasn’t stolen. The electric is not illegal. It’s a leased property. She’s sitting under a very valid contract. She’s welcome to be there,” the neighbor said. “She was supposed to be there. The children were supposed to be there, and at any point in time, if in the chaos and the commotion, the neighbors directly right there could’ve been spoken to and someone could’ve stepped in and aided and helped before it got to that level.”

She does not want a single mother, who fell on hard times, to be demonized.

“I’ve heard a lot of the comments that’s been made directed towards her and her character and her life itself,” the woman told CBS News Baltimore. “And I think that before we step out the gate and say, ‘Oh, let’s throw her to the wolves,’ maybe we should step back and say, ‘Gosh, was she struggling? Did she need help?'”

Police told WJZ their 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 Web Staff

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — After more than 14 years as a fugitive, a Danish researcher has admitted to stealing more than $1 million in federal grant money meant for autism and other public health research.

Poul Thorsen, 65, pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud in federal court in Atlanta, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Between 2000 and 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded more than $11 million to two Danish government agencies. The grants supported studies involving autism and vaccines, cerebral palsy and infections during pregnancy, and childhood development and fetal alcohol exposure.

Thorsen became responsible for overseeing the money in 2002. Prosecutors said he later submitted more than a dozen fraudulent invoices bearing the forged signature of a CDC official.

The invoices caused Aarhus University to transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars into accounts it believed belonged to the CDC. The accounts actually belonged to Thorsen, prosecutors said.

Thorsen admitted diverting more than $1 million from Aarhus University and Odense University Hospital. Prosecutors said he used the money to buy an Atlanta home, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Audi and Honda vehicles. He also withdrew cash, paid credit card bills and transferred money to other accounts.

A federal judge issued a warrant for Thorsen’s arrest in April 2011. He remained in Denmark until authorities arrested him in Germany in June 2025. Germany extradited him to the United States in May 2026, according to the Justice Department.

Thorsen is in federal custody being held without bail. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 1.

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 La’Tasha Givens

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    ALPHARETTA, Georgia (WUPA) — What was supposed to be a celebratory milestone for a Georgia college graduate has instead turned into a frustrating financial roadblock.

Dylan Merrell of Alpharetta spent two years on the field playing football for Long Island University (LIU) in New York. After graduating this past spring, he learned that his diploma and official transcripts were being withheld due to a medical hold on his account totaling $6,824.

“I found out that I had a medical hold on my record for insurance reasons, which completely blindsided me and caught me off guard,” Merrell said. “I was told that my diploma was being withheld from me if those fees weren’t cleared.”

Like many collegiate athletic programs, LIU requires all student-athletes to maintain active primary health insurance before participating in practices, conditioning, or games. According to the university’s student-athlete handbook, players must upload their primary health insurance details and front-and-back copies of their insurance card into the athletic medical portal for pre-participation clearance.

Merrell says he complied by submitting his existing Blue Cross Blue Shield policy and waiving the school’s insurance. However, university administrators are saying otherwise.

“The school is telling me that even though I uploaded my own insurance, I didn’t waive the school’s insurance off,” Merrell said. “So that insurance was automatically applied anyway, which means I would have to pay that fee.”

The financial dispute has created immediate real-world consequences for Merrell’s career prospects. He says employers frequently request official documentation to verify degrees, leaving him at a standstill.

“It’s extremely frustrating. I’ve been in multiple job interviews where they asked for my official transcript, or they asked for my diploma, and I haven’t been able to provide it,” Merrell explained, estimating that at least 15 job applications have been stalled because of the hold.

His mother, Carla Merrell, has spent months trying to resolve the dispute through phone calls, emails, and an in-person visit to the New York campus.

“He finished, he graduated, and so this is your reward?” Carla Merrell said. “With AI being in place and young graduates looking for a job in this economy, competing with people with years of experience, to know that this is yet another hurdle that he has to get over is quite frustrating and disappointing.”

She emphasized that the family should not be on the hook for double coverage.

“I pay insurance every two weeks out of my payroll check, and so I should not have to turn around and pay because of their lack of bookkeeping,” she said. “They know for a fact that he has insurance.”

Student navigation advocates say automatic insurance enrollment is a newer expense for families across the country.

Reginald Shareef with The E.D.G.E. Foundation, an organization that helps college students navigate campus challenges, notes that health insurance fees are routinely bundled into tuition bills unless an explicit waiver is filed each term.

“Every student nowadays is required to have health insurance, and the school automatically puts it in the bill,” Shareef said. “It’s one of the top reasons why people owe balances to universities because of unexpected charges that people don’t foresee, or a lack of communication.”

For families or recent graduates currently facing an unexpected balance that prevents access to transcripts or diplomas, Shareef suggests looking into external aid resources. Many nonprofit organizations, student advocacy groups, and institutional alumni associations offer emergency micro-grants and relief funds designed specifically to help clear final account balances.

In a statement to CBS News Atlanta, Long Island University says it has sent reminder emails about the waiver policy since last August.

The university also disputes withholding credentials, telling us it will provide transcripts and confirm degrees to graduate schools or employers who inquire, regardless of any outstanding balances.

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 Anna McAllister

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WFOR) — A video from a nationally televised high school football game is sparking significant backlash on social media after members of the DeSoto High School football team refused to shake hands with their opponents.

The incident occurred during the coin toss over the weekend as DeSoto High traveled from Texas to Fort Lauderdale to face St. Thomas Aquinas High School in their season opener. As the St. Thomas Aquinas players lined up to offer handshakes, several DeSoto captains refused and walked away.

The moment, captured and shared widely online, has drawn sharp criticism from parents and observers.

“I pretty much blame the coach for that because it was tasteless for them to come out there and St. Thomas actually extended their hand and they didn’t take it,” said one concerned parent.

Another parent, Patricia Miller, echoed those sentiments regarding sportsmanship.

“Sports didn’t use to be like that, shake your hand whether you lose or win,” Miller said. “Somebody got to lose, and somebody got to win — so shake your hand.”

St. Thomas Aquinas Athletic Director Twan Russell, however, urged the public to offer grace to the visiting team.

“Everyone is making a big deal out of it, you know, they got to understand, these are kids,” Russell said. “Kids make mistakes, and they’re being very hard on a really good team.”

Russell said he spoke with the DeSoto coach, who apologized personally for the incident. Russell noted that there is no lingering animosity and believes the experience serves as a lesson for everyone involved.

“As adults, we have to be very careful about how we judge people, because if we look in the mirror long enough, you’re going to know you’re going to make a mistake as well,” Russell added.

In a statement provided to CBS News, DeSoto football officials addressed the controversy: “We view this as an opportunity for our young men to learn and grow from their mistakes.”

St. Thomas Aquinas won the game with a final score of 38-14.

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.