Author: CNN Newsource

By Kendall Keys

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — The halls of Froedtert Hospital filled with applause, tears and hugs of support for the Freeze family in an honor walk on Sunday.

The family could be seen walking behind a team of doctors and nurses who led the organ retrieval and transplants for 16-year-old Grant Freeze.

The 16-year-old Nicolet High Schooler was in a head-on crash with a dump truck last Wednesday on Pioneer Road near North Klug Lane in Mequon. Freeze, of Fox Point, was on his way to a swim practice in Cedarburg at Ozaukee Aquatics.

Flight For Life airlifted Freeze to the hospital. He remained on life support for days but ultimately did not survive. Staff at Froedtert work with Versiti, which coordinates organ donations and helps connect the donor to potential recipients.

Freeze’s swim coach at Ozaukee Aquatics, Steve Keller, said his decision to check that box on his driver’s license not long ago will go on to change the lives of five others, with matches found for Freeze’s heart, lungs, pancreas, liver and kidneys.

“He, you know, at 16 years old, made it a point to sign the back of his card that he would be an, an organ donor,” Keller said.

Keller spoke with WISN 12 News Friday, recalling a conversation he had with Freeze’s mother.

“His mom said it yesterday. She was so happy that he took that decision away from them. That he made the decision, so this is how it was going to be. Mom and Dad, you didn’t have to worry about it. And I got this,” Keller said. “Grant’s gonna continue to support people even in his death.”

The organ donation Sunday went off without a hitch. Keller received a piece of Freeze to hold close, too. Family offered him a vial with an EKG strip of his heartbeat inside.

“At least I’ll have a piece of him,” Keller said.

Grant’s mother, Kellie MacDonald Freeze, wrote in a statement to WISN 12 News, “We are so moved that hundreds of Grant’s friends, family, coaches, teammates, classmates and neighbors, as well as countless medical & hospital staff joined us as we cheered Grant into the operating room. It was a profound and life-affirming moment that I wouldn’t wish on anyone, but that we are honored to have been a part of. It was his final race and he is forever victorious and forever our champion. Grant’s major organs have been successfully transplanted, and we pray for the recovery of the recipients of Grant’s gifts. We hope that when the time is right, the recipients agree to communicate with us so we can get to know them. Grant is part of them, and they are a part of us. We are a family. We also continue to pray for the recovery of the other victim in the crash. If people are moved into action and are able to donate blood, we would be honored if they would do so in Grant’s name. The blood units Grant received were lifesaving in unimaginable ways. Scott, Connor and I look forward to continuing Grant’s legacy. We’re not quite sure what that means, but we will likely establish scholarships in Grant’s name.”

In a statement to WISN 12 News, Versiti Organ and Tissue said, “We hold the Freeze family in our thoughts and express our deepest gratitude for Grant’s life-giving gift. Their selfless act has brought hope and a new lease on life to those in need.

“Choosing to donate is a deeply personal act that offers enduring hope in the midst of profound loss. A donor’s gift can transform lives; one donor can save up to eight people through organ donation and help many more through tissue donation.

“Every day, 13 people die waiting for an organ transplant, with a new person added to the national waiting list every eight minutes. In Wisconsin, approximately 1,200 people are waiting for a kidney, the organ in the highest need.

“Organ donation can restore strength and daily functioning for those with advanced heart failure, and improve breathing, exercise capacity, and quality of life for lung recipients. It can free a kidney recipient from daily dialysis, stabilize blood sugar for a pancreas recipient, and relieve debilitating symptoms for someone receiving a liver.

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By Mariana La Roche

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — A 19-year-old Milwaukee woman faces first-degree reckless homicide charges after allegedly stabbing her cousin to death during an argument over employment at a Taco Bell restaurant.

Rae’Jianna D. Hall is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, domestic abuse with use of a dangerous weapon in the death of her cousin, Jaquveon Wright, at their shared residence on Milwaukee’s south side.

According to the criminal complaint, the incident began when Hall and Wright argued about Hall getting a job at the Taco Bell where Wright worked. The situation escalated when Hall pepper-sprayed Wright and later armed herself with a knife.

After Wright ‘s parents arrived at the scene, Hall allegedly made threats while wielding the knife, according to the complaint. Witnesses report Hall saying, “I’m going to stab you, I’m going to kill you,” before the fatal confrontation in Hall’s bedroom, where she allegedly stabbed Wright in the neck.

In a Mirandized interview, Hall acknowledged the knife could cause death but claimed self-defense, stating Wright had punched her. She told detectives she was scared but also described the stabbing as accidental.

According to court documents, Wright ran outside after being stabbed and collapsed. Despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

If convicted, Hall faces up to 60 years in prison for the Class B felony, with a possible additional 5 years for using a dangerous weapon. She remains in custody pending court proceedings.

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By David Maddox, Valerie Zhang, Chip Scarborough

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    NEWTON COUNTY, Ark. (KHBS, KHOG) — According to Sheriff Glenn Wheeler, the victim killed by a bear has been identified as 60-year-old Max Thomas of Springfield, Missouri.

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office said the bear investigators believe was responsible for attacking and killing Thomas has been killed.

Thomas had been camping at the campground and stopped making contact with his family. His family called the Sheriff’s Office for a welfare check. Deputies found his body several yards out from the camp.

A news release from the sheriff’s office said local hunters used hounds to search the area.

In the release, Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said, “I feel extremely confident this is the bear we have photographs of from the scene of the attack.”

The sheriff went on to say the description of the bear killed matches the one photographed by the victim before his death.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said on Sunday evening that a camera placed near the site of a deadly attack captured an image of a bear in the area.

Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said, “Max was a husband and a father who leaves behind several loved ones. He was out enjoying a beautiful part of the world when a very unfortunate incident occurred. We are getting some pushback from a small minority of people who feel the bear should not have been killed as a result of this. To those people, I would say that, while it is unfortunate that it had to end that way, human life is vastly more important, and public safety takes priority. Bears that attack humans are dangerous and will continue to pose a threat.”

The commission announced on Friday night that a death near a campground in Newton County was the result of an animal mauling. A 60-year-old Missouri man was found dead yards from his campsite at Sam’s Throne after a possible bear attack in Ozark National Forest near the town of Mount Judea.

Arkansas Game and Fish said the Arkansas State Crime Lab determined the cause of death. Evidence collected during the investigation will be sent to an independent laboratory to attempt to confirm the species involved in the attack.

The sheriff’s office received a call Thursday for a welfare check on the camper. The caller, who identified himself as the man’s father, stated the man was camped at the campground and had not checked in for a couple of days. The statement says a deputy arrived at the campground and found evidence of a struggle, as well as drag marks leading into the woods.

The camper was found dead several yards outside the campsite. There were extensive injuries consistent with a large carnivore attack.

Investigators said that the man’s family had received pictures of a bear in his camp on Tuesday morning. Sheriff Wheeler said the bear appeared to be a young male bear.

“Until the Arkansas Crime Lab completes the autopsy, we can’t 100% say it was a bear, but everything strongly indicates it,” Wheeler said. “We are attempting to find the bear and dispose of it so the Game and Fish Commission can test it for anything that may have led to the encounter.”

As of Monday morning, Sam’s Throne Campground is still closed for the safety of the public.

This is the second bear attack in Arkansas in the last month. In September, a Franklin County man was attacked and killed by a bear. The bear in the September attack tested negative for rabies and distemper, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The AGFC said the Franklin County bear attack was the first bear attack in Arkansas in 25 years.

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By Kilee Thomas

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    EL RENO, Okla. (KOCO) — Parental rights are in the spotlight in Oklahoma after social media highlighted a legal battle centering around a child’s medical treatment.

A Canadian County mother was in court on Monday, fighting to regain custody of her teenager. The Department of Human Services took custody of her child during a dispute over the teenager’s cancer treatment.

The 17-year-old’s mother decided to stop chemotherapy treatment at OU Children’s Hospital a year ago, choosing natural treatments instead. On Friday, DHS was granted emergency custody of the teenager after a family member called a hotline and accused the family of medical neglect, according to state Sen. Shane Jett.

The teen was then given a blood transfusion and began chemotherapy again without the mother’s consent.

“The state has to prove that, and here’s the burden on the state, that there is a reasonable suspicion that the child is in need of immediate protection, and if the state can’t prove that, then the child should be released and back in the parent’s custody. However, that’s a very low burden. The reasonable suspicion standard is the lowest of all burdens,” Linque Gillett, attorney with Linque Hilton Gillett Law Office, said.

Before court began on Monday, there was a rally outside the Canadian County Courthouse in support of the mother. Supporters said parents should be able to make medical decisions for their child, even if it’s against the advice of medical professionals.

“We’re here today to show support to a mother that’s fighting for her rights to make medical decisions and take care of her son,” Halie Luther, who supports the mother, said. “They should not be making medical decisions for children. That’s a parent’s God-given right.”

The court can authorize life-saving treatment without parental consent if it’s necessary before a protective custody hearing, according to Oklahoma statute.

“If a child taken into protective custody without a court order requires emergency medical care prior to the emergency custody hearing, and either the treatment is related to the suspected abuse or neglect or the parent or legal guardian is unavailable or unwilling to consent to treatment recommended by a physician, a peace officer, court employee or the court may authorize such treatment as is necessary to safeguard the health or life of the child. Before a peace officer, court employee or the court authorizes treatment based on unavailability of the parent or legal guardian, law enforcement shall exercise diligence in locating the parent or guardian, if known,” the statute said.

An attorney specializing in juvenile law said parents have constitutional rights to make medical decisions for their child, but the state can step in.

“The state of Oklahoma, DHS, can only get involved with a family if a parent is alleged to be unfit,” Gillett said. “If you’re a fit parent, you ought to be able to make any medical decisions you want for your child. It’s just whenever that safety comes into play that’s when the state can even get involved in the first place.”

DHS initially gave KOCO a statement about their duty to protect children, but it was redacted. It simply said that the agency doesn’t have the authority to make this decision on its own. It involves law enforcement, district attorneys and the court.

“DHS Child Protective Services is part of a larger child protection system that involves external law enforcement, District Attorneys, and the courts. The Department of Human Services does not have the authority to act independently,” the agency said.

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By Adam Bartow

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    HARPSWELL, Maine (WMTW) — Two people were rescued after their boat became stuck on some rocks along Mark Island off the coast of Harpswell on Monday.

Harpswell Marine Resources and Harbor Management says responders were called to the island at about 6:35 p.m. for reports of a 30-foot boat disabled and taking on water.

A lobsterman from Bailey Island and a team from Determination Marine arrived first and found two people were still on the boat. They also determined that a smaller skiff would be needed to reach the people, because of the rocky shelf.

A short time later, the Yarmouth Harbormaster and a marine unit arrived. In what Harpswell Marine Resources called “a dramatic scene,” the two people on board jumped into the water and got onto the island.

The Yarmouth Harbormaster was then able to reach them from a different part of the island.

The two people were taken to Cooks Wharf on Bailey Island to be evaluated by EMS.

Due to the rough surf conditions, the boat stayed in place on the rocks on Mark Island Monday night.

The Harpswell Harbormaster was scheduled to evaluate the scene Tuesday morning for pollution. Salvage operations will begin when weather conditions allow.

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