Author: CNN Newsource

By JT Moodee Lockman, Janay Reece

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — A 16-year-old girl who was in the custody of the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) was found dead in a Baltimore hotel, according to police.

Officers said Kanaiyah Ward was found dead at a hotel in the 800 block of North Wolfe Street on Monday, Sept. 22.

Her cause of death has not yet been determined, but police said the case is listed as questionable, as there were no signs of foul play or trauma.

DHS said it is investigating Ward’s death and said it would hold its contractors accountable if it finds that their standards for care were not met.

“The well-being of Maryland’s children is our top priority, and we will not rest until every child in our state is safe, thriving in a permanent home, and surrounded by loving family,” the agency said in a statement.

Maryland lawmakers react

News of the teen’s death shocked all sides of the political spectrum in the state.

Maryland House Minority Leader Jason Buckel said the incident is “as tragic as it is outrageous.”

“Had this occurred a week ago, it would seem like a terrible but isolated incident. Coming on the heels of the DHS audit last week, we know this is not the case,” Buckel said in a statement. “This appears to be another horrific example of the failure of this department to keep children safe, this time with fatal consequences.”

Ward’s death comes after that audit found that the Maryland Social Services Administration and DHS failed to protect some children in its care from sex offenders and provide basic medical needs to thousands of minors.

“We take the findings of this audit with the utmost seriousness,” Maryland’s Secretary of Human Services, Rafael López, said in response to the audit. “In the one-and-a-half years of the four-year audit period during which I served as Secretary, our leadership team has moved with urgency and challenged the status quo not only with the Social Services Administration, but across the entire department.”

Sen. Clarence Lam, a Democrat who represents Howard and Anne Arundel Counties, previously chaired the audit committee and called the entire incident heartbreaking.

“It’s still early to know the details of what happened here,” said Lam. “I think this is a really tragic case. I think any time that a young individual dies under the state’s care, it is the responsibility that we all have to get to the bottom of what happened here.”

Lam added, “The audit that came last week has indicated that there are many repeat audit findings from several years ago that extend all the way back to 2017.”

Gov. Wes Moore addressed the DHS audit on Monday, saying that the issues with the department did not begin with his administration.

“While these problems might have happened before our administration came on board, we are committed to making sure that they’re being addressed in our time,” Moore said.

Social Services Administration, DHS audit

The audit, carried out by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, also highlighted that children in the care of DHS were being housed in hotels. In one case, a contracted worker had a prior murder conviction in one of the hotels.

“It’s very difficult, I think, for the state to continue to monitor how these children are doing in these types of locations,” Lam said. “In an ideal world, you know, I would hope that we can move away from housing children in hotels and motels, moving forward.”

During a meeting with the state spending board a week before the audit was released, López said the agency has made progress in getting children out of hotels, saying the state moved with “great urgency.”

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By Stephanie Stahl, Nate Sylves

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A first-of-its-kind medical robot is helping doctors at Nemours Children’s Hospital perform spinal surgeries.

Doctors at Nemours said this robot is making surgery faster and more precise, and it means a quicker and easier recovery for patients.

Rhiannon Groff, 16, is recovering from a new kind of spine surgery performed by Dr. Brett Shannon at Nemours.

The 11th grader has scoliosis, a curvature of the spine.

“I would have a lot of soreness and aching, especially in my lower back,” she said.

To relieve the pain and straighten her back, surgeons place rods like these that are held in place with a series of screws.

“It’s important to make sure that they’re placed exactly in the bone rather than outside into the lung or to the blood vessels or to the nerve roots,” said Shannon.

Doctors said the robot makes spine surgery faster and more accurate. Nemours is the first facility on the East Coast to have this new spinal robot.

“This elevates us to another generation of being able to see what is unseen beneath the surface and understand the three-dimensional geometry much better,” said Dr. Suken Shah of Nemours.

The robot is equipped with imaging to pinpoint the location of the screws. It can also assist in getting them precisely inserted, not touching nearby vital structures, just millimeters away.

Groff said there’s no more pain two months after the surgery.

“When I first heard that it was gonna be assisted by a robot, I honestly thought it was really cool,” she said. “And I’m so glad that it’s helping people like me and people with more serious conditions recover and get better.”

Groff is already stretching, ready to head back to running track pain-free.

The team at Nemours said they’re using the new robot to assist in a variety of spinal surgeries.

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By Brooke Kinebrew

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    SANTA CRUZ, California (KSBW) — Andrew Trowbridge, a senior at Santa Cruz High, has been raising money for Second Harvest Food Bank by making and selling homemade lemonade since he was 10 years old, inspired by his father’s teachings on the importance of giving back.

“100 percent, I love that it goes to people in need. Even though I’m never going to see those people who it goes to, I know that it’s going to help somebody,” Trowbridge said.

Over the past six years, Trowbridge has raised more than $16,000, with the funds directly supporting the purchase of food and gas for drivers who distribute food and diapers.

One dollar provides three meals.

“There’s nothing that I get out of this,” he said.

“I think Andrew is a great model of what it looks like to want to make a difference in your community and just start, so I hope it inspires others to follow in his footsteps,” said Mary Casey, the chief people and culture officer at Second Harvest Food Bank.

The community has rallied around Trowbridge’s initiative, including support from his high school’s band, which will perform at the fundraiser this weekend.

“The impact that he has to support them and their mission is remarkable. and I had no idea how much impact he had,” family friend and Santa Cruz High School band director Christy Latham said.

“My goal for the day is to bring joy. Music can bring joy and community and togetherness,” Trowbridge said.

In 2018, Trowbridge raised $484, and in 2023, he raised $5,001.

“If we even raise, like, $20, that’s my hope because it’s going to someone in need,” he said.

As Trowbridge prepares to graduate, he plans to close the chapter on this event, but intends to continue helping people in the future.

“Not just the money, but just the happiness that brings everyone around the event and pretty much the community just to get to come together over trying to fight hunger,” he said.

Drew’s seventh and final lemonade stand fundraiser is Sunday, Sept. 28, from noon to 5 p.m. at Santa Cruz High School.

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By Jake Anderson, Tyra Tillman

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    LINCOLN, NE (KETV) — A missing Lincoln woman was rescued, and a suspect was arrested after a SWAT operation Thursday night near Santa Fe Trail and Oregon Trail.

Police said they found 42-year-old Jesserae Beck safe inside a home and took 36-year-old Christopher Collins into custody.

Beck had been reported missing earlier in the day after her children requested a welfare check. Police initially found evidence of a struggle at Collins’ residence, but no sign of either individual.

Lincoln Police Chief Michon Morrow stated that SWAT officers encountered a strong odor of natural gas upon entering the home. Despite the hazardous conditions, they rescued Beck and detained Collins.

“Tonight was a true show of the grit and determination of the officers and investigators at the Lincoln Police Department,” Morrow said. “We are just incredibly grateful that we will be able to return Jesserae Beck to her family.”

Collins was taken into custody for domestic assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment, terroristic threats, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and protection order violation.

Lincoln Fire and Rescue cleared the home and surrounding area to ensure safety. Beck was taken to a hospital for evaluation and is expected to reunite with her family soon.

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By Joseph Neubauer

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    Oklahoma (KOCO) — Are you seeing spiderwebs flying in the air or resting on surfaces off the ground? Don’t worry. It’s normal.

Ballooning season has returned to Oklahoma, and you’ll see a lot more of those flying spiderwebs over the next several weeks. KOCO 5 Meteorologist Joseph Neubauer says baby spiders are being born, and their silk and webs are filling the sky.

Ballooning season is when newborn spiders are competing for food with other spiders nearby, and they want to get to a new spot. So, they get up to the highest point they can, produce a web, and fly away to a new spot.

It’s important for spiders to do it when they’re small and young so the webs are easier to fly.

If you look at trees, car antennas, power lines and various poles, you’ll probably see the webs.

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By Todd Magel

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Iowa soybean farmer Warren Bachman warns of a potential farm crisis after China halted purchases of U.S. soybeans in retaliation against new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

Bachman, who has been growing corn and soybeans just west of Osceola for 64 years, said China’s decision is catastrophic.

“This is awful discouraging. You know, we do our very best to grow a good crop, to feed the world, and then we can’t hardly give it away,” he said.

Despite having voted for Trump, Bachman blames him for the soybean crisis, stating that the new tariffs are forcing China to buy soybeans from Argentina and Brazil. As a result, many Iowa farmers face selling this year’s crop at a significant loss.

“The way things are, there won’t be a farmer left in five years if things don’t change because our expenses are so high. And, the crop is worth less than it was 30 years ago,” Bachman said.

Having survived the farm crisis during the 1980s, which led to thousands of farm foreclosures, Bachman is skeptical of the Federal government’s crop payments as a solution.

“We would rather have free markets than a handout,” he said.

Bachman recently reached out to Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley for assistance with establishing free markets.

“I told him that the 1980s farm crisis is going to look like a picnic compared to today. If things don’t change and change fast,” Bachman said.

U.S. farmers are now looking for new markets to sell their soybeans, possibly for biodiesel, which could lead to fewer soybeans being planted next year.

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