Author: CNN Newsource

By Hannah Moore

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    WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — A Goddard mother is fighting for her life after a spider bite at Cheney Lake turned into a life-changing medical emergency.

On May 28, Britagne Miller said she and her family were at the lake enjoying a campfire when multiple spiders crawled all over her, leaving bites all over her body. After four days, Miller said a painful bruise appeared near a bite on her calf that led her to the hospital.

“This one kept swelling and swelling, and it was like, you know, a fire stir that’s metal,” Miller said. “It was like shooting down my leg into my foot, and it felt like it was being stabbed.”

Prior to the spider bite, Miller said when she was pregnant with her daughter, she was diagnosed with two blood clotting disorders. Over the years, she developed a compromised liver and allergies to food and medications. With these diagnoses, Miller said the idea of surgery was scary and was not a part of her plan.

“I’m terrified of surgery, that I’m going to go to sleep and not wake up, or that I’m going to bleed out,” Miller said. “They came at 9 o’clock in the morning, and they’re like, we need you to sign this paper. We’re going into surgery.”

During this surgery, Miller said doctors removed almost 300 milliliters of blood clots and put in a drain to heal the wound. After five days in recovery, Miller said her wound became infected with a staph and gram-negative S-type infection. Further adding, the doctors believed she was in end-stage liver failure, with only days to a month left to live.

“They couldn’t keep my levels above even critical,” Miller said. “They gave me three days up to a month to live, so that was scary. “

Miller said she only remembers glimpses while in the medical and cardio intensive care unit, after denying hospice. After weeks of recovery, on July 11, Miller said she was able to leave the hospital and enroll in at-home care, with only family on her mind.

“I was like, I give up,” Miller said. “I’m done being cut open. I’m done being poked and prodded. I’m done hurting. Then I thought about all of them.”

Miller said she beat the odds, surviving multiple surgeries and infections for a month, with a long journey ahead to qualify for a liver transplant.

“The plan is to get a liver transplant once they can get my hemoglobin levels up,” Miller said.

While in the hospital, Miller said there was no definitive way to confirm what spider bit her, but the area on her leg suggests it was a brown recluse spider. Dr. Raymond Cloyd, a horticultural entomologist at Kansas State, said there are numerous types of spiders in Kansas, but the two venomous ones are the black widow and brown recluse spider.

“The two venomous ones that we have in Kansas are the black widow spider, and the more numerous one is the brown recluse spider, which prevails throughout most of the Midwest to mid-central Kansas,” Cloyd said. “Those are the two poisonous ones we have overall in Kansas.”

Cloyd said the number one exclusion is a good way people can prevent any spiders or spiders’ prey like millipedes, centipedes, sow bugs, or crickets from entering a home by sealing cracks and crevices.

“If you have boxes that have been sitting there cold, you want to wear gloves,” Cloyd said. “Shake shoes or even wash them before you end up wearing them because those are areas where brown recluse and black widow are more likely to reside.”

Since Miller’s hospitalization, she said her husband lost his job due to his inability to work normal hours to take care of her and her children. The Miller family has started a GoFundMe for Miller’s hospital and ongoing medical expenses, home health care, and everyday necessities.

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 WDJT Staff

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    SAUKVILLE, Wis. (WDJT) — A dog missing for two years was reunited with her Pennsylvania family on Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Wisconsin Humane Society’s Ozaukee Campus.

Charlie Sue, a 6-year-old boxer, was found by a good Samaritan about a mile north of Harrington Beach on Saturday, July 25.

WHS says she was then taken to Cedar Grove Veterinary Services where Dr. Diane Dommer found a microchip, then brought to the humane society when the owner couldn’t be reached right away.

Staff eventually connected with Carry Ann of Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, whose dog had gone missing two years earlier. She and her family made a 12-hour, 600-mile drive through five states to pick up Charlie Sue, who reportedly leapt into their laps when brought out to meet 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 Tyler Tripodi

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    PIEDMONT, Okla. (KOCO) — Most 8-month-olds are learning to crawl, sit without support, and starting to battle.

But Huckson Parsons is having to fight another battle – a rare genetic disorder known as ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

“He’s a happy little fighter,” his father, Cade, said.

Huck, as his family calls him, is as happy as they come.

“He’s the happiest baby you probably would ever meet in your life,” his mother, Abby, said.

Past the happy demeanor, though, Huck is fighting a battle with OTC deficiency.

“It’s a genetic condition that is, like, it affects the urea cycle and his body’s way of moving toxic ammonia out of his body,” Abby said.

That condition means Huck and his family have spent a majority of his life in hospital rooms, doctors’ offices, and treatment centers. While doctors have worked hard to get Huck to where he is, his diagnosis will need a big operation that has left his family in a tight spot.

“It requires a liver transplant,” Abby said.

“They told us last week at the evaluation that when we get the call, we have four hours to get there,” Cade added.

The Parsons must get to Houston. And even if they do make it, it doesn’t guarantee the transplant will happen.

“They can decide that they don’t want the liver that was selected, and then we have to find a way back home,” Cade said.

If the transplant is a success, it’s a 30-day stay in Houston. With two other children 6 and younger, it won’t be easy.

“We have two other kids that would be down there with us. So, let’s try to figure out ways to make that work,” Cade said. “And my job has FMLA, but that’s unpaid. So, I don’t know how I’m going to work that out yet.”

With medications, special formulas, and a looming trip to Houston, the Parsons began fundraising and providing updates on their Facebook page where more than 100,000 people have come together to support them. They said this level of support means the world to them.

A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help.

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 Darla Miles

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    CRANFORD, New Jersey (WABC) — More than 100 box turtles not native to New Jersey turned up along a Cranford roadway this week. Residents scrambled to rescue them, and investigators are examining whether they were dumped as part of an illegal wildlife trade.

The unusual sight was first reported Wednesday morning near Riverside Drive and Casino Avenue, adjacent to the Rahway River. Investigators initially believed the animals might have been snapping turtles emerging after heavy rain, but residents soon realized the reptiles were box turtles.

Among those drawn to the search was 12-year-old Henning Schmidt, who spent Friday looking for turtles along the river.

“My mom told me about the turtles that got released, and I really like reptiles and amphibians and birds and whatever, so I went over here and I tried to catch one,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said he was surprised by how many turtles he found.

“I didn’t think I was actually going to find any, but then I found three. And then I was like, I got to come back here, this is good. And then I came, and I caught another one over there like an hour ago,” he said.

Resident Angela Cichoski said she first learned about the turtles through calls and messages from neighbors.

“So I get a call from one of my neighbors. I’m known as the animal rescuer in the neighborhood. That there were two random turtles in our courtyard,” Cichoski said.

A short time later, she learned the scope of the situation was much larger.

“I get a text from another neighbor saying that there’s about 50 turtles down the block, so we all go racing down, and there were literally over 100 turtles just walking into the road. So neighbors came out. Everyone’s trying to get them slowing cars down on this busy road, trying to get them back,” Cichoski said.

Cichoski said catching the animals proved challenging.

“People think turtles are slow until you’re trying to catch 100 of them from running into the road. They’re quicker than you think,” she said.

Investigators are looking into the possibility that the turtles were part of an illegal wildlife trade before being dumped in the area.

The health department is asking residents who find a box turtle to bring it to the Cranford Fire Department.

Cichoski offered similar advice.

“I would just say if you see any turtles, you know, put gloves on, put them in a box and just walk them over to the Cranford fire station between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and just wash your hands,” 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 Penelope Anderson

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    TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT) — Police have released new details about Saturday’s mass shooting at an In-N-Out restaurant, identifying the suspect as 24-year-old Chad Williams and confirming he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said officers received multiple 911 calls just before 2:30 p.m. Saturday, with dispatchers hearing screams and gunfire as first responders rushed to the scene.

Three people were killed and seven others were injured in the shooting. Of the injured, two have been treated and released, three are in stable condition and two are in critical condition, Hicks said.

The identities of the victims have not been released while families continue to be notified.

Investigators believe Williams acted alone. Hicks said social media claims identifying another individual as the suspect were false.

“We understand there are many questions and we will try to answer as many of those in time as we can,” Hicks said. “However, because some details cannot be released at this stage, doing so would compromise our investigation.”

An off-duty Idaho State Police trooper and an armed citizen returned fire at Williams during the shooting. Investigators believe those actions forced the gunman away from the crowded area and likely prevented additional casualties.

“We want to take a moment and commend the actions of the off-duty officer and the citizen and their heroic action to stop this incident,” Hicks said. “We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties.”

Investigators are still processing evidence and interviewing witnesses. The FBI is assisting with the investigation and has established a digital portal where anyone with photos, videos or other evidence from Saturday’s shooting is asked to submit it.

“We have committed the full weight of our resources to the Twin Falls Police Department, deploying every investigative and intelligence tool at our disposal,” said Robert, whose last name was not provided in the script.

Victim advocates and crisis counselors remain available for those impacted.

Crisis counselors are available for people who witnessed or were affected by Saturday’s shooting at the Twin Falls In-N-Out, according to Lori Stewart, public information officer for the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office.

About 50 therapists are on site at Rock Creek Elementary School, 850 Federation Road in Twin Falls, according to a KMVT reporter at the scene.

Dozens of people have already received support.

The free counseling services are available to anyone affected by the shooting from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2. Services will also be offered from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the same location.

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 Jordan Scheufler

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    TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT) — A Dick’s Sporting Goods employee says he came face to face with the shooter during an active shooter incident and narrowly escaped after the suspect fired and missed him.

Braxton Stuebe said his shift started normally until he heard an unfamiliar sound.

“I kind of noticed like a ringing in my ear and I asked what it was and they said it was the alarm going off,” Stuebe said.

He said he initially dismissed it, as the alarm had gone off before. That changed when a group of people rushed into the store.

“A storm of people come in, like 5, 10 people come in and specifically this lady, she was yelling, there’s an active shooter, there’s an active shooter, running through the store, letting everybody know,” Stuebe said.

Stuebe said he began directing people toward the back of the store, where a locked door was the only way out. He said he located a manager and pushed through the crowd to get the door unlocked.

He and a coworker then ran toward a hotel under construction near the canyon. That is when Stuebe said he spotted a man near the visitor center.

“I saw the gun and I kind of just froze. I put my hands up and that’s when he pointed the gun directly at me,” Stuebe said.

Stuebe said he tried to stay calm and talk to the suspect.

“The only thing I was really thinking was, don’t try and make any sudden movements, don’t try and run. Just hopefully talk to him and hopefully he can change his mind,” Stuebe said.

“I said, I have a family. I said, you don’t have to do this. I’ll tell you whatever you want. I’ll do anything,” he said.

Stuebe said the suspect appeared to become emotional during the exchange.

“He started to like tear up a bit, it seemed like. And kind of just got like emotional, it seemed like. And he said to me, just get away from me, man. And a stuttering voice, like as if he was crying almost,” Stuebe said.

As Stuebe backed away, he said the suspect turned and fired in his direction.

“He turns back around and kind of has a firearm on his hip. As he’s walking backwards, he fires a shot towards me. Thankfully he had missed me. We decided to go to the sidewalk on Blue Lakes and we just started waving our hands trying to stop traffic after we went into Best Buy and called our parents,” Stuebe said.

Stuebe’s father, Chad Stuebe, said he raced across town after receiving the call.

“It’s not a situation you should be in as a parent. I just wanted to get there and get him home safe. There’s families in the area that aren’t getting to sit down with their kids or their loved ones,” Chad Stuebe 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.