Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach hit by burglars, leaving significant damage behind

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Michele Gile, Dean Fioresi

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — An investigation is underway in Long Beach after the Holy Innocents Parish Catholic School was hit by burglars over the weekend, who left a significant amount of damage behind.

Long Beach Police Department officers were dispatched to the school early Monday morning upon learning of the incident. They were called after school officials arrived and found the school’s chapel in complete disarray.

“We feel violated,” said Principal Cyril Cruz. “I feel just really bad for our families, for our scholars.”

She said that the desecration of religious items is what hits her the hardest.

Among the damage is a smashed statue of The Virgin Mary, other religious artifacts, like the tabernacle that stores communion, and destroyed furniture. The alleged burglars also destroyed the school’s internet devices and musical equipment and tossed learning materials and Bibles around the building. A picture of Pope Leo XIV was also shattered.

“They were starting to stack up musical instruments, and different things like that, but the damage that’s particularly done to the sacred objects like the statues and the tabernacle … they took time to really damage those articles,” Cruz said.

Volunteers, staff members and parents worked throughout the day on Monday to clean up the mess, expressing concerns about a potentially bigger issue.

“I’m concerned. I need to know if there was writing on the walls, if there was hate crime targeted because we’re a specific Catholic setting,” said Patricia Torres. “That’s my biggest concern as a parent right now.”

The statue of The Virgin Mary was replaced early Tuesday morning by two parents, who drove to downtown Los Angeles to buy a replacement.

“Yesterday when I saw the pictures of our blessed Mother, broken, I felt a pain in my heart,” said Cristina Pietro. “I was crying. I said, ‘This is not possible.'”

The five-foot statue was back in its rightful place, on an altar in the chapel, by the time school got out.

“I know what happened; it wasn’t good. But I’m glad it was no damage and kids weren’t hurt, the building is still put, it’s not on fire,” said Teresa Han. “But hey, material things we will, little by little, get them back.”

School officials said that Long Beach police had forensic detectives at the scene to try and recover DNA evidence that could point them in the right direction while they search for the suspects.

Mass was canceled for students on Monday morning due to the damage and ongoing investigation, Principal Cruz said. Families and students still came together to pray at lunch time, focusing on those who took the time to damage their school.

“This is continuing to pray for those that need healing as far as doing something this bad,” said Gary Dyogi, one of the parents. “But also know that they will be forgiven.”

Principal Cruz said that police discovered some blood inside the chapel, which they hope will help them identify at least one of the suspects. She noted that they were initially hoping to have the school restored enough for normal operations on Wednesday, but so much work was done on Monday that mass was held as usual on Tuesday, followed by a procession asking for the protection of staff and students.

“Seeing the damage and seeing what has been done, especially to the sacred objects, I don’t know the heart of the person, but there’s definitely, at least I feel, something behind it,” Cruz said.

On Tuesday, church officials learned that Department of Justice investigators were joining the ongoing probe, and that while Long Beach police continue investigating the incident as a burglary, they haven’t been able to determine if anything was actually taken.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn shared a statement on the incident, which she called “a horrific violation of a school and faith community.”

“This should be a safe place for families to live their faith and for children to grow and learn,” her statement said, in part. “Instead, it has been desecrated. I stand with the parishioners and families of Holy Innocents.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, an online fundraiser to help the school recover and repair damages had raised nearly $100,000, thanks in large part of a $10,000 donation from Gabriel Iglesias, the Long Beach native and comedian popularly known as “Fluffy.” The fundraiser can be found by searching for the keywords “Restoring Holy Innocents School After Desecration.”

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Three children discovered in trunk of suspected Colorado drunk driver’s vehicle

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Christa Swanson

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — Police in the Denver metro area made an alarming discovery during the recent arrest of a suspected drunk driver when they found three children in the trunk of the car.

Westminster police officers pulled over the vehicle after they say they witnessed the driver, Thomas Michael Raiola, behaving recklessly near City Center Drive and 93rd Avenue. The officers reported there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle. According to body camera footage released by the Westminster Police Department, Raiola denied drinking and initially agreed to do roadside maneuvers, but later changed his mind.

According to the police department, Raiola told officers, “My kids are in the trunk,” after the officers placed him in handcuffs.

“Sure enough, three kids were in the trunk. We’d like to point out it was also freezing temps outside during this stop. Luckily, the kids were unharmed,” the department said.

The officers also said they recovered several bottles of alcohol from the vehicle.

Raiola was arrested and booked into the Adams County Jail. He posted a $2,500 bond and is due back in court on March 16.

He is facing charges of DUI, reckless driving, failure to provide a valid insurance and three counts of child abuse. According to court records, Raiola received a deferred sentence for a 2020 child abuse charge in Adams County after completing a program.

Authorities said the officers contacted CPS, and the children were later released to family members.

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Police say college student in Colorado tried to hire someone for $500 to kill teammate over hair in shower

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Jennifer McRae

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — A student at Fort Lewis College in southern Colorado allegedly tried to hire someone for $500 to kill his teammate over hair in the bathroom. Investigators said that Jackson Keller, a student at the college in Durango, was arrested late last week and booked into the La Plata County Jail.

Keller, 19, faces charges of criminal solicitation for first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon on college grounds.

According to the arrest affidavit from the Fort Lewis College Police Department, the investigation began on Jan. 28 when school officials called police regarding an alleged murder-for-hire plot that involved students.

One student told police that he knew both of the students involved, including Keller and the alleged victim, who both played on the college football team. The suspect and alleged victim lived in two separate rooms on campus connected by a shared bathroom.

The two had played on the football team and had a history of talking “trash” while playing a football video game, and Keller had challenged the alleged victim to a physical fight after the game, according to an arrest report.

The alleged victim told police that Keller had come into his room about a week before the alleged murder-for-hire plot was uncovered, upset with him for leaving hair in the shower. That apparently led to a confrontation between the two about coming into each other’s rooms, which could be accessed via the shared bathroom. According to the affidavit, the alleged victim said Keller challenged him to a fight in the hallway. The document states that Keller stayed in his room, and a witness told the alleged victim that Keller was holding a pair of scissors behind his back and was planning on stabbing the alleged victim if he came into Keller’s room.

The alleged victim also told police that Keller had a firearm in his room at one point, showing the weapon to him. The document states the alleged victim told police he later heard rumors that Keller took it to Colorado Springs during winter break and sold the gun for $150.

The student who knew both Keller and the alleged victim was interviewed by police. In the affidavit, he said Keller asked if he gave him $500 on CashApp, would he “put a hat on him,” referring to the alleged victim. The student told police he thought Keller was asking him to kill the alleged victim, saying he would pay him after he “got it done.” That student told police that he told Keller “no,” and that’s when Keller received a FaceTime call with three males from Colorado Springs.

According to the affidavit, the student observed Keller asking the males over the phone the same question about “putting a hat on” the alleged victim, and told police he saw the $500 CashApp banner for the exchange of money displayed on Keller’s phone. The student told police he saw the males handling firearms on FaceTime, both rifles and handguns. They also showed Keller an estimated time of arrival seven hours later from directions on their phone, and said they were “on their way.”

The student told police that he was worried for his safety and told the alleged victim what had happened. That’s when school officials learned about the alleged murder-for-hire plot and contacted police.

Police took Keller into custody the next afternoon, Jan. 29, in his room, where Fort Lewis College Police officers were accompanied by a Durango police officer and Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents. According to the affidavit, officers did not find a weapon during a search of Keller’s room, but did notice a pair of scissors on the countertop at the entrance to the room.

Before asking for an attorney, Keller told police about the incident with the alleged victim regarding hair in the bathroom. According to the affidavit, officers observed Keller “quickly moving through apps on his phone” while talking to his father on speaker phone in an interview room at the police station. Officers said that before the phone call, Keller had given investigators permission to look at his phone.

After asking for an attorney, Keller was placed under arrest. According to the affidavit, that’s when he told officers that he wanted to add more to his story and said the alleged victim was selling marijuana on campus and he had video evidence on his phone to show investigators. Keller also stated that he believed that the alleged victim and the other student were “conspiring against him.”

Keller was released from police custody that same day on a $50,000 surety bond.

Keller appeared in court on Monday afternoon, where a judge issued conditions for bond that included no possession of drugs or alcohol, no possession of weapons, and a mandatory protection order for the alleged victim and the other student who talked to police.

Keller is scheduled to appear in court for an advisement of charges on Feb. 23.

Multiple messages were left with Keller’s attorney seeking comment for CBS News Colorado.

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Second grader accidentally shoots himself inside classroom; suffers non-life-threatening injuries

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By JT Moodee Lockman

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    GLEN BURNIE, Maryland (WJZ) — A second-grade student suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound at an elementary school in Glen Burnie on Wednesday morning, according to Anne Arundel County police.

The accidental gun discharge happened inside a classroom at Freetown Elementary School around 8:30 a.m.

The 7-year-old boy suffered injuries to his hand, police said. Other students were in the classroom at the time, but no other injuries were reported.

“None of us can imagine the terror or the fear that students experienced here this morning, and the teacher,” said Police Chief Amal Awad.

According to police, a teacher secured the weapon and provided aid to the student.

“We are very grateful that the teacher was very responsive in addressing that child’s injuries and making sure first responders were notified,” Awad said.

The child was taken to Shock Trauma with non-life-threatening injuries after the incident, according to county fire officials.

Police are now investigating how the child gained possession of the weapon and why it was discharged.

According to Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell, the building was placed on hold during the incident.

Freetown Elementary will dismiss students at 11:15 a.m., and bus riders will be taken home on their normal routes, district officials said.

“We think that there’s a lot of trauma not only for the students, but for the faculty and staff,” Bedell said.

Crisis counselors will be on site Wednesday and Thursday for students and parents. Bedell said classes will resume on Thursday.

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Teen suffering from rare birth condition making desperate plea for kidney donation

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Stacey Sager

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    LONG ISLAND, New York (WABC) — A teenager in Nassau County who is facing a critical health battle is in desperate need of a kidney donor.

Elias Manolis is a 13-year-old boy who works hard in school, loves his family and his brand new puppy Cooper, but life is anything but normal for the eighth grader as he was born with a kidney condition called UVJ obstruction, and since February, Manolis’ kidneys have started to fail.

“If I get a new kidney, then I actually can live a normal life,” he said. “On a weekend, I would normally go out with a friend, go biking, but as soon as 1 o’clock hits, I have to come home and do a catheterization.”

Manolis’ parents don’t qualify as kidney donors, nor do others in his family.

“To want to help your kid and you can’t, it’s very hard,” said Elias’ father, Nick Manolis.

They have been desperately searching for a live kidney donor.

“We just have a big decline. His kidney function is about 17%, so it’s serious,” said Elias’ mother, Margaret Manolis.

Dr. Lauren Castellanos, a nephologist at Northwell Transplant Institute, says the 13-year-old will probably require dialysis very soon. That would mean hours in the hospital several times per week.

The family is hoping for a live donor, since kidneys from live donors last nearly twice as long as those from a person who is deceased, and the teen is still so young.

Here are a couple of other things you may want to consider if you want to help Elias: It’s a relatively short recovery time, just two nights in the hospital, the procedure can be done laparoscopically, you go home and you recover, and then you get back to your normal life.

“We have donors who are marathon runners, who hit the pavement post-donation and are back at running, exercising,” said Libbie Blinkiewicz, a Northwell living donor ambassador.

The 13-year-old’s family is hoping potential donors realize it would be life changing for a boy with a winning smile who continues to believe in all things good.

“That person will be a hero,” Elias Manolis said.

“It would be his gift of life… our gift of life,” Elias’ mother said.

Doctors say they are looking for potential donors with type O or B blood, and a body mass index of 35 or less in order to find him a match.

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Forgotten piece of music brought back to life and back to Carnegie Hall

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Chanteé Lans

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    NEW YORK (WABC) — It’s Black History Month and a powerful piece of American music is finally reclaiming its place in the spotlight.

Nearly a century ago, composer and choir director William Levi Dawson made history when his Negro Folk Symphony premiered at Carnegie Hall – a rare honor for a Black composer at the time.

Though widely praised, the work was soon forgotten and went unheard for decades – until now.

“Last year April 2025 was the first time that William Levi Dawson’s work, the Negro Folk Symphony, was performed again at Carnegie,” said composer and performer Damien Sneed.

Negro Folk Symphony’s debut by the Philadelphia Orchestra in Pennsylvania and at Carnegie Hall in 1934 made Dawson the third African American composer whose symphony was premiered by a major American orchestra.

The music draws deeply from African American spirituals like the bond of Africa – offering a profound musical reflection of the Black experience in America.

“I was whisked transcendently into a place of seeing people having to work under harsh conditions,” Sneed said.

Sneed, who is also a professor at Howard University and Juilliard, was with the Gateways Festival Orchestra last year that brought back Dawson’s work to Carnegie’s main stage after nearly a century.

“It was incredible, 96 musicians of color on one stage, it was just powerful,” Sneed said.

That was last April, but this year during Black History Month, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra will perform at Carnegie Hall.

In 2003, Billy Hunter Jr. became the first Black Principal Trumpet of the Met Opera and of any major U.S. orchestra.

“I think it says volumes,” he said. “But it’s not just music right, I think it’s in all aspects of society, systemic racism.”

Like Dawson, the Met Orchestra’s Sasha Romero is a trombonist.

“It’s nice to feel connected to a bit of Black history as a mixed-race person,” Romero said. “I particularly feel the lost history that my mother’s ancestors have from slavery.”

It’s a cultural work that transcends through time.

“I think we have a responsibility and a duty to make sure that his voice is never lost,” Sneed said.

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Toddler on life support; Father held without bail in beating case

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Jaysha Patel, WABC Staff

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    NEW YORK (WABC) — A father in Queens claims he was drunk when his 2-year-old son was beaten so badly that he ended up on life support in the hospital.

Dayvon Morrison, 30, was arraigned on attempted murder and assault charges Wednesday morning. He was ordered held without bail.

Morrison apparently said he was drunk, and when he woke up, he saw “multiple bruises on the victim’s face but did not seek medical attention at that time.”

He said, “he must have hit the victim but doesn’t remember because he was intoxicated.”

The beating is alleged to have occurred inside the Manhattan View Hotel, which is now operating as a shelter, sometime on Friday night.

Instead of going to get his son help, Morrison allegedly took the child in a stroller to East Harlem Saturday morning.

The boy did not get medical care until early Monday morning.

Police responded to a 911 call near East 102nd Street and Third Avenue on Monday at around 3 a.m. and found the boy with severe head trauma.

The victim is on a ventilator with a “blown right pupil, fractured pelvis, laceration to the liver, damage to the brain stem, multiple brain bleeds and swelling to the brain, among other injuries.”

The boy’s mother posted on social media asking for prayers: “My baby is fighting for his life in the ICU please, I can’t do anything but pray.”

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This couple just adopted siblings. There’s a need for more families to do the same

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Forrest Sanders

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    NASHVILLE (WTVF) — An organization that works to find homes for children in the foster care system is sharing a certain need. They’re looking for parents to foster or adopt siblings. For many reasons, those siblings can be separated in the foster care system.

This is the story of one couple who answered call.

A crowd gathered in a hallway at the Rutherford County Judicial Center. At the center of the crowd was Larry and Tammy Pointer. They go by Mrs. Tammy and Mr. Larry.

This was not what a family reunion usually looks like.

“A lot different!” Mr. Larry laughed. “Ribs, steaks, chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs.”

Those reunions are usually in a backyard. The best part? Someone other than Mr. Larry works the grill.

“I’m at my seat sitting down!” he laughed. “I earned that privilege!”

Even still, this was a family reunion and one where the family was growing.

I need to share a few things that led us here.

Mr. Larry and Mrs. Tammy met while they were both bus drivers for metro schools.

“Did you know Mrs. Tammy was the one?” I asked.

“Not really, I didn’t,” Mr. Larry said as both he and Mrs. Tammy laughed. “I didn’t, not at first.”

The two later hit it off and married with a certain shared care for children.

“Being a school bus driver, and having 70 kids on one bus at a time without a monitor, I knew how kids act,” Mrs. Tammy explained.

They ended up fostering 20 children.

Over at Youth Villages, foster care assistant director Claire Moses said there is always a hope they can keep siblings together who are in the foster care system.

“We have homes that are sometimes divided by gender, so like a boy home or a girl home,” she explained. “Sometimes when siblings are removed from a home, the siblings they have are some of the most important people in their life. We want them to keep that relationship and live with one another, because they have such a shared experience.”

With that in mind, Mrs. Tammy and Mr. Larry lead a huge group of family and friends into a courtroom.

A brother and sister can’t appear on camera or be named out of a request for privacy by the family. They were being adopted together by Mrs. Tammy and Mr. Larry.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Mrs. Tammy nodded. “We know we have a village out here, and we’re not in this alone to have all our family.”

“I’m in awe of individuals that have stepped up to help,” the judge told Mrs. Tammy and Mr. Larry. “It takes special people, and you are special. It is selfless. It is such a selfless act, and this court really, really appreciates it. The court hereby grants this adoption. Congratulations.”

It wasn’t a cookout, but this was a family gathering to remember forever.

“We can love on each other and learn how to grow together,” said Mrs. Tammy.

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Last-minute rush: Test-takers scramble before English-only DMV deadline

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Kayla McDermott

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    LAKE WORTH BEACH, Florida (WPTV) — Florida will join just two other states in restricting driver’s license exams to English only, with the change taking effect Friday.

The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles announced the policy change with less than a week’s notice, prompting a rush of people seeking to take their driving tests in languages other than English before the Feb. 6 deadline.

“We’ve been getting tons and tons of phone calls,” said Felix Ortiz, owner of U-Drive It Driving School in Lake Worth Beach. “It’s gone up to about 20 to 30 people a day.”

Tamia Morales, who was studying at the driving school ahead of the deadline, said the change creates barriers for non-native English speakers.

“I think that’s a barrier for people who don’t fully understand the language,” Morales said in Spanish. “Difficulty arises when there are more complex words or expressions that I can’t understand.”

The DMV said the policy aims to promote clear communication, understanding of traffic laws and responsible driving.

However, Darlyin, another student at U-Drive It, disagreed with the reasoning.

“It’s awful because they’re like, ‘What are they saying? How do I do this?’ and it makes you feel bad,” she said.

Ortiz expressed concern that the language restriction could lead to unintended consequences, noting that road signs rely on shapes and colors that can be understood universally.

“The signs have certain shapes and colors, you know, that can be understood everywhere,” Ortiz said. “My opinion, they’re probably going to drive without a license. That’s my biggest fear.”

He says the driving school will most likely be making changes to the way it educates students come Friday.

“We’re going to try to change curriculums around, try to see how we can aid the public in taking their road tests in English,” he said.

WPTV reached out to Governor Ron DeSantis’ office, asking if this change stems directly from a triple fatal semi-truck crash on the Turnpike last year, where he says the driver could not read or understand English.

His team just provided a social media statement the government made praising the DMV’s decision, emphasizing that people need to know English and understand road signs.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WPTV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Brothers’ bond deepens after snow plow accident leaves 1 hospitalized

CNN Newsource on February 4, 2026

By Alex Barber

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    GRAYSON COUNTY, Kentucky (WLEX) — Tristan and Taylor Pharis may seem like opposites, but their brotherly connection runs deep.

“I’m the white-collar guy, and he is the blue-collar guy. He is the total opposite. People don’t think we are brothers,” Tristan Pharis said.

Despite their differences, Tristan has nothing but admiration for his brother’s dedication to his wife and three children. This winter, Taylor has been plowing the roads.

“He’s a hustler. He tries to work and make ends meet any way he can,” Tristan said.

The winter of 2026 brought particularly challenging conditions across Kentucky, with repeated cycles of snow, ice, and refreezing creating treacherous road conditions.

“Here it was like snow, then it froze, then it snow, then that frozen, then that melted. It just keeps refreezing,” Tristan said.

On January 28, those dangerous winter conditions changed everything for the Pharis family. Taylor was plowing the Western Kentucky Parkway in Leitchfield when he was involved in a crash with a semi truck. The impact was severe enough that Taylor had to be airlifted to the University of Louisville Hospital Trauma Center with life-threatening injuries.

“He didn’t even see the truck coming. You get a call that he was in a serious accident. If it could been any different. We could have had a wife and three kids without a father,” Tristan said.

Even in his most vulnerable moments, Taylor’s first thoughts weren’t about his own condition but about his family’s future.

“One of his first words when he woke up was he thought he was going to lose his house,” Tristan said.

Taylor has remained hospitalized since the crash but is stable. There is no timeline for when he will be able to return to work and support his family.

The accident has served as a stark reminder of how quickly life can change.

“In a blink of an eye, life can change. It’s said too many of times, but when it hits home. It’s even more true,” Tristan said.

Through this difficult time, the brothers have discovered that their bond has only grown stronger.

“As much as we loved each other before this. It’s obviously when you’re that close to somebody that only makes that bond stronger,” Tristan said.

Tristan has set up a GoFundMe page if you would like to help his family, and a P.O. Box if you would like to write a letter of encouragement. The address is PO Box 87, Leitchfield, KY 42754.

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