‘Her kids were her everything.’ Young mother and mental health advocate remembered after murder-suicide

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Kaitlyn Hart

Click here for updates on this story

    FREEDOM, Wyoming (eastidahonews.com) — The family and friends of a Wyoming mother who was killed by her soon-to-be ex-husband are remembering her as an advocate for mental health awareness and a daughter, sister, and parent who loved fiercely.

Cassandra Moon, 23, also known by her maiden name Cassie Clinger, was shot and killed on the morning of Jan. 21 by her husband, 43-year-old Christopher Moon, Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies reported. Moon later took his own life.

Cassie’s mother, Cynthia Clinger, says her daughter lived her life to the fullest, securing her place as an impactful advocate of mental health awareness.

“Cassie was fun-loving, and she was very compassionate. She loved to help others,” Cynthia says. “She was a wonderful mother, sister, and daughter. She was just a good person.”

The second youngest of six girls, Cassie was a force to be reckoned with, even as she struggled with her own mental health issues throughout her life.

According to Cynthia, Cassie had aspirations to become an inspirational speaker and dreamed of helping others in her community and around the world to know they were not alone.

“She struggled with her own mental health issues and wanted to be able to help others,” Cynthia says. “She decided to start a (Facebook page) just to help somebody, anybody, to not have to struggle the way that she struggled, and to let people know that it’s okay to talk about it.”

Around 2016, Cassie started a Facebook Group titled “We Are Not Alone” to provide a safe space for those struggling with mental health issues to find companionship and support.

Hours before her death, Cassie shared a photo with the group, expressing her hopefulness that hard times would soon turn into something good.

Addie Garn, a close friend of Cassie, says the Facebook page was a great outlet for many people and says she will always remember Cassie’s strength and dedication to her children.

“No matter how much she was struggling, she was always the most positive, joyful, and was always the kindest in the room. She loved being a mother over everything else,” Garn says. “Her kids were her everything and gave her a sense of purpose. I think that’s what ultimately drove her to get out of that bad relationship because she wanted to make sure her kids knew they all deserved better.”

Cassie was also very involved and a dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to her mother, and spent the majority of her time doting on her three young children, as well as Moon’s four other children.

“When she had her first (child), she said that he saved her. I think that really helped give her purpose in life, to help with her mental health,” Cynthia says. “It gave her purpose and direction, and she just loved her kids.”

The three young children would often attend community mental health walks with their mother, says Cynthia, something she felt was very important to share with them.

“She did several mental health walks. In May, she did one for mental health awareness, and in September, we did one for suicide awareness,” Cynthia says. “She always took her kids along with her with front packs, strollers, whatever she needed; they went, and they were involved. She took them everywhere with her.”

Cynthia says the community’s support has been tremendous as the family struggles to cope with the sudden loss.

“The reach out from the community has been super overwhelming; good-overwhelming,” Cynthia says. “The outpouring of love and support. It just really rocked out the whole little town.”

Garn says the day before Cassie’s death, they had a conversation about her relationship with Moon.

“The day before she passed, we had talked, and she told me she was starting to feel better about everything and knew she made the right decision leaving Chris,” Garn says. “I told her she should be proud of all her efforts, and she was a huge example to so many women. We talked about how this would be the hardest part of the journey, and it’s heartbreaking that he took that from her.”

Fundraisers and auction to support the Clinger family Garn has organized a GoFundMe to raise funds and continue supporting the family, especially Cassie’s children.

“Cassie was a devoted mother whose love for her children knew no bounds. This fundraiser has been created to help support them during this devastating time and to honor Cassie’s life,” says the GoFundMe. “Funds raised will go toward funeral and memorial expenses for Cassie, immediate and ongoing support for Cassie’s kids, including basic needs, stability, and care, (as well as) any additional unforeseen expenses as the family navigates this profound loss.”

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.

School districts warn of consequences as student ICE walkouts spread

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Christopher Harris

Click here for updates on this story

    ATLANTA (WUPA) — Hundreds of students across metro Atlanta have already walked out of class this week, and with more demonstrations planned, several Georgia school districts are now speaking out.

Officials are warning that while student voices matter, disruptions during the school day will carry consequences.

On Tuesday, large groups of students left class at Archer High School and Parkview High School as part of protests tied to immigration enforcement concerns. More walkouts are planned for Wednesday in Newton, Paulding, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties, according to organizers. Last week, hundreds of students also walked out at Meadowcreek High School.

The demonstrations follow a broader wave of student activism earlier this month. On Jan. 20, metro Atlanta students joined a nationwide walkout in solidarity with Minnesota residents protesting an immigration crackdown in that state. The “Free America Walkout” took place that afternoon at universities and high schools across the region. At Lakeside High School in DeKalb County, more than 1,000 students participated. Walkouts also occurred at Emory University, Kennesaw State University, and other locations, ending with a citywide rally at Hurt Park in downtown Atlanta.

As protests continue, school districts are emphasizing safety, instruction, and adherence to student codes of conduct.

In Cobb County, school officials said they are aware of efforts by outside groups to recruit students for a rally related to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30. The district said those efforts encourage students to leave class or authorized school areas during the school day, which officials say would disrupt learning.

“While we respect the right of students to express their views in a non-disruptive way, students are expected to be in class and engaged in learning throughout the school day,” the district said in a statement.

Cobb County warned that violations of the student Code of Conduct, including skipping class or leaving authorized areas, could lead to disciplinary action, including out-of-school suspension and the loss of parking, sports, or extracurricular privileges. District leaders also cautioned that such consequences could have long-term impacts that may be considered by colleges or future employers.

The Paulding County School District issued a similar message to families, saying it has seen online posts, potentially from individuals or activist groups outside the community, encouraging student walkouts or demonstrations tied to ICE-related events.

While the district said it respects students’ rights to peaceful expression, officials said the suggested actions could jeopardize student safety and disrupt academic instruction. Any activity that interrupts the instructional day or involves leaving campus without permission is not school-sponsored and will result in discipline under district policy, the statement said.

“Our focus is providing a safe, positive learning environment focused on instruction, and classes will continue as scheduled throughout the week,” Paulding County officials said, adding that administrators and safety staff will monitor campuses to maintain order.

In DeKalb County, district leaders acknowledged the strong emotions surrounding recent national events and said they recognize students’ desire to speak out on issues they care about. The district emphasized its commitment to developing globally engaged citizens while maintaining safe and orderly schools.

“Students have the right to free expression; however, that expression must occur in a manner that does not disrupt instruction or compromise their safety,” the district said.

DeKalb County encouraged students to work with school administrators to find school-approved ways to share their perspectives, such as facilitated discussions or service activities. The district also reminded families that walkouts and other disruptive actions are prohibited under the Student Code of Conduct and may result in discipline based on the severity and context of the behavior, in accordance with state law.

With more walkouts planned in the coming days, districts across metro Atlanta say they are urging families to talk with students about appropriate civic engagement, balancing the right to be heard with the responsibility to keep schools safe, and focused on learning.

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.

Car crashes into Circle K on Constitution and Powers

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Celeste Springer

Click here for updates on this story

    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A car crashed into the Circle K on Constitution and Powers Boulevard on Tuesday afternoon, the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) confirms.

CSFD says the incident happened around 1:23 p.m. An SUV crashed through the front of the gas station.

The fire department says that the driver was assessed at the scene for injuries and did not require medical transport.

“This is exhausting,” wrote a spokesperson with CSFD on social media. “It’s been exactly 0 days since someone ran into a building in COS [Colorado Springs]”

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.

Berkeley residents divided over fire prevention ordinance; no wooden structures within 5 ft of home

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Lyanne Melendez

Click here for updates on this story

    BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) — Those white picket fences are most often associated with the American Dream. Add an old, hearty tree and life seems, well, complete.

But now the Berkeley Hills area is undergoing a transformation of sorts because of the potential threat of a wildfire starting in nearby Tilden Park.

“If there is a wildfire in the park and millions of small burning pieces of material fly and start landing on roof tops and next to homes here in Berkeley, how do we protect the homes so that the embers don’t ignite those homes? asked Berkeley Council member Brent Blackaby.

Blackaby says the answer is simple. Create a five-foot barrier around homes where nothing ignitable is allowed.

This, as expected, has ignited criticism.

“It’s personal, it’s my yard, demanded Jane Terjung, a Berkeley Hills resident.

When you venture around the Berkeley Hills, the word “lush” comes to mind and for some having to re-landscape around their home is unreasonable.

“You remove plants, what’s going in their place? You now have a problem. As you can see we’re up in the hills, it’s steep. There’s potential runoff problems when you remove plants, you lose the soil structure,” explained Richard Illgen, also a resident there.

Others have a different way of approaching it.

“Close to the house, we are planning on putting large stones that would keep the growth away from the home,” said resident Patrice Ignelzi.

In addition, she and her husband traded in their wooden fence for a metal one at a significant cost.

Under Berkeley’s new EMBER ordinance that went into effect on January 1, no wooden structures may touch or come within five feet of a home.

Almost immediately, contractors started to advertise.

The city of Berkeley is helping a few of those households and seniors pay for some of the landscaping costs.

Let’s take a closer look at what that five-foot barrier looks like. The councilmember showed us a tree next to his house which has been trimmed down.

“We need to do a little more refining. We started that process. This one too, again we’ve taken some of these branches out. We are directing the growth this way. We’ll do a little more pruning over here,” said Blackaby.

“Bushes against the deck, yeah, we have to remove those. We started removing some in the backyard so that one is gonna go,” he added.

For the past year, the fire department has started inspecting homes with the purpose of helping homeowners understand the ordinance.

“I think EMBER is a great idea because we need to do everything that we can to protect our homes in the whole area. To me, it doesn’t ruin our surrounding yards. It just sort of protection, a little bit of protection,” said Ignelzi.

Terjung says that’s debatable.

“There are studies on the other side, so to speak, because it’s turned into a fight, that shows that the moisture in plants often save a home, that some of them screen the embers,” claimed Terjung.

Let’s stop right there because a few months ago, UC Berkeley was part of a simulation that tested the vegetation during a wildfire.

Michael Gollner is one of the researchers.

“Unfortunately, the conditions are so extreme that the fire after a minute or two will dry out those plants and you get right at the same scenario, so any benefit is washed away before the fire would die down,” concluded Gollner who is the Director of the Berkeley Fire Research Lab.

His team also published a study that found that a 5-foot barrier can reduce the loss of a home by an added 17%.

But not every researcher agrees with the so-called benefits of that 5-foot perimeter.

Travis Longcore of UCLA has studied the aftermath of larger Southern California fires.

“There is not currently in the literature strong evidence of post fire studies that show complete removal of plant within five fee is necessary or beneficial,” said Longcore of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

Longcore believes this kind of removal has an adverse environmental impact.

Wildfires in these hills aren’t unheard of.

Before that, 640 homes were destroyed in 1923.

The state of California is finalizing its Zone Zero regulations. Those affected must be in compliance by 2029.

“Why wait for the state that has already take a long time when we are at risk while we wait? Second point is home insurers are canceling insurance of many of my constituents in this area every month. The longer we wait, the more people lose their insurance,” insisted Blackaby.

That’s true of Patrice Ignelzi and Bruce Smith. They lost their insurance coverage but eventually found another company at a higher cost.

Jane Terjung and is now covered through the California Fair Plan which is very expensive.

“Requires that everybody has to do it. If not everyone does it, then it’s really not going to help,” insisted Ignelzi. She and others now belong to a neighborhood group working with firefighters called Firewise.

Those who oppose the ordinance are threatening to recall their council member and fight to delay it from being enforced.

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.

Trash piling up on Arivaca property near the border

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Athena Kehoe

Click here for updates on this story

    ARIVACA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Just eight miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, Michelle Davis says the desert escape she found is being disturbed by trash scattered across her land.

“It’s just the peace and quiet and the land. I mean, you can’t find land like this. I’ve looked all over Arizona to see where else I could find something that was similar to this that had the amenities that our little tiny town has here, and I can’t find it,” Davis says.

She says the peace and quiet fades quickly once she starts walking her property. “Black water bottles everywhere, food, clothing, blankets across the road,” are just some of the items found.

She explains some of the trash will end up disintegrating into the ground. But other items left behind tell a different story.

“Carpet shoes and you know, the strips that they cut the blankets up into so that the packs don’t hurt their backs and dig into them. That’s not people trying to come here for a job, that’s drug cartel. And the drug cartel are pretty much in our backyard when you think about it,” Davis says.

The trash problem along Arizona’s borderlands is not new. According to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, about 2,000 tons of trash litter Arizona’s border region every year.

Humanitarian groups that operate in the desert say they provide food and water because it is essential for anyone crossing the harsh terrain. One example is No More Deaths, a southern Arizona-based humanitarian group. They say their volunteers hike remote desert corridors year-round, leaving water, food and other supplies and providing emergency aid to people making long, dangerous crossings.

Davis, however, says those efforts don’t account for the impact left behind on private property.

“For somebody to be in your backyard without your permission is not acceptable to me at all. And then there’s the people that support them and bring them through and help them to get across. If you wanna help them, why don’t you sponsor them?” Davis questions.

Davis points to employment-based immigrant visas as one alternative, noting that employers typically cover the costs of the sponsorship process. She says that tradeoff is worth it if it means protecting the land and the people who live nearby.

Purple paint lines the edges of her property, a widely recognized signal marking private land and warning against trespassing.

Davis hopes the story brings greater awareness to the trash homeowners near the border are forced to deal with.

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.

Teen charged with pregnant woman’s murder appears in court

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Darius Johnson, Elyssa Kaufman

Click here for updates on this story

    DOWNERS GROVE, Illinois (WBBM) — The 19-year-old man accused in the deadly stabbing of a pregnant woman inside her Downers Grove, Illinois, apartment is due back in court Thursday after his defense attorneys asked for more time to review evidence in the case.

Nedas Revuckas of Westmont, Illinois, was arrested and charged on Tuesday with first-degree murder with intent to cause death or great bodily harm, armed robbery, aggravated arson, intentional homicide of an unborn child, and aggravated cruelty to animals.

At his first court appearance Wednesday morning in DuPage County, his defense attorneys asked for more time to review nearly 200 pieces of evidence in the case, including photos, videos, and witness statements. He will be back in court on Thursday morning as prosecutors seek to have him held in jail while he awaits trial. Revuckas will remain in custody for now.

Downers Grove police said officers and the Downers Grove Fire Department responded to a fire at an apartment building in the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue just after 6 p.m. on Monday.

Firefighters pulled a 30-year-old pregnant woman, identified by police as Eliza Morales, from the fire and found she had suffered stab wounds. Paramedics tried to help her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Morales’ family said she had a 1 1/2-year-old daughter and was five months pregnant with her second daughter. She was married to her high school sweetheart.

Police have not said how or if Morales and Revuckas knew each other.

Morales’ family is planning a vigil in her honor.

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.

Local Iranian student speaks out as tensions escalate between U.S., Iran

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Jacqueline Aguilar

Click here for updates on this story

    TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A local college student with nearly 200 relatives in Iran says she’s living with “survivor’s guilt” as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate following the deployment of a major U.S. naval fleet on Monday.

The 28-year-old student, who was born in Tehran and raised in the U.S., asked to remain anonymous for her safety and the safety of her family in Iran. She learned about the most recent escalation through her family’s social media accounts before the Iranian government shut down Internet access.

“We’re grieving and mourning for people that we don’t know if we’ve lost them,” she said.

The student described how Iran’s economic collapse has made daily life increasingly difficult for her relatives. Iran’s currency, the rial, has dropped to a record low, losing about 5% of its value in January according to currency trackers.

“The prices for basic necessities would multiply by like 40, 50 times within one night,” she said.

As protests in Iran grew larger this month, the government shut down Internet access, leaving the student unable to contact her family for about a week. Several of her family members participated in the protests despite the danger.

“I couldn’t believe that we live in 2026 now and this is something that can still happen to a population of over 90 million people. They can just be cut off from the rest of the world,” she said.

U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) report that about 5,500 protesters have been killed during the recent unrest that began in December 2025. Data from HRANA also shows that 17,091 deaths are still being investigated.

“I felt very fearful,” she said.

On Monday, President Donald Trump said he believes Iranian leaders are seeking a deal with America.

“We have a big force going toward Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” President Trump said.

The student said living in the U.S. while her family faces danger in Iran has created complex emotions.

“It’s just luck that I ended up growing up here. So, I think for me, I have this weird sense of survivor’s guilt,” she said.

She believes speaking out about the escalation is the only way she can help her family and fellow Iranians.

“Everybody in Iran, their only really want from the Iranians outside of Iran is to keep talking about us [them],” she said.

The student said communication with her family remains limited and she continues to fear for their safety.

KGUN 9 is following these developments and will continue updating you on-air and online.

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

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.

Court reinstates Hinds County assistant principal fired for reading ‘I Need a New butt’ to students

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Angela Williams

Click here for updates on this story

    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — The Mississippi Court of Appeals has ordered the reinstatement of Toby Price, an assistant principal at Gary Road Elementary School, who was fired for reading the book “I Need a New Butt!” to second graders on Read Across America Day.

On March 1, 2022, Price read the book, which contains humorous references to “butts,” “butt cracks,” and “farts,” after a scheduled reader failed to show up. He was placed on administrative leave that day and fired two days later.

The Hinds County School Board upheld Price’s termination, citing the book’s inappropriate content. The court found the board’s decision lacked substantial evidence to prove violations of ethical standards and was arbitrary and capricious. It noted that similar books were available in the school library, Price had previously read a similar book that was recorded and posted on school social media, and there was no evidence that students were embarrassed or harmed.

The court reversed Price’s termination, ordered his reinstatement, and remanded for the determination of back pay.

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.

Inmate dies while shoveling snow at prison

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Matthew Keck

Click here for updates on this story

    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — Kentucky officials say a second person has died due to the winter storm, an inmate.

The Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet said an inmate, Marvin Knuckles, died while shoveling snow at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex on Tuesday.

Knuckles was shoveling snow and ice when he fell and hit his head, according to corrections officials.

He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.

“This tragic accident is one that we work to avoid each day as we protect those in our custody,” Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson said. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Knuckles and to our correctional staff. We will conduct a thorough review of this situation to better prevent this from happening again.”

Officials said Knuckles was serving a 12-year sentence for drug-related charges.

His death has been reported to the Kentucky State Police.

Knuckles’ death is the second following the weekend winter storm that hit Kentucky.

Gov. Andy Beshear said on Monday a 72-year-old woman from Whitley County died from hypothermia.

He clarified on Tuesday that the woman had also fallen.

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.

Victorville parents grieve the loss of 2 of 3 children in fiery crash on Highway 18

CNN Newsource on January 28, 2026

By Rob McMillan

Click here for updates on this story

    PHELAN, Calif. (KABC) — A Victorville mother is grieving the loss of two of her three children in a fiery crash on Highway 18 in Phelan last Friday.

Maria Cardenas said her 25-year-old daughter, Adrianna, and her 18-year-old son, Adam, were both killed when a vehicle heading in the opposite direction crossed the centerline and crashed into them head-on.

The driver who hit them head-on also lost their life.

“It’s just so tragic to lose both my children, because somebody might have been in a rush or late,” said Cardenas. “I don’t know what was on this person’s mind, or what rush this early in the morning. But I know my daughter is a good driver, and she had no time to react.”

According to California Highway Patrol, it happened just before 7 a.m. on Highway 18 near the intersection of Shandin Road.

Cardenas said her children were on their way to pick up a cousin at UC Santa Barbara. That’s when the driver of a white Cadillac CTS veered into their lane of travel and collided with their vehicle, according to CHP.

“Other people have reported that the driver was driving erratically previously,” said Cardenas. “It’s a two-way lane, so it is kind of scary there.”

Cardenas went to the scene when she heard about the crash, and her son and daughter weren’t responding.

“They were like, ‘Tell me about the kids,’ and I’m trying to describe my daughter. And I’m just like, ‘She just got a haircut, and she has glasses.’ And they said, ‘Tell me about the boy,’ and I said, ‘He has glasses, too,’ and then they asked me if he had braces, and I said, ‘Yes, he still has braces,'” she recalled. “Just sick to my stomach, you know?”

Cardenas said she now has only her memories of her children to cherish. She said Adrianna was like a mother to the entire family.

“We always wanted our kids to do better,” said Cardenas. “My oldest son (Alex) is an ideal role model, and my daughter was the same. That was our only daughter, and she took on the ‘mom’ responsibilities. I’m her mom, but literally she (was) our mom, and very helpful.”

CHP said they’re awaiting toxicology results on the driver who caused the crash. At this point, it’s unknown whether drugs or alcohol might have also been a factor.

A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for Cardenas, her husband and their one remaining son, Alex.

Cardenas hopes the tragic death of two of her children will raise awareness about the importance of drivers slowing down.

“Take your time. You’re going to get there. Just arrive safely and think about the others on the road, not just yourself,” Cardenas 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.