Family shares their story behind the push for the Purple Alert bill

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Rae Daniel

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    KANSAS CITY (KSHB) — Two-year-old Hudson loves to play games with his sisters, Abigail and Evelyn, make silly faces and share a laugh that is contagious.

“He is one of the most curious kids that I’ve ever met,” Hudson’s mom, Hali Rauer said. “He does like his routines, but he wants to explore everything and anything.”

For Hudson, communication looks a bit different. He’s nonverbal and has level three autism.

“This is how he communicates,” Rauer said. “He is learning it quite a bit at Easterseals Midwest.”

Hudson uses his AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device to communicate.

“He has learned colors and his name and family so if he’s missing family members , he can tell us,” Rauer said. “Usually, it’s ‘momma’ to go home.”

It’s one of the reasons why Rauer and Hudson’s sister, 10-year-old Abigail, testified in support of the Purple Alert bill, to be a voice for Hudson.

“Danielle posted in a group saying ‘I’m looking for volunteers, anyone with kids with autism’ so I wanted to go there and be his voice until he’s able to use his own voice with the AAC.

It’s similar to an Amber Alert, however it’s specifically designed to identify missing people with developmental disabilities.

Throughout the hearing in February, many families who testified used the word, ‘elopement.’

“Elopement happens when their nervous system goes into flight mode,” Rauer said. “It can be out of nowhere. So they can be with you, be engaged and then all of the sudden, they are off to the races and you don’t know where they’re going, you don’t know what triggered it and so they can be lost. They don’t know who to turn to because they don’t know danger so they will run towards danger. They really love water, they’re just drawn to it, so if there’s any ponds or lakes or anything around, that’s usually where they’ll go first.”

It’s what Rauer experienced with her son just a few weeks ago.

“I was actually outside with him, playing with a basketball. He was engaged with me, we were just playing and then all of a sudden what I think is he heard a car, because one of his hyper fixations is spinning wheels, he loves them, and then all of the sudden his nervous system went into flight and I feel like they go a lot faster when they’re in the flight response,” Rauer said. “I ran after him, I was able to lunge and grabbed his arm, I fell. Head hit the concrete and I was knocked out and when I came to, he was standing next to me. He really liked the blood on my face, so when I tried to stand up it started going down my face and I got a little dizzy and I started calling for help, and luckily a neighbor came out and knew about Hudson, knew about autism, so she didn’t go and grab him , she just tried to redirect him to go up to the house so I could try and stop the bleeding.”

She said the feeling was terrifying.

“There were two possibilities,” she said. “He could’ve been in front of the car, and it could’ve been the worst day of my life or it could be the second worst day of my life, the car would’ve passed, he would’ve ran, kept running and I don’t know if I would’ve come to in time and it could’ve been just word of mouth, just trying to find him and he wouldn’t of had his words.”

Rauer said without his device, he has no words.

“He can’t say my mom’s looking for me, my dad’s looking for me, I have a family, this is my address, none of that is in his vocabulary,” Rauer said. “He is completely alone.”

“It scares me every single time he runs away,” Hudson’s sister, Abigail said.

She says it’s why she uses her voice, when her brother can’t.

“He can’t stick up for himself so I want to stick up for him whenever I can,” Abigail said.

It’s one of many reasons they shared why they testified in support of the Purple Alert bill, saying it’s in hopes that Hudson and other children like him, are safe during times of elopement.

“I don’t want that for my children, but I also don’t want that for anyone, because we keep losing them. I feel like this needs to be in place as soon as possible, so that we can save these children instead of having a Facebook post that’s looking for them and then… ‘In memory of,'” Rauer said. “They need a voice, and if the public servants know how to interact with each one and get the information straight from the caregivers and the families, then those kids can be found before they’re a statistic with death.”

Right now, the Purple Alert bill, HB 1840, known as RJ’s Law, has cleared the Missouri House and now has Senate Committee approval.

It still needs full Senate approval before heading to the Governor’s desk.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on its progress.

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.

Parents working to spread the word about free preschool in Tulsa

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Isabel Flores

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    TULSA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Tulsa Public Schools parents partnered with the non-profit ImpactTulsa to spread the word about free preschool/childcare, especially to families in north and east Tulsa.

Rachel Walker said me she’s been a parent advocate with Impact Tulsa for a year now, and has loved every second of it.

“It makes me feel good to actually be able to help somebody with information that they don’t know about, because sharing information is really important when it comes to community building,” she said. “We can bring our community together by piecing in those missing puzzle pieces.”

In fact, Walker did start her own resource hub with other women in Tulsa known as Resource Accelerated to help bring resources for families all in one place.

Being a mom herself, she said enrolling her daughter into preschool was a great decision.

“It is very important for children to start learning, and those social skills are very important to build those at a young age,” said Walker. “I personally feel like my daughter, being the only child, putting her in Pre-K around other kids in that learning environment has helped her build her confidence.”

Ana Barros is the Director of Collaboration and Partnerships at ImpactTulsa.

She said the organization wanted parents to spread the message about preschool access since they’ve already been through the process and can vouch for it.

“Oklahoma is one of three states in the entire nation that has free, universal pre-K in every public school across the state, but people don’t necessarily know that.”

She also said ImpactTulsa created this website for parents as a “one-stop-shop” that gives parents more info on enrollment and eligibility.

“Pre-K Tulsa.com is the best place to find information on all school districts in Tulsa County, even CAP, even Educare, all of your options,” she said. “You put in your address, and it tells you what districts you’re eligible for.”

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.

Police hopeful new evidence will help solve 50-year-old cold case murder

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Adam Thompson

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    BALTIMORE COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — Baltimore County police are still holding out hope of solving the homicide investigation of Morgan State student Deborah Scott, who died 50 years ago.

Police believe they are closer than ever to identifying a potential suspect after new evidence was sent out for DNA testing.

On April 26, 1976, Scott, who was 18 years old, was found dead inside her family’s Woodlawn apartment. Police said a family member found Scott, who was unresponsive after she had been stabbed multiple times and suffered blunt force trauma to her body.

“I’m just hopeful that the DNA studies that are being conducted yield some sort of answer,” Tonya Pease, Scott’s God-sister, told police in an interview.

Family seeks closure in 50-year-old investigation Police said Scott was a Morgan State University student. She was supposed to attend class the day she was murdered, but she didn’t make it.

Witnesses recalled seeing a suspicious blue Chevy van with an “ILA” sticker parked outside of the home the morning of Scott’s murder.

“I was at work, and I got a call, and I went home. I remember I went in there and I found her,” Jean Hayes, Scott’s mother, told police in an interview. “She was just a good girl. She didn’t bother anybody.”

Hayes said she had never given up hope that the case would be solved.

“I’m always hopeful that something will break,” she said. “I’m just sorry that she’s gone and that she’s been gone so long.”

Anyone with information on the death of Deborah Scott is asked to call the police at (410) 887-3943 or text (443) 862-9426.

“It’s more important to me to help Jean get an answer to what happened to Deborah,” Pease said. “If you know something, say something. Just help us bring some closure. It’s been 50 years. Let us get the answers to this puzzle, to this mystery.”

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.

Boston Globe reporter Emily Sweeney goes viral because of her Boston accent and track suits: “I don’t put on any airs”

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Paula Ebben

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Boston Globe reporter Emily Sweeney has become an online sensation and it’s not for anything she’s written or said. It’s because of how she said it, in her distinctive Boston accent.

Sweeney recently posted a social media video for the newspaper about a home invasion at a mansion in Beverly, Massachusetts. It began as a juicy crime story, but her accent and track suit blew up on social media. Sweeney’s done videos before. She’s been a veteran Globe reporter for 25 years. But this one hit differently.

“People ask, like, did I plan what I was wearing that day? I was like, ‘No that’s how I dress,’ you know what I mean? It was just another video, just another day,” she told WBZ-TV.

It wasn’t just another day for long. The video got 900,000 views overnight and it’s now closing in on six million.

“I don’t put on any airs, ya know what I mean? I’m just me,” Sweeney said.

That seems to be the point. Sweeney’s a local kid from Dorchester and a graduate of Boston Latin School and Northeastern. Her Boston credentials are impeccable.

“Boston has that kind of towny undercurrent that has never gone away and so ya know when I go out into neighborhoods and (I’m) interviewing people often, some of them, some people might not want to talk, will open up a little bit more to me because they hear and they know that I’m from the neighborhood,” Sweeney said.

“Emily is such a people-first journalist. I think that that’s so great,” said Sweeney’s social media producer, Maria Pemberton. “And the way that she’s so authentic it’s been super inspiring.”

Pemberton, a junior at Boston University, said Sweeney is the realest of the real and this viral video is the future for newsrooms.

“There’s definitely an interest there from veteran journalists and I’m happy that I’m able to kind of teach them what I know, because to me it just feels natural,” she said.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize all the work that goes into producing a very well-sourced, accurate story,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney is now hearing from people as far away as Australia. A media star has been born – after 25 years of hard work.

“Better late than never, ya know?” Sweeney 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.

Crew member on Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship falls overboard off Massachusetts coast

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Matt Schooley

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    Massachusetts (WBZ) — Coast Guard teams have suspended the search for a crew member who fell off a Norwegian cruise ship while it was traveling from Bermuda to Boston. Rescuers searched early Sunday off the coast of Massachusetts after issuing a man overboard announcement to passengers.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England received a report that the crew member was seen on a security camera falling off the Norwegian Breakaway, plunging into the waters about 12 miles off of the Cape Cod town of Wellfleet.

Passengers were returning to Boston after a 7-day round-trip cruise to Bermuda.

Norwegian cruise ship man overboard A passenger told CBS News Boston that a ship-wide man overboard announcement was issued, and lifeboats were launched.

According to the Coast Guard, a search helicopter arrived just after 1:15 a.m. to assist in the search. A crew from Coast Guard Station Provincetown also helped in the search.

Another helicopter took off later Sunday morning, but the search was suspended just after noon, “pending new information.”

The cruise ship arrived at Boston’s Black Falcon Terminal Sunday just before noon.

Passengers received a letter that due to the delayed arrival, embarkation would be taking place later than expected Sunday afternoon.

“Overnight and into the early morning hours, the ship remained engaged in search and rescue efforts following a man overboard situation, working closely with maritime authorities,” the letter said. “These efforts required the vessel’s full attention before the voyage could safely resume toward Boston. Situations such as these are never easy, and the safety and well-being of those at sea remain at the heart of every decision we make.”

“It’s very heartbreaking” The name of the person who fell overboard has not been released.

Rebecca Durandisse of Needham, Massachusetts saw the search crews out on the water.

“It’s very heartbreaking. [Sunday] morning they ended up saying that someone went over, a crew went over the ledge,” she said. “I was in my estate room, lying in bed. I was drifting off to sleep when I noticed a light go on that woke me up, because I had my window open. And then I heard some loud noises.”

It is not yet known what caused the person to fall overboard.

Wellfleet is located on the outer portion of Cape Cod on the coast of Massachusetts, just under two hours south of Boston by car.

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.

Deli worker shot and killed on the job in the East Village. Here’s what we know.

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Naveen Dhaliwal

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    NEW YORK CITY (WCBS, WLNY) — The deadly shooting of a deli worker late Saturday night in Lower Manhattan has left a community in mourning.

The latest on the investigation

Police say just after 11:30 p.m. officers responded to a 911 call in front of Sal’s Deli and Grocery on Avenue B and East 13th Street in the East Village and found the victim, identified at 28-year-old Abdul Saleh, with a gunshot wound to the torso.

They also found a second man, also 28 years old and also with a gunshot wound to the torso.

Both men were rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where Saleh was pronounced dead. Police say the other man is recovering.

The United Bodegas of America is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

“This is devastating for our community,” UBA President Radahmes Rodriguez said in a statement. “We are under threat in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Abdul was a hardworking family man serving his neighborhood, and this should never happen to anyone trying to earn a living. We urge anyone with information to come forward.”

“What I saw was my friend dying on the corner”

Despite the deli being closed on Sunday, many in the community stopped by to lay flowers and remember Saleh, who acquaintances say was to married with a daughter and had just recently returned from a trip to Yemen to visit his family.

His death has left many shocked and outraged.

“What I heard was a pop, pop, pop. What I saw was my friend dying on the corner,” Rex Hughes said. “I didn’t see the situation that occurred until I saw the videotape. It was just an argument that started in the bodega, and then it made its way outside. Unfortunately, my dear friend, he’s one of the funniest and most gentle and sweet souls.”

“He was always smiling. We laughed, talked. To see someone in our community who was a pillar gone is just hurtful,” friend Tanya Minto added.

UBA spokesman Fernando Mateo is among those calling for enhanced safeguards for bodega workers.

“We are offering this reward because enough is enough. We stand with Abdul’s family and will continue fighting for stronger protections for all bodega workers. We need help and commitment from the City, the State, the DA’s & the Judges in order to reform Bail Reform Laws,” Mateo said in a statement.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

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.

Former homeless shelter executive director accused of stealing $100K in funds

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Deanna Sipe

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    JACKSON COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — The former executive director for a homeless shelter has been arrested and charged with multiple felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses after authorities accused her of embezzling $100,000 in funds from the shelter.

Court documents state that Gretta Michelle Worley, 60, was arrested on March 31 after an arrest warrant was issued on March 30.

Worley was charged with 10 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses in connection with an embezzlement case at HERE in Jackson County Inc., a nonprofit temporary emergency shelter for the homeless, in which Worley was the executive director since 2022.

Court records for the first count from an incident spanning from January 2023 to October 2025 state that Worley “knowingly and designedly with the intent to cheat and defraud obtain credit cards, debit cards, U.S. currency, and numerous goods and services, from HERE in Jackson County, Inc.”

Worley and family members would use multiple credit cards issued in the name of HERE in Jackson County, Inc., for personal benefit, according to the court records. The value of the items bought within the 2023 to 2025 time period totaled more than $100,000.

Court records go on to list multiple 2025 offense dates along with the amount Worley is accused of spending. See the full list below:

Worley was charged with three counts on October 14, 2025, for charging the card three times, equaling a total of $43.76 Worley was charged with one count on October 15, 2025, for charging a total of $344.96 Worley was charged with four counts on October 16, 2025, for charging the card four times, equaling a total of $86.47 Worley was charged with one count on October 18, 2025, for charging a total of $23.95

According to Cris Weatherford, a board member with HERE, the board initially initiated an investigation into Worley based on the workplace environment and the treatment of people, which then deepened.

“And I can tell you if it wasn’t for the staff, there’s a couple of brave staff members that stepped forward and said, ‘Hey, we’re seeing some stuff we don’t thinks quite right.’ And as a board, we took that seriously and started looking into things immediately and when we verified that there weren’t things right and a lot of financial stuff wasn’t even on the radar, it was other things,” Weatherford said in an April 7 Jackson County Commissioners meeting.

Weatherford went on to say that the organization had been dealing with the issues since October 2025 and immediately began an investigation, putting Worley on investigative leave.

In the commissioners’ meeting, Vice Chairman of District 1, Todd Bryson, said Worley would ask for more money each year, becoming hostile when faced with questions.

“I always thought it was from the get-go she’d come in and request, you know, this amount and then the next year it’d be this amount. You’d ask questions, you know, but it was always hostility. She’d push back, push back, against questions,” Bryson said.

Amid the investigation into Worley, Weatherford says the hope for the year is to rebrand the organization.

“Her actions are not a reflection of this organization,” Weatherford said in the commissioners’ meeting.

Weatherford said that several board members and staff members left the organization following Worley’s arrest.

According to court records, the total amount of money stolen was $100,499.14. In an attempt to get some of that money back, Weatherford says the organization is filing an insurance claim.

Looking forward, Weatherford hopes to rebrand the organization and put safeguards in place, such as a yearly audit, to make sure another incident never happens again.

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.

Beekeeper urges relocation over extermination to protect native bee population

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Gracie Palmer

Click here for updates on this story

    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Spring has sprung, and that also means the bees are back. Calling an exterminator for that pesky beehive on your home might seem like a quick fix, but a local beekeeper says it’s actually doing more harm than good.

In the U.S., bee populations have continued to decline over the last twenty years, with some beekeepers losing 40% of their colonies, according to Penn State University.

“I’ve never lost that many bees before,” said Matt Corn, a local beekeeper.

Corn says he lost nearly 200,000 bees during Tropical Storm Helene.

“I had my hives facing the southeast, and they just, they got hammered. Just pushing water in the entrances,” Corn said.

Corn doesn’t have bees anymore, but he still makes honey and removes hives in his free time. Now that spring is here, he says those hives are popping up on people’s homes.

“Then the comb starts breaking down, and you’ve got honey running down inside your walls, and it causes rodents. It can get messy for people,” he said.

Corn says that although calling an exterminator might seem like the easiest solution, it can create bigger issues.

“So, if you have an exterminator come out and spray this colony and kill them, then you’re stuck with massive amounts of brood comb and honey. When you do that, you’re hurting our native bee population.”

These pollinators play a critical role in keeping ecosystems alive, which is why beekeepers recommend hiring a professional to safely remove the nests and relocate the bees.

“When I do a honeybee colony removal, those bees are taken to another beekeeper and established there,” Corn said.

The removal process can vary depending on the type of nest, but experts say relocation is the safest option for both homeowners and the bees.

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.

North Dakota lawmaker dies in Twin Cities plane crash, according to state’s Democratic Minority leader

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Chloe Rosen, Frankie McLister

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — A North Dakota lawmaker is one of two people who died when a small plane crashed near Minneapolis late Saturday morning, according to the state’s Democratic Minority leader.

The National Transportation Safety Board says a Beech F33A plane crashed near 62nd and Florida avenues in Brooklyn Park around noon, shortly after taking off from the nearby Crystal Airport.

Two people were inside the aircraft at the time of the crash, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Officials say local fire crews were on scene within minutes of receiving the call.

“I just looked up, and I saw it going really fast,” said Nevaeh Surla, who witnessed the crash. “It was going down, and I didn’t see [if] it had the wheels out for a landing. Then I told my fiancé That looks like it’s going to crash,’ and right when I said that, I saw the big explosion.”

WCCO confirmed that one of the victims was North Dakota Rep. Liz Conmy.

“I am completely devastated at the loss of our friend Liz. She lived life to its fullest, never shying from adventure or speaking her mind — often in refreshingly direct terms,” Zac Ista, the North Dakota Democratic Minority leader, said in a statement.

Conmy has ties to the University of St. Thomas and Minnesota State University.

There are no details on what caused the crash. Local police and fire officials are investigating; an NTSB investigator is expected to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday.

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.

World War II soldier from New Ulm to be laid to rest after DNA identification

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Ubah Ali

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — A Minnesota family is finally welcoming home a war hero they waited more than 80 years to find.

U.S. Army Captain Willibald C. Bianchi of New Ulm, Minnesota, served as commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts, on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.

Bianchi stared down the enemy in World War II, survived the Bataan Death March and endured years as a prisoner of war before dying in friendly fire. His actions earned him the nation’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel.

Bianchi’s remains were unidentifiable and buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Modern DNA testing changed that.

A 2018 sample from Bianchi’s sister and other relatives helped scientists identify his remains in 2025. The discovery finally answered the question his family had for decades: Where was he?

On Friday, his remains arrived at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport’s Armed Forces Services Center.

“It’s been 85 years this month that our Uncle Bill left U.S soil and he’s coming back today,” said Scott Torpey, Bianchi’s nephew.

Bianchi will be laid to rest in New Ulm next weekend.

The Brown County Historical Society is also marking the moment with an exhibit dedicated to his life and service.

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.