Restaurant manager expresses gratitude after release from ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

CNN Newsource on December 24, 2025

By Jade Jarvis

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    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (WPBF) — We’re hearing from the Palm Beach restaurant manager who was detained and then released from the immigration detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”

Jose Gonzalez spent twelve days at the facility after being detained during a traffic stop.

He said he has a great deal of gratitude for his family, friends, customers, and community that has rallied around him during this time.

“Thank God for being home, bringing me home. And thank the whole beautiful community who stand up for me. And I just can’t thank enough. I have no words,” Gonzalez said.

On Dec. 10, Gonzalez said he was driving with his nephew when they were pulled over for a window tint violation, detained, and taken to the detention center.

“I tried to explain to my nephew we have to be calm and respect the rules,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez, who is the manager of BiCE Ristorante on Palm Beach, spent 12 days at the facility.

He said he felt like he was treated with respect and was fed three meals a day, but that it was cold with open toilets and little privacy.

He also said people at the facility tried to encourage him to self-deport to Mexico, but he refused. His nephew, however, took them up on their offer.

“I read the Bible. I read and talk to other people that are there and try to sleep. And I’m not even sleeping,” Gonzalez said.

Then, on Monday, an unexpected but welcome surprise — he was being released.

“I was very confused because I didn’t sleep the whole night. So, I literally tried to close my eyes for five minutes when I heard my name. And someone knocked me and [said], ‘You need to go, just grab your personal stuff. You need to go. You need to go fast, fast,'” Gonzalez said.

Due to his pending case, he didn’t say what led to his release.

WPBF 25 News reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, asking them for a statement, and it said: “On December 10, ICE arrested Jose Heriberto Gonzalez-Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Mexico, after Florida Highway Patrol Officers stopped him for a traffic violation. All of his claims will be heard before an immigration judge, and he will receive full due process.

“We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. During the Christmas Season, the U.S. taxpayer is so generously TRIPLING the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally- offering a $3,000 exit bonus until the end of the year. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”

Gonzalez said the first thing he ate when he got home was Cuban food, and he said he does plan to return to work at BiCE Ristorante sometime in the future.

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‘3 days before Christmas’: Florida man shoots wife, daughter, then himself, deputies say

CNN Newsource on December 24, 2025

By Madilyn Destefano

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) — Just three days before Christmas, a man shot and killed his wife, shot his 13-year-old stepdaughter and then shot and killed himself, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

PCSO is investigating the incident as a murder-suicide.

Deputies responded to a home on Lemon Avenue in the Highland City area of Lakeland after receiving a 911 call around 11 p.m.

The caller said her 12-year-old neighbor ran to her house and asked her to call 911 because his stepfather and mother were fighting, according to deputies.

He told the woman his mom, Crystal, asked him to call 911 as the argument was escalating, PCSO said.

Deputies arrived minutes later and said they located Crystal with a gunshot wound to the head. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

PCSO also located a 13-year-old girl, the victim’s daughter, in her bedroom with two gunshot wounds. She was taken to the hospital, where she is in critical but stable condition.

Deputies also found their 1-year-old daughter asleep in her crib, unharmed.

Investigators determined 47-year-old Jason Kenney was in his shed when he decided to go back inside the house to watch the end of an NFL game in the living room, where his wife was.

Crystal told him that she didn’t want to watch football, and an argument ensued, PCSO said.

Deputies said she then shouted to her son, asking him to call 911, which is when he ran from the house and said he heard a single shot go off.

Kenney fled the scene in his truck after shooting his wife. He called his sister, who is not in Florida, and told her he had done something bad, and he was not going to jail.

Kenney told his sister she would “see it on the news.”

After deputies found Kenney at his father’s home in Lake Wales, they told him to come outside. That’s when they heard a single gunshot, PCSO said.

PCSO entered the shed on his father’s property to find Kenney had shot himself in the head. Kenney was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Three days before Christmas, this man shot and killed his wife, shot his stepdaughter, and then shot and killed himself. This is horrific, but destroying a family and the mental health of these children so close to Christmas is especially horrific. We will do everything we can to help this family get through this difficult time,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

The 13-year-old remains in critical condition, and the other two children are with their grandparents.

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Video of former DeSoto County corrections sergeant’s reported unlawful use of force against inmates

CNN Newsource on December 24, 2025

By WBBH Staff

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    DESOTO COUNTY, Fla. (WBBH) — Video was released Tuesday in an update on a Dec. 13 incident that led to a DeSoto County corrections sergeant being fired and arrested.

According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, Luis Tovar, 29, is accused of an unlawful use of force against two inmates in the DeSoto County Jail. The incident happened just before 1 a.m.

In the video, Tovar and two deputies escort an inmate to a cell where another inmate was. They told the second inmate that he would be moved from the cell.

The sheriff’s office said the second inmate did not comply with instructions and that led to a use of force. In the video, there is a scuffle between Tovar, a second deputy and the second inmate, which leads to Tovar’s camera falling off.

The first inmate is then moved into the cell and was being held by another deputy. Tovar is accused of shoving that inmate to the floor.

According to the sheriff’s office, in the video, the second inmate continues resisting after being taken out of the cell by another deputy. That deputy then hands the inmate to Tovar. The inmate appears to spit on Tovar, and Tovar is then accused of punching the inmate, according to the video.

Deputies were able to restrain the second inmate to a chair before Tovar is accused of attacking again.

The sheriff’s office said Tovar reported using force against two inmates and it led to an administrative review. It also was looked into criminally for any violations.

It was determined that Tovar would be arrested on two counts of battery and he was fired, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies said no inmates had any significant injuries, and that this is still under investigation.

Gulf Coast News is working to identify the inmates involved in the incident.

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Woman faces charges after biting, attacking relative with curtain rod in Dauphin County, police say

CNN Newsource on December 24, 2025

By Rachael Lardani

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    LOWER SWATARA TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WGAL) — A woman faces charges after attacking a relative with a curtain rod in Dauphin County, according to the Swatara Township Police Department.

Officers responded to a home on Delmont Avenue at 9:29 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21, for a domestic assault.

Police said Kristen Zawacki, 42, of Middletown, had bitten and attacked a family member with a curtain rod, leaving them with injuries.

Zawacki was taken to a local hospital for medical clearance before she was transported to Dauphin County Central Booking Center for arraignment.

She was arrested and charged with simple assault and harassment.

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A Secret Santa brings unexpected gift to mom grieving loss of her teenage son

CNN Newsource on December 24, 2025

By Nate Eaton

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    IDAHO (eastidahonews.com) — A local Secret Santa is giving $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season. Every day, from now until the end of the year, the East Idaho News elves will be delivering gifts from Secret Santa and we’ll be sharing the surprise videos here.

The Ward family is facing an unimaginable loss following the death of their 17-year-old son, Spencer, a few weeks ago.

Spencer, a high school senior, was kind, genuine, and endlessly supportive of others. Friends say he was the type of person who constantly looked for ways to lift people up. In addition to excelling academically, Spencer was working toward earning his STEM associate degree alongside his high school diploma.

Stephanie Ward, Spencer’s mom, is now navigating the heartbreak of burying her son while also trying to keep the family’s small business running alongside her husband, Shane.

A local Secret Santa heard the family could use some help this Christmas and asked the East Idaho News elves to pay Stephanie a visit. Check out the surprise in the video player above.

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Alleged members of extremist group indicted in suspected SoCal New Years Eve bombing plot

CNN Newsource on December 24, 2025

By KABC Staff

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A federal grand jury indicted four people on Tuesday in connection with a suspected terror plot to bomb targets in Los Angeles and Orange counties on New Year’s Eve.

The four suspects are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41. They are all from the Los Angeles area.

Each of them is charged with one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists and one count of possession of unregistered firearms, the Department of Justice said in a statement.

Carroll and Page also are charged with one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, the DOJ said.

According to the indictment, the defendants are part of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-capitalist and anti-government group. They also are alleged members of what Carroll characterized as a “radical” TILF faction that communicated using an encrypted messaging group called “Order of the Black Lotus.”

In November, Carroll drafted an 8-page, handwritten document titled, “Operation Midnight Sun” that described a bombing plot targeting U.S. businesses across Southern California this upcoming New Year’s Eve, according to the DOJ. Among other things, the plot included details on the co-conspirators’ intended targets, instructions on how to manufacture bombs and source the bomb-making materials, and guidance for the co-conspirators to avoid leaving evidence behind that could be traced to them.

The DOJ said the New Year’s Eve bombing plot was designed to “completely pulverize” the targets, which included technology and logistics companies with offices across Southern California. After drafting the bombing plot, Carroll allegedly recruited others – including Page, Gaffield, and Lai – to join the attack plan.

“The charges a federal grand jury returned today reflect the seriousness of the conduct: a planned terrorist attack on American soil on New Year’s Eve,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If convicted, this group of self-professed left-wing radicals will face decades in federal prison. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all terror groups and bring them to justice.”

According to authorities, throughout early December, the suspects procured bomb-making materials to build and test explosive devices in the Mojave Desert on December 12, including by obtaining bomb-making materials such as potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, and pipes.

On December 12, they traveled to the Mojave Desert to build and test explosives that they planned to use as part of the New Year’s Eve plot, said the DOJ. The FBI arrested them before they could make functional explosive devices.

All four suspects are in federal custody without bond. All the defendants will be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Lai’s arraignment is scheduled for January 2, 2026. Carroll and Page are scheduled to be arraigned on January 5, 2026. Gaffield’s arraignment is scheduled for January 20, 2026.

If convicted, Carroll and Page would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, and Gaffield and Lai would face a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison.

A fifth person, believed to be linked to the group, has been arrested in New Orleans for allegedly planning a separate attack.

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California couple faces murder, child abuse charges after 7-year-old girl dies, 5-year-old hurt

CNN Newsource on December 23, 2025

By Lee Anne Denyer, Daniel Macht, Andres Valle

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    ROSEVILLE, California (KCRA) — A couple living at a Roseville home was arrested on suspicion of murder and child abuse after a 7-year-old girl died Monday and another 5-year-old girl was injured, police said.

The man who was arrested was a former police officer and the victims were the daughters of the woman who was arrested.

Police said officers around 7:37 a.m. went to Oahu Court north of Blue Oaks Boulevard for a medical aid call after an adult resident in the home reported an unresponsive 7-year-old. There, they found the girl with apparent injuries who was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Medical personnel later declared her dead.

Officers found the other 5-year-old girl in a bedroom who also had injuries, police said. She was also taken to the hospital.

Two other children were sleeping inside the house and were not injured.

Jessica Savangsy, 26, and Retuquel Dupree, 27, were booked into the South Placer County Jail for charges including murder, conspiracy, and felony child abuse, records showed.

Savangsy and Dupree were in a dating relationship and lived at the home, Roseville police said.

According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Savangsy and Dupree were previously booked for conspiracy and grand theft charges on Oct. 6 and bailed out. Dupree’s charges also included carrying a loaded firearm in a public place.

KCRA 3 is trying to learn more about that case from Roseville police.

KCRA 3’s Andres Valle spoke to Dupree’s family, who arrived at the scene around 5 p.m. They were visibly upset and emotional as they learned the news.

“I’m sick right now. I don’t even know what happened. This is all messed up,” said Raza Klemp, the sister of Dupree.

Klemp and other family members became emotional once they learned the news of the arrest later in the night. Another sister insisted her brother was innocent, telling KCRA 3, “I’m gonna say this now where everybody can see. My brother is nowhere ever capable of something like this. He has no life without those girls. He would have touched both ends of the world about those girls.”

Klemp believes the other two girls inside the home are her nieces. She says that she is focused on finding them and told KCRA 3’s Andres Valle that they have yet to locate them as of 9:30 p.m. Monday.

Roseville police say the children are in the care of Child Protective Services.

The Citrus Heights Police Department said Dupree was formerly employed with the department from June 8 to Aug. 5 in 2021. They would not share more about the former police officer or the reason for his departure, but confirmed he did not quit.

Before announcing the arrests, Roseville police set up a mobile command center at the gray house, which had its garage door open and police tape around it. Oahu Court was taped off from the public.

“We’re just really sad. I wish we had seen something. Maybe the outcome could have been different. You always think that, right? When tragic things like this happen,” said Sarah Adkins, a neighbor who spoke to KCRA.

Some other neighbors who did not want to go on camera told Denyer they had concerns about the home and had heard screaming numerous times.

“Our hearts go out to those who have been impacted by this tragic loss,” Roseville police said.

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One dead, three hurt after suspected drunk driver crashes into Navajo Nation parade

CNN Newsource on December 23, 2025

By Allyson Rael

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    KAYENTA, Arizona (KOAT) — A suspected drunk driver was arrested after plowing into a crowd of people at the Kayenta Christmas Night Parade in Kayenta, Arizona.

According to Navajo Nation police, around 5:10 p.m. Monday, the driver drove into the parade route and hit four people who were waiting for the parade to start. Navajo police say a life was lost during the tragic event.

The Navajo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation are investigating this incident. It remains an active ongoing investigation.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren released a statement Monday saying in part, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred this evening during the Kayenta Township’s Christmas Night Parade… Please pray for the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this devastating incident.”

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Wisconsin strip club human-trafficking ring linked to at least 24 victims, search warrants reveal

CNN Newsource on December 23, 2025

By Emily Pofahl

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    FRANKLIN, Wisconsin (WISN) — A five-year investigation into a human-trafficking ring centered around the On the Border strip club in Franklin has revealed that at least 24 victims were forced to perform sex acts in Wisconsin and four other states, according to newly unsealed search warrants obtained by WISN 12 News.

The investigation resulted in charges against four men, with allegations that women were trafficked across several states, including Wisconsin, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Court documents said that the club’s manager, Brian Hopkins, and his staff were allegedly “benefiting from commercial sex acts” in the club’s VIP room.

Investigators have also named Jimmy Durant as a well-known trafficker, and Dantavia Rule and Maurice Russel as recruiters. All four men are charged with crimes related to human trafficking.

The court documents detail the alleged abuse, including one of Russel’s victims working from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. to meet daily quotas, with many victims forced to hand over their earnings under threat of physical harm. One woman reported to police that Rule would punch her and later resorted to strangling her when he learned she bruised easily.

The search warrants revealed that one victim handed over all her money to Durant, who allegedly threatened physical abuse if she refused. When she managed to leave and inquired about the money he kept, Durant reportedly told her, “You pay to go to college, but if you don’t finish, you don’t get your money back.”

Durant is also accused of using victims’ Social Security numbers and IDs to open fraudulent loans, while the men allegedly tracked victims’ locations through the Life 360 app. Hopkins reportedly fired dancers from the club, then demanded thousands of dollars from them to get their jobs back.

One victim claimed Rule threatened to “get her fired,” then injured her ankle. She told police she had to make a “one-time payment” to On the Border to go back to work.

A fifth man is named in the search warrants but has not yet been arrested or charged.

Franklin police and city leaders declined to comment on camera Monday. The mayor of Franklin indicated in a statement to WISN 12 News that the city “may be reviewing licenses related to this establishment.”

On the Border remains open, and the owners said they are cooperating with the investigation. The four charged men are scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 29.

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AG, prosecutor: Kansas City funeral home owner indicted in fraud investigation

CNN Newsource on December 23, 2025

By Nick Sloan

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson have secured a grand jury indictment and filed a civil action against a Kansas City funeral home accused of exploiting grieving families.

Hanaway announced Monday that her office filed a petition for injunction, civil penalties and other remedies against Frank Savory IV and S. Family Enterprises LLC, which does business as Savory and Sons Funeral Home.

The petition alleges the defendants made false promises and engaged in unfair practices while selling funeral services in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

“When a funeral home exploits grief with false promises, we will hold them responsible,” Hanaway said. “Families should never face the risk of having their trust in a funeral home betrayed. We are glad to secure this indictment alongside Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson for the people of Missouri.”

The Attorney General’s Office said the investigation was conducted with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors allege that between 2023 and 2025, Savory operated and managed the funeral home and sold funeral services without the license required to practice in Missouri.

A Jackson County grand jury indicted Savory on charges of financial exploitation of a disabled person, stealing, and deceptive business practice.

“The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office is proud to partner with Attorney General Hanaway’s Office in pursuing justice for those impacted by Savory and Sons,” Johnson said. “We will never tolerate exploitation of our community’s most vulnerable members. My office will continue to hold any business accountable that engages in criminal activity that harms the people of Jackson County.”

KMBC 9 Investigates has covered this case for months.

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