Author: CNN Newsource

By Abigail Klinkerman

Click here for updates on this story

    OLATHE, Kansas (KMBC) — When Esmeralda Madrigal heard about what happened to 24-year-old Monica Rivera, who fell from a bridge in Kansas City, Kansas, her heart sank to her stomach.

Rivera, a young mother of two, was found dead on Oct. 23 under the Seventh Street Trafficway Bridge in Kansas City, Kansas, after police say she fell in the gap between the two median walls.

Madrigal’s son, 34-year-old Johnny Brown, died the same way just after New Year’s back in 2023.

“When I found out that she died, all that memory, all that came back to me,” Madrigal said. “All the memories, all the grief. Just like I’m just reliving my son’s death.”

Their stories are nearly identical.

Both Brown and Rivera fell nearly 40 feet through the gap between the bridge walls, which is just over 2 feet wide and has no structure covering the space beneath it.

“I’m afraid it’s going to happen again if they’re not going to do anything about it,” Madrigal said. “Two lives have been lost already, so I want them to get it fixed where we don’t have to worry about anybody else.”

The bridge is owned by the Kansas Department of Transportation. Madrigal hopes they can add a sign, lights or anything that will raise awareness about the dangers surrounding the area.

KMBC reached out to KDOT about plans for additional safety measures. Here’s what the agency said:

“The northbound vehicular bridge structure design features a protected pedestrian facility, or sidewalk, which includes barrier and fence. KDOT is reviewing the bridge structure and will determine whether modifications or additional safety features are warranted.”

Madrigal wears a necklace every day with Brown’s face, surrounded by angel wings, to remember her son. He leaves behind four children.

“He called me on New Year’s when it turned New Year’s. And he said, ‘Happy New Year’s, Mom, I love you.’ And I said, ‘I love you, too,'” Madrigal said.

That was the last time Madrigal heard from him. After learning of his death, she visited the bridge to see it for herself.

“And you could still see the blood stains from his head under there. I looked up and started crying because I knew he fell. And he fell that 40 feet. And I just started crying,” Madrigal said.

Madrigal believes that if something had been added after her son’s death, Rivera would still be alive.

“Two lives were taken and the families were lost. Her family’s lost. I’m lost. I know what they’re going through because I’m still going through it. And now there’s another one in three years. You know, something has to be done,” Madrigal said.

Her living room is full of photos and memorabilia, and a sign reading “YOLO.” Madrigal said it was Brown’s favorite phrase.

“He said, ‘YOLO, Mom,’ and so one day I just ask him — ‘What are you saying, Johnny?’ He said, ‘YOLO, you only live once,'” Madrigal said. “Johnny was just the most positive person.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Dean Fioresi, Lesley Marin

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Medical professionals warn of a potentially severe flu and respiratory illness season after San Bernardino County health officials announced the first pediatric flu death of 2026.

In a news release shared Friday, the San Bernardino County Public Health Department confirmed the influenza-related death in the 2026-27 flu season.

“The child was reported to have underlying medical conditions but was too young to receive the influenza vaccine,” the release said.

County health officials didn’t provide further information on the circumstances surrounding the child’s death, but said that they were monitoring the flu and other flu-like illnesses that are rising earlier in the season than usual. They said that flu season typically runs from the start of November through the end of April, with emergency room visits for flu-like illnesses peaking between December and February.

“However, flu activity for the current season began earlier than usual, marked by a pediatric flu-related death in October,” the release said. “In comparison, the first reported pediatric flu death of the 2025-2026 season occurred in February 2026.”

Dr. Gabriel Campion, who works at Dignity Health Northridge, said patients in Los Angeles County are already packing emergency rooms as well.

“So far, I’ve seen people who tend to be a little bit older or on the younger side,” Campion said. “People with more chronic medical conditions.”

He says most cases have been identified as the H1N1 strain, which sparked a pandemic in 2009. Health officials say that children born after that year, who may not have immunity, could be more impacted.

San Bernardino County officials offered a list of tips for people who may get sick to prevent further spread, including seeking early testing and treatment if symptoms are experienced, staying home if sick, washing hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, wearing masks in crowded settings, avoiding contact with other sick people and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Tiarra Braddock

Click here for updates on this story

    HAZEL PARK, Michigan (WXYZ) — A Hazel Park woman is recovering after police say she was attacked by her three dogs outside her home Saturday night, leaving her with severe injuries.

According to Hazel Park Police Chief William Hamel, officers were called to a home on Milton Street near Dequindre Road around 8:17 p.m. for reports of a dog attack.

When the first officer arrived, Hamel said she found a 39-year-old woman lying in a driveway while three dogs were actively attacking her.

“The officer arrived there and she found a woman lying in a driveway with three dogs on top,” Hamel said.

Police say the officer immediately rushed toward the scene and attempted multiple ways to stop the attack.

“The officer saw what was going on, ran up to it, tried to yell at the dogs, tried to kick at them, deployed her Taser twice and was trying to fend the dogs off,” Hamel said.

The dogs involved were identified as two pit bulls and a Presa Canario. Hamel said the Taser was ineffective during the attack.

At one point, one of the dogs bit the officer on the thigh as she tried to protect the victim.

According to police, the officer then shot one of the dogs before attempting to provide aid to the woman. Hamel said that dog and another dog tried to approach again while the officer was helping the victim.

“The officer ended up shooting that dog and then she went and tried to give aid to the victim when that dog and another tried to re-approach. Fortunately, another officer was there and was able to shoot the dog again,” Hamel said.

Police said one of the dogs was killed during the incident. The other two dogs were eventually captured.

Hamel defended his officers’ actions, saying there was no time to wait for animal control because the situation posed an immediate threat to life.

“You had an active attack going on, lives were being threatened so there was no time to wait for animal control,” Hamel said.

The woman was taken to a hospital with severe injuries to her neck, arms and legs.

Meanwhile, Hamel said the officer who responded is recovering and credited her actions with helping save the woman’s life.

“Physically she’s doing good and mentally, she’s doing good. I’m proud of my officer though. She’s got five months on the job and she reacted how I would expect all of our officers to react. She protected the victim as best as she could,” Hamel said.

Police have not said what caused the dogs to attack their owner.

The dog attack remains under investigation.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Tony Geftos

Click here for updates on this story

    REDFORD TWP., Michigan (WXYZ) — Trick-or-treating may be over, but one Redford Township resident is still looking for a treat.

Pablo the pig has an appetite for pumpkins, and his owner, Derek Bias, is asking the community to donate leftover ones for Pablo to enjoy.

Bias said he had always wanted a pig and decided to make it happen for his birthday.

“So I said, ‘I’m gonna go get a potbelly pig for my birthday,’” Bias said.

Without telling his children what he had planned, Bias took them to Indiana, where the family picked up Pablo. Four years later, the potbellied pig is part of the family.

Pablo isn’t just a backyard pet. Bias said he’s a house pig who is potty trained and goes outside to use the bathroom.

“If there’s snow on the ground, he won’t go outside, but he’ll use a litter box,” Bias said.

Pablo also enjoys plenty of attention from his family.

“He’s a very handsome boy. He’s very snuggly,” Bias said. “He loves to get scratchy scratches. He loves to get his belly rubbed.”

That belly rub even has a name in the Bias household.

“We call it a piggy melt where if you rub his belly, he literally just flops over,” Bias said.

Every fall, Pablo gets another favorite treat: Fresh pumpkins.

“They’re more of a treat for him,” Bias said. “They’re good for deworming him so they keep him healthy, and he just absolutely loves devouring them.”

The pumpkins provide entertainment, too.

“They’re a good toy for him to roll around the backyard, and then he’ll stomp ’em and then bite into ’em, and then that’s when he gets into them,” Bias said.

Bias said he plans to stew some of the leftover pumpkins, freeze them and feed them to Pablo throughout the year.

Anyone interested in donating needs to make sure the pumpkins haven’t been carved or treated with chemicals.

“They cannot be carved. They can’t be dipped in peroxide or bleach, no cleaning products, basically, just a whole pumpkin,” Bias said.

People who want to donate can reach out to Bias through the TikTok account he manages for Pablo: Pablo the Pig.

“Every year, the community has been great donating to him,” Bias said.

For Pablo, Halloween may be over, but pumpkin season is just getting started.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team 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.

By Andrew Ramos

Click here for updates on this story

    New York (WCBS, WLNY) — Tributes continue to grow for Javits Frimpong, the 15-year-old who was shot and killed on his way to school in the Bronx last week.

His peers at Dreamyard Prep School held a silent vigil for the teen Monday morning. Hearts remained heavy as students remembered him. The shooting has rocked the neighborhood in Claremont.

The students walked in grief as they held their vigil, holding signs calling for “Justice for Javits,” “Forever 15,” and “Protect kids, not guns.”

Police have not yet revealed a motive in the shooting, but they are looking for three teenagers in connection with it, adding the suspects ran into Crotona Park and were captured on surveillance video jumping a turnstile before they took the 5 train into Manhattan.

Frimpong’s father said he was being bullied leading up to his death.

Despite the New York City Department of Education insisting it’s doing everything it can to support the ongoing investigation, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CBS News New York the DOE is not being cooperative. Investigators are waiting on a subpoena to obtain records tied to the alleged bullying claims.

“Certainly, we’re looking into that with the assistance of the Department of Education, but we’re certainly not going to discount the fact that maybe he was a victim of a robbery gone bad or perhaps a mistaken identity,” Kenny said.

Students at the high school are still coming to terms with the tragedy. Many of them are angry that his life was taken, and say that more resources to combat gun violence and bullying should be available. Now, they’re calling for justice.

“I want to find the people that did it,” one student said.

“I believe justice needs to be served. He had friends, he had a community, he had family, and we just really want to bring awareness to gun violence. This shouldn’t have not happened to anyone,” said another.

“Honestly it’s such a struggle that we have to come to school every day, fear for our lives. As a student, school should be one of the only places that we should feel safe,” another student said.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced over the weekend that he spoke with President Trump on the phone, and the administration has agreed to grant a visa to Frimpong’s mother, who lives in Ghana, to enter the country so she can attend her son’s funeral. Preparations for that funeral are underway.

Ghana President John Mahama announced that his government will cover the travel costs for Frimpong’s mother, assigning a team to assist in the visa application process.

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.