Author: CNN Newsource

By Austen Erblat, Ashley Portillo

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    LITTLETON, Colorado (KCNC) — A former school bus aide in Colorado pleaded guilty on Monday to 12 out of 13 charges related to allegations that she assaulted three students with autism in 2024.

Kiarra Jones, 29, was arrested in April 2024 and later charged with 10 counts of third-degree assault of an at-risk person, two counts of child abuse causing injury, and one count of child abuse causing serious bodily injury related to the incidents when she worked for Littleton Public Schools. She initially pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

She pleaded guilty on Monday, the day her trial was supposed to start. Attorneys for the victims’ families say the victims were three 10-year-old non-verbal boys with autism. At least one of the incidents was caught on video.

“Today marks a step toward accountability and a step closer to justice and safety for our community. Ms. Jones’ actions weren’t just criminal, they were cruel,” Ciara Anderson, an attorney representing some of the victims’ families, said at a news conference after the hearing ended.

Anderson, who works for the law firm Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC, said the families are seeking the maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Anderson estimates a prison sentence of 5 to 7 years, but said it could be more, depending on whether the judge issues consecutive or concurrent sentences for each charge.

When asked for his reaction to the plea, Kevin Yarborough, whose son, Hunter, was one of the victims, said, “mixed emotions to say the least.”

“It’s frustrating. My son is not able to speak, so I feel my job as a father is to represent him in court, so it is frustrating,” he said. “That being said, I am happy that the next step in this process is going forward. I’m happy that after 2 years of delays, she was finally able to take some accountability for what she did to our kids.”

“It is frustrating that we don’t get that day in court to display what our kids had to go through for everyone to see,” said Jessica Vestal, whose son Dax was also one of the victims.

“Between the things that the kids have all experienced with the abuse, today was their first day back at school from winter break,” Vestal continued. “Most people have to prep their kids’ teachers, like, ‘he doesn’t like carrots’ or ‘he didn’t sleep well this morning,’ we have to let our kids’ teachers know what we noticed that’s triggering them lately and what things seem to be on the forefront of their minds in terms of the trauma they experienced.”

Vestal and her attorneys say they’re pursuing legal action against Littleton Public Schools and The Joshua School, and the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an inquiry into the school and school district.

Christopher Gallo, chief deputy district attorney in Arapahoe County, said he was “very happy” with the outcome of the case.

“Any time someone’s in a position of trust, in regard to our children, takes accountability and we find justice in that situation, we’re always pretty gratified that that’s the resolution it comes to,” he said. “Any time someone endangers children, when they are charged with keeping those children safe, especially children who have special needs, children who cannot look after themselves, that’s always particularly concerning.”

Jones is set to be sentenced on March 18. She was represented by the Public Defender’s Office.

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 KAKE Staff

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    WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) — A Wichita man charged with abuse for allegedly causing critical injuries to a 1-year-old girl last month told a detective that she “flew” out of his arms while he was spinning her around.

Kevin Mitchell has been in jail on $75,000 since December 17. He’s charged with felony child abuse, and his second court appearance is scheduled for Monday afternoon.

EMS responded at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 16, to the report of a child not breathing at a home in the 5500 block of South Handley Street, near 55th and Seneca. They arrived on scene and discovered an unresponsive 1-year-old girl on her back on top of the couch. A probable cause affidavit states that an EMS captain felt the Wichita Police Department should be involved, as “this did not appear to be a medical issue.”

Mitchell, the person who called 911, told the EMS captain that he had been swinging the girl around, playing with her, when she became unresponsive. He said he didn’t know if she’d suffered any head trauma. In the ambulance, a bruise was discovered on her left temple. The child was taken to a local hospital and admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in extremely critical condition. She had suffered head trauma and multiple bruises on her left leg, stomach and chest, the court document states. He also had abrasions and scars.

The child was listed as critical but stable the following morning, according to Wichita police.

The child’s mother told a detective that she left her children with Mitchell so she could give plasma. She said she received a text from Mitchell, who stated that the 1-year-old was unresponsive and the ambulance was taking her to the hospital. Mitchell picked her up and took her there.

The mother reported that before she left to give plasma, her daughter was acting normally and did not appear to be sick or injured. During an interview on December 17, the mother said she saw Mitchell grab the girl’s face around her mouth when she was misbehaving.

“(The mother) reported that on December 13, 2025, she was in the bedroom with all three of her kids when (the victim) would not go to sleep and was talking. (The mother) stated she used Kevin’s brown leather belt and spanked (the victim) twice on the left leg. She said this was in the middle of the night.”

A detective asked about scratches on the child’s shoulder, and she said they could have been caused by her grabbing her daughter by the shoulder. She said in a later interview that an abrasion on her daughter’s left shoulder must have been from Kevin. She said bruising and scarring on the child’s left thigh were from spankings with a belt.

“She said that if she must physically discipline the kids, she usually just slaps them with an open hand on the thigh,” she told the detective.

A forensic nurse found injuries, including bruising and scratches, on two other children, ages 6 months and 2 years. Some she attributed to Mitchell, and others, she said, were from her spanking one of the kids with a belt.

As far as the 1-year-old’s head injury, Mitchell said he did not know how she would have received such an injury. He said he picked her up, was throwing her up into the air, and then spun her around and tossed her on the bed.

“Kevin eventually told the Detective he was inside the bedroom spinning around with (the victim) lying in his arms when he tripped over the edge of the bed and (the victim) ‘flew’ out of his arms and struck her head on the windowsill/shelf and fell to the ground between the wall and the bed.”

WPD spokesperson Kristopher Gupilan said five children between the ages of 6 months and 9 years were in the home at the time of the incident. All were placed in police protective custody. Mitchell is the only one charged in the case, court records show.

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By WISN Staff

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    FRANKLIN, Wis. (WISN) — Managers at a Franklin strip club tied to a human trafficking investigation said they were making and had made several changes to the business operation since news of the investigation became public.

Investigators made 4 arrests in the case, but managers said only one suspect, Brian Hopkins, actually worked at On the Border Gentlemen’s Club in Franklin.

In a Facebook post to the Franklin community, Jerry and Mary Hay said they fired Hopkins after learning of the investigation.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court last month, a tipster told investigators staff at the club benefited from commercial sex acts, including ‘sex dates’ in private rooms. The informant also told investigators staff trafficked women to multiple states across the country, the complaint said.

In the Facebook post, managers said they reminded current staff of the zero-tolerance policy on illegal activity. They also said they were implementing programs to detect any similar problems.

“Our most immediate goal is to select a trafficking awareness and prevention program from those available. We are committed to safeguarding our patrons, staff, and community. Our plans also include outreach and relationship-strengthening activities within our community and industry, as well as local, state, and federal agencies.”

Four men, including Hopkins, are charged. He is the only suspect to face a judge. He pled not guilty.

Jimmy Durant, Dantavia Rule, and Maurice Russell have yet to be appointed lawyers.

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By Valerie Zhang

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    GRAVETTE, Ark. (KHBS, KHOG) — A father-son duo based out of Northwest Arkansas is picking up old real Christmas trees to raise money for the Gravette High School baseball team.

Chris Murphy said he and his son, Kyle, take the trees to local lakes where fishermen sink them to build fish habitats.

The contactless pickup project began during COVID-19. Over the past three years, they’ve raised a little more than $5,000 for the Gravette High School baseball team.

“It helps the high school get a lot of cool stuff and helps us get better as a team as well,” said Kyle Murphy, who is a senior baseball player at Gravette High School. He is committed to playing baseball at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.

The funds helped upgrade their equipment, including a new pitching machine.

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By Jasmine Franklin

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    NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — It was a somber but reflective service as the community came together to uplift families of the 14 victims killed in the New Year’s Day terror attack, just over one year ago.

Powerful harmonies filled Immaculate Conception Church during an emotional prayer service.

It was a special tribute for the victim’s families, and dozens of survivors were still processing the trauma they felt.

“I just remember being on the ground trying to figure out how to get up,” said Brittany Francois.

Francois said her life quickly flashed before her eyes while celebrating the new year of 2025.

“We were trying to get on the sidewalk we saw the truck coming in our peripheral view. I was standing sideways, and he just came through and ran over the left side of my body,” said Francois.

When a driver plowed through a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, Francois was run over.

She lives with a constant reminder of the terror attack each day, while she still recovers from serious injuries.

“My hip, tibia, my fibula, my ankle, my entire foot, all of my toes, everything to my left side,” said Francois.

Fourteen families’ lives were changed forever, losing their loved ones. A year later, they still feel pain.

“It’s just such an odd feeling because it brings you so far back that you feel like one day hasn’t even passed,” said Brooke Gauthreaux.

Brooke says it still feels surreal living life without her little brother, Hubert Gauthreaux.

“Eventually, someone came in and said I’m sorry your loved one didn’t make it,” said Gauthreaux.

Hubert Gauthreaux from the West Bank was just 21-years-old when his life was taken away.

“He loved everyone, especially his family. He was finally getting to the age where we could have a good relationship, and it was ripped from us, which really sucks,” said Gauthreaux.

After the service, families were met with a small glimmer of joy, as people second-lined in the streets, returning to the place where the innocent lives were lost.

There is a temporary tribute on Bourbon Street honoring the victims; the lights will be on display through Jan. 18.

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By Mark Prussin

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    ELIZABETH, New Jersey (WCBS) — A New Jersey high school student was injured Monday when a driver crashed through the wall of their school, officials said.

The vehicle smashed into an exterior wall of Elizabeth High School’s Dwyer auditorium at around 8 a.m. after it drove over the curb and sidewalk, according to an official with the city of Elizabeth.

The driver was spotted going erratically on Bridge Street and then running a red light on Pearl Street before careening into the brick wall of the school, the official said.

One student reported a minor leg injury and was taken to Beth Israel Hospital as a precaution, police said.

The driver was taken to University Hospital for injuries that also appeared to be minor, officials added. No other people or cars were involved, they said.

There was no immediate word on how the driver lost control, but investigators were looking at surveillance video from inside the school.

Pearl Street was closed for repairs, but the school remained open for the day.

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.