Author: CNN

KTVT

By Doug Myers, Amelia Mugavero, Steven Rosenbaum

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — Two Fort Worth police officers on Tuesday recounted the harrowing moments when a 1-year-old girl was trapped beneath a flipped SUV last week.

In a fast-paced rescue, the officers and nearby bystanders tipped the vehicle upright, allowing life-saving aid to be performed on the child.

The crash happened early Thursday morning at Eastchase Parkway and Interstate 30, unfolding directly in the path of Sgt. Ryan Nichols and Officer Edwin Bounds. The officers hadn’t been dispatched — they were simply driving nearby when the violent rollover occurred.

A dramatic video released Friday by Fort Worth police showed the moment Nichols, Bounds and a group of bystanders rescued the baby.

Nichols performed CPR on the baby, while Bounds cleared her airway and comforted her with the same nicknames he uses for his own daughters.

“There was a vehicle on top of the baby… the odds are not in our favor,” Nichols said.

Nichols described the emotional and spiritual weight of the rescue.

“Initially walking up, it was — I hate to say it — just another accident,” Nichols said. “And then you recognize that the mom’s down… and immediately the priorities just switch.”

He recalled pulling the baby from the wreckage, believing she was dead, and praying as he began CPR.

“Just praying on the inside that the Lord was going to work the problem for us,” he said.

When the baby finally cried, Nichols said, “That baby breathed. Everybody else on the scene was able to take a breath.”

Bounds, a father of three daughters, said the experience was deeply personal.

“Nothing can really prepare you mentally for seeing a baby in that condition,” he said. “You definitely go home and hug your babies a little tighter that night.”

He described the baby’s cry as the first glimmer of hope.

“Just hearing that first little cry was the sweetest sound I could hear,” he said. “It was definitely a sound of encouragement to keep going.”

Both officers emphasized the critical role of bystanders — an estimated 20 to 30 people helped, from tending to the mother to lifting the vehicle and stopping traffic.

“You can’t move a car with two people,” Bounds said. “So without the people who stopped, it wouldn’t have ended up very well.”

He added, “There are good people in this world, and the video shows it… Without the people who stopped, it wouldn’t have ended up very well.”

Bounds visited the hospital the next morning, driven by concern and a sleepless night. He spoke with the mother and two other family members, who expressed deep gratitude to him and Sgt. Nichols.

“They all had nothing but good things and thanks and told me to tell Sergeant Nichols thank you,” he said. “From what I understand and what I’ve been told, they’re doing very well.”

Faith was a recurring theme throughout the officers’ reflections.

“Faith drives every decision we do or don’t make out here,” Nichols said. “We’re not perfect. We’re works in progress. And we need grace as much as anybody else.”

Nichols has served with the department for 19 years, while Bounds has for 15. Both said the incident ranks among the most unforgettable moments of their careers.

“Memorable? Yes. Scary? Yes. Something you don’t ever want to experience? Yes,” Nichols said.

Meanwhile, Chief Eddie Garcia thanked the motorists and residents who stepped in to help, praising the two officers as examples of the department’s best.

“These officers and their heroic actions saved this baby,” Garcia said. “They treated that baby as if it was their own. And that needed to be shared.”

He emphasized that their actions reflect the dedication of Fort Worth’s 1,800 officers and expressed hope for the baby’s full recovery.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

WBBM

By Adam Harrington, Noel Brennan

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Several people are suing the owner and general manager of the Offshore Rooftop restaurant at Navy Pier, after they were burned when a s’mores station flashed over in flames during a corporate event there.

Cavanagh Sorich Law Group announced Wednesday that it filed lawsuits in Cook County Circuit Court against Offshore Rooftop operator Maverick Hotels and Restaurants LLC and general manager Laurent Boisdron.

The law group filed suit on behalf of five plaintiffs — four of whom suffered burn injuries when the fire broke out on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at a food station at a corporate event hosted by global investment management company Nuveen.

The lawsuits said the plaintiffs were gathered around a station set up for guests to roast marshmallows for s’mores, when a Maverick employee poured on a flammable liquid — possibly alcohol — and caused a flashover.

Flames shot into the air, and set some of the plaintiffs ablaze, the law group alleged. Surveillance video provided by the law firm shows the moment it all happened.

“The video is horrifying to watch. One second the plaintiffs are standing around enjoying a lovely work event at the rooftop restaurant and then suddenly the flames shoot up, and they are on fire. The physical and emotional wounds from this will last a lifetime. The recovery will be very difficult,” Timothy J. Cavanagh, founding partner at Cavanagh Sorich Law Group, said in a news release. “There was clear negligence as well as disregard for the safety of the guests. It is obvious the employee was not properly trained or supervised to work around an open flame, which is an inherently dangerous situation and put guests at risk of serious harm.”

Attorneys said a 25-year-old woman, Kira Bond, was left in critical condition with third-degree burns to her face, chest area, and torso.

“One second, Kira and her coworkers are standing around this s’mores station occupied by an employee of Maverick Hotels,” Cavanagh added at a news conference. This woman is working at the s’mores station where they obviously have marshmallows and chocolate, and at one point, this employee… takes a container — almost like a ketchup-type container — and dumps liquid onto this open flame and causes a fireball that sets Kira on fire.”

Bond had to be taken to the Trauma, Burn & Rehabilitation Unit at Stroger Hospital of Cook County where she received skin grafts and underwent surgery — and while she has been released, she will need more treatment, attorneys said.

Bond does not live in Chicago. She is a New York City resident who is relocating to a new apartment in Brooklyn. which she has not even gotten to visit yet because she has been stuck far away, Cavanagh said.

“Her life has been incredibly disrupted,” Cavanagh said.

Bond said she has had different challenges every week since she was burned.

“Just the initial first week, I didn’t know how long I was going to be there, how severe the burns were. I was going through excruciating pain every day — especially at daily dressing changes,” she said. “After surgery, I had, you know, staples in my skin for a week — but still having to, you know, do the exercises to maintain mobility in certain parts of my neck and other places, and just in general, you know, I have grafts on my inner thighs, which that skin to begin with is very thin, so they had to graft that in.”

Bond said she has struggled to gain back her strength.

“Like everything, I’ve kind of had to ask for help, and I am not one to really rely on — I like to be very independent,” she said. “I do a lot in one day, and it’s just completely like, put everything on hold—every aspect of my life.”

Bond said the event at Navy Pier involved Nuveen employees from all different offices around the nation, and was preceded by a boat tour.

She said she had just started the job at Nuveen a few weeks before the incident at the Navy Pier restaurant. She said everyone at the company has been “incredibly supportive.”

Another woman, 44-year-old Lisa Segner, suffered burns to her abdomen and lower extremities and had to go to the burn unit at Stroger too, attorneys said.

Two others, Peter Gianaris and Fernando Ramriez, suffered less severe burns — but still had to be treated as outpatients and suffered emotional trauma as they saw their colleagues on fire and rushed over to assist, attorneys said.

A fifth plaintiff, Segner’s husband, Phillip, sued for loss of consortium, attorneys said.

“This is a well-known restaurant attracting guests from around the United States who visit Navy Pier. It hosts many private functions like this one. Guests have a right to expect that the defendants operate the facility in a safe manner,” Marc McCallister, partner at Cavanagh Sorich Law Group, said in the news release. “Instead, they unnecessarily poured a combustible accelerant on the open flame, creating a fireball.”

Attorneys said they are still trying to find out who the employee operating the s’mores stand was, and if the employee was properly trained and supervised to work around an open flame.

The lawsuits were filed on Friday, Oct. 17. Cavanagh said the lawsuits have since been consolidated for discovery, and an initial hearing is planned for Dec. 17 at the Daley Center.

CBS News Chicago has contacted the restaurant operator for comment.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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KDKA

By Jessica Riley

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    Millvale, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — It’s been four weeks since the federal government shut down, and the impacts are growing. Millions of Americans are on the brink of losing their SNAP benefits, food assistance that many families depend on to put meals on the table.

In Millvale, one woman is stepping in to help fill that gap in a personal way.

Jennifer Ghosh knows what it’s like to go without. During the pandemic, she lost her income, ran out of food, and says she fell through the cracks of the system.

“Unfortunately, I fell through the cracks during COVID,” said Ghosh. “I ran out of money, ran out of food, lost my possessions during the pandemic, and realized sometimes there’s not a lot of help in the ways you think.”

That experience inspired her to start The Praxis Soup Pot, a one-woman mission to fight hunger and support others struggling with food insecurity.

When Ghosh was going through rough times, she learned how to forage to keep herself going. She says her inspiration came from a cookbook that emphasized using simple, seasonal ingredients to make nutritious soups. Although she will be using store-bought and donated items for her soups.

“It uses basic seasonal ingredients to make nutritious soup,” Ghosh said. “That’s one of the things I realized I could do from that.”

Starting next week, Ghosh will begin cooking large batches of soup from scratch in her small kitchen. Her first recipe – pumpkin soup for the fall. It will be distributed to community spots that allow home-cooked food donations.

She’s self-funding the project and cooking around her full-time job. Millvale is first on her delivery list, but she’s hoping to expand to places that allow home-cooked food.

“Any way we can help to give food to more people, it’s just the right thing to do,” Ghosh said.

The project is already gaining attention and support from volunteers and neighbors.

“That’s the beauty of this, the volunteerism and watching it suddenly take off in a way I did not expect,” said Ghosh. “We need to have more faith in each other again, and we’re losing that.”

Still, she admits she can’t do it alone.

“I could definitely use monetary donations for more soup containers and ingredients,” she said. “I’ll be buying large amounts of potatoes, onions, and garlic.”

Each container of soup will include a QR code linking to her website, where people can find the recipe and ingredient list, encouraging others to make their own soup and join the effort.

“This is a way to help the existing food organizations while also diverting some of the burden from them,” said Ghosh.

She’s also created social media pages to post updates, ingredient lists, ways to get involved, highlighting the community, and more.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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KYW

By Alicia Roberts, Scott Jacobson

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    CAMDEN, New Jersey (KYW) — Inside the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, some very special Philadelphia Eagles fans welcomed a very special visitor Tuesday night.

Birds’ rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Swoop brought some cheer to children facing long-term medical care and their families. Guests were treated to a breakfast for dinner buffet, along with photos, autographs and even a friendly game of bingo.

“I was born right across the street, so it’s always amazing. I just always like seeing the kids and knowing I can leave a forever lasting impact on somebody,” Campbell said.

For Campbell, a South Jersey native, seeing the smiles makes a night like this especially rewarding.

“Everybody has ups and downs, and at the end of the day, we always just want to battle that adversity and just overcome it,” he said.

“To have a hometown guy coming back to take care of the children and families in our home, it’s truly just so special,” said Tracey Sharpe, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey.

And for Kailitza Carrasquillo and her mom Pattyann, who have both been in and out of Ronald McDonald House during Kailitza’s treatment since 2018, it was a much needed distraction ahead of another surgery next week.

“You come from the hospital, being all day, it’s just such a wonderful experience,” Kailitza Carrasquillo said.

Proof that a little green and a lot of Eagles love are always a win.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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KCBS

By Alys Martinez

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    ALTADENA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — After losing nearly everything in the Eaton Fire in January, an Altadena family is rebuilding their business and their lives bit by bit.

The White-Chavez family, who own and operate the mobile petting zoo Experience Fable, had to corral dozens of their farm animals as quickly as they could when the devastating fire broke out on Jan. 7.

“We were able to get every single one, every single chicken, every duck, the fish, the goats — everybody,” said Mia White. “When we left, there was no power, it was dark and the wind was crazy.”

She says that even though they’re beginning to recover, after both their home and farm burned to the ground, things just aren’t the same.

“It’s hard because this used to be idyllic. Now it’s burned out, there’s a lot to do,” White said. “Out of chaos comes opportunity, and I think a lot of us feel that way.”

Over the last several months, the family has gone back and forth from San Diego, with their animals finding refuge in various places across Southern California. White says that keeping their business running was the only thing that kept them going.

“It’s therapeutic, and having that whole job to care for this menagerie has been a gift,” White said.

White’s 8-year-old daughter, Shylo, says that her animals are like family.

“To be separated, it didn’t feel that nice, but then after when we put them here, it was nice, and I could hang out with them and play with them,” Shylo Chavez said.

White says that as they continue to rebuild, along with the rest of Altadena, they’re looking for a location where they can let friends and neighbors come to spend time with their animals.

“That’s the next step, where folks that are close by can come to us on a regular basis,” she said.

While they continue working through the tragedy, White says that caring for her herd has been a blessing in disguise.

“I don’t know what it is about them, but they all have different personalities and they interact with humans in a different way,” she said. “It’s calming, and it reminds you of what’s important — the basic things.”

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KTVT

By Marvin Hurst

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — Five months after being shot nine times inside her Fort Worth home, 72-year-old Venora Landers stood before a congregation at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, leaning on a podium and giving glory to God for her recovery.

“And if I was going to give a subject, my subject would be ‘The victim survives.’ Amen. Hallelujah. Glory to your name, God!” Landers said.

Landers was shot at her Shasta Trail home on May 16. Her account was first shared by her nephew, Reverend Roderick Smith, a week after the attack. At the time, her family was too fearful to reveal her name or image.

“Because people get shot one time and don’t survive,” Landers said. “And I got shot nine times.”

The mother of four and grandmother of six decided to publicly share her story even as Fort Worth police continue to search for the gunmen.

Landers said she had told a friend not to come over that night to help inflate balloons for a release planned the next morning. A widow since 2018, she had lived in her home for 18 years, and one of her grandsons had recently moved in with her.

She said it was after 2 a.m. when she suddenly heard gunfire.

“And all of a sudden, I just heard boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,” Landers said.

The former Fort Worth ISD bus driver said she realized she had been shot but didn’t initially feel pain.

“I wasn’t in pain because I didn’t even feel it,” she said. “I mean, if I didn’t look down and see that I was shot, I wouldn’t have knew I was shot.”

Landers said her grandson panicked but managed to call 911. She also contacted a neighbor who is a firefighter. She recalled seeing a bullet lodged in her leg.

“It (the wounds) started here. Like right up here on my thigh. And then on down, even to my foot,” she said. “And when the bullet that hit my thigh, my thigh just swole like this. And it got so big that it kind of went to the other side. And I couldn’t move.”

Despite her injuries, Landers said she was alert enough to speak with paramedics and police detectives before losing consciousness. Her next memory was waking up in the ICU.

Her daughter, Tina Menefee, recalled racing to the hospital that night.

“She did have a total of five surgeries and probably going to have to have another,” Menefee said. “So her journey is not over yet.”

Landers, one of twelve siblings, was surrounded by nearly all her surviving brothers and sisters at Saturday’s appreciation service. During her hospital stay, they visited her regularly. She remembered waking up with a tube in her throat and mouthing to her daughter to pray — unaware of her condition.

“And I know nobody would want to go through that journey,” Menefee said. “But I think that she even appreciates what she’s had to endure, because this made her stronger, made her a stronger person even on today.”

Landers has since moved out of the home she cherished for nearly two decades due to medical and security concerns. Fort Worth police said they are pursuing a lead in the case.

Going back, she said, brings back too many memories. One moment that stands out occurred two months before the shooting. In her faith, Landers is considered a prophetess: someone who hears from God.

She said that night in March, she heard her name and the phrase “Legion of angels,” which she took as a message of divine protection.

“So when you hear legions of angels, what does that mean to you? Protection,” she said.

By May, she had survived a barrage of bullets from what she described as an AK-style weapon. She doesn’t know who targeted her or why, but she believes her survival is proof of divine purpose.

“What did he say? He won’t put no more on us than we can bear,” she said. “So hey, I trust him. I trust him with my life.”

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WBBM

By Adam Harrington, Beth Godvik, Desiree Evans

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A first grader returned to school on Chicago’s Southwest Side Tuesday for the first time after receiving a new heart.

Classmates and teachers at Peck Elementary School, 3826 W. 58th St., welcomed Joselin Nevarez to school Tuesday.

Everyone dressed in red for heart health, and Joselin received a big bunch of red heart balloons to celebrate her return. She jumped around with her class to celebrate, to the accompaniment of the classic 2014 song, “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors.

Joselin was born with one heart chamber. After years of treatment, she received a heart transplant this past summer.

Joselin was born with one heart chamber, and lived with hypoplastic heart syndrome until undergoing her transplant. Joselin’s family hopes to raise awareness and show support for other families going through major health issues.

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KDKA

By Michael Guise

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A fan suffered life-threatening injuries when he fell from the stands at PPG Paints Arena during Monday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Public Safety said.

The man fell from the 200 level, hitting another person in the suite level below before falling to the 100 level, Pittsburgh Public Safety said in a post on Facebook. The man who fell was taken to a hospital in Pittsburgh with life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The fall happened during the first period on Monday, and play did not stop at any point. First responders were called to the arena around 7:15 p.m., officials said.

The person struck by the falling man was evaluated by first responders and declined to go to the hospital. In a statement, the Penguins said, in part, that the organization and OVG Management Group, which operates PPG Paints Arena, are “closely monitoring the situation. Our concerns remain with the individual and his family at this time.”

A photo from the area on Monday showed about 10 200-level seats roped off with yellow tape. A pane of glass in the front of the section is also missing. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fall. No additional information was released on Monday night.

“We saw a bunch of people scrambling over there … saw him taken away,” witness Devin Voop told KDKA. “Obviously, I hope he’s OK.”

The incident comes on the heels of a worker at Acrisure Stadium falling 50 feet from the stadium’s scoreboard on Saturday night. Authorities said the worker suffered severe injuries, mainly to his lower extremities, and was listed in critical condition.

Earlier this year, Kavan Markwood fell 21 feet from his seat onto the warning track at PNC Park during a Pittsburgh Pirates’ game against the Chicago Cubs. Doctors said he suffered several injuries, including to his skull, brain, spine, ribs and lungs. But at the time, they said he was recovering ahead of schedule, given the severity of his injuries.

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KYW

By Stephanie Stahl, Casey Kuhn

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    ROBBINSVILLE, New Jersey (KYW) — A new type of radiation therapy is showing promise in treating cancer in pets.

The new kind of treatment places radiation directly into cancerous tumors, so there’s limited damage to nearby tissue.

Anu is the Donnelly family’s beloved bulldog, who has the most common form of canine skin cancer. After surgery and medications, she recently had a new kind of radiation therapy.

“It’s like very concentrated and doesn’t go all over the place,” Terrie Donnelly, Anu’s owner, said. “It just sounded good.”

They went to NorthStar VETS in Robbinsville, New Jersey, for the isoPet treatment that uses something called radio-gel.

Veterinary oncologist Diana Sanchez said the gel contains a radioactive isotope that’s placed directly inside the treatment area to destroy cancerous tumors.

“The type of radiation, it’s a high-energy type of radiation, but it travels a very short distance,” Sanchez said. “It’s delivering the radiation in a way that you can make it safe for the surrounding tissue.”

Sanchez said it’s safer and less invasive than traditional external-beam radiation.

For the treatment, Anu first got some light sedation, and then the radioactive gel was injected directly into the cancer tumors.

Sanchez said it’s usually a one-time shot with the pet up and out, with limited side effects.

“To have the ability to have a medication that can be safe, and that can be easy, and that can be affordable and accessible for the owners, it’s amazing,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez said while it’s still a new treatment, early indications are promising.

Donnelly is hoping this will be Anu’s last, best treatment.

“We just love her,” she said. “She’s part of the family. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

The maker of radio-gel is working to get FDA approval to begin human trials, which they hope will eventually become a new targeted radiation option.

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WCBS

By Jennifer McLogan

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    RIVERHEAD, Long Island (WCBS) — Birders are going cuckoo for a rare sight on Long Island. The common cuckoo bird has been spotted only four times in U.S. history in the lower 48 states, experts say. Now, it’s in Riverhead.

Hundreds of people have traveled from dozens of states, hoping for a glimpse of the bird that is native to Europe and was blown off course.

“We started a crazy viral birder insanity,” said Roy William Gardner, the eagle-eyed golfer who first saw the cuckoo.

Gardner said he was in a golfcart moving between holes when he spotted “an unusual bird going post to post.” He texted photos of the bird to his nephew, an ornithologist from Cornell and now a bird biologist at UCLA.

“It’s pretty amazing that my uncle, who’s a non-birder, can send a text message across the country,” said nephew Christopher Sayers.

Within minutes, the bird species was identified by UCLA and Cornell.

“He said, ‘what you have there is called a lifer.’ He goes, ‘people go their whole lifetime and not see this,'” Gardner said.

Soon, bird lovers started arriving by ferry, plane and car.

“This is an amazing find,” one person said.

“He lives in Europe and he winters in Africa, so for him to be this far off course,” another marveled.

Was the cuckoo bird possibly blown into New York on the wings of the recent nor’easter?

Farms and golf courses have been allowing the visitors onto their properties to spot the cuckoo. The local Riverhead Times reported 225 sightings in two days.

“It does have a classic cuckoo song, but this is going to be a migrating individual,” Sayers explained.

It’s too young to be vocalizing, but it’s showing off its plumage, gray and white body and long tail.

“If you want to go see it, you’ve gotta go find it!” said Gardner.

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