Category: CNN Regional

By Brian Roche

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    ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — A scammer in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, posing as a deputy, convinced a woman to deposit $2,000 into an ATM inside the county courthouse by exploiting cardless ATM technology.

“We’ve never had a victim come in and say they deposited money into an ATM, so our detectives are working right now, like I said, with PNC Bank to try to figure out how this particular scam is able to be pulled off,” Mike Manko, a spokesperson for the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, said.

Scammers typically request payments through gift cards or cryptocurrency, but in this case, the scammer directed the victim to use a cardless ATM, which allows access to bank accounts via a smartphone’s digital wallet or banking app instead of a physical card. The ATM used in the scam is located just outside the treasurer’s office in the courthouse.

The scammer told the woman she had missed a jury duty date and faced misdemeanor charges for failing to appear. They claimed the charges could be resolved if she deposited $2,000, which she would supposedly get back after speaking to a judge.

The victim was provided with two codes: an eight-digit code generated through the PNC app for cardless ATM access and a four-digit code the scammer falsely claimed was linked to a criminal case. After entering the codes, the woman deposited $2,000 in cash into the ATM.

“There was nothing wrong with this ATM, there wasn’t like a skimming machine on top of it. It was just an ATM that happened to be close to where the sheriff’s office was, which they used for credibility purposes,” Maria Montano with the Public Affairs of the Allegheny County Treasurer’s Office, said.

Authorities reiterated that law enforcement, including sheriff’s offices, will never request payments over the phone. If someone misses jury duty, they will be contacted directly by the courts.

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 Maricela De La Cruz

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — A 23-year-old man who was among five people stabbed in Old Sacramento early Saturday morning is recovering and reflecting on the incident, while a local youth advocate calls for more community support to prevent violence.

“I’m glad that I’m still alive. I’m glad that it could have been worse and I’m okay,” said Avontae Brown.

Brown, who hopes to go home soon, shared that his recovery is progressing.

“I’m recovering pretty well. I’m feeling okay. Just a little bit of pain I’ve been getting like medicine for and it’s been helping,” he said.

Brown described the chaotic moment when the violence unfolded.

“I was talking to some people and then I think a fight broke out and next thing I knew – it was kind of close to me – somebody walked up and I got stabbed and then I didn’t fully process it. I just remember that I put my hand on my side and I saw a lot of blood and I kind of just started freaking out,” Brown said.

Brown is a member of Voice of the Youth, a Sacramento organization that mentors young people. After learning about the stabbing, Berry Accius, the organization’s founder, said the incident highlights the need for greater investment in youth.

“When you see moments like this, the lack thereof investment just shows you the cause and effect, and now here with five young people being stabbed,” Accius said.

Accius believes that preventing violence requires more than police intervention and starts with providing young people with safe spaces and tools to manage conflict.

“An idle mind is a devil’s playground. I mean, you don’t have young people having a place to congregate. There’s not enough parental guidance at all. A lot of our young people are not learning how to be able to cope better, and they’re exposed to so much violence and so much aggression on our social media platforms,” Accius said.

An 18-year-old suspect is in custody on five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. The investigation into the stabbings remains active, and the suspect is expected in court on Tuesday.

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By Veronica Haynes, John Atwater

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — A Hopedale, Massachusetts, man and former Boston Children’s Hospital nurse is set to be arraigned next week after prosecutors accused him of sexually assaulting two teenage boys in his care, according to Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.

John Tam, 33, was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month on four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years or older and four counts of indecent assault and battery on a patient by a healthcare provider.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday.

According to investigators, one alleged incident dates to Sept. 19, 2022, when a 15-year-old boy underwent chest surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave. Prosecutors say the teen had been given anesthesia and later awoke to find his nurse, identified as Tam, inappropriately touching his genitals.

A second alleged assault was reported on Jan. 2, 2025, when Boston police were called to the hospital after another teen said he had been sexually assaulted by Tam after surgery while recovering from anesthesia.

Investigators allege Tam told the victim’s mother to move her car to the entrance for discharge, then dressed the patient, took him to the first floor, and brought him into a single-stall bathroom even though the teen did not need to use the restroom. Prosecutors say Tam then sexually assaulted the victim for about eight minutes, including fondling his genitals and offering to pull up pornographic material on his phone.

Authorities said the victim’s mother alerted hospital staff immediately after realizing something was wrong. Investigators also said security footage allegedly shows Tam wheeling the patient into a bathroom and leaving about nine minutes later.

The indictment involves two teenage boys, but investigators say they are concerned the alleged assaults may not be isolated incidents.

“We are concerned that these may not be isolated incidents, and we want to assure parents that any information they provide will be thoroughly and sensitively investigated,” Hayden said. 

Hayden urged parents whose children may have encountered Tam at Boston Children’s Hospital or at his prior workplaces, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, UMass Memorial Medical Center Worcester campus and UMass Memorial Medical Center Marlborough campus, to contact authorities if they have any suspicions that their children may have been assaulted.

“Because this matter is the subject of pending litigation, we cannot comment,” a UMass Memorial spokesperson said in a statement.

“At Boston Children’s Hospital, our patients’ and their families’ safety and well-being are our utmost priority and we continue to cooperate with the investigation and prosecution,” Boston Children’s Hospital said in a statement.

A Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center spokesperson released the following statement:

“We do not comment on ongoing legal matters. This individual worked briefly for BIDMC several years ago, in 2019 and 2020. They do not presently work at BIDMC. BIDMC does not perform pediatric surgery and is not licensed for inpatient pediatric care.”

In Suffolk County, people can contact the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County at 617-779-2146.  Survivors may also contact the Child Protection Unit at the Suffolk County district attorney’s office at 617-619-4300.  Anyone who believes that a child in Massachusetts may be the victim of abuse should call the DCF Child at Risk Hotline at 1-800-792-5200.

Kathryn Robb, an advocate for children with the nonprofit Enough Abuse, emphasized the prevalence of child sexual abuse in the United States.

“We have an epidemic of child sex abuse in this country where about 1 in 5 children will be sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday,” Robb said.

Robb is advocating for stronger laws to protect children, including mandatory education and training programs at institutions that serve minors.

“Creating education programs, training programs, mandated by law at these institutions that serve children,” she 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.

By Layza Pinero Resto, Kyle Schmidt

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    CAPE CORAL, Florida (WBBH) — Officers with the Cape Coral Police Department have identified human remains connected to a 1985 disappearance, prompting a multi-day dig in a lot near Kismet Parkway.

CCPD says 23-year-old Rose Marie Gayhart was reported missing by her family in Danville, New York. She was known to be working in the Cape Coral/North Fort Myers area.

Back in 2024, human remains were discovered by kayakers in a canal in Northeast Cape Coral, and in May officers were able to confirm that they belonged to Gayhart.

The area where the remains were located, off Kismet Parkway and near Northeast 19th Avenue, was excavated by police, deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and the District 21 Medical Examiner’s Office.

Investigators were seen using excavators, sifting through piles of dirt beneath a tent and cutting down trees at the property for two days. A forensics boat was also observed in a nearby canal as the search continued.

CCPD says the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office in New York played an integral role in securing the DNA used to identify the remains.

Police say this is now an open homicide 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 Joel Lopez

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    BOCA RATON, Florida (WPTV) — For two Boca Raton brothers living with muscular dystrophy, soccer is more than a game.

It’s motivation. It’s hope. And thanks to an unforgettable surprise from Cristiano Ronaldo and FIFA, it’s become a reminder that their dreams are still alive.

Seventeen-year-old Michael Berestovsky and his 13-year-old brother Vladimir Berestovsky grew up loving the sport and idolizing Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Even as muscular dystrophy slowly weakened their muscles and changed their lives, their passion for soccer never faded.

“Sometimes they still play despite the pain sometimes,” Michael Berestovsky said, while talking about the sport that inspires him.

That resilience is something both boys connect deeply with.

“I want to be like them more,” Michael Berestovsky said. “People like Ronaldo inspire me to try more and do more things to reach my goals.”

For Vladimir Berestovsky, Ronaldo’s work ethic became a daily source of encouragement.

“Ronaldo he inspires many people and he keeps working hard no matter what and he never gives up and it like motivates me to keep on trying every day,” Vladimir Berestovsky said.

Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder that causes muscles to weaken and lose mass over time. Today, the boys can no longer walk on their own. The last time Michael walked was when he was 15 years old, playing soccer while wearing a Portugal jersey. During the game, he fell and broke his leg in two places.

“It was very dark times, and we couldn’t see the hope,” their mother Anna Berestovsky said.

But Anna Berestovsky said giving up was never an option. A lifelong Ronaldo fan herself, Anna said she first fell in love with soccer at 16 years old after her grandfather introduced her to the sport.

Over the years, she admired Ronaldo not only for his talent, but for the determination he showed both on and off the field, helping her through her own personal challenges as a teen.

That same mindset became the foundation for her family.

“We as a family decided that we should never give up. We should only move forward, we should look for new treatments, new physical treatments, things that help them from nutrition and exercises,” Anna said.

Wanting to show how much Ronaldo had helped her sons emotionally through their condition, Anna reached out to FIFA and WPTV to share their story.

What happened next became the soccer experience of a lifetime.

The family received surprise tickets from friends and family to watch Portugal and Ronaldo play in Miami during the FIFA Club World Cup festivities.

“Ronaldo was an inspiration for me to keep going to do my things right to pursue my goals, I was really amazed when my boys felt the same way,” Anna Berestovsky said. “The entire family has been Ronaldo fans.”

For Vladimir, the atmosphere inside the stadium was unforgettable.

“What was your favorite part of the games?” I asked him.

“The fans they were like very loud and like cheering and chanting and doing waves,” Vladimir Berestovsky said with a smile, adding that he joined right in with the celebrations.

“Of course I was for Portugal, I wanted them to win,” he said. “But when they lost I still kept wearing their jersey because I think Ronaldo is still a good player no matter if he has a world cup or not.”

Then came another surprise.

During the match, Ronaldo sent the boys two autographed official FIFA World Cup soccer balls.

“It’s not just a signed ball, it’s a token,” Anna Berestovsky said. “It’s a token of being seen by such an amazing star. It’s a dream come true.”

FIFA also gifted the family VIP tickets to the tournament’s third-place match. Today, the boys continue treatments that their family says help slow the progression of muscular dystrophy. Their hope is that one day they’ll be able to play soccer again.

Inspired by the kindness shown to them, Michael and Vladimir Berestovsky are now paying it forward by sharing their journey on Instagram so other children and families living with muscular dystrophy know they’re not alone.

“My message to Ronaldo would be thank you so much for your gift to us, it means a lot of me and my brother dealing with disability,” Michael Berestovsky said.

“We will have this moment in our hearts forever,” Anna Berestovsky said. “We haven’t felt anything similar to this in a long long time. Thank you thank you thank you Ronaldo for everything.”

Now, the brothers are already dreaming about the future — counting down the days until FIFA 2030, when they hope to watch Portugal play in Portugal.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WPTV 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 Stephen Knobel

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    HAMILTON, Ohio (WCPO) — Kelsey Harrington wanted a goat.

Or maybe a cow.

Her mom said no.

So, Harrington asked for a rabbit.

That decision, made years ago, eventually led the 19-year-old into a world she never expected, one filled with competitions, friendships and a community she now calls family.

Harrington has been part of Butler County 4-H for eight years. For the past four, she’s brought her rabbits to the Butler County Fair to compete.

This year, she’s doing it one last time.

Harrington is aging out of the competition, making her final year at her hometown fair a bittersweet one.

But on the first day of this year’s fair, the focus was still on the rabbits.

Harrington stood alongside Gamora, Spark and Mr. Grumpy Pants, three of her show rabbits, waiting for the judging process to play out.

The competition isn’t simply about which rabbit looks the cutest.

Professional rabbit shows follow breed standards established by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, with judges evaluating the animals based on those standards.

Harrington keeps a small stock and currently has just three rabbits of her own.

She’s had rabbits win awards in the past, but what she’s found through the hobby goes beyond ribbons.

“It’s just a whole big family in this barn,” Harrington said.

That’s the part she loves most: the friendships and the community.

The Butler County Fair, in particular, holds a special place for Harrington because it’s home.

She said the fair gives younger kids the opportunity to discover the same passion she found years ago.

“This was me a few years ago,” Harrington said.

She remembers being the kid who wanted to show an animal.

Now, she’s the one helping make that possible for someone else, and that’s part of what makes this final year different.

For Harrington, the fair is a place where she found people who shared her passion, and where she hopes to leave that same sense of community behind when she ages out.

Of course, rabbits aren’t the only reason people come to the Butler County Fair.

The weeklong event, which runs through Aug. 1, has something for just about everyone.

There are carnival rides and games, food that tastes good even if it is not good for you, and plenty of animals.

The schedule also includes a pro rodeo, a demolition derby and live music. Later in the week, local brewers and winemakers will compete in a beer and wine competition.

For some visitors, the fair is a chance to make a family memory. For others, it’s something as simple as enjoying the first corn dog of the season.

But for Harrington, it’s a place that helped turn one little rabbit into something much bigger.

A passion. A community. And, eventually, a family.

And even though this is her last year competing at the Butler County Fair, she hopes the tradition continues with the kids who are just now discovering what she found all those years ago.

Maybe they will come here looking for a ribbon.

Maybe they’ll leave with a new friendship.

Or maybe, like Harrington, they’ll find something they never expected.

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 Jocelynn Messersmith World-Herald Staff Writer

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (Omaha World-Herald) — For many Ironhawk Juniors, their triathlon journey began with uncertainty.

But despite the race’s innate challenges — and temperatures triggering an extreme heat warning — 195 young women crossed the finish line Sunday morning at the College of Saint Mary for the nonprofit’s ninth annual race.

The race began at 8 a.m. when participants kicked off with the swim course inside the Lied Fitness Center on the college’s campus.

Addie Scherb, a 10-year-old from Council Bluffs, said that her favorite part of the event was swimming.

“It’s really fun for me and I like doing different types of strokes,” Scherb said.

After completing the swim, the girls transitioned to the bike course on the Keystone Trail and finished with a run around the campus.

Unlike her older sister, 8-year-old Maggie Scherb was most excited for the bike course because she enjoys biking outside of triathlon practice.

The Ironhawk Juniors triathlon program wraps up a free eight-week program that teaches girls ages 7 to 14 fitness, biking, running and swimming, but also lifelong skills of teamwork and confidence.

Erin Sullivan, co-founder and president of Ironhawk Juniors, said that the girls grow close throughout the regimen.

“One of the kids fell last week,” Sullivan said. “She was so embarrassed … and every single kid in her group came over to her to hug her, to tell her she’d be okay. It’s just how it goes.”

Sullivan said the adults don’t have to tell them to help; the girls just do it.

Mandy Bender volunteers with the group and works on creating activities at their practices. She said she’s been able to see many participants grow over the course of their practices.

“There are some girls that this is the first time doing the program, so to see them come in kind of shy and timid, and now they’re all just excited,” Bender said.

The event splits juniors into two different age groups. Girls 7 to 10 years old swam 100 yards, biked three miles and completed a 0.75-mile run. The 11- to 14-year-old age group consisted of a 200-yard swim, 6-mile bike ride and 1.5-mile run.

The program started in 2018 and over the years has helped more than 1,000 girls — of all athletic backgrounds — cross the finish line.

Since then, some girls who have grown out of eligibility have come back and volunteered for the event. Evelyn Ferguson, 18, was a former Ironhawk who now helps her younger sisters participate in the event.

“It’s like a rite of passage,” Ferguson said. “I know it sounds so cliche, but I’m like a role model for them.”

Ferguson said that she loves volunteering because of the connections she gets to make with the girls, which she finds fulfilling.

“The community just kind of shaped me into who I was so then I just thought I’d give back,” Ferguson said.

Ironhawk organizers said they don’t want financial struggles to be the reason any young girl couldn’t participate. So, all necessary equipment, including bikes, is provided free of charge.

“If you can’t like, sign up for a sport, then you can do this for free,” Addie Scherb said.

Free swimming and biking lessons started in April to prepare for July’s event.

Since 2018, Ironhawk Juniors has provided more than 200 swimsuits, 300 bicycles, 350 helmets and 250 pairs of running shoes to participants at no cost, according to program directors.

Michelle Bandur, a co-founder of Ironhawk Juniors, said that the event isn’t just about the triathlon or physical fitness, but about having a place where the girls can support each other and help work together on self-confidence.

“There’s a lot of things for boys out there, but for girls to come together and do this and feel safe and they can be themselves,” Bandur said.

Ferguson said that girls considering joining in the future should just do it.

“It’s worth it,” Ferguson said. “It sounds scary, but it’s so fun and everyone’s here to help you.”

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 KJRH Digital , Sharon Phillips

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    OWASSO, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Investigators with the Owasso Police Department say Jeremiah Shawn Duffey shot and killed his wife, Sara, before killing himself the evening of July 23.

Owasso police responded to a domestic violence call from Sara, after dispatchers heard a gunshot on the call. They said the caller stopped responding after the shot.

A second 911 call then came in from Sara’s son, who called from a neighbor’s home after he witnessed the shooting. Police found two people dead inside the home.

Sara filed a protective order against Shawn last month, in the paperwork she alleged he got caught kissing a child on one of the basketball teams that he coaches. The protective order claims after being confronted, Shawn threatened suicide and went on the run. She’d filed two previous protective orders against him in 2021, one for abuse and one for stalking.

The parent of that student contacted Owasso police on June 9. She said Duffey inappropriately touched her child.

Owasso police released more details about this investigation on July 25th.

They got a call from the mother around 8 p.m. on June 9th. The mother said that evening while at basketball practice for a competitive traveling team another coach witnessed Shawn Duffey inappropriately touch a child on the team. Duffey also coached the team.

The mother reported similar conduct by this coach towards her daughter over an extended period of time, in multiple law enforcement jurisdictions, across multiple states prior to this incident.

When the other coach witnessed the incident he stopped it and called the child’s mother. Police said Duffey took off and didn’t see him again after the incident.

Since Duffy was Osage the incident is federal jurisdiction, Owasso police turned their report over to the investigating agency.

The child’s mother also filed a protective order against Shawn, claiming he gave her daughter to stay quiet about inappropriate messages and actions.

Neighbors in Owasso are stunned.

“Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate,” said Brittany Fisher. “It does not pick you because you have a nice home, socially or economically, it does not matter.”

2 News Oklahoma previously interviewed Shawn and Sara following a story involving embezzlement at a nearby school.

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By Clifton Haskin

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    MUSKOGEE, Oklahoma (KJRH) — A red tent at 12th Street and West Okmulgee Avenue became a place of hope on July 25 as a Muskogee family served hundreds of free meals and gave away clothing to people in need.

The event welcomed families and people experiencing homelessness, offering hot meals, clothing and a chance to connect with others in the community. Among those who stopped by was Rhonda Keeling.

“I have no clothing, just one pair, and I saw the sign saying free clothing and food,” Keeling said.

Keeling said the event reminded her that people in the community still care.

“Very humble, taking time out of their own lives just to help out people who don’t have anything,” Keeling said.

Organizer Kendra Justus said helping others is what motivated her family to host the giveaway.

“It just makes me feel so good helping other people that need it,” Justus 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.