Category: CNN Regional

By Cheryl Fiandaca

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    MARTHA’S VINEYARD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A babysitter on Martha’s Vineyard is awaiting trial on a manslaughter charge after a two-year-old boy in her care died.

Frankie Rodenbaugh died in March 2025, just days after his babysitter, 40-year-old Aimee Cotton of Oak Bluffs, allegedly left him in a car, strapped in his seat for hours with no food or water.

“The amount of damage she’s done to our community is unimaginable,” Frankie’s father, Matt Rodenbaugh, told WBZ-TV’s I-Team. “If I could help one family and a save a child from a situation like Frankie’s, I’ll do anything I can for that.”

He said his son was a “mini-me” and a ball of energy.

“Every day I’d come home from work,” Rodenbaugh said, “he would hear me coming and the dogs would bark, and he’d run to the gate here and yell, ‘Dada!’ and (give me) a big, huge hug. He’d hug everyone. Just a super happy little kid.”

The Rodenbaughs live on the Vineyard. They used a well-known and trusted babysitter to watch Frankie during the day. Aimee Cotton came highly recommended. They’d known her for more than 10 years.

“She watched my daughter, who’s now 6, for the first three years of her life,” Rodenbaugh said. “She was somebody really close to us and somebody we trusted.”

On March 13, 2005, Cotton brought Frankie to her home on Great Rock Road in Oak Bluffs. Hours later, she allegedly dialed 911 saying Frankie stopped breathing. Matt’s wife Julie called him at work.

“She said Frankie’s in an ambulance. He’s not breathing. I’m headed to the hospital now. I just kept saying ‘What do you mean, what happened?’ She’s like ‘I don’t know, I don’t know anything. Aimee called me crying,'” Rodenbaugh said.

Frankie was put on a medical rescue helicopter and rushed to Boston Children’s Hospital in grave condition.

“They lost his heart rate, there’s not a lot of neurological signals going on right now. We’re not really sure what happened. He’s not doing well. They keep telling me we’re very, very worried about Frankie and that’s exactly how they would tell me. I knew, I knew what that meant,” Rodenbaugh said.

While Frankie was fighting for his life in Boston, Matt got more heartbreaking news. His father Frank, who Frankie was named after, died after having a pacemaker put in.

“I looked at Julie and she’s like, ‘What’s wrong?’ and I said, ‘My dad died,'” Rodenbaugh said.

Without a moment to grieve, Massachusetts State Police told Rodenbaugh they had an update on the case.

Babysitter arrested “They said we want to tell you that we’re arresting Aimee. I remember my wife and I both were like, ‘You can’t do that. We love Aimee. She’s great,” Rodenbaugh recalled.

The family was shocked, until the police told them about the evidence they had.

“We reviewed the video of the camera on the outside of the house. We saw that Aimee came home at 9 something, she exited the vehicle and went into her house,” Rodenbaugh said. “He said she didn’t come back to the vehicle until around 12:30 or 1. I said OK. They said she was the only one who exited the vehicle.”

According to police reports, Cotton’s Nest video camera showed that another child and Frankie were left alone, strapped in car seats in her SUV for about three hours. The video allegedly does not show that Cotton ever took Frankie out of his car seat, changed him or gave him any food or water.

“She tortured my child” “She tortured my child,” Rodenbaugh told the I-Team. “They enhanced the audio of the video, and he can be heard calling out for Dada over and over and over again, until the video went silent.”

Police said Cotton admitted while the children were in the car she was inside the house cooking bacon, conducting personal hygiene and preparing her son’s hockey bags.

While police were making their case, Frankie’s condition worsened, and the couple made the difficult decision to take him off life support.

“It was horrible,” Rodenbaugh said. “I held his hand, and I just kept saying, ‘Go to Pap Pap.’ That’s what he called my dad. I held his hand for a long time and just kept saying, ‘Go to Pap Pap.”

Rodenbaugh has some peace believing Frankie is with his grandfather. At the same time, he’s demanding justice for his son.

“She played Russian roulette with my son’s life every day apparently and he didn’t win this one,” Rodenbaugh said. “Aimee killed my son.”

Babysitter free on bail Aimee Cotton is currently free on bail awaiting trial. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Attorney Harrison Barrow III represents Cotton in the criminal case. He declined the I-Team’s request for comment.

In February, the Rodenbaughs filed a civil suit against Cotton. They also started a foundation and built a playground in Frankie’s name.

Advice for parents Matt Rodenbaugh has this advice for parents.

“I think trust but verify is a big one. Trust your caregivers but ask questions, pop in, stop by, see if they’d be ok with a camera. It’s not to spy on them, it’s to make sure your child’s safe.” he said. “And listen to your kids.”

There is a bit of happy news. Just last week the couple welcomed their third child, a boy.

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 Abner Sosa

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    BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KHBS, KHOG) — Community members and businesses in Northwest Arkansas are being encouraged to support Transportation Security Administration officers working without pay during the ongoing partial federal government shutdown.

At Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), 92 TSA officers continue reporting to work each day to maintain security operations, even as federal payroll remains disrupted.

Airport officials say those officers are considered essential employees, meaning security lines continue moving and travelers remain safe, but behind the scenes, the shutdown is taking a growing financial toll.

Zackary Hicks, a TSA officer and president of AFGE Local 917, said he has returned to frontline screening duties during the shutdown.

“Right now, with the partial shutdown, I am currently returned to my original duties as a screening officer,” Hicks said.

While operations are holding steady, Hicks said the strain on workers is increasing as the shutdown drags on.

“It is starting to get a little bit hard since we’ve now gotten to day 33 of the partial shutdown. We’re starting to feel a little bit of the squeeze,” Hicks said.

Hicks added that many officers live paycheck-to-paycheck and continue showing up to work despite not being paid.

“It’s hard to see them come in, loving doing their job and just seeing the devotion they have to keeping the airways safe and knowing that they’re not getting paid for it. It breaks my heart as well,” Hicks said.

In response, airport leaders said the community has been asking how to help.

While federal rules prohibit TSA workers from accepting cash donations, they are allowed to receive certain in-kind support, including food and gift cards. Any donations must be distributed evenly among all officers.

“Food is obviously an excellent donation. Also gift cards, to local restaurants, Visa, Vanilla, Walmart gift cards. That would be a huge support,” said Olivia Tyler, XNA’s public affairs manager. “We’re trying everything that we can in order to support them in the ways that we can.” Businesses or organizations interested in coordinating donations are encouraged to contact Tyler via email to arrange logistics.

Hicks said that support is already making a difference for officers facing uncertainty.

“It makes me really supported by my community. I really appreciate it. It kind of brings tears to my eyes, too, because it’s hard. It’s really hard on us when we go through this,” Hicks said.

As the shutdown continues, TSA officers remain on the job, ensuring safety at the airport — even without pay.

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 Krista Tatschl, Chloe Godding

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    KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — Kanbe’s Markets took a hit overnight when vandals broke into the warehouse parking lot and stole the catalytic converters from five work trucks.

The warehouse had cameras and locked gates, but the vandals cut a hole in the fence to get inside.

“I went out and checked all of them and determined that five of the eight pack truck converters had been sawed off,” said Henry Noth, operations manager for Kanbe’s.

A catalytic converter is an important piece of a vehicle’s exhaust system. Converter theft is a common crime because they are easy to steal and easy to sell. In this instance, it only took the vandals about 10 minutes.

Not only did the theft cause $50,000 in damage, which isn’t entirely covered by insurance, losing the catalytic converters puts a wrench in Kanbe’s usual food distribution. These trucks deliver vital fresh food deliveries to 122 locations around the metro.

Kanbe’s partners with stores in food deserts and installs stand-alone coolers in the stores to offer fresh food, operating on a consignment basis. This system helps provide produce in areas where it is less available.

“We have people in these communities that rely on our coolers, that expect us to be there every weekday, stocking them with fresh produce options,” Noth said. “And when we have to take a truck off the road, some of those stores — all of which are vital to these communities — some of those stores don’t get stocked.”

Now, Kanbe’s is working on solutions to continue its deliveries around the metro.

“Other nonprofits actually offered to let us use their truck for a day yesterday, which kind of helped us in the immediate,” Noth said. “But as far as having a solution for a couple of weeks, we’ll definitely have to go rent trucks. … So we appreciate everything we can get.”

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 Cassie Schirm

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    VIOLET, La. (WDSU) — A 16-year-old boy is dead after being dragged and run over during an altercation with another teen in St. Bernard Parish, deputies said.

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened Monday night on Meraux Lane in Violet.

Deputies identified the victim as Franklin Osmar Ayala Linares.

According to investigators, surveillance video shows Ayala approaching a white van, where an altercation occurred with the driver. Authorities said the driver attempted to leave while Ayala was still holding onto the vehicle, dragging him down the road before he fell into the roadway and was run over.

When deputies arrived, they found Ayala lying in the street with critical injuries. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

A 15-year-old has been arrested in connection with the case and is facing charges of negligent homicide and hit-and-run resulting in death. His identity has not been released because he is a juvenile.

Deputies said the two teens likely knew each other. The investigation remains ongoing.

A neighbor who lives nearby said family members were the first to spot Ayala in the roadway.

“My daughter pulled up and saw something in the street,” the neighbor said. “At first, she thought it was something that fell out of a truck.”

The neighbor said that when they got closer, they realized it was a person.

“He was just lying there, kind of curled up, just moaning,” the neighbor said. “We didn’t know if he had been hit or if it was some kind of medical issue. We called 911 right away.”

The neighbor said deputies arrived within minutes, followed shortly by emergency crews.

The neighbor also said home surveillance cameras captured parts of what happened before the incident, including a van driving down the street with its lights off, slowing down and briefly stopping before leaving the area.

Ayala’s mother, Dilia Laneris, said her son had just finished dinner at home shortly before the incident.

“He was finished eating dinner when he got a message, my daughter asked if it was his girlfriend,” Laneris said through a translator. “He just laughed, went outside with a trash bag, and he didn’t come back.”

She said she is now asking for justice.

“I would like for everyone to help me get justice for my son. I don’t want revenge, just justice for his death,” she said. “It can’t stay like this.”

Laneris said she wants her son to be remembered as a happy and playful teenager.

“He was a very happy son. He liked to play with the girls. He was very playful,” she said. “He loved to play games and be with me while I cooked dinner.”

Family members said they are now working to raise money to bring Ayala’s body back to Honduras so his father can see him one last time and lay him to rest.

“May he have a Christian burial, and that my daddy see him one last time,” his sister said.

The driver involved has been identified by investigators as a 15-year-old boy. Authorities have not released his name because he is a juvenile.

Deputies said the teen was taken into custody following the incident and booked on charges of negligent homicide and hit-and-run resulting in death

Deputies said the investigation remains ongoing.

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 Jason Burger

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — An Oklahoma City father was alarmed when his 11-year-old son woke him up to report a stranger sleeping in his bedroom.

“At 8 a.m. maybe, my son woke me up, and he said, ‘There’s a man in my bed,'” Josh Hodnik, the father, said.

Hodnik said he initially doubted his son but soon realized the situation was real.

“I was like, ‘Are you sure? Are you sure?’ He said, ‘Yeah, there’s a man,'” Hodnik said.

According to an Oklahoma City police report, the suspect was found in the child’s bedroom. The report said the man was a transient.

Hodnik said he was concerned about the potential danger to his children.

“I did something violent to him where he couldn’t react, but you know, he could have done something to my child while he was asleep, or my daughter while she was asleep,” the father said.

Hodnik said he led the suspect to the living room and punched him.

The suspect claimed an unknown female told him he could spend the night at the house, but Hodnik clarified that only he and his children live there.

“It was left unlocked because my kids were playing the night before, and didn’t lock it, but that’s not an excuse for someone to walk in,” Hodnik said.

The Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office said that the suspect had previously pleaded into Mental Health Court, now called DREAMS Court, in Oklahoma County.

“It was believed that the stability that comes with a treatment court would benefit him. Based on the allegations that he committed a new crime while in the program, our office will evaluate his future as a participant. Committing a crime while in a treatment court can get a participant revoked,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

Hodnik said he was frustrated with the system.

“These politicians and these judges and all these people need to be held accountable. That’s what needs to happen,” the father said.

None of the children were harmed, and the suspect was taken into custody without incident. He is currently held at the Cleveland County jail.

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By Megan Mitchell

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    CINCINNATI (WLWT) — Billboards in Cincinnati with the message “Say the F Word” are drawing attention to the dangers of fentanyl, as part of a family’s effort to honor their son’s legacy and prevent overdose deaths.

Stephanie Quehl, mom and president of the foundation “Do It For Jack,” said, “My biggest fear is him being forgotten.”

Her son, Jack Quehl, died of an overdose at the age of 24, and she and her husband, Tom, chose to be transparent about the circumstances.

Stephanie Quehl, who taught health education, expressed the difficulty of discussing the topic, saying, “We don’t want to talk about it. I mean, you don’t want to. I’m a grade school teacher, you know, and I taught health education, you know, I taught that before. And then your son, you’re like, wow. You know, we just had no idea.”

Jack Quehl was a standout student and athlete at Moeller, with passions for sports, reading, and traveling.

After graduating from the University of South Carolina, he moved to Baltimore with friends, where he was found on a rooftop patio.

Police reported that weekend had one of the highest numbers of overdose deaths involving pills laced with fentanyl.

Tom Quehl, dad and co-founder, explained the danger, saying, “People are taking things that they think is maybe a Xanax or an Adderall or any type of other street drug, and it’s laced with fentanyl. So they’re not expecting to get fentanyl, and two grains of salt put in a pill is enough to kill you.”

The Quehls’ foundation is dedicated to spreading awareness to prevent deaths.

They visit schools, workplaces, and organizations to educate people, especially teens and young adults, about the current cultural issues.

Stephanie Quehl urged, “Don’t look away. Have that conversation literally. You see this on your news tonight. Take the time to call your grandson. Call your neighbor, call your teenage kid. Call somebody at the college. Spring break is coming up I mean- .” She added, “…You might save a life.”

The Quehls plan to update the billboard with more context and ways to help spread the word.

They have already reached over 19,000 students through their outreach and aim to expand their efforts to reach more young people before summer.

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By Laura Terrell, Todd Magel

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    IOWA (KCCI) — Iowa authorities have charged an Iowa woman with murder 15 years after West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland was killed at an open house. West Des Moines police held a news conference Wednesday morning, during which several people spoke — including Okland’s siblings.

Kristin Ramsey, 53, of Woodward, is charged with first-degree murder. She has been booked into the Dallas County Jail and is being held on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Okland, 27, was found dead with two gunshot wounds inside a model townhome where she was holding an open house on April 8, 2011. Authorities said on Wednesday that few details will be made public at this time.

“As significant as this arrest is, our work is not done yet,” West Des Moines assistant police chief Jody Hayes said. “… To maintain the integrity of the judicial process, the West Des Moines Police Department is unable to release any additional investigative information regarding this case.”

Okland’s sister, Brittany Bruce, said it was hard to accept years ago that the case had gone cold, and thanked law enforcement officers who continued to investigate.

“Their dedication, commitment to Ashley, their drive and work ethic is a true gift from God that we feel fortunate to be touched by,” Bruce said.

“Today is a day my family has thought about very often over the last 14 years,” Josh Okland said. “We have so many people to thank … thank you for your countless hours helping on Ashley’s case.”

Ramsey made her initial court appearance on Wednesday morning, and isn’t due back in court again until April 10. KCCI was in Woodward on Tuesday as investigators searched Ramsey’s home. Our crews saw a West Des Moines K-9 unit, crime scene investigators and officers with metal detectors.

Hayes said during Wednesday’s news conference that no other arrests are anticipated.

“Today is why we created the Iowa Cold Case Unit,” Bird said Wednesday. “… I hoped and prayed this day would come (for Okland’s family).

“No one should ever get away with murder. Families deserve answers and there needs to be justice for every victim.”

Bruce asked for her family’s privacy as the case moves forward.

“I’d also ask for you to give the same privacy and respect to the suspect’s family,” she said. “They don’t deserve to be hounded.”

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.