Family on mission to help others navigate pain of stillbirth & infant loss

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Melanie Wingo

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Photographs help Katy and Brian Herman of Rocklin keep the memory of their baby boy alive. The couple cherishes in-delivery room images, captured of their son Wesley Dean Herman, who was stillborn, April 11, 2021.

“It’s just, it’s very peaceful looking to me,” Katy Herman said as she looked at a framed photo of Wesley, taken the day she gave birth to him. “This was right before we left him. We each got our turn to say goodbye.”

A brother. A nephew. A grandchild. A son. Wesley will always be all of those things, even though he couldn’t go home from the hospital with his family.

“It shouldn’t be like that, you know. Him in my arms, he was heavy. The weight was heavy. I still feel him in my arms,” said Herman. “It was hard. Really hard.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) numbers show over 21,000 babies are stillborn in the United States each year. Recent data for the state of California appear to show that more than 2,100 fetal deaths (stillbirths) occur in the state each year, on average.

After nine-plus months of a normal pregnancy with Wesley, however, Herman never imagined her child would be included in those statistics.

“He was five days past due and I just suddenly didn’t feel movement one day,” Herman said. “No one should have to go through this. The sad reality is people do.”

Doctors say Wesley died from a true knot in his umbilical cord.

Finding out that their baby wouldn’t go on to live a full life has left the Hermans forever-impacted, but out of the devastation, an idea was born.

“The day after I delivered him, I was on a phone call and I looked out in my backyard, and I just saw some butterflies fluttering by,” Herman explained. “I just knew at that moment that, that was our symbol.”

The butterfly became a symbol to the Hermans that they would go on to help others enduring the trauma of infant loss.

Discovering a way to help

Sutter Medical Center Sacramento’s High Risk Maternity Unit says it sees three to five infant deaths at birth per month.

Now, the donation of a Cuddle Cot device to the facility from the Hermans’ Born Sleeping Foundation — which they started in Wesley’s honor — may lift up families experiencing the death of an infant.

“There’s more room for growth and more humanness around a fetal death,” said Cherie Abercrombie, clinical manager of the Sutter Medical Center Sacramento High Risk Maternity Unit. “This Cuddle Cot has allowed that the baby can be at the bedside for really as long, until the family is ready to let go.”

The Cuddle Cot is, quite simply, an infant-sized cooling pad connected by an insulated tube to a motor that keeps the pad refrigerated. It’s an on-site apparatus that gives families an opportunity to process precious lives lost.

“To grieve in their own time, and in their own way,” said Abercrombie. “Really know that they did what they needed to do within the hospital to, to help support their healing.”

Already, the Born Sleeping Foundation has raised enough money to purchase and donate nearly 30 Cuddle Cots to hospitals in California, Nevada, Washington and Texas.

“It just gives the gift of time to families who go through stillbirth or infant loss,” Herman said.

Each Cuddle Cot costs around $3,000, according to the Born Sleeping Foundation which says it’s regularly approached by hospitals in need of the devices, and makes donations to those facilities as funding comes in.

“My thing is, say yes. Say yes until it stops,” said Herman. “Say yes until, until we can’t. Let’s just see what happens and how we can help people.”

It’s a mission the Hermans hope helps families like theirs embrace grief, as a means of starting down a path toward healing.

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

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Man gets life sentence for killing girlfriend, fleeing to Mexico

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Logan Smith

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    DENVER (KCNC) — A 37-year-old Denver area man was recently found guilty of trying to hide in Mexico after fatally stabbing a woman he was dating two years ago.

An Adams County jury convicted Adrian Carracedo-Vega of first-degree murder on Nov. 24. The judge immediately sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility for parole.

Sachely Diaz was found crawling in an alley behind an apartment building on Dec. 20, 2023. She was near the apartment building’s dumpsters in the 1700 block of West 85th Avenue in Federal Heights. She was covered in blood and, according to Adams County prosecutors, told a witness, “I’m dying, I’m dying.”

Diaz had been stabbed twice in her torso. She died after being taken to a hospital. She was 20 years old.

A friend had reported her missing earlier that day when she failed to return from an appointment at a nail salon.

Remarkably, a Thornton woman called police 14 minutes after Diaz passed away, according to a case document. That woman described a bloody pile of clothes she found in her bedroom which she believed belonged the father of her child, Carracedo-Vega. The woman also said her roommate’s car was missing. Carracedo-Vega had previously borrowed the vehicle from her roommate had keys to it, as stated in Carracedo-Vega’s arrest affidavit.

The woman told investigators she learned a year and a half earlier that Carracedo-Vega had been established a relationship with Diaz. She continued a “platonic” relationship with Carracedo-Vega since she had at that time just given birth to their child and, in her words to investigators, became “acquiescent.”

The car was found the following day in Denver. Investigators discovered blood smears on a rear fender and strands of black hair pinched in a door handle, per the affidavit. Inside the car, next to the center console, they found a 27-inch, straight-blade sword. Investigators said it had blood stains along its entire length.

That blood was confirmed to be Diaz’s.

A week later, prosecutors with the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Adams County filed a murder charge against Carracedo-Vega. A federal arrest warrant was issued.

He was caught four months later in Mexico.

Prosecutors pointed out Carracedo-Vega’s cell phone was in the area of the nail salon at the time of Diaz’s disappearance.

“This was a brutal killing and the defendant has now been held accountable,” 17th District Attorney Brian Mason stated in a press release. “Sachely Diaz was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. Her tragic murder is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence in this community. Today, her family hopefully gets some measure of peace, though the pain of their loss will never go away.”

The trial lasted six days.

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14-year-old student fatally shot; neighbors report seeing fleeing teens

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Jazmon DeJarnette

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    SALINAS, California (KSBW) — Around 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, officers responded to Camarillo Court in east Salinas. When they arrived, they found a 14-year-old with multiple gunshot wounds.

The Salinas Union High School District confirms the teen was one of their students.

A neighbor I spoke with ran out of his house after hearing the shots and found the teen lying on the curb.

“There was the boy lying there, and that was all I saw, and from then on, I didn’t know what happened,” said the neighbor.

Another neighbor told me she first thought she was hearing fireworks, until she saw a group of teens running down the street away from the gunfire.

“I was like, oh, I don’t think that’s normal. And then, like a few seconds later, I saw, like, two neighbors run towards the direction where the shots were heard. And I said, ‘No, that’s not typical behavior for fireworks,'” said the other neighbor.

Neighbors say gang activity is common in this area — pointing to tagging on the wall as just one example.

“I would say, like, half and half. I mean, sometimes they do. But then just seeing the wall tagged up makes me kind of feel unease,” said the neighbor.

They’re calling for the violence to stop, saying too many teens in Salinas have access to weapons.

“I would say that they shouldn’t sell us guns, or that they should prohibit them,” said a neighbor.

Salinas Police Department confirmed that they’ll keep working through the weekend to find who’s responsible, and they’re asking anyone with information to come forward.

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Man set on fire on subway reunited with his family after 1st surgery

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Renee Anderson

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A homeless man who police say was set on fire while sleeping on a New York City subway car has been reunited with his family.

The man’s son shared a photo of them at the hospital Sunday, saying the family had been looking for him for weeks and just learned about his whereabouts.

His family said he already underwent one surgery and will need another because of the severity of his burns.

The attack happened shortly after 3 a.m. last Monday on a northbound 3 train in midtown Manhattan. Police said the victim was asleep on the train when it pulled into 34th Street Penn Station, where the suspect briefly stepped onto the train and set his pants on fire.

The victim remained on the train until it pulled into 42nd Street-Times Square, and an MTA worker flagged down first responders.

Police arrested 18-year-old Hiram Carrero, of Manhattan, days later on charges of attempted murder, arson, assault and criminal mischief in the attack.

“As alleged, Hiram Carrero committed a horrific arson, starting a fire inside of a New York City subway car where a victim was sleeping,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement after Carrero’s arrest. “As a result of that arson, the victim has suffered severe injuries. The New York City subway is the heart of our City, with millions of people who live and work here relying on it every day. New Yorkers have the right to be safe and feel safe when they ride the subway, and our Office is committed to that result.”

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“The 100 Club” helps families of fallen police officers with emotional, financial support

CNN on December 8, 2025


WBZ

By Paula Ebben

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — Saturday marked two years since Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey and National Grid employee Roderick Jackson were killed after they were hit by a car while on a work detail. The suspect, 55-year-old Peter Simon, was allegedly speeding away from another crash at the time.

“I remember driving to the hospital in the back of the police cruiser and saying ‘Oh my God, I’m a police widow’ and this is the stuff that we get trained on, that we learn about, but never did I ever think that this was going to happen,” Paul’s wife, Kristin Tracey, said. Kristin is also a Waltham Police Officer.

Tracey and her two children were devastated in the days following Paul’s death. After an officer dies in the line of duty, their paychecks stop the very next day. That’s when The 100 Club stepped in, the only nonprofit in Massachusetts that supports the families of fallen first responders.

“The 100 Club has been amazing, immediately coming through for us and then just providing emotional as well as the financial support,” Kristin said.

The 100 Club was founded in Detroit in the 1950s when 100 men asked 100 friends to donate to help fallen officers. The second chapter of the club was opened in Boston in 1959.

“We just want these families to know that their sacrifice is important and we owe them … and they won’t be forgotten, and their loved one won’t be forgotten,” said Tracie Hines, the Executive Director of the club.

The club helps families maintain a sense of normalcy and joy in honor of their loved one, taking them to sporting events, sending them packages for life and hosting parties to meet other families of fallen first responders.

“I don’t want to wallow in the sorrows. I want to live life because then I, I do, I feel like I’m, I’m making him proud and making him happy,” Kristen said.

Kristin makes sure to keep her husband’s memory alive for her family through the club and with their relationship with Jackson’s family.

“We see each other at court for all the trials because we still have a trial coming up,” Kristin said.

The trial for Simon is set to begin in 2026.

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.

“The 100 Club” helps families of fallen police officers with emotional, financial support

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Paula Ebben

Click here for updates on this story

    BOSTON (WBZ) — Saturday marked two years since Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey and National Grid employee Roderick Jackson were killed after they were hit by a car while on a work detail. The suspect, 55-year-old Peter Simon, was allegedly speeding away from another crash at the time.

“I remember driving to the hospital in the back of the police cruiser and saying ‘Oh my God, I’m a police widow’ and this is the stuff that we get trained on, that we learn about, but never did I ever think that this was going to happen,” Paul’s wife, Kristin Tracey, said. Kristin is also a Waltham Police Officer.

Tracey and her two children were devastated in the days following Paul’s death. After an officer dies in the line of duty, their paychecks stop the very next day. That’s when The 100 Club stepped in, the only nonprofit in Massachusetts that supports the families of fallen first responders.

“The 100 Club has been amazing, immediately coming through for us and then just providing emotional as well as the financial support,” Kristin said.

The 100 Club was founded in Detroit in the 1950s when 100 men asked 100 friends to donate to help fallen officers. The second chapter of the club was opened in Boston in 1959.

“We just want these families to know that their sacrifice is important and we owe them … and they won’t be forgotten, and their loved one won’t be forgotten,” said Tracie Hines, the Executive Director of the club.

The club helps families maintain a sense of normalcy and joy in honor of their loved one, taking them to sporting events, sending them packages for life and hosting parties to meet other families of fallen first responders.

“I don’t want to wallow in the sorrows. I want to live life because then I, I do, I feel like I’m, I’m making him proud and making him happy,” Kristen said.

Kristin makes sure to keep her husband’s memory alive for her family through the club and with their relationship with Jackson’s family.

“We see each other at court for all the trials because we still have a trial coming up,” Kristin said.

The trial for Simon is set to begin in 2026.

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.

‘Brought out the kid in me’: Sooner fans, businesses celebrate hosting playoff game in Norman

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Olivia Hickey

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    NORMAN, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Oklahoma Sooners fans are eagerly anticipating their team’s first-round playoff game against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Dec. 19 in Norman.

OU students, fans and nearby businesses are celebrating the opportunity to host a playoff game in Norman for the first time.

“We’re going to win the big game,” Blakely Uhles, a young Sooner fan, said.

“Yeah, we are,” Micah Marley, another young fan, said.

“They’re going to go down to the ground,” Uhles said.

The University of Oklahoma clinched the No. 8 seed on Sunday, marking their return to the College Football Playoff.

“I’ve been a fan since elementary school. Grew up in Edmond, so we’ve had some tough years since 2019, so it brought out the kid in me,” Joshua Belz, a sophomore at OU, said.

In their first-round matchup, the Sooners will take on the No. 9 seed Alabama Crimson Tide.

With Oklahoma winning their last two matchups, Alabama fans are expected to bring intensity to the game.

But fans aren’t the only ones excited about the playoff game coming to Norman. Restaurants and businesses in the area are looking forward to a boom in patrons, too.

“They’re going to be seeking revenge,” Harley Stevens, a manager and senior at Louie’s Grill and Bar, said about Alabama.

“We’ve owned the state of Alabama for two years, and now they’re trying to reclaim their state and their pride for their football team,” Cory Shoemaker, a bartender and OU graduate, said.

The “Crimson Crossover,” will cap off a busy weekend in Norman, with the university’s December graduation ceremonies scheduled for the following day, Dec. 20.

“We’re going to open up early. We’re going to be open late. It’s going to be an all-day event, with people in and out all day long,” Stevens said.

While fans eagerly await gameday, Joshua Belz remains confident.

“We kind of own the state of Alabama. So, I think we’ll handle them pretty good.”

The first-round winner will go on to face the No. 1 seed, Indiana, in the Rose Bowl.

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

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Iowa State students react to football coaching shake-up

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Pepper Purpura

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    AMES, Iowa (KCCI) — Iowa State’s football program is heading into a major transition — and students say they’re still processing the news.

Shock spread across campus this weekend after longtime head coach Matt Campbell announced he’s leaving Ames to take over at Penn State. The change comes as the Cyclones also declined their postseason bowl invitation, citing a lack of healthy players to safely prepare and compete. The Big 12 has issued a $500,000 fine to ISU for the withdrawal.

Students told KCCI they “did not see it coming,” and called the changes “surprising” and “devastating.”

Campbell leaves as the winningest coach in Iowa State history, having delivered the program’s best season ever in 2024. Students say his decade in Ames reshaped how they saw Cyclone football.

“(Under Campbell) the vibes around campus were at an all-time high. We were not only being seen as a basketball school,” said junior Jakson Ley.

“Seeing Jack Trice fill up with all the students, it’s just awesome,” junior Ben Donath added.

For many, the departure has deflated the campus atmosphere.

“Everyone’s kind of down,” Collura said. “The atmosphere around here has been kind of dreadful the last couple of days.”

But with new head coach Jimmy Rogers set to be introduced Monday, curiosity — and cautious optimism — is beginning to take hold.

Rogers had just finished his first season at Washington State before quickly pivoting to Ames, something students admit feels unusual. Still, many say they’re ready to see what he brings.

“We’ll have to see how he does, but I have optimistic feelings,” Collura said.

“We have a bit more talent than Washington State, so I’m just seeing what he can do with our guys,” Ley said.

Athletic Director Jamie Pollard said he supports the players’ decision to forgo the bowl game, as many weigh injuries and potential transfer options. For students, the focus now turns to how Rogers will lead the Cyclones into a new era — and whether the energy Campbell helped build can carry forward.

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Woman asks for help proving unclaimed veteran is her father

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Tony Keith

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    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (KOAA) — A Colorado woman turned to social media asking for help with proving that an unclaimed veteran buried in Washington is her father, so she can bring his remains to Colorado.

Meagan Heisinger posted the following to social media in late November, and a viewer reached out to News5 asking if we could share her message:

“I’m sharing this to see if anyone can help me bring my dad’s remains home to Colorado. I was searching for him for several years and finally got the money to do an ancestry test this year in January. And then I contacted an ancestry angel to help me understand the DNA and results I got. Unfortunately, she found my father, he is an unclaimed veteran in Washington State Cemetery. I would like to get his remains close to me in Colorado, where he spent most of his life. And in order to do that I have to prove next of kin by a DNA test. And by the grace of god I called the Pierce County Medical Examiner Office and they have my father’s DNA. I would like to see if there is anyone who could help me.”

Heisinger tells News5 she is certain James Bradley Lane is her father. Lane’s remains were recovered from the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office by Missing In America Project volunteers. After his honorable military service was verified by the Department of Veteran Affairs, he was interred at WSVC with military honors on 13 September 2018, according to FindAGrave.com. News5 confirmed with the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office that they have possession of Lane’s remains, but they could not comment more. News5 has also been in contact with the volunteer who helped identify Lanes remains. That person has also had communication with Heisinger, hoping to help prove Lane is her biological father.

Heisinger explained she had an ancestry test done, sharing those DNA results with someone she described as an “ancestry angel.” An ancestry angel is a volunteer genealogist who helps individuals identify their biological family by interpreting DNA matches and building family trees.

“I’m hurt,” Heisinger said, holding back tears. “I’m upset, I’m devastated. There’s just no words to talk about how much it hurts. And then now I have to prove that he’s my father.”

Heisinger explained that her maiden name is Lane, and her last contact with her father was when she was an infant. Heisinger says her mom didn’t share much information about her biological father as she was growing up, except for a few photos. To prove Lane is her father, comes at a price.

“I have to go to the courts and file a petition for paternity, which is gonna cost $268 to file and another $600 to do the paternity test,” Heisinger wrote in an online fundraising account.

Heisinger tells News5 she has been in contact with relatives of Lane who live in Michigan, and they were unaware of his passing.

“It’s almost worse than finding out that he’s dead,” Heisinger said. “Having to do all of these hoops because it’s like, I have to prove that I’m your daughter. I have to go through all these legal things, and that’s more stress… It’s hard.”

The Ancestry Angel is a woman who helps run the Facebook group “The DNA Slayers -Free DNA Search Angels.” Lynda tells News5 she spent about 10 hours on Heisinger’s case, utilizing information from Ancestry.com to build family trees. In a typical case, once Lynda has enough information from Ancestry.com, she turns to public data to pin down the relative someone is searching for. She does all of this work free of charge and has been working in genealogy for more than two decades.

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

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Holiday helpers bring Christmas spirit to senior

CNN Newsource on December 8, 2025

By Adam Klepp

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    TEMPE, Arizona (KNXV) — Surrounded by Santas and Snowmen, Judy Enz doesn’t hold back when it comes to decorating for the holidays.

“I think every room of the house is decorated,” Enz said.

While her home is full of holiday cheer, one thing has been missing for decades: Christmas lights. Now 86, the effort of getting up on a ladder to put up the lights is not worth the risk of falling.

“It has been a long, long time, and I’m anxious,” Enz said.

But this year is different. A group of volunteers with the Tempe Community Action Agency, armed with ladders, clips, and coils of lights, arrived at Judy’s Tempe home, determined to give her the full Christmas experience again.

“She’s missing the lights! And everyone loves when the lights go up. So it’s wonderful to be able to do this for her, and it’s why we do what we do,” Carrie Aranda said.

Casey Thomas, also volunteering, says the project has created connections across the community.

“We have gotten to meet so many different seniors, people we look forward to seeing again every single year,” Thomas said.

The light-hanging program is part of TCAA’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors initiative. For more than a decade, volunteers have decorated and later removed holiday lights for local seniors, all at one low price.

“She’s not paying anything for this,” Aranda said. “Judy’s a wonderful part of our program, and we’re just happy to help.”

With her house glowing for the first time in nearly 20 years, Judy says the only thing shining brighter than the lights are the volunteers who made it possible.

“I definitely want Tempe Community Action Agency highlighted,” she said. “Because they’re a tremendous group. And they help so much.”

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