Category: CNN Regional

By Veronica Haynes, Ted Wayman

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    ACTON, Mass. (WCVB) — A Massachusetts teenager was arraigned Thursday on murder charges in the deaths of his mother and younger brother at their Acton home earlier this week.

Arjun Aravind, 17, is charged with killing his mother, Sudha Venkatesan, 45, and his 14-year-old brother, Siddharth Aravind, at the family’s home Tuesday night.

Police responded to the Acton residence after a scheduled tutor was unable to enter the home and Aravind’s father requested a well-being check.

What charges does Arjun Aravind face?

A not guilty plea was entered on Aravind’s behalf Thursday in Concord District Court on two counts of murder, two counts of assault and battery on a family or household member and two counts of assault and battery.

Aravind was ordered held without bail and will undergo a mental health evaluation. He is scheduled to return to court Sept. 11.

A prosecutor said there were “obvious signs of a physical and violent struggle” inside the home and that the victims showed signs of “blunt force trauma.”

“He did not even know when he left that house that they were dead. There was an incident within the house that occurred, and when he left the house, he did not even realize his mother was dead,” said defense attorney Debra Dewitt.

What happened at the Acton home?

Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said Wednesday that the victims’ causes and manners of death would be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Ryan also said Wednesday that Aravind had previously been using the internet and ChatGPT to explore “gothic novel” stories involving the deaths of his family.

“Including using the internet and ChatGPT to make searches for theoretical ideas or fantasy stories of the killing of his family,” Ryan said.

When was the Massachusetts teen arrested?

Ryan said Wayland police found Aravind in his mother’s 2014 green Honda Accord after officers responded to an unrelated alarm call early Wednesday morning.

“It’s an incredibly dark day for this community, for this school system,” Ryan said.

Police said Aravind was known to them from a runaway incident about a year ago but had little other involvement with law enforcement.

How is the Acton community responding?

“It’s just very scary to know that this is happening right in our neighborhood,” one resident said.

“I feel bad about what happened. It’s a tragedy, sickening, you know. If I could have helped, I would have helped,” another resident said.

Acton Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo expressed condolences to the victims’ family and said police would continue working to keep the community safe.

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 Pamela Comme

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    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WESH) — Daytona Beach code enforcement has given Seaside Health and Rehabilitation Center 48 hours to address what officials described as a “life safety issue” involving residents’ windows.

The order was issued after WESH 2 started asking questions on Wednesday. Our cameras were there as officials posted a notice on the building, starting the clock on the deadline.

The initial complaint was received on July 26. The city says the initial investigation was delayed because the complaint did not contain all necessary contact information. On Aug. 10, an inspection of the room was done, and an additional walkthrough was made on Aug. 12.

One resident, who agreed to speak only if their name was withheld, said the facility’s windows were recently secured shut.

“A couple weeks ago, they came in. The maintenance lady was screwing everything shut, and I’m like, what are you doing?” the resident said. “And she said they ordered us to shut everything, lock everything down.”

The resident said the restrictions have left them feeling confined.

“I feel like I’m in jail, you know what I’m saying?” the resident said.

A frequent visitor who contacted WESH 2 said he was concerned about what could happen during an emergency, particularly because some residents have limited mobility.

“You got a lot of people who can’t move around that well,” he said. “And how are they supposed to get out if there’s a fire or there’s some other emergency?”

The complaint was submitted about a month ago by a resident, who said there had already been limits on how far the windows could open before they were completely shut.

A Seaside staff member told WESH 2 that the facility is working to address the issue and had no further comment.

“Thank you so much for doing that. So hopefully it will work,” the resident said to WESH 2’s Pamela Comme. “I really, I pray.”

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 Barry Simms

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    ESSEX, Md. (WBAL) — Two teenagers have been charged as adults in connection with the killing of a 17-year-old boy in Essex on Monday.

Baltimore County police on Wednesday said a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Roman Wright, 17, in a shooting on Bladen Road.

Police said officers were called Monday to Bladen Road for reports of an assault in progress. When officers arrived, they found the victim inside a vehicle that crashed into a parked vehicle. Wright suffered from an apparent gunshot wound and died at a hospital, police said.

The 17-year-old was taken into custody Tuesday after an hours-long barricade situation on Akin Circle in Middle River, and a judge on Wednesday denied bail. The judge ruled that the teen should not be held in a secure juvenile facility, saying he poses a risk to others given the violent nature of the case, and instead ordered him to be held in an adult facility.

The 15-year-old suspect was found and arrested on Monday at a nearby house on Bladen Road. He waived his bail review at a court appearance on Tuesday.

According to court charging documents obtained by WBAL-TV 11 News, the teenage suspects set up a pre-arranged robbery and fled after the shooting.

The charging document states that the teenage suspects decided to “book the plug,” which detectives said is a term that means “robbing their dealer.”

Police found surveillance video that they said shows the two suspects standing near the victim’s car. A person with a red multicolored backpack raised his arm toward the driver and fired at least two shots, the documents state.

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 Angela Cifone

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — “Walking out and seeing what the Kona lows did to the farm was very drastic and traumatic in a way,” said Cheyenne Adams, Marketing manager for Waimanalo Country Farms.

That trauma came after the March Kona Low storms.

“You could hear like the crackling of the wind and rain coming down over the mountain, and then you could see in the mist the wind whipping,” said Adams.

Now, another storm is on the horizon.

“We’re still in recovery mode. So being hit with another potential hurricane is daunting,” said Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda.

For many, the concern goes beyond the forecast.

“People are still picking up the pieces. We are still recovering from the Kona low, from the earthquake,” said Alameda.

Waimanalo Country Farms is still feeling the effects from the first storms.

“There are only so many fields that we are able to use because some of the other ones are still damaged,” said Adams.

Now, they are hoping this storm passes without setting them back again.

“We’re just praying that it’ll just pass by and not damage those crops because if not, we’re going to be delayed again,” said Adams.

But even just preparing can be a setback.

“Now it’s like we have to pause and now go back to, okay, now we have to go into like survival mode, right? And then go back to work after that,” said Adams.

But the disasters have also taught communities to prepare and rely on each other.

“The earthquake and the Kona Low really made it so that neighbors were reminded to be supportive of one another and work together and with each other. And I think that’s very fresh in people’s minds and experiences,” said Colehour Bondera, an organic farmer on the Big Island.

And while preparation can bring some peace of mind, the fear of what comes after remains.

“The biggest worry is not knowing if you’d be able to recover or assessing the damage,” said Adams.

So for now, it’s prepare, wait and hope this storm doesn’t add another chapter to a year of recovery.

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 Cyera Williams

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    BALTIMORE COUNTY, Maryland (WMAR) — Friday is Purple Heart Day, honoring the service members who were wounded or killed while serving the United States.

Army veteran Lee Chambers entered the Army in 1967 and was trained to operate a 106 recoilless rifle, an anti-tank weapon mounted on the back of a Jeep.

When he arrived in Vietnam, however, Chambers said his unit told him it did not have the weapon. He was instead assigned to be a radio telephone operator for his platoon sergeant, keeping the unit connected while soldiers were in the field.

One day, Chambers and the other soldiers were told they would take part in a combat assault by helicopter into a “hot” landing zone. They were warned to expect incoming fire when they jumped from the aircraft.

Chambers boarded the final helicopter with his platoon sergeant, a medic and another radio operator.

“The next thing I know is there was a huge explosion above the helicopter,” Chambers said. “And we started descending like you were on an escalator bumping down on your behind lower and lower.”

As the helicopter fell, Chambers watched the faces of his platoon sergeant and the medic, hoping their reactions would tell him how serious the situation was.

“They were poker faced,” he said. “They didn’t give me any indication how serious it was.”

Chambers then saw his helmet slowly lift from his head. He reached out to grab it.

“And it was instant darkness,” he said.

Chambers said he did not feel as though he had a body or was floating. He only felt as though he was waiting for someone to tell him where to go.

When he regained consciousness, Chambers was lying in a rice paddy.

“I was in pain from my head to the tip of my toes,” he said. “I couldn’t tell where the pain was coming from. All I knew was it was excruciating.”

Chambers opened his eyes but could not see. When he tried to touch his face, he could not move or feel his arms. He also could not feel his legs moving.

“I thought I was blind, I lost my arms, and I probably lost my legs,” Chambers said. “I started to cry.”

Chambers passed out again. A soldier later found him, pulled him from the mud and helped get him to an aid station.

An investigator later told Chambers the pilot had attempted to land the damaged helicopter rather than allow it to fall straight down. The aircraft struck a rice paddy berm, killing the pilot and a door gunner.

The co-pilot suffered a serious head injury. Chambers’ platoon sergeant was trapped beneath the aircraft and suffered a broken back. The other radio operator lost his foot.

The medic had jumped from the helicopter before the crash and injured his back. Despite his injuries, Chambers said the medic returned to the burning aircraft and pulled people from the wreckage. He was later awarded the Silver Star.

Chambers was taken to the 67th Evacuation Hospital, where doctors treated a severe wound that left his scalp open.

“They spent a lot of time getting the rice paddy mud out of, off of my skull,” Chambers said.

Because he had suffered a head wound, Chambers said doctors could not give him pain medication during the procedure.

“I said, ‘I wish you were having this pain,’” he recalled.

Chambers later discovered he could not walk because of his leg injury. He remained in the hospital for about a month before returning to his unit on light duty.

A general presented Chambers with the Purple Heart while he was recovering.

“It was a big deal in the hospital because this general came onto our ward and was pinning Purple Hearts on the patients,” Chambers said.

Chambers kept the medal in its box inside his rucksack. After returning to his unit, he discovered someone had gone through his belongings and stolen it.

“They left the box though and the ribbon,” he said.

While stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama, Chambers met another soldier who worked in awards and decorations. The soldier offered to replace his stolen Purple Heart and asked how many he wanted.

Chambers requested three.

“The next time I got home on leave, I gave one to my mama and one to my girlfriend, and I had one for my uniform,” he said.

When Chambers returned home from Vietnam, he encountered some of the anger and division surrounding the war.

While traveling through a California airport in his Army dress uniform, a young man approached him and asked about the Purple Heart ribbon.

“He said, ‘Oh, that’s because you’re wounded, right?’” Chambers recalled. “So, yeah, and he says, ‘Serves you right.’”

Chambers said he had been warned that returning troops could face hostility, but he was still stunned.

“He just walked away,” Chambers said. “And I just stood there.”

Chambers continued serving through the Army Reserve before transitioning into the retired reserve in 1993. He estimates his military career spanned about 26 years.

Over time, Chambers began to recognize how fortunate he was to survive.

“I know that I’m here for a purpose,” Chambers said. “I know I have a lot to give back that I never thought how—never reflected on how fortunate I am. Not to have just survived, but how fortunate I am.”

Chambers volunteered for 10 years in the hospice unit at the Loch Raven VA Medical Center. He helped provide bags for families who needed to carry home the belongings of veterans who died in hospice care.

He now tries to visit a 100-year-old World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient at least once a week.

“He is so glad to see me that that lifts me up too,” Chambers said.

Nearly six decades after the helicopter crash, Chambers said his military service continues to shape the way he lives and treats others.

His message this Purple Heart Day is simple.

“Be good to yourself and be good to others,” Chambers 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 Carmela Karcher

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    RIPON, California (KOVR) — The City of Ripon is moving forward with an ordinance aimed at protecting an endangered species by prohibiting people from feeding feral cats and stray animals on public property.

The amendment to the city’s municipal code would allow the city to issue citations to people who continue feeding feral cats after being warned.

The proposed ordinance comes as conservationists work to protect the riparian brush rabbit, an endangered species found only along portions of the lower Stanislaus and San Joaquin rivers.

In Ripon, residents say feral cats are a common sight, including around Mavis Stouffer Park, where people have been leaving bowls of food for them.

“We have a lot of cats in our neighborhood, and people do feed them,” Ripon resident Aislinn Ingles said.

Ingles said she understands why people want to help stray cats but believes controlling their population is important.

“Spay and neutering sucks. It costs money, but I think it is a needed thing, especially around here where there are so many,” she said.

Susan Manning, who has worked with Tri-County Wildlife Care for years, said feeding feral cats can contribute to population growth.

“If people feed, they breed,” Tri County Wildlife Care President Susan Manning said.

Manning added, “Reality is one in seven Americans feeds cats that they don’t own. We get a warm and fuzzy and we want to take care of them, so then we feed them and that’s bad.”

The riparian brush rabbit is an endangered species found nowhere else except the Lower Stanislaus and San Joaquin Rivers.

They were practically wiped out after a major flood swept through the region three decades ago.

Since then, conservationists have been working to bring them back. The City of Ripon adopting this ordinance is one way to help.

“There’s a very limited population along certain stretches of the Stanislaus River,” council said. “While you’re trying to help out these cats and other animals by feeding them, you’re just multiplying them and making a bigger problem.”

Feral cats are naturally good hunters and known to spread diseases to these rabbits.

For Manning, she says more needs to be done.

“It does not help. People will continue feeding. They’ll be sneaky around it and it does nothing about the current population,” she continued. “The only way for it to be humane is if they trap, neuter, release, or they trap, neuter and find homes for them.”

First comes a warning and if residents don’t comply, $100 citation comes next.

All to help this small species make a comeback.

“When we lose this rabbit, we lose something that’s really critical to us, which is biodiversity,” Manning said. “Biodiversity helps create clean air and water, which is necessary for all of us to survive and thrive.”

The ban has not come into effect yet but will once the city council does its second reading of the ordinance next month.

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By Sarah Horbacewicz

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    BOULDER, Colorado (KCNC) — When Megan Trussell disappeared from the University of Colorado Boulder campus in February 2025, her mother, Vanessa Diaz, expected the university and law enforcement to move quickly. Instead, she says, her family was told not to worry and left frustrated by what she saw as a slow and uncertain response.

“What happened in February 2025 was the absolute unimaginable,” Diaz said, “What we went through, and the fact that the university really didn’t know what they were doing.”

Six days after she was first reported missing, Megan Trussell’s body was found in Boulder Canyon.

For the next year, Diaz and Megan Trussell’s father, Joe Trussell, worked alongside state lawmakers to change how Colorado universities and trade schools respond when a student is reported missing.

The new law creates specific requirements for the institutions, including a six-hour window for schools to take action. That includes checking a student’s phone records and social media posts, going door to door at the student’s dorm and questioning school staff and emergency contacts.

If a student is missing for more than six hours, police must be contacted. The law also requires police training on missing-person alerts.

As students prepare to move into CU Boulder next week, Diaz hopes the new requirements will help prevent another family from experiencing what hers did.

“I think this bill, this law, is gonna bring some relief to families at least initially, when they’re dropping their kids off,” Diaz said.

She says her daughter had a strong sense of justice and that has helped motivate her family’s push for change.

“It’s Megan’s legacy, you know. She had a very strong sense of justice,” Diaz said.

CU Spokesperson Michele Ames wrote in a statement:

“We take seriously the safety of our students. Across each of our four campuses, we are working to make sure we implement the new law and that it helps to enhance student security as the law was intended to do.”

Diaz says that’s exactly what she wants to see.

“If it saves one life, it’s worth it. One life,” Diaz said.

Megan Trussell’s family is not stopping with this law, but Diaz says she is also working with lawmakers to advocate for family members to have greater access to evidence and information about procedures after a case is closed.

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.