Category: CNN Regional

By Darren Cunningham

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    FERNDALE, Michigan (WXYZ) — Imagine your car is stolen right out of your driveway. You report it and after a month, you count it a loss and settle with insurance.

Months later, you find out the car was never really “missing” at all.

It happened to a woman from Ferndale.

On Sept. 14, 2025, Sharon Crane’s 2015 Hyundai Sonata disappeared from her driveway. Surveillance footage captures a car pulling up, someone got out and stole it in a matter of seconds.

“I came out and I was in shock and disbelief,” Crane recalled.

The 64-year-old retiree said Ferndale police came over right away and took a police report.

“And I hadn’t heard anything, no sightings or anything and I called them a couple times and they hadn’t heard anything either,” she recalled.

After a month, her insurance counted it as a loss and paid her $8,900 in October. About two weeks ago, Crane said she got an unexpected call from Ferndale police.

“They said that my car had been found in Detroit,” she said.

Six months later, Crane learned her car had been found on Griggs Avenue near 7 Mile Road in Detroit, about 2 miles from her home.

But when she looked at the Detroit Police Department’s investigative report, the bittersweet relief turned to pure disgust.

The police report shows DPD recovered it the same day it disappeared from her driveway.

“Why did it take 6 months to let me know?” Crane asked. “They knew about the car, they had the car before I even knew it was stolen.”

While her insurance rates were likely spiking, her car sat untouched in a Detroit police impound lot. Her belongings were still inside. The car was in perfect condition. But because six months had passed and the insurance company had already paid the claim. Crane no longer owned her car.

“Now it goes to auction. Cause I called my insurance when I found out they found it, seeing what I could do and she said now it goes to auction,” Crane explained.

“And I have to bid on it like anybody else if I want it back.”

So, where was the disconnect? Ferndale police took the report, but Detroit police recovered the vehicle.

“And that’s the reason I reached out to you is if it happened to me, how many other people did it happen to?” Crane said.

7 News Detroit reached out to DPD. A spokesperson said systems and processes are in place to make sure owners are notified the moment a vehicle is recovered. The department is looking into this situation to see how it was handled.

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 Daniel Woodruff

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    WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (KSL) — Angela Jensen was at home on Tuesday when a man stopped in front of her Little Free Library.

It’s not unusual for people to stop. After all, the sign near the book-sharing stand on King Arthur Drive in West Valley City encourages visitors to “take a book” or “leave a book.”

But this person had other ideas. Jensen’s Ring camera caught the moment he grabbed an entire stack and put it into his car, leaving just one or two books on the top shelf.

“The whole thing was cleared out,” Jensen told KSL.

Little Free Library is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization with locations around the country. Jensen has hosted one for five years. She takes it seriously, posting updates about available books on Instagram and regularly rotating the selection.

She even hand-painted her stand and decorates it for the holidays.

“I want all of our neighborhoods to have access to free books, to banned books, too,” she said. “Anything that they want to access or get knowledge about, I think that it’s fair to have it accessible to everybody.”

After her books were stolen, Jensen posted about it on social media, and she got a response.

“A lot of people reached out willing to come by and donate books,” she said. “I actually have seen a couple people come by and drop by books.”

Jensen hopes those donations will continue, and she’s grateful for the response that shows there are people who care.

“They were actually really compassionate because I was worried that I was going to get backlash from people being like, ‘Why are you putting this out there?’ Or, ‘Why are you posting him,'” she said. “But I’m not against public shaming if you’re doing bad things against your neighborhood.”

Jensen said she didn’t file a police report after the theft, but she posted the video so people could keep an eye out — especially those who run Little Free Libraries of their own — so it hopefully doesn’t happen to them.

“I was pretty shocked,” 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 Alexandra Coenjaerts

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    COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (KXLY) — Coffee lovers seeking an unusual experience can now sip Brazilian-inspired beverages while spending time with capybaras at a new café just outside downtown Coeur d’Alene.

Capy Hour Café opens its doors Friday and offers customers 30- and 45-minute sessions to interact with what many consider the world’s happiest animals. The business combines a coffee shop atmosphere with the opportunity to feed and socialize with the large South American rodents.

“We want people to come in here, relax, and really get a feel for the capys and the whole café experience of it all,” Ginger Harris said. She and her son, Jace, developed the idea over the last six weeks. The family has spent weeks developing the concept, which has generated excitement in the community.

“We just listened to our community, and they said they wanted a unique experience,” Jace Harris said.

The café creates what the owners believe is a rare offering in the United States that cannot be found anywhere else in the region.

Guests book timed sessions that include selecting drinks from a Brazilian-inspired menu and receiving feeding cups to interact with the capybaras. The café’s current capybaras are still babies, meaning they could grow to more than quadruple their current size over the coming years.

“We really get to enjoy the time we get to spend with them while they are little, and learn their personalities. It is incredible,” Ginger Harris said.

The Harris family said they are still working on naming the capybaras. Capy Hour Café operates Friday through Monday. The owners recommend booking appointments in advance as sessions are filling up quickly following their opening.

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 Thomas Robertson

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    CENTREVILLE, Virginia (WTOP) — The same neighborhood in Centreville, Virginia, has been terrorized for the past month by a naked man who’s entered several homes, and police said they believe the same man tried to enter another home Wednesday morning.

Now, police and neighbors have a better idea of who they’re looking for. The nude intruder was caught on camera around 5 a.m. Wednesday trying to enter a home in the 14800 block of Palmerston Square.

Police described the suspect as a Black male with a thin build who’s between 6 feet, 1 inch tall and 6 feet, 3 inches tall. The man’s attempt to enter the home Wednesday was unsuccessful, police said. However, detectives believe he’s connected to a string of other, successful entries into homes in the same London Towne neighborhood of Centreville that date back to March 5.

Most instances occurred in the early morning hours, and the suspect fled the homes when confronted.

This is the fifth burglary or attempted burglary in the neighborhood over the past month. In three cases, the man successfully entered a home, but has taken nothing.

“We’re hopeful that by sharing these images, more tips will continue to come in, whether it’s phone calls to our detectives, whether it’s anonymously through our Crime Solvers, we know someone has information about him, and we know likely that suspect himself is probably going to see this later on today — come forward, turn yourself in,” Maj. James Curry with the Fairfax County Police Department said.

Police said anyone with information about the burglaries or who may recognize the man in the surveillance footage and images should call the Sully District Station at 703-814-7000. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 866-411-8477 or visiting the Crime Solvers website.

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 Zach Rainey

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    LAVONIA, Georgia (WYFF) — A now former trailer park manager in Lavonia, Georgia, was arrested three times in a 25-hour span, according to police.

On the night of Monday, March 30, April Taylor called the Lavonia Police Department and reported that she had been shot at while she was in the Beaver Creek Trailer Park after someone allegedly attempted to break into her vehicle.

Officers responded and canvassed the area, but found no evidence to support a shooting or any related claims. Officers said Taylor was the manager of the trailer park.

The next morning, an officer on patrol found Taylor’s vehicle parked sideways in the roadway on Wright Street near the entrance of Beaver Creek Trailer Park. Taylor was getting out of the passenger side of another vehicle and told police that she was attempting to block access to the trailer park.

Following an investigation, police arrested Taylor for DUI (drugs) and other traffic offenses. She was later released from the Hart County Detention Center on bond.

Additionally, investigators secured a warrant for false statements related to the reported shooting. Later the same day, Taylor was found at a business near the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. She was then taken into custody and transported to the Franklin County Detention Center by the Lavonia Police Department.

We are told she was released on bond later that evening.

Just before midnight, Taylor returned to Beaver Creek Trailer Park, where she allegedly entered another individual’s home without permission. Officers responded, but she had already left the scene. Warrants for criminal trespass and disorderly conduct were secured that night.

On Wednesday morning, officers found Taylor at a gas station in Lavonia, where she was arrested for a third time within 25 hours of her first arrest.

Officers also discovered that Taylor had been formally banned from the Beaver Creek property on March 31 after she was fired from her role as trailer park manager. As a result, an additional criminal trespass warrant was obtained.

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 WXMI News Staff

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    ALPINE TWP., Michigan (WXMI) — Newly obtained surveillance and body camera footage shows the moments surrounding a stabbing at an Alpine Township Walmart last August, as well as the arrest of the suspect.

Christian Thompson faces one charge of assault to do great bodily harm less than murder. The footage was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office.

Video shows Thompson entering the store, the altercation, his exit, and his subsequent arrest. According to a probable cause affidavit, Thompson told police the incident was a “spur of the moment” reaction driven by frustration over not being able to find his truck. He believed the group of three people he approached might have had something to do with his truck being stolen.

The victim told police he was looking at speakers with his brother and a friend when he was stabbed multiple times.

Surveillance video captures Thompson fleeing on foot through the parking lot. Several bystanders intervened to stop him. One person hit Thompson with a car, and another used a shopping cart to pin him to the ground until deputies arrived.

Body camera footage shows an arresting officer handcuffing Thompson, pulling him from the ground, searching him, and placing him in a police cruiser.

The case is currently in Circuit Court. A status conference for Thompson is scheduled for later this month, according to online court records.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXMI’s editorial team 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 Jordan Bontke

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    GILBERT, Arizona (KNXV) — A 1-and-a-half-year-old boy from Gilbert went viral on social media after a video showed him chanting for the University of Arizona in his crib following the Arizona Wildcats’ victory over the Purdue Boilermakers to reach the Final Four.

Aiden Maracigan stayed up late chanting “U of A” with his family as the Wildcats won. His parents, Abyee and Jenna Maracigan, posted the video online, which led to hundreds of thousands of views.

“Growing up in Tucson, I think it’s in your blood, the Wildcats are all you have. Especially the basketball program were so good for so many years, we’ll have that little boy saying ‘U of A’ forever,” said Jenna Maracigan.

The Tucson natives both played basketball and say their family is very superstitious, wearing the same U of A shirts for every game so far this tournament.

“We started our own little mini chants here. He was loving it. One thing about him is that he loves sports. Like he’ll watch games with us,” said Abyee Maracigan.

Aside from his chanting, Aiden also showed off his jump shot and how he can run with a football.

The Wildcats are headed to their first Final Four since 2001 and will take on Michigan in the national semifinals on Saturday in Indianapolis.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KNXV 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 Bun Choum, Erin Lowrey

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    NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — Two attorneys in the City of New Orleans Law Department have resigned after an investigation found they used artificial intelligence to create fake case citations in a court filing.

The resignations follow sanctions issued by a federal judge, who ruled that both attorneys filed a motion that included nine made-up case citations generated by AI.

U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier ordered the attorneys to appear in court after he discovered the false citations in a January 2026 motion filed in a lawsuit brought by Daniel Gentry. Gentry is suing the City of New Orleans, former Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the New Orleans Police Department and several officers, claiming they violated his civil rights.

According to federal court records, Assistant City Attorney Jalen Harris admitted during a March 19 hearing that he used ChatGPT to help research the motion. He said he first searched Westlaw but then turned to AI to speed up the work. Harris said he did not check whether the AI‑generated cases were real and did not read them before adding them to the brief. He apologized repeatedly in court.

Harris has worked in the City Attorney’s Office since 2024. The court ruled that his actions violated Rule 11, which requires lawyers to make sure their filings are based on real law and facts.

Deputy City Attorney James Roquemore also apologized. As Harris’s supervisor, he reviewed the motion before it was filed but did not question the strange formatting of the fake citations, which appeared as bullet points. The court said Roquemore held more responsibility because he supervised Harris and has 30 years of legal experience.

Chief Deputy City Attorney Corwin St. Raymond and newly appointed City Attorney Charline Gipson also addressed the court. Gipson took office only three days before the motion was filed but was listed on the signature block. Both officials said the office has already taken steps to stop improper AI use, including a department-wide meeting, new training and a written policy on AI.

The City Attorney’s Office said the new AI policy took effect on March 27.

Below is a statement from New Orleans City Attorney Charline Gipson about the changes:

“The City Attorney’s Office takes every step to ensure accuracy in directing and supervising the legal affairs of the City of New Orleans. Early in the administration, it was discovered that artificial intelligence was used in connection with a pleading submitted to federal court. The City Attorney was not enrolled in the case when the offending brief was submitted. Two attorneys in the Law Department were sanctioned by the Court in connection with the filing and those attorneys have subsequently tendered their respective resignations. Effective March 27, 2026, the City Attorney implemented a Law Department Policy regarding the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In addition to mandating disclosure of any previous use of AI in the production of work product, the Office now also requires annual certification of compliance with the policy. The policy recognizes the benefits of innovation and efficiency offered by AI, which is rapidly transforming the legal field, while safeguarding against the potential harms and misuse or abuse of AI.”

In an order signed March 20, Judge Barbier said the attorneys appeared genuinely remorseful. But he ruled that they violated Rule 11 and needed to face consequences.

The judge ordered Harris to pay a $250 fine and Roquemore to pay $1,000. The court did not fine St. Raymond but issued him a formal warning about improper AI use in his department.

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.