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Charges against Aurora parents in co-sleeping death of 2-day-old baby draw condemnation from pregnancy justice groups

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

The criminal case of an Aurora couple charged in the co-sleeping death of their 2-day-old baby has spurred outcry from state reproductive justice groups who describe the prosecution as part of a growing trend across the country in which pregnant and postpartum people are facing more criminalization.Brittany Diekneit, 27, and her husband Sean Byrne, 26, are each facing a felony charge of child abuse resulting in death. Diekneit and baby Walker returned home from the hospital on Sept. 22, and Walker died sometime that night or early morning. In April, three months after the autopsy was completed, arrest warrants were issued for the pair. The Aurora police arrest affidavits allege that the couple was drinking alcohol before sharing a bed with the baby and “ignored the substantial and unjustifiable risk of co-sleeping with Walker while being incapacitated and they were thus unable to check on him.”The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office also upped the detective...

Studio City Starbucks removes customer seating citing safety issues

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

A Starbucks Coffee in Studio City is drawing attention after the store removed all customer seating.Only to-go orders are allowed at the 10965 Ventura Blvd. location of the popular coffee shop, as indicated by a sign posted to the door.While Starbucks did not directly attribute the decision to any one cause, a spokesperson implied that the seating was removed due to a safety concern and that the decision was made at that specific store, and not at the corporate level.The sign alerts customers that there is no seating at a Starbucks in Studio City, California. May 25, 2023. (KTLA)"Our local leaders are, and have always been, empowered to use the many resources at their disposal to modify store operations and create the best experience for our communities," the statement said. "Our first priority is to make sure our partners are safe at work. We will continue to work to make sure that partners can focus on crafting exquisite beverages and creating connections in a safe, warm, and welc...

Riverside County deputy hits, kills pedestrian

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy struck and killed a pedestrian early Thursday morning in Moreno Valley, officials confirmed.The collision happened just before 4 a.m. on Cactus Avenue between Heacock Street and Gilbert Street, and next to a U.S. Postal Service Distribution Center.Footage from the scene showed the victim was struck near a row of trees that separate both directions of Cactus Avenue. There is no crosswalk at the location.Footage from the scene showed the victim was struck near a row of trees that separate both directions of Cactus Avenue. May 25, 2023. (OnScene.TV)It is unclear if the deputy was responding to a call at the time of the collision. No information about the victim was immediately available.California Highway Patrol is handling the investigation, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.

Woman wins $2 million on scratcher ticket bought in L.A.; had previous $100K win decade earlier

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

Some people have all the luck, don't they?A California Lottery player is one of the state's newest millionaires after she won $2 million from a scratcher ticket she purchased from a Compton doughnut shop.Ruby Evans purchased an Instate Prize Crossword scratcher from Sweet Time Donuts in Compton. She scratched the ticket in her car and was shocked to see she had won $2,000.She told the California Lottery that she was so excited that she immediately went back into the doughnut shop to get a claim form. But when the employee scanned her ticket, she was shocked to see that she hadn't won $2,000 — she had won $2,000,000. Can you remain anonymous when claiming lottery winnings? Evans thought she was in for a nice chunk of change, but she ended up winning the game's top prize and a life-changing payday. “I’ll tell you what, this is a big blessing. It’s given me a chance to pay off my bills, my mortgage, and help my daughters,” Evans told the California Lottery. Oddly enough, this isn't ...

Reward offered for information in boy's drive-by killing in Long Beach

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

Long Beach City Council members on Tuesday approved a plan to partner with county officials to offer a reward for information on a drive-by shooting that killed one Long Beach teenager and wounded another earlier this month.The May 9 attack left 12-year-old Eric Gregory Brown III with a fatal gunshot wound to his upper body. An unidentified 14-year-old girl suffered a non-life-threatening wound to her lower body, police said at the time.Another girl, 13, was also at the scene but was physically uninjured.To help identify the shooter or shooters — believed to be two male suspects — the Long Beach City Council voted 9-0 to partner with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on a reward of at least $25,000 for anyone with information."My heart goes out to the family of Eric Gregory Brown III, a young child with a promising future. Together, we are determined to find those responsible for this devastating loss and are held accountable," Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. "We...

Police seek hit-and-run driver who injured bicyclist in Westlake

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

Los Angeles Police Department investigators are asking the public to help them identify and track down the driver of a Nissan Sentra who struck a bicyclist in Westlake earlier this month and fled the scene.At 8:45 p.m. on May 13 at Hoover and Carondelet streets, an older model white Nissan hit a cyclist, who "landed on the hood and windshield of the vehicle and rolled off the vehicle landing in the street," police said in a news release.The Nissan fled — likely with damage to its front end, hood and windshield — leaving the cyclist with severe, though not life-threatening, injuries, police said.A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to the conviction of the driver or a resolution through a civil compromise.Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Juan Campos at 213-833-3713 or email him at [email protected] weekends and non business hours, calls can be made to the Central Traffic Division Watch Commander at 213-833-3746 or the department's to...

Nolan Kit Xayakoummane Killed in Hit-and-Run Crash near 49th Avenue [Phoenix, AZ]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

21-Year-Old Pedestrian Dead and 24-Year-Old Suspect Arrested after Hit-and-Run Crash near Thunderbird RoadPHOENIX, AZ (May 25, 2023) – Friday morning, police responded to a pedestrian crash that took the life of Nolan Kit Xayakoummane.It happened on May 19th, just before 12:00 p.m., officers received a report involving a pedestrian that was struck near 49th Avenue and Thunderbird Road.Upon investigation, the officers learned that 21-year-old Xayakoummane was crossing Thunderbird Road when he was struck by a vehicle headed eastbound.Consequently, upon impact, Xayakoummane was then hit by another vehicle which later fled the scene.Furthermore, the first driver that struck Xayakoummane stayed at the scene and cooperated.Paramedics immediately transported him to the hospital and unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and died.Following the crash, the suspect was later identified as 24-year-old Luis Julio Vazquez Santana and he was arrested by the police.Meanwhile, Santana fac...

Emylie Tran Killed in Head-On Crash on Bushard Street [Fountain Valley, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

Two-Vehicle Collision near Swift Avenue Kills 34-Year-Old WomanFOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA (May 25, 2023) – Saturday night, a head-on crash on Bushard Street killed Emylie Tran and left another person injured.The incident happened at around 11:50 p.m. along Bushard Street, near Swift Avenue.According to reports, a northbound silver 2005 Infiniti FX35 crossed into the southbound lanes. Subsequently, the Infiniti collided head-on with a black 2015 Nissan Sentra traveling in the opposite direction.Responding emergency personnel eventually arrived and transported the Nissan driver to a hospital for significant injuries. Tragically, the person seated on the passenger side died at the scene.Paramedics also transported the Infiniti driver, a 24-year-old Hawaiin Gardens man, to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Later, the Fountain Valley Police Department identified the deceased passenger as 34-year-old Emylie Tran. Reports said that Tran was an Orange Coast College campus account...

Rosa Zareaseisan Killed in Hit-and-Run Crash on Reseda Boulevard [Los Angeles, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

Pedestrian Crash near Braemar Country Club Left 45-Year-Old Tarzana Woman DeadLOS ANGELES, CA (May 25, 2023) – Tuesday night, a hit-and-run collision on Reseda Boulevard claimed the life of Rosa Zareaseisan.The incident happened around 10:40 p.m., at 4200 Reseda Boulevard, near the Braemar Country Club in the Tarzana neighborhood.Based on the initial investigation, a vehicle struck a woman jogging at the intersection. However, the driver continued driving and did not render aid to the victim.In addition, a couple of witnesses saw the victim’s body along the roadway and contacted 911.Unfortunately, the responding emergency personnel declared the woman dead at the scene. The coroner’s office later identified the deceased victim as 45-year-old Rosa Zareaseisan of Tarzana, Los Angeles.At this time, authorities are searching for the suspect’s vehicle, described to be a dark-colored SUV, possibly a Range Rover.Those with further information about the Reseda Boulevard hit-and-run are...

2 planes aborted landings in San Francisco when a Southwest jet taxied across their runways

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:50:22 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Two airliners aborted landings at San Francisco International Airport last week after pilots spotted a Southwest Airlines jet taxiing across runways on which the other planes had been cleared to land.An air traffic controller told the Southwest pilots they should not have been on the runways during the May 19 incident.The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that the Southwest plane cleared the runways when the other planes passed directly overhead, and the decision to abort the landings was “precautionary.”“The FAA looked into the events and determined the appropriate steps were taken to ensure safe operations,” the agency said.The National Transportation Safety Board said it is not investigating the matter.The incident comes after a half-dozen close calls in recent months that are being investigated by safety officials. Those include one in February in which a FedEx plane flew about 100 feet (30 meters) over the top of a Southwest jet in Austin, Texas, aft...