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Miami-Dade County official tests positive for COVID-19, raising concern about Surfside site

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(MIAMI) — Jose “Pepe” Diaz, chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced in a statement Sunday night.

Diaz’s chief of staff, Isidoro Lopez, also tested positive for the virus.

“Both started experiencing flu-like symptoms earlier today and will be isolating,” the statement read. “Staff and others who have been in close contact with them will be getting tested between today and tomorrow.”

The two men have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the statement.

Although the chances of contracting the novel coronavirus after being fully vaccinated are very rare, so-called breakthrough cases are still possible. Health officials and experts alike have warned that new, more contagious variants of the virus may be more effective at evading vaccines.

Diaz, 60, has been among the officials on the site of a condominium collapse in the small, beachside town of Surfside, about 6 miles north of Miami Beach. Since the deadly disaster occurred before dawn on June 24, Diaz has been seen regularly attending press briefings and closed-door meetings. The news of his infection raises concern about a potential outbreak among those who have been on the site.

For weeks, hundreds of first responders from various search and rescue teams across Florida, the United States and even other countries have been combing through the vast wreckage in Surfside, pulling out bodies and belongings from the pancaked layers of rubble. During a press briefing on July 2, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Alan Cominsky revealed that at least six workers have tested positive for COVID-19. The workers were members of the same task force but were no longer on the site. Investigators were conducting contact tracing and testing of all other workers, according to Cominsky.

It was unclear whether the infected workers were vaccinated or if anyone had been placed in quarantine.

The search for bodies is ongoing, as 22 people remain listed as missing. At least 94 people have been confirmed dead, according to officials.

Florida, home to some 21.5 million people, has reported more than 2.4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 38,000 deaths from the disease. More than 43% of the Sunshine State’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

On Friday, the Florida Department of Health reported an increase in COVID-19 cases and a higher positive test rate over the past week. The number of newly confirmed cases rose by about 8,000 compared with the week prior, for a total of 23,747 new cases. Meanwhile, the rate of positive COVID-19 tests statewide was 7.8%, compared with 5.2% the week before.

Amazon users report website down

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — If you were trying to make a purchase on Amazon overnight, you may have run into some issues.

Several users went on Twitter to complain that they couldn’t get past the homepage after logging into their accounts or that they weren’t able to complete their purchases.

The website Downdetector, which tracks outages, says there were more than 38,000 reports of users having trouble with Amazon’s site after 11 p.m. ET Sunday.

Service on the site has since been restored.

Biden statement on Cuba protests: ‘We stand with the Cuban people’

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden on Monday released a statement in solidarity with the thousands of Cubans who protested over the weekend about shortages and rising prices for food and medicine amid the coronavirus pandemic in what’s being called an unprecedented rejection of the nation’s government.

“We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime,” Biden said in a statement.

“The Cuban people are bravely asserting fundamental and universal rights. Those rights, including the right of peaceful protest and the right to freely determine their own future, must be respected. The United States calls on the Cuban regime to hear their people and serve their needs at this vital moment rather than enriching themselves,” he said.

Sunday’s protest was one of the biggest anti-government demonstrations in Cuba in recent history and Biden has been called on to show support for the protests.

One of the first responses from the U.S. government came overnight from Julie Chung, the acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, who tweeted out support for the Cuban people’s right for peaceful assembly but condemned any violence — a sentiment echoed by national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla threw cold water on the U.S. statements on Monday, saying the White House has “no political or moral authority to speak about Cuba.”

“His government has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to promote subversion in our country & implements a genocidal blockade, which is the main cause of economic scarcities,” he tweeted, referring directly to Sullivan’s statement.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, in a televised address earlier Monday, acknowledged public grievances relating to blackouts, food and medicine shortages, but defended the regime’s leadership and, instead, blamed many of the island’s problems on the U.S. embargo.

Díaz-Canel also accused the “imperialists” — a term commonly used to refer to the U.S. — of interfering by stoking tensions on social media, allegedly urging the public to go out onto the streets.

Along with experiencing an economic crisis, the country is dealing with another deadly surge of COVID-19.

Teenager abducted from basement of his home found badly injured, three suspects arrested

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(PHILADELPHIA) — A 17-year-old boy who was abducted from the basement of his own home has been found badly injured at a property about a mile away as three suspects have been taken into custody.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Sunday evening when authorities say an unnamed 17-year-old boy was abducted from the basement of his home in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to ABC News’ Philadelphia station WPVI.

When officers arrived to the scene of the crime, the teen’s family members told authorities they heard a noise coming from the basement of the family’s house that sounded like a struggle, but when they went to see what was going on they discovered that the 17-year-old had vanished, according to WPVI.

Family members discovered a bullet hole in the basement but told authorities that they did not hear a gun discharge at any point during the struggle.

The Philadelphia Police Department said that the victim’s vehicle was still parked outside of the home at the time of the suspected abduction and blood and three bullets were also found in the vicinity outside the house, according to WPVI.

After conducting their initial investigation, authorities were able to pinpoint the boy’s location thanks to his cellphone, police told WPVI.

“We were able to track the 17-year-old’s cellphone to a property in the 6200 block of Trotter Street,” Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told WPVI. “When police went to that location, they declared it a barricade since we believed that this was an abduction point of gun.”

Hostage negotiators and a SWAT unit were immediately dispatched to the suspected location of the 17-year-old at approximately 2 a.m. Monday morning.

Upon arrival, authorities were able to make contact with three suspects involved in the abduction — one male and two females, all in their 20’s — before convincing them to exit the property, according to WPVI.

Police entered the premises and found the 17-year-old bleeding heavily and suffering from bruising to his face and head while he was in and out of consciousness.

The teen was taken to a local area hospital to be treated for his injuries and was reunited with his family after the three-hour ordeal.

Authorities say that they don’t yet know the motive of the abduction but did confirm to WPVI that they believe the teenager has a history with at least one, if not all, of the three suspects involved in the case.

The Philadelphia Police Department was able to identify all three people involved in the abduction with help from the victim and they were subsequently arrested and taken into custody where they are awaiting charges. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Key ways to prevent kids from drowning, according to new AAP report

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The American Academy of Pediatrics released a new report that identified top drowning risks for children and recommendations to help prevent tragedy.

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in the U.S. for children ages 1 to 4 and the third-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in children and teens 5 to 19, according to the AAP.

The latest research from the AAP’s Prevention of Drowning report found that male toddlers and teenage boys are at the highest risk of drowning.

The report also emphasized that no single intervention, such as swim lessons or lifeguards, is sufficient and therefore recommended “multiple layers of protection to prevent drowning.”

AAP’s key ways to prevent children from drowning:

– Close, constant, attentive and capable adult supervision when children are in and around water as well as life jacket use among children and adults.

– To prevent unsupervised access, four-sided pool fencing at least 4-feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates that completely isolates the pool from the house and yard.

– In the home, be aware that infant bath seats can tip over, and children can slip out of them and drown in even a few inches of water in a bathtub. Infants should never be left alone in a tub, even for a minute.

– Parents and caregivers should prevent unsupervised access to the swimming pool, open water or a bathtub.

– To prevent drowning in toilets, young children should not be left alone in the bathroom, and toilet locks may be helpful.

– Water should be emptied from containers, such as pails and buckets, immediately after use.

Check out more information from the full report.

Three shot outside barbershop after argument between two men over who won foot race a month ago

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(HOUSTON) — Three people have been shot outside of a barbershop following an argument between two men in their 40’s allegedly over who came first in a foot race over a month ago.

The incident occurred at approximately 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 10, in northeast Houston when the Houston Police Department received a call regarding a shooting involving several victims outside the Mean Kutz barbershop, according to ABC News’ Houston station KTRK.

“There were two males that were arguing outside the barbershop here over who ran a race faster,” said Houston Police Department Assistant Chief Wendy Baimbridge told KTRK in a short press conference following the shooting. “So at that point, one of the victims started walking away from the argument. The suspect then shot him twice in the shoulder.”

Two innocent bystanders who were inside the barbershop at the time were also struck in the shootout. One was shot in the rear end while the other was shot in the arm, according to Baimbridge.

The suspect who initially began firing subsequently fled the scene of the crime traveling eastbound away from the barbershop in a black Nissan Frontier. Authorities said they do not have the vehicle’s license plate at this time.

The Houston Police Department confirmed that they have gathered video evidence from the phone of a witness as well as surveillance footage from a liquor store next to the barbershop.

One victim was taken to Kingwood Hospital to be treated while the other two were taken to Memorial Hospital. None of the three people who were shot suffered life-threatening injuries and all are expected to survive.

“I just came to get a haircut but that didn’t go as planned,” said one woman who witnessed the shooting.

The suspect is currently at large and major assault detectives are currently investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Houston Police Department’s Major Assault Division or Crime Stoppers.

Several injured after man drives truck into crowd following ejection from club: Police

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Ivan Pereira, ABC News

(HIRAM, Ga.) — Several people were injured at a Georgia club Saturday night after an ejected patron, who was allegedly intoxicated, reportedly opened fire into the crowd before ramming his truck into the establishment, police said.

The incident took place at the 278 South Club in Hiram, Georgia, around 11:30 p.m. Saturday when the staff reportedly asked Eduardo Morales, 34, to leave, because he had become too intoxicated, the Hiram Police Department said in a statement. Morales left in his Dodge Ram 2500, but allegedly returned a short time later with a firearm and began opening fire, the police said.

“When his weapon was empty, Morales then drove the vehicle into the bar through the front doors striking numerous patrons,” the police said in a statement.

Other patrons stopped the suspect after his vehicle allegedly got stuck and he tried to reload his weapon, the police said.

One person inside the bar was grazed by a bullet and another patron was hit twice by the vehicle, the police said. Both victims were was treated and released at a local hospital.

ABC affiliate WSB reported that a security guard was among those hurt, one woman’s legs were crushed under the truck and another woman sustained a head injury from a fallen beam. Another man who helped wrestle the gun away from Morales had broken legs, while other patrons sustained minor injuries, WSB reported.

Morales was treated for minor injuries and arrested by police, investigators said. He has been charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery, and more charges are pending, the police said.

The club released a statement on its Facebook page sending its thoughts and prayers to the victims.

“We’ve always put our customer’s safety first and foremost and we are devastated. We like to believe most people are good….and it showed last night,” the post said.

This mom’s daughter died after swallowing a battery. Here’s what she wants you to know

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Trista Hamsmith’s 18-month-old daughter, Reese, died in December, two months after Hamsmith discovered her daughter had swallowed a button battery, the small, round batteries found in many home devices and toys.

Now Hamsmith, of Lubbock, Texas, is on a mission to make sure no other parent has to suffer the pain and loss her family has experienced.

“When we thought everything was going to be fine, I just had this vision of advocating for the safety and awareness of button batteries with Reese by my side,” Hamsmith told Good Morning America. “Her being gone did not change my desire to want to protect other children and get this information out there.”

“Every day we wait, another kid is going to ingest a battery,” she said. “Had somebody [spoken out] before, our lives would look very different.”‘

Reese was 16 months old this past October when she developed cold-like symptoms, including a very stuffy nose, according to Hamsmith, who also has a 9-year-old daughter.

Hamsmith and her husband, Chris, took their daughter to see the pediatrician, who suspected Reese had croup, an infection of the upper airways, and prescribed steroids, according to Hamsmith.

Shortly after, the family discovered a button battery was missing from a remote control in their home. After looking online and discovering that symptoms of button battery ingestion — including coughing, wheezing and chest discomfort — matched those of Reese, Hamsmith and her husband rushed Reese to the emergency room.

There, an X-ray confirmed that a battery was lodged near the top of Reese’s esophagus. The toddler underwent emergency surgery to remove the battery, and after a few days she was sent home from the hospital with instructions to stay on a liquid diet.

Hamsmith soon learned what she now wants other parents to know: Button batteries can continue to cause damage by burning tissue, even after they are removed.

When Reese did not improve, a CT scan confirmed she had a fistula through her esophagus and trachea that was created by the inflammation, according to Hamsmith.

Reese underwent another surgery to implant a gastronomy tube so she could receive nutrition, and she was placed on a ventilator.

“She came back sedated and on a ventilator, and that was the last time I saw my child like herself,” Hamsmith said.

“She went back for surgery, and that was the last time she was not on sedation for the rest of her life,” Hamsmith said, adding, “I wasn’t able to hold her, because her airway was so small, every single move was critical.”

Reese spent the next six weeks hospitalized and undergoing various surgeries and attempts to try to save her life. She ultimately died Dec. 17, 2020, with her mom by her side.

“I finally got to rock her in a rocking chair for a while,” said Hamsmith, who said she found inspiration to keep going and advocate for button battery awareness from a plaque in Reese’s hospital room.

“There was a plaque that read, ‘He has a plan, and I have a purpose,’ and I know that God has a plan, and Reese has a purpose,” she said. “It sits on my fireplace mantel now to remind me not to quit.”

In the seven months since Reese died, Hamsmith has created a nonprofit organization, Reese’s Purpose, to educate parents about button battery safety and to try to create change around how button batteries are protected in packaging and in the items in which they are found.

Hamsmith has testified before the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), created a national Button Battery Awareness Day (June 12) and is now calling on Congress to enact legislation that would create national standards for consumer products with button batteries. A Change.org petition launched by Reese’s Purpose calling for legislation has nearly 80,000 signatures.

“The main thing is that 10 years down the road, if I hear about a kid dying of a button battery ingestion, I want to know that I did everything I could without a shadow of a doubt to help prevent and help put the knowledge out,” Hamsmith said. “It’s a hidden danger.”

What parents need to know

Hamsmith calls button batteries a “hidden danger” because they are used many items, including remotes, hearing aids, thermometers, tealight candles, battery-powered jewelry, greeting cards, key fobs, kids’ toys and even toothbrushes.

“It literally takes one second [for button battery ingestion to happen],” she said. “You can set your kid down, turn around and pick up a piece of laundry, and it’s happened.”

More than 3,500 people swallow button batteries each year in the United States, according to the National Poison Control Center.

But the actual number of button battery ingestions each year is actually much larger because the incidents are vastly underreported, according to Dr. Kris Janata, professor in the department of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Janata helped create the GIRC App, a global database by the Global Injury Research Collaborative for medical professionals to track the severity of injuries, including from button batteries.

Over the past year of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a 93% increase in emergency department visits for battery-related complaints in school-age children, according to Janata’s research.

“I do think there is a lack of awareness among parents that these are severe hazards,” he said. “We can’t fix the injuries that these batteries cause, so that’s what’s led us to how can we prevent these injuries in the first place.”

Here are three tips from Janata and Hamsmith to both prevent and treat button battery ingestion injuries.

1. Keep an inventory of button batteries in your home: Because the symptoms of button battery ingestion can mimic the symptoms of other illnesses in kids, as was the case with Reese, both Hamsmith and Janata say the most important thing for parents and caregivers is to always be aware of and know about the presence of all the button batteries in their home.

Hamsmith’s advice to caregivers is to keep products that contain button batteries not just out of reach but also out of sight of children, especially those ages 6 and under, who are most at risk for swallowing a foreign object.

Janata said to not only know where the button batteries are in your home, but to also to regularly check all electronic devices to make sure the battery compartment is secured.

2. Know the symptoms: Symptoms of swallowing a button battery may include fever, not wanting to eat or drink, irritability, wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing, throat pain, choking, gagging, problems swallowing and vomiting, according to a button battery resource website created by Janata and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Children may also put a button battery in their nose or ear, which can also present dangers. Symptoms to look for include irritability, pain or swelling around the ears or nose, fever and fluid drainage or bleeding from the ears or nose, according to Janata.

Children who ingest button batteries may also present no symptoms at all, which is why parents and caregivers should know the whereabouts of button batteries in their home at all times, Janata said.

3. Act quickly: Serious esophageal injury can occur within two hours of a child ingesting a button battery, before symptoms even start, according to Janata.

“The clock is ticking from the moment the battery is lodged in the esophagus,” he said.

If a child ingests a button battery, immediately call for help, either through 911 or the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 800-498-8666, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Parents and caregivers may also use honey to treat the child while waiting for medical help. Experts recommend giving 10 mL of honey every 10 minutes to children 12 months and older.

Janata stressed not to delay going to the emergency room and said seeking professional medical help should be the top priority.

Haitian-born Florida resident arrested as latest suspect in president’s assassination

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — More than two dozen people, mostly foreigners, have been accused of playing a role in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise last week. Now, authorities have arrested a Haitian-born Florida resident who they say acted as a middleman between the alleged assassins and the unnamed masterminds.

The man, identified as 63-year-old Christian Emmanuel Sanon, was accompanied by several of the suspected assailants when he allegedly flew to the Caribbean island nation on a private jet in early June, according to Leon Charles, head of the Haitian National Police. Sanon had hired the Colombian nationals through a Florida-based Venezuelan security firm to protect him and his business. But they later received a new mission: arrest the president of Haiti, according to Charles.

“The operation started from there,” the police chief said during a press conference Sunday, adding that several more men joined the group before they stormed Moise’s home in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, at around 1 a.m. local time on July 7.

The 53-year-old head of state was shot and killed while his wife, Martine Moise, was wounded. She has since been transferred to a Florida hospital for treatment and underwent surgery on Saturday, according to Haitian interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph.

It’s unclear how the alleged assassins were able to gain access to the private presidential residence. Haitian Ambassador to the U.S. Bocchit Edmond told ABC News on Friday that the group proclaimed to be agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration — something which the Haitian and U.S. governments have both denied. However, Edmond said it’s “obvious” that the group had “some internal help,” too. He described them as “international mercenaries.”

Charles said 26 Colombian nationals are suspected of having a hand in killing Moise. So far, 18 of them have been arrested along with two U.S. citizens and three Haitian nationals, including Sanon. Five Colombian nationals are still at large while three have been killed, according to Charles, who described them as “dangerous.”

While searching Sanon’s house in Haiti, authorities discovered a hat with the “DEA” logo, 20 boxes of bullets, various gun parts, four automobile license plates from the Dominican Republic, two cars and correspondence with unidentified individuals. Charles said Sanon came to the country with “political objectives.”

Public records show Sanon has lived in Florida. In a video posted to YouTube in 2011, Sanon identifies himself as a doctor and accuses Haiti’s leaders of corruption, saying that “they don’t care about the country, they don’t care about the people.”

“Nine million people can’t be in poverty when we have so much resources in the country,” Sanon said. “We can’t take it anymore. We need new leadership that will change the way of life.”

Authorities have identified the detained Americans as 35-year old James Solanges and 55-year-old Joseph Vincent.

Haitian Judge Clement Noel, who is close to the case, told ABC News on Friday that he has interviewed the two Americans. They claimed to be working as translators for the group and denied being mercenaries, according to Noel. Solages said he found the job on the internet and that they were supposed to arrest Moise rather than kill him, Noel told ABC News.

A website for Solanges’ charity describes the Florida resident as a “certified diplomatic agent” who previously worked as a bodyguard at the Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince. ABC News could not independently verify those claims.

The U.S. Department of State is “certainly aware of the arrest of the two U.S. citizens who are in Haiti and continue[s] to closely monitor the situation,” deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter said Friday, declining to comment further because of “privacy considerations.”

The Haitian government requested that the United States send troops in the wake of the president’s assassination to help stabilize the turbulent, impoverished country and secure its critical infrastructure, such as oil reserves and the international airport. Instead, the U.S. government agreed to send senior officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to assist with the probe, according to the White House.

Michel Dessources, a spokesperson for the Haitian prime minister’s office, told ABC News on Sunday that the U.S. officials have arrived in Haiti.

In an interview with ABC News on Friday, Haiti’s interim prime minister said Moise was tortured before he was killed and that authorities believe they “have the right people” in custody.

“Mercenaries came to the president’s house, they tortured him and they killed him,” Joseph told ABC News. “We staunchly believe that justice will be provided to the President Jovenel Moise.”

Haiti’s line of succession remains unclear. But Joseph, who has declared a “state of siege” and is currently in charge with help from the country’s military and the national police force, has indicated that he would only take control temporarily until a new president is elected. The international community has called on Haiti to go ahead with presidential and legislative elections slated for later this year.

Moise’s political opponents had argued that his five-year presidential term ended in February, while the late president said he had one more year left because the disputed 2016 election delayed his inauguration until 2017.

Moise had been governing by decree since January 2020, after the country failed to hold legislative elections and the legislature’s mandate expired. Opposition leaders accused him of wanting to return Haiti to a dictatorship.

Earlier this year, Moise ordered the retirement of three Supreme Court judges and the arrest of nearly two dozen people, including prominent officials, who he alleged were plotting a coup. Violent protests against Moise erupted, prompting the president to declare a state of emergency in parts of the country in March.

The growing constitutional crisis along with economic woes, escalating gang violence and a deadly COVID-19 outbreak have undermined efforts to rebuild Haiti from a devastating earthquake in 2010 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Moise had told a Spanish language newspaper in January that he feared people wanted to kill him. But Edmond, the Haitian ambassador to the U.S., told reporters last week that there was “no warning” ahead of the pre-dawn attack.

Man turns himself in for murder of 87-year-old woman after being on the run for five days

July 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(DALLAS) — A man suspected of murdering an elderly woman has turned himself into Dallas police after being on the run for five days.

The Dallas Police Department said its officers responded to a 911 call on the evening of July 6 at approximately 6:35 p.m. about a deceased person at a home in the southern part of the Texas city. Upon arrival, they discovered 87-year-old Anita Daniels Thompson dead inside the home from what was deemed to be “homicidal violence,” police said in a statement.

Four days later, police announced that they had identified 58-year-old Andre Stefan Buggs as the prime suspect in Thompson’s slaying following their investigation. Police said in a statement that Buggs “is wanted for murder” and should be “considered armed and dangerous.”

“Andre Stefan Buggs has been identified as the suspect for the murder of Anita Daniels Thompson that occurred on July 6, 2021,” read the statement from the Dallas Police Department. “The suspect, pictured below, is wanted for the murder and is described as a 58-year-old Black male, 6’3″ tall, and weighs approximately 218 pounds. He is considered armed and dangerous.”

Police did not disclose any potential motive was behind the killing or if the two knew each other.

Late on Sunday afternoon, police announced that Buggs had turned himself in.

“Suspect Buggs was transported to the Homicide Unit, where detectives interviewed him,” said the Dallas Police Department. “The suspect invoked his right to an attorney, and he was transported to the Dallas County Jail where he was charged with murder.”

Buggs remains in custody. His bond was not set as of late Sunday afternoon.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact the Dallas Police Department at 214-671-3686.

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