(CHICAGO) — Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability has released videos and documents related to the death of Irene Chavez, a woman who died in police custody last December.
The materials were released as part of an investigation by the civilian oversight agency looking into Chavez’s death.
According to police, the 33-year-old woman died after an “attempted suicide” on Dec. 18, 2021, at the 3rd District Police Station. The official cause and manner of death are pending autopsy results, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office told ABC News.
Body camera video released by COPA shows Chavez being arrested hours before her death and transported to the police station.
According to the incident report and videos released by COPA, Chavez told officers that she is a veteran and suffers from PTSD.
Police said Chavez was taken into custody after her involvement in a bar fight at the Jeffery Pub Tavern and was belligerent during processing.
Chavez could be heard by police shouting in the holding cell, the report said. After about five minutes of silence, an officer went to check on her well-being by looking through the window. That’s when Chavez was found with her shirt wrapped around her neck and a “faint pulse,” the report said.
Video released by COPA shows officers performing CPR before Chavez was transported to the University of Chicago Hospital. According to COPA, Chavez was in “critical condition” at the time and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
COPA said in a statement that the agency has been in touch with Chavez’s family and provided them with documentation for viewing prior to the release of materials.
Chavez’s family is now demanding answers from police.
Iris Chavez, Irene’s sister, told reporters in December that police have not provided details surrounding her sister’s death and called for an investigation.
Iris Chavez started a GoFundMe page to support the family in covering costs related to her sister’s death and said that Irene was her only sister.
“When I say my heart is what one would call broken glass in a bag…MY absolute FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD and ONLY SISTER HAS PASSED AWAY,” she wrote on the page.
Chavez is one of two women to die in Chicago police custody within less than two months.
COPA is also investigating the death of London Marquez, 31, who died on Jan. 27. According to Marquez’s family, she was pregnant at the time of her death.
The investigation is ongoing and the cause and manner of death are pending autopsy results by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Chicago police declined to comment and referred questions regarding both cases to COPA.
(NEW YORK) — The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use certain powdered infant formulas made at Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan, facility amid an investigation into four infant illnesses.
Parents should discard any affected formula, according to the agency. Specifically, the FDA is advising consumers not to use Similac, Alimentum or EleCare powdered infant formulas if: the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37, and the code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2, and the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.
“As a result of the ongoing investigation, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local partners, the FDA is alerting consumers to avoid purchasing or using certain powdered infant formula products produced at this facility,” a press release stated.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and the firm is working with the FDA to initiate a voluntary recall of the potentially affected product,” it said, noting the FDA has “initiated an onsite inspection at the facility.”
In a press release, the FDA announced it is investigating consumer complaints of Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella Newport infections that resulted in four infant illnesses and hospitalizations in three states — Minnesota, Texas and Ohio. Cronobacter may have contributed to a death in one case, according to the report.
According to the FDA, Cronobacter bacteria can cause life-threatening infections such as sepsis or meningitis.
“Symptoms of sepsis and meningitis may include poor feeding, irritability, temperature changes, jaundice (yellow skin and whites of the eyes), grunting breaths and abnormal movements. Cronobacter infection may also cause bowel damage and may spread through the blood to other parts of the body,” the FDA says. “Parents and caregivers of infants who have used these products, and are concerned about the health of their child, should contact their child’s health care provider.”
Products made at the Sturgis, Michigan, facility are available across the U.S.
“As this is a product used as the sole source of nutrition for many of our nation’s newborns and infants, the FDA is deeply concerned about these reports of bacterial infections,” said Frank Yiannas, the FDA deputy commissioner for food policy and response in a press release. “We want to reassure the public that we’re working diligently with our partners to investigate complaints related to these products, which we recognize include infant formula produced at this facility, while we work to resolve this safety concern as quickly as possible.”
The FDA will provide consumer safety information on the investigation as it becomes available.
ABC News’ Sony Salzman and Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — The United States continues to warn that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day” amid escalating tensions in the region, with President Joe Biden telling reporters Thursday that the threat is now “very high.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, making urgent remarks to the U.N. Security Council, challenged Moscow to commit to no invasion.
More than 150,000 Russian troops are estimated to be massed near Ukraine’s borders, U.S. officials said, and while Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin claim that some Russian forces have begun to withdraw, Biden said more Russian troops have moved in, contrary to Moscow’s claims.
It remains unclear whether Putin has made a decision to attack his ex-Soviet neighbor.
Russia has denied it plans to invade and issued new demands Thursday that the U.S. and NATO bar Ukraine from joining the military alliance.
Latest headlines:
-Austin says Russia forces near Ukraine border stocking up on blood supplies
-Blinken says Moscow will ‘manufacture a pretext’ for invasion as US blames Russia for Donbas shelling
-Blinken calls on Moscow to commit to not invading, meet next week
-Blinken to UN Security Council: ‘I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one’
-Russia’s response to the US teases ‘military-technical measures’
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Feb 17, 9:28 pm
Biden to host meeting of allied leaders Friday: Canada PM’s office
President Joe Biden will host a closed-door meeting on Ukraine Friday with several U.S. allies, according to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office.
The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the UK, the EU and NATO will participate in the meeting, Trudeau’s office said while sharing the prime minister’s Friday iterinary.
A White House official confirmed to ABC News that Biden will have a phone call Friday afternoon with transatlantic leaders “about Russia’s buildup of military troops on the border of Ukraine and our continued efforts to pursue deterrence and diplomacy.”
Also on Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and hold a meeting with the leaders of the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as she travels to Germany for the annual Munich Security Conference, the White House said.
Feb 17, 9:22 pm
Senate passes non-binding resolution in support of Ukraine
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Thursday affirming its support for Ukraine.
The resolution denounced Russian troop buildups on the border and urged President Joe Biden to act if Russia were to invade Ukraine. “[The] United States Government should use the tools at its disposal to impose significant costs on the Russian Federation to restore peace in Europe,” it stated.
The non-binding “sense of the Senate” resolution conveys the sentiment of senators, but it does not mandate any action.
The resolution, which passed by voice vote with bipartisan support, follows a bipartisan statement from Senate leaders Tuesday that said “Russia must be made to pay a severe price” in the event of invasion.
The Senate departed for a weeklong recess Thursday night without approving a Russian sanctions package, which was the initial aim of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez and Ranking Member Jim Risch.
ABC News’ Allison Pecorin
Feb 17, 7:35 pm
Reports of more shelling in eastern Ukraine overnight
Tensions around the Russian-controlled separatist areas in eastern Ukraine on Thursday remained high, with reports of shelling. Sporadic firing from the separatist side continued to hit the village Stanytsia Luhanska, setting two homes on fire, local police told ABC News. Earlier Thursday, separatist shelling struck a kindergarten in the village, injuring two teachers.
The escalation comes amid concerns from Western officials that Russia and its separatist proxies may be laying the groundwork for a pretext for a possible Russian intervention by accusing Ukraine of preparing to launch an offensive.
Valery Zaluzhny, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces, warned in a statement Thursday night that the military has information the separatist forces are planning to evacuate several villages near the front line, possibly ahead of a planned escalation in firing.
Zaluzhny also accused the Russian-controlled forces of firing deliberately onto civilian infrastructure and accused Russia and the separatists of using propaganda and disinformation to claim Ukraine is shelling civilians.
He said Ukraine is not planning any offensive operations and is observing a ceasefire.
There was dramatically more shelling Thursday than usual, according to monitoring by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Ukraine accused the separatists of violating the ceasefire 47 times, including mainly using large-caliber weapons banned from the front line.
Russian officials continued to claim Thursday that some Russian forces are returning to their home bases and accused the U.S., along with the U.K., Canada and the Baltic nations, of using claims of Russian aggression as a pretext to arm Ukraine.
ABC News’ Patrick Reevell and Fidel Pavlenko
Feb 17, 1:03 pm
Austin says Russia forces near Ukraine border stocking up on blood supplies
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, at NATO headquarters in Brussels Thursday, said the U.S. has evidence of Russia stocking up on blood supplies and military forces nearing the border as officials believe Russia will launch an invasion of Ukraine within days.
“We see some of those troops inch closer to that border. We see them fly in more combat and support aircraft. We see them sharpen their readiness in the Black Sea. We even see them stocking up their blood support supplies,” Austin told world leaders.
“You know, I was a soldier myself not that long ago, and I know firsthand that you don’t do these sorts of things, for no reason. And you certainly don’t do them if you’re getting ready to pack up and go home,” he added.
President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken also warned Thursday that, despite claims of pulling back, Russia appears to be ready to invade at any moment.
AJR is determined to learn more about the Blue Man Group in a new skit promoting their upcoming shows together.
The clip finds the Met brothers attempting to interview the Blue Men, who, of course, famously do not speak. As they continue with their incessant questions, their interviewees hold up signs that read, “We are here against our will,” “AJR made us do this video to promote the tour” and, simply, “Please send help.”
AJR’s tour, which will support their new album, OK ORCHESTRA, launches in April. Blue Man Group will be on the bill for select shows in May and June.
Blue Man Group also guests on the OK ORCHESTRA song “Ordinaryish People.” The track’s video premiered earlier this month.
Slipknot has released a live video for “The Chapeltown Rag.”
The clip compiles footage from the masked metallers’ 2021 Knotfest Roadshow tour. You can watch it streaming now on YouTube.
Slipknot premiered “The Chapeltown Rag” last fall ahead of their headlining set at the Knotfest Los Angeles festival, marking the band’s first new song to follow their 2019 album, We Are Not Your Kind. A new Knot album is expected to drop later this year.
Meanwhile, the Knotfest Roadshow is set to resume in March, and will stretch into June.
After partnering with Kentucky Fried Chicken in December, Jack Harlow has a new endorsement with New Balance.
The “Whats Poppin” rapper has joined the athletic footwear and apparel company as a brand ambassador.
“I have been rocking New Balance since I was a kid, so to officially join the brand in this way is really exciting,” Harlow said in a statement. “I’ve always loved the 990 and recently the Joe Fresh Goods 993 and collabs with the 550’s have been fire. I’m excited to peek behind the curtain and work with the brand more.”
When the Louisville MC plays Friday at the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, he will debut a New Balance shoe. He’s also wearing New Balance in his new video for “Nail Tech,” which debuts Thursday at midnight.
Harlow is up for two Grammy Awards: Best Melodic Rap Performance for his feature on Lil Nas X‘s “Industry Baby,” and Album of the Year as a featured artist and songwriter on Nas’ Montero.
After being canceled in 2021 due to the pandemic, the Cincinnati Music Festival is returning July 21-23 with headliners Janet Jackson and Charlie Wilson.
Janet will take the stage on the festival’s final night. She will be preceded by The O’Jays, Tank, After 7, and saxophonist Kirk Whalum. Wilson will perform Friday, July 22, on a bill with Anthony Hamilton, Tony! Toni! Tone!, and guitarist Jonathan Butler. BJ The Chicago Kid will open the festival on Thursday, July 21.
Jackson is enjoying a resurgence in her music following her self-titled documentary. As previously reported, her streams have skyrocketed by 109 percent since the four-part documentary premiered on A&E and Lifetime on January 28.
By February 3, fans streamed her songs 10.6 million times. The most listened-to single was “That’s the Way Love Goes,” clocking 778,000 streams in the U.S. alone. Other songs enjoying a major bump in numbers are “All for You,” “Control,” “Any Time, Any Place” and “Nasty.”
Janet also enjoyed a major boost in sales. “That’s the Way Love Goes” leads the pack, with fans snatching up 1,300 copies. Securing the second-most sales was “All For You,” with 1,100 copies sold. “Rhythm Nation,” “Escapade” and “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” also sold over 1,000 downloads each.
Janet’s album sales also jumped by 17,000 units. The leader is Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814, with 4,000 copies flying off the shelves.
According to Nielsen, 2.8 million people tuned in to watch part one of the documentary, and it amassed an additional 1.2 million views via digital download or on-demand. Parts two through four were seen by 4.3 million, 3.7 million and 3.8 million people, respectively, when they aired for the first time.
Todd Williamson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
SunFest is back after a two-year hiatus. The music festival has unveiled its impressive lineup, which includes Adam Lambert, Goo Goo Dolls, Boys II Men, Melissa Etheridge, AJR and many others taking the stage between April 28 and May 1 on the West Palm Beach waterfront. Tickets are on sale on the SunFest website, where you can also check out the complete four-day lineup.
Speaking of AJR, the “Bang!” singers decided to sit down with their “Ordinaryish People” collaborators, Blue Man Group, for an impromptu interview. But it becomes apparent BMG was forced into it after holding up signs that read “We’re here against our will,” “AJR made us to this video to promote their tour,” and “Please send help.” BMG will appear on select dates during AJR’s OK Orchestra tour.
Rihanna‘s Fenty Beauty brand is coming to Ulta, the singer confirmed Thursday. The singer shared a picture of her holding up the chain’s signature orange bag and revealed Fenty is officially part of the “fam.” Previously, Fenty could only be purchased at Sephora or on the Fenty Beauty online store, so this means it’s even easier for fans to get their hands on Rihanna’s brand.
Andy Grammer shouted out one of his youngest fans, who is battling leukemia. “EMMA! Reading about your story this morning made my heart explode! And to think you are DANCING through the struggles this world has sent you,” Andy wrote. He also shared the message her mother sent that explained how Emma, who is nine, would dance to “Lease on Life” to help her through treatment, and added a video of Emma dancing with her nurses.
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 930,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 64.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Latest headlines:
-US daily cases drop from 807,000 to 134,000 in 1 month
-Study: People who survived COVID in 1st few months of pandemic had significantly higher risk of mental health problems
-Updated mask guidance from CDC could come next week
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Feb 17, 5:03 pm
California to roll out COVID ‘endemic’ plan
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday will announce the state’s “endemic” COVID-19 plan — a vague but flexible approach that will change based off the characteristics of new variants.
State officials said clear “on and off ramps” for future restrictions will be created for specific variants.
California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said case rates could be determinative for future restrictions if there’s a deadly variant, while hospital capacity could be the primary indicator if California faces a less virulent variant, similar to omicron.
The SMARTER plan focuses on seven areas: S – Shots; M – Masks “on and off ramps that are tailored for each unique virus strain”; A – Awareness; R – Readiness; T – Testing; E – Education; and R – Rx (Treatment).
State officials are expected to publish a one to two-page SMARTER summary of the state’s current recommendations on COVID-19 in the next few days. The document will be consistently updated so Californians can reference what the state’s current recommendations are.
ABC News’ Matthew Fuhrman
Feb 17, 4:46 pm
New Mexico ends mask mandate
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday the state’s mask mandate is ending, effective immediately, ABC affiliate KOAT-TV reported.
Private businesses and school districts can set their own mask rules, KOAT-TV said.
Feb 17, 12:20 pm
US daily cases drop from 807,000 to 134,000 in 1 month
In January, omicron sent U.S. cases surging to an unprecedented high, with over 807,000 daily COVID-19 cases at the nation’s peak. Exactly one month later, cases have plummeted to an average of 134,000 new cases per day, according to federal data.
Nearly every state is reporting declining case rates, but nearly 97% of U.S. counties are still reporting high transmission. Also, experts continue to caution that many Americans are taking at-home tests and not submitting their results, so case totals may be higher than reported.
Hospitalizations are also continuing to drop, according to federal data. The U.S. has 71,000 patients with COVID-19 currently in hospitals; during the mid-January peak, there were 160,000 hospitalized patients.
Fatalities — a lagging indicator — are slowly starting to fall. The U.S. is now averaging 2,100 COVID-19-related deaths each day, down by nearly 10% in the last week, according to federal data.
ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 17, 9:55 am
Study: People who survived COVID in 1st few months of pandemic had significantly higher risk of mental health problems
A new study finds that people who survived COVID-19 during the first few months of the pandemic had a significantly higher risk of developing mental health disorders, including opioid use disorder, in the year after their COVID-19 diagnosis.
The study, published in The BMJ medical journal, evaluated medical records of nearly 154,000 COVID-19 patients in the Veterans Health Administration, comparing their experiences to a similar group of people that didn’t have COVID-19.
After recovering from COVID-19, people with no prior history of mental illness were more likely to develop anxiety, depression, opioid use disorder, neurocognitive decline, and sleep disorders.
In an accompanying editorial, one of the lead researchers of the study argued that the mental health consequences of COVID-19 should be treated seriously and society shouldn’t “gaslight or dismiss long covid as a psychosomatic condition.”
The study only looked at people who survived COVID-19 from March 2020 to Jan. 2021 — before vaccines were widely available. It’s not clear if these findings apply to people diagnosed with COVID-19 more recently.
Amazon Studios announced Thursday that its Emmy-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been renewed for a fifth and final season, ahead of Friday’s fourth-season premiere.
In a statement, Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, noted, “This series has meant so much to Prime Video and the effects of its success will be felt long after its final season.” She added, “I can’t wait for fans…to savor each moment as we embark on the culmination of this groundbreaking and unforgettable series.”
The studio also announced that The Terminal List, an eight-episode adaptation of the Jack Carr thriller novel starring and co-produced by Chris Pratt, will debut July 1.
Pratt, who last year starred in the streaming service’s The Tomorrow War, will be joined onscreen by Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch, Jai Courtney, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Sean Gunn, among others. Also starring is Patrick Schwarzenegger, who’s also Pratt’s brother-in-law.
According to Amazon, Jurassic World and Marvel movie vet Pratt will be playing Navy SEAL James Reece, who survives an ambush on a secret mission only to find “dark forces working against him” when he returns home, putting him and his family in danger.
