Michigan parents charged with murder and torture after their 7-year-old boy dies with disturbing weight



Law enforcement officials are expressing shock at the conditions that allegedly led to the death of a 7-year-old boy in Michigan.

Paramedics were called to the home in Flint Township on Nov. 4, 2025, over the report of a child in distress.

'It was just one of the most unbelievable scenes that the police have seen, that I've reviewed in my 22 years as prosecuting attorney.'

They found Casper O'Brien having difficulty breathing and unable to move because he weighed 255 pounds, according to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

His parents, Damien and Jessica O’Brien, had also packed the home with so many objects that it was difficult to move around. Police reported there was feces throughout the home because the toilet didn't work.

They also said the boy had "some of the worst open sores and rashes they've ever seen."

He died later that evening at a hospital.

His parents were charged with one count of second-degree murder, one count of torture, and three counts of second-degree child abuse.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said the autopsy showed the boy died of a heart muscle disease, and morbid obesity was listed as a contributing factor.

"What we allege is that he was not fed in a nutritious way," Leyton said. "He was neglected, and he was abused, and his diet is part of it, and not getting whatever help he needed because he was nonverbal as part of it. All that adds up to an extreme case of child abuse resulting in someone's death."

They also found a 5-year-old child who was morbidly obese. She was found naked outside by officers and was dirty, with knots in her hair.

Leyton gave a rundown of the evidence gathered in the case.

"We'll present the body camera footage," Leyton said. "We'll present the autopsy results. We'll present the fact that this child died from fairly natural causes brought on by the obesity and the lack of nutrition. And we'll present what we think as a case of neglect and abuse and torture."

RELATED: People so 'extremely obese' they were almost bedridden starved 14-year-old girl until she weighed 35 pounds, police say

The parents could face life in prison if convicted.

Leyton expressed disbelief at the parents' behavior because the father had a good job with health insurance but had only taken the boy to a doctor once.

"They had called the veterinarian about one of their pets. They knew what to do for the dog, but they didn't do it for their own child," he added. "Sadly, he died because of neglect."

Leyton said the case was difficult for the police — as well as Child Protective Services — to investigate.

"It was just one of the most unbelievable scenes that the police have seen, that I've reviewed in my 22 years as prosecuting attorney," Leyton added.

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'I'm furious': Pete Buttigieg says his family was targeted by 'cruel, politically motivated hoax'



Pete Buttigieg revealed that his husband and children were the target of what he called a "cruel, politically motivated hoax" involved Child Protective Services.

The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and failed presidential candidate wrote in a Substack article published Friday that someone made a false report against him in attempt to separate his family.

'I’m used to any number of falsehoods, attacks, and serious problems being thrown my way. What I didn’t understand was what could have led to this kind of visit.'

Buttigieg compared the incident to swatting, where a fake call to police sends officers to a victim's home in hopes of causing an injurious or deadly confrontation.

"Now imagine the same concept, but with Child Protective Services instead of a SWAT team," he wrote. "Hadn’t thought of that? Me neither, until a few days ago when a police officer and a CPS worker showed up at our home and politely asked to speak with me."

The police told him they needed to interview his four-year-old twin children alone in order to investigate an accusation of abuse they received.

"I was bewildered and troubled, but tried to stay calm. I’m used to any number of falsehoods, attacks, and serious problems being thrown my way. What I didn’t understand was what could have led to this kind of visit," he continued.

Police separated the children overnight while the investigation cleared them of the allegations.

Buttigieg described what investigators told him led to the investigation. It was a tip from someone who called Child Protective Services.

The caller said that he had spoken to a woman who claimed to have met me at a conference several years ago in Alabama, where she said I told her that I had committed unspeakable violent crimes, and the caller believed my children were still at risk.

The officer said they believed the incident was politically motivated and would not lead to charges because nothing had been found in the forensic interview with the children.

"After the officer, the CPS worker, and the lawyers all left, Chasten and I hugged each other as tightly as we have any time since the day our son was put on life support as a critically ill infant just weeks after the adoption," he added.

He went on to say that the officials' time and effort had been wasted by the "cruel, politically motivated hoax that harmed our family."

RELATED: Buttigieg's husband has his children pledge allegiance to LGBTQ flag, dresses potatoes as drag queens

Michigan State Police confirmed to MS Now that they had received an "anonymous report" in the case and had determined the report was a false accusation.

"False reports are dangerous and divert law enforcement officers and Child Protective Services workers from responding to legitimate emergencies and protecting vulnerable children and families," read the statement from police.

Buttigieg called the incident the "ugliest thing" that has ever happened to him since his political career began.

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'Messed with the wrong mama': Male teacher allegedly slaps 4-year-old girl in face twice in class — and girl's mom is fuming



The mother of a 4-year-old girl said a male substitute teacher slapped her daughter in the face twice inside a pre-K classroom at a Texas elementary school last week, KPRC-TV reported.

“Messed with the wrong mama, that’s all I gotta say," Marissa Braughton told the station. "I will not back down until this is figured out and until this is done."

'No child — especially my baby girl — should have to go through this.'

The Spring Independent School District is investigating the allegation, KPRC added. Spring is a little over 30 minutes north of Houston.

Braughton told the station the incident occurred Tuesday afternoon at Smith Elementary School and that her daughter was screaming and crying when she picked her up.

“I get down to her level. I’m like, 'Baby, what’s wrong? Tell Mama what happened.' And she immediately is like, 'The teacher hit me.' I said, 'The teacher hit you?' And she said, 'Yes, the boy teacher, the substitute teacher.' I said, 'The boy teacher?' And she’s like, 'Yes, Mama. He hit me twice. And I heard my neck make a sound,'" Braughton added to KPRC.

Braughton told the station she reported what her daughter told her to the school's assistant principal and that she was informed that it would be looked into the next day. Braughton added to KPRC that she also filed a police report.

But the mother believes more should be happening, the station said. “Why haven’t we talked to these students yet? We’re about to go into the weekend where these kids might forget what they saw. They’re 4-year-olds."

KPRC said it received the following statement from the school district:

Spring ISD was made aware of an allegation involving a substitute teacher and a student at Smith Elementary School on Tuesday evening. Campus and district administrators immediately began an investigation. The substitute teacher has been removed from the classroom pending the outcome of the investigation.

The safety and well-being of students remains our top priority. Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to share additional details at this time.

RELATED: High school teacher with 40-year career barred from campus after slapping student in the face

“Every school district takes these types of allegations very seriously,” Spring ISD AFT union lawyer Chris Tritico told the station, while adding that federal law limits what school districts can publicly disclose.

“That does not mean they’re not doing anything," he noted to KPRC. "It just means they can’t tell them that they’ve interviewed these students, who they are, and what they’ve told them."

Tritico also told the station that state law mandates that school districts "investigate these things immediately. Within 24 hours of the allegation, whether they’ve done anything or not, they have to report it to the State Board for Educator Certification and the [Child Protective Services]. That report was made, and the state agencies are conducting their investigations."

KPRC asked Tritico what parents can do in situations like this.

“God bless her for wanting to take care of her child and being concerned,” he replied to the station. “But just because they can’t do it in the timeline the parent wants doesn’t mean it’s not being done."

Regardless, Braughton told KPRC her daughter is traumatized and she’ll remain resolute in her fight.

“She’s 4 years old," she added to the station. "No child — especially my baby girl — should have to go through this."

Braughton also told KPRC that she removed her daughter from the school and is homeschooling her.

The district confirmed to the station that the substitute teacher has been removed — but whether the teacher can return will depend on the investigation's outcome.

KPRC reported that in a letter sent to parents Friday — three days after the alleged incident — the school district said the substitute teacher "made inappropriate use of force on a student."

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Story of Iowa mom vs. Department of Health and Human Services might be the craziest thing you’ve ever heard



Emily Donlin is an Iowa mother who is under investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services because her infant’s umbilical cord tested positive for cocaine.

The only thing is Emily has never done cocaine in her entire life. In fact, she’s so holistic she doesn’t even take over-the-counter painkillers or vaccinate her children.

How on Earth did this happen?

Allie Beth Stuckey invites Emily on the show to share her most disturbing story.

Although Emily had a home birth, she took her son Paul into the hospital shortly after his arrival to ensure he was healthy, and fortunately, everything checked out perfectly — initially.

However, two weeks later, Emily’s family received a knock on their door from DHHS saying Paul had tested positive for cocaine.

Naturally, Emily was shocked and confused. She explained that she had never taken drugs and that this must be a mistake.

Their home was proven to have “no safety concerns.” The DHHS agent examined the children and confirmed they “[didn’t] have any behavioral indicators,” and she assured Emily “she didn't see any signs of drug use” in the home.

Yet despite their favorable evaluations, Emily’s family was forced to “undergo a 20-day investigation” that would include a “plan” that required her mother and husband to trade off supervising her when she was with her children.

“Looking back ... I would have done so many things differently,” Emily laments, but at the time, she “felt [she] didn't have any other choice” and “just accepted.”

Despite the upsetting situation, Emily and her family “had faith that the truth [would] come out” since they “had nothing to hide.”

Unfortunately, that’s not what happened at all.

Emily was forced to undergo a three-month hair test that tested for five different drugs, one of which was cocaine, and the test “came back negative” for all five drugs.

“We were like, ‘Okay we're good, right?’” Emily tells Allie.

Unfortunately, the answer was still no.

“We were then told that, well, actually the three-month hair test had nothing to do with the positive test and proving my innocence; it had everything to do with a second allegation, which we weren't told about ... that there were drugs in our home,” she explains.

Thus Emily’s negative hair test proved that there were no drugs in their home. But it did not disprove her son’s initial positive test at the hospital.

“About a week later, we received in the mail the report saying I am founded for a case of child abuse, and I am now on the child abuse registry,” Emily explains.

As a result, she was told she must fulfill certain “voluntary services” to avoid a court order, but the social worker refused to tell her what those services would be unless Emily agreed to them.

When Emily continued to press for information about what voluntary services she was agreeing to, the social worker said, “It sounds like you're declining services, [and] when you decline services, then you go to a China [case],” which stands for “Child in need of assistance” and moves the case into “the judicial system.”

Once the case escalated to a China case, “We received court appointed lawyers — both my husband and I” and “our children received a guardian ad litem,” which “is a lawyer that represents our children's best interest in the court,” says Emily.

Somehow, they still didn’t lose hope.

Before their court date, Emily submitted “25 pieces of evidence” proving her innocence, including “a 12-month hair test” she paid for herself that covered “the entirety of [her] pregnancy.”

But this negative test was still not enough to prove her innocence.

In the hearing, the court ordered “a retest on the original sample (the umbilical cord) and a DNA test on it” to ensure the sample actually belonged to Paul.

They also determined that Emily would undergo “voluntary services,” which they finally explained would involve “two monthly visits with DHHS,” “a random drug test,” as well as “a “substance abuse evaluation” and “treatment plan” should she test positive on the randomized drug test.

However, during their first mandatory DHHS visit, the social worker told Emily that their department was recommending she undergo the evaluation and treatment plan before the drug test was even conducted, denying the court’s original order.

They tried to “get the manuscript from the trial” to prove the judge’s original orders but were denied.

Having lost faith in the entire system, Emily decided to reject the evaluation and treatment plan, knowing she was innocent and in no need of intervention.

She completed the drug test, which was another three-month hair test, and like all her other tests, “it was negative,” and she fulfilled her obligation to meet with DHHS twice, thus checking all the required boxes laid out in the first court hearing.

A few days before the second hearing, Emily and her husband received DHHS’ filing, which included “eight recommendations,” one of which was to have “the custody of [their] children moved under the Department” (meaning foster care), even though at this point, Emily had taken “seven negative tests” and fulfilled all of the requirements outlined in the first hearing.

When she followed up with the hospital about the retesting of Paul’s umbilical cord, she was told she needed to contact that lab that conducted the test, but when she called the lab, they refused to work with her and told her she needed to go through the hospital.

She also found out that the “25 pieces of evidence” she submitted to the court hadn’t even been reviewed. In fact, the court claimed it “didn’t even know [she] did this 12-month hair test.”

At this point, Emily and her husband were left with literally nothing except prayers.

And clearly, it worked.

“They dismissed our case” in the second hearing, Emily says, and thankfully, the DHHS (probably because they had no real evidence) did not pursue a contested hearing.

While Emily getting to keep her children is excellent news, she is still currently on the list of registered child abusers.

To hear the full story and learn where Emily is at now, watch the video below.


Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Boston City Councilor and son injured after she crashes unregistered car into house while driving on revoked license, reports say



Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara and her son were injured after she crashed a car into a home Friday while driving with a revoked license, multiple outlets reported.

"Thankfully Councilor Lara and Zaire are expected to make a full recovery. She asks for privacy at this time," a statement from Lara's spokesperson told the Boston Herald.

Zaire, Lara's 7-year-old son, was riding in the backseat of the car. Though he was wearing a seat belt, he was not in a booster seat as required by law, according to a police report acquired by WCVB. The police filed a neglect report to the Department of Children and Families as a result.

Names were redacted in the official report. The names were visible in a draft police reported acquired by the Globe, however, according to the New York Post.

Zaire was taken to the Boston Children's Hospital where he received "several stitches," according to a statement from Lara's chief of staff Lee Nave acquired by the Boston Globe.

The car collided with the home after going through a metal fence and driving over bushes in the yard, according to the police report. The report also notes Lara was driving with a revoked license and that the car was unregistered, without insurance, and had an expired inspection sticker.

Self-avowed Socialist Kendra Lara, 33, and son Zaire were in an ambulance when officers arrived. Lara reportedly told officers she had swerved to miss another car pulling away from the curb and could not hit the brakes fast enough to avoid colliding with the house on 803 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.

She also claimed the other driver "did not check their mirrors or assess the situation before pulling out."

The other driver disputes that claim, according to the report. The other driver says he did not pull away from the curb because he saw Lara's car approaching "at a high rate of speed." He claims Lara passed him and "suddenly turned left," crashing into the home.

Lara is expected to be summonsed on several charges, WHDH reported. The charges include operating a motor vehicle without a license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

Lara's most recent tweet was Friday around 1 p.m., the day of the crash. It was also the day long-awaited Supreme Court opinions addressing student loan debt forgiveness and First Amendment-protected civil liberties were released. In the tweet, she shared an article in The New Yorker arguing for ending the Supreme Court "as we know it."
— (@)

Lara apologized after invoking an antisemitic trope in June 2022. She had tweeted about an appellate court ruling that required state contractors in Arkansas to pledge not to boycott Israel, MassLive reported.

According to her profile on the City of Boston's website, she is "anchored by a socialist vision."

TheBlaze reached out to Councilor Lara for comment early Sunday afternoon, but did not hear back in time for publication.

Watch coverage from WBZ below of Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara's reported crash into a Jamaica Plain home.



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As States Ban Parents From Resisting Their Kids Going Transgender, Will Congress Step Up?

Congress must pass legislation to stop state governments from trampling parents' rights to protect their kids from radical sex theory.

Virginia Democrat Plotting To Take Kids From Parents Who Won’t Trans Them Is Just Saying The Quiet Part Out Loud

Everything Democrats say they believe about LGBT youth demands that children be taken from parents who do not affirm rainbow identities.

Left-wing 'journalist' calls Child Protective Services on Republican Virginia state Senate candidate Tina Ramirez



Leftist David Leavitt called a hotline on Monday in an attempt to report Republican Virginia state Senate candidate Tina Ramirez to Child Protective Services.

Leavitt, who describes himself on Twitter as an "Award-Winning Multimedia Journalist," trolled various Twitter accounts that celebrated Columbus Day. "Why are you celebrating torture, rape, murder, and enslavement?" Leavitt wrote in response to Columbus Day posts from sitting GOP U.S. lawmakers, the Yonkers Police Department, Ramirez, and others.

He also posted the question on another tweet from Ramirez, which was not at all related to Columbus Day — Ramirez fired back, "I teach my daughter real American history. I refuse to join the radical left’s campaign to erase history."

"Can someone please call child care services on Tina Ramirez who's teaching her child to be a racist?" Leavitt responded.

\u201cCan someone please call child care services on Tina Ramirez who's teaching her child to be a racist?\u201d
— David Leavitt (@David Leavitt) 1665435391

"Mighty bold and liberal of you to lecture a Hispanic mother with a black daughter on racism. What's next? Are you going to lecture me on women’s rights?" Ramirez replied.

Leavitt apparently decided to take it upon himself to make the call, because he posted a series of tweets lamenting how long he had been on hold with the child abuse hotline — it is unclear whether Leavitt ever spoke to anyone on the hotline to report Ramirez

"The Virginia State hotline for child abuse has a 10+ minute hold and is experiencing 'high call volumes' with 14 callers ahead of me. This is absolutely unacceptable. How many people try to report child abuse and hang up? How many children will continue to be abused?" he tweeted. He later noted that the hotline had "a 60+ minute hold & is experiencing 'high call volumes' with 14 callers ahead of me."

\u201cHaving a black child doesn't make you any less racist\n\nhttps://t.co/QnrkB39TTq\u201d
— David Leavitt (@David Leavitt) 1665435391

Ramirez described Leavitt's behavior as "appalling."

"He waited an hour on hold, tying up the lines of our CPS professionals trying to help Virginia’s children. The radical left is willing to put our children at risk to cancel conservatives," she tweeted. "It's no surprise that a member of the radical left is willing to go so far as to call CPS on a single mother - simply because they want to erase history. The radical left doesn’t want parents making decisions for their own families," she added.

\u201cIt\u2019s no surprise that a member of the radical left is willing to go so far as to call CPS on a single mother - simply because they want to erase history.\n\nThe radical left doesn\u2019t want parents making decisions for their own families.\n\n3/4\u201d
— Tina Ramirez (@Tina Ramirez) 1665451525

CPS allegedly investigates parents after 6-year-old boy completes marathon with family



Child Protective Services reportedly investigated two Kentucky parents after their 6-year-old son ran with them in a marathon.

What are the details?

The Crawford family — consisting of parents Kami and Ben and their six children — competed as a family in the Flying Pig Marathon, an annual race that takes place in Cincinnati on the first Sunday of May. The marathon is a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon.

The family completed the 26.2-mile marathon in 8 hours and 35 minutes.

But now they're being accused of "child abuse," according to WCPO-TV, because their youngest child — 6-year-old Rainier — competed in the event. Last Friday, CPS even visited the family home to interview the family.

The Crawfords explained in an Instagram post that CPS "arrived at our home unannounced and interviewed our children, parents & grandmother."

"This is a scary process because usually children are interrogated away from parents, against their will, and their answers determine the agency's legal right to take away the kids," the post added. "CPS requires SPECIFIC actions be reported like times, locations and specific abuses. Since these do not exist people had to make them up."

The specific complaint claimed the parents dragged their young child for more than 13 miles until they reached the finish line, "pulling him against his will." But eyewitnesses who were present during the marathon, and their own video footage, contradicts the allegations, the parents explained, adding that their son's only complaint was that he wanted to finish the race in less time.

The Crawfords said two social service agents who spoke with their family determined "that we have nothing to worry about."

In an interview with "Good Morning America," the parents defended their decision to let their young son run the marathon. They explained each of their children chose independently to compete, and none of their children were forced to do anything they did not want to do.

What do doctors say?

Pediatrician Dr. Christopher Bolling told WCPO that young children should avoid some exercise methods typically reserved for teenagers and adults, such as resistance training, because their bodies are rapidly growing. But he said running is typically OK, although a full marathon is "unusual."

Meanwhile, pediatrician Dr. Jay Lovenheim told NBC's "TODAY Parents" that running a marathon is "fine" for young children.

"If they’ve been training and taking rest days and they’re being monitored and there’s no signs of heat exhaustion — I really don’t see a whole lot of risk," Lovenheim said. "I’d be a little more concerned if they were running regular marathons. One marathon is fine.

Parents of 6-year-old who ran Flying Pig Marathon respond to backlash www.youtube.com