Thanksgiving nightmare: Woman gives chilling 'independence day' confession about slashing boyfriend's throat, police say



An Arizona woman allegedly admitted to trying to murder her sleeping boyfriend on Thanksgiving, according to court documents. What's more, authorities said the woman told her boyfriend, "Today is my independence day."

Tamala Rudeseal — a 52-year-old from Mesa — was arrested on Thanksgiving night and booked into the Maricopa County Jail on attempted murder and aggravated assault charges. Her bond was set at $1 million.

'God, I hope he is dead; it’d be a favor to me, his wife, and his children.'

Police said Rudeseal called 911 around 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving and reportedly made several alarming remarks.

Citing court records, KPNX-TV reported that Rudeseal was heard saying during the 911 call, "I'm sick of what you do to me, today is independence day."

Court documents also claim Rudeseal was heard saying, "Yes ... I did just try to murder you," and "I'm ready to go to prison."

Police said when officers arrived at the residence, they found Rudeseal's boyfriend with a cut running from his left ear to the center of his neck.

The wounded man was rushed to a local hospital and underwent emergency surgery for a neck laceration, according to KSAZ-TV. Officials told the news outlet that the man is expected to survive.

The boyfriend informed investigators that the couple had argued earlier in the day, court docs stated.

Arizona Family, citing court documents, reported that the man told detectives he was asleep when he woke to a sharp pain in his neck. Court records also state that he told investigators that he thought he was going to die but controlled the bleeding with his shirt until police arrived.

The boyfriend said he'd been in a relationship with Rudeseal for 11 years and that she is often depressed around the holidays, according to court records.

RELATED: Stunned judge reveals fate of woman involved in deadly kidnapping of 2 young sisters found in a pit — 1 did not survive

According to court docs, Rudeseal informed police that she told her boyfriend, "I'm going to slice your (expletive) throat."

According to court docs, when asked by investigators if she was attempting to kill her boyfriend, Rudeseal responded, "Yes. God, I hope he is dead; it’d be a favor to me, his wife, and his children."

According to court records, Rudeseal also told authorities, "I planned on doing the other side and then stabbing him in the heart."

Records show Rudeseal complained to officers that her boyfriend "does not do anything around the house" except sit, smoke, and drink.

Police detained Rudeseal at the crime scene and recovered a large folding hunting knife close to where she was found, authorities said.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office told People magazine that the case is "currently under review by our office."

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office on Thursday afternoon told Blaze News that Rudeseal "is still in custody."

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Cop torches career after home invasion, physical attack on former lover — and his girlfriend — plus threat to burn down house



A New Jersey police officer has lost her law enforcement career in the state following a home invasion, physical attack, and threats to burn down a former lover's residence.

Rebecca Sayegh, 32 — formerly with the Toms River Police Department — pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal mischief, and simple assault on Nov. 17.

'I'm going to f**king burn your house down next, you piece of s**t.'

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced in a statement that his office wants Sayegh to serve 180 days in jail when she's sentenced on Jan. 26. As part of her probation, prosecutors also want her to have no contact with the victims and to pay restitution.

Sayegh — who had been suspended without pay since her April arrest — was required to forfeit her position with the police department effective Nov. 17; she's also barred from any future employment with the state of New Jersey, according to the prosecutor's office.

Sayegh's guilty plea stems from a violent home invasion of her ex-boyfriend's home in Berkeley Township.

As Blaze News previously reported, Sayegh used her baton to smash through the front door of her ex-boyfriend's home around 11:20 p.m. on April 25.

But the violent incident didn't stop there.

Sayegh — who was off-duty at the time — engaged in a verbal confrontation with her former lover and his new girlfriend that quickly escalated into a physical attack, according to court documents NJ.com obtained.

Citing Assistant Prosecutor Isabella Young, NJ.com reported that the girlfriend suffered swelling to the eye when Sayegh poked her with her fingernail.

The couple was able to restrain Sayegh before she "broke free" and smashed items in the house and knocked photos off a wall, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Billhimer said Sayegh damaged the hood of a vehicle belonging to one of the victims that was parked in the home's driveway.

The New York Post reported, "As Sayegh continued on her chaotic rampage, the new girlfriend retreated into the backyard, where she called 911."

The prosecutor's office stated: "Sayegh was taken into custody at the scene — after having resisted efforts to peacefully place her under arrest."

Citing police bodycam video, the Daily Mail reported that Sayegh appeared to tell her ex-boyfriend: "I'm going to f**king burn your house down next, you piece of s**t."

Sayegh caused $2,000 in damage to the house and another $500 to a vehicle, Young said.

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Just months before the violent home invasion, Sayegh sued the Toms River Police Department, alleging sexual harassment, being passed over for promotions due to her gender, and a "boys club" culture.

Sayegh's lawsuit alleges that she "has been victimized by a campaign of disparaging, degrading, harassing, and discriminatory conduct by defendants and the de facto 'boys club' culture cultivated and maintained in the department," the Asbury Park Press reported.

The October 2024 suit also claims that fellow officers "spread false and defamatory rumors throughout the department that [the] plaintiff was sleeping with various male co-workers, commented on [the] plaintiff's appearance, and insinuated that [the] plaintiff could not complete the responsibilities of her position simply because she is a woman."

The defendants' attorneys have described the lawsuit as "frivolous and without legal basis" and "baseless and/or meritless."

Sayegh — who joined the department in 2017 — claimed that her former captain, Shaun O'Keefe, "shamelessly" pursued a sexual relationship with her.

Sayegh's lawsuit alleges that O'Keefe followed her into the women's restroom, took out his penis, and told her to perform oral sex on him during a Toms River Police Foundation event at the Bey Lea Golf Course in June 2022.

O'Keefe retired from the police department in 2021.

In April 2025, Superior Court Judge Robert E. Brenner dismissed the claims against O'Keefe without prejudice, ruling that the lawsuit was filed after the two-year statute of limitations had expired, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Sayegh's lawsuit against the police department is still pending, according to the Daily Mail.

Sayegh previously had been commended and received an award for her "bravery" after rescuing a woman and her pets from a Toms River house fire in January 2021.

"Officer Sayegh went to the front door and made entry, locating Ms. Nicolo and her pets. Officer Sayegh was able to escort Ms. Nicolo and her pets across the street to safety. Officer Sayegh is commended for her swift action, bravery, and lifesaving actions," the department stated.

The Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News' requests for comment.

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Stunned judge reveals fate of woman involved in deadly kidnapping of 2 young sisters found in a pit — 1 did not survive



Earlier this year, 34-year-old Victoria Cox — a mother of three — pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping after admitting to helping a friend abduct two children.

The friend in question is 38-year-old Daniel Callihan, a resident of Amite, Louisiana.

'These acts you committed, do you understand how awful these acts were? You understand how innocent these two little girls were?'

On June 12, 2024, Callihan fatally stabbed a mother of two — Callie Brunett — more than 50 times in her home in Loranger, Louisiana, and then kidnapped Brunett's two daughters, ages 4 and 6, according to court documents.

Indeed, Callihan stole the stabbing victim's 2012 Chrysler vehicle, placed Brunett's two daughters inside it, and eventually drove to Amite, court documents show. That's where he picked up Cox.

Law enforcement tracked down the missing girls to a property in Jackson, Mississippi, where they made a ghastly discovery. Authorities on June 13, 2024, found the body of the 4-year-old girl in a "pit," according to a statement last month from the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana.

Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade described the crime scene as "sickening" and revealed that he "observed small cages" and "small wired enclosures," which "led us to believe that it was a location where human trafficking probably could have happened," People magazine reported.

The 6-year-old sister was found alive and immediately transported to a hospital; she has since been reunited with relatives.

After Callihan was arrested, he admitted to investigators that he stabbed to death the mother of the two girls and kidnapped them, the U.S. Attorney’s office stated. Callihan also confessed that he "smothered" the 4-year-old girl to death "by holding [her] closely against his chest," according to People magazine.

'At any point in your mind were you thinking about your children when you did this? And that didn’t cause you to stop?'

United States District Judge Lance M. Africk handed Callihan consecutive life sentences for kidnapping resulting in death and transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Authorities also determined that Cox was Callihan's co-conspirator in the disturbing crimes.

While Callihan and Cox engaged in sexual battery against the 6-year-old girl, court docs said, the sexual battery charge was dropped.

Cox has three children of her own — ages 6, 8, and 9 — and during her sentencing hearing, a stunned Hinds County Circuit Judge Winston Kidd asked her how she, as a mother, could participate in such a vile act against young children, according to WLBT-TV.

RELATED: Half-naked woman 'missing flesh' and handcuffed in backyard was tortured for weeks, beaten with bat, shot with BB gun: Cops

"At any point in your mind were you thinking about your children when you did this? And that didn’t cause you to stop?" Kidd asked Cox.

Cox replied, "I tried, but I couldn’t."

Cox added to the judge that Callihan had forced her to get high on drugs on the day of the kidnapping, according to WLBT, and that she had been out of rehab for just two days before the kidnapping.

Cox also claimed she "didn’t know" Callihan didn't have "permission" to have the children, WLBT reported.

Cox told the courtroom, "If I could change it all, I would, but I can't."

The station added that Cox released a handwritten note in court requesting to plead guilty as quickly as possible.

Cox wrote, "I've been trying to get my attorney to come go over my plea deal with me, but he has failed to do so. I would like to accept it. Can you put me on the court docket?"

According to Court TV, Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens II noted that his office had never witnessed that happen before — and said of Cox, "She realized, I believe, that this crime was so horrific that the atonement level has to start today."

Indeed, Kidd told Cox, "These acts you committed, do you understand how awful these acts were? You understand how innocent these two little girls were? This is something you’re going to have a lot of time to think about."

Kidd last week sentenced Cox to a pair of concurrent sentences: 40 years in prison on the murder charge and 25 years on the kidnapping charge, according to WWL-TV.

Cox had faced the possibility of a death sentence.

The Jackson Police Department did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

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Ex-teacher who dodged conviction for allegedly asking teen lover to kill husband learns fate for sexually assaulting student



A former teacher in Kentucky — who was accused of asking her underage lover to kill her husband — has learned her fate for sexually assaulting a jailed minor.

In April, 28-year-old Elena Bardin was arrested and initially charged with three counts of sexual abuse, solicitation of murder, and distribution of obscene material, according to a court records citation People magazine obtained. Following her arrest, Bardin was hit with three counts of unlawful transaction with a minor.

'I know you say you'll take care of him, but shouldn't someone else do it so suspicion is miles away from you?'

Kentucky State Police said in an April statement that Bardin "solicited a male juvenile at the Adair Juvenile Detention Center to kill her husband."

But a jury acquitted Bardin of the charge of soliciting the teen to murder her husband.

However, in September, Bardin was convicted of one count each of first-degree sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor, and distribution of obscene material to a minor.

People said the defendant's estranged husband, Michael Bardin, and the alleged victim both testified against Bardin for the prosecution.

Last week, a judge sentenced Bardin to four years in prison for first-degree sexual abuse, 10 years for unlawful transaction with a minor, and 12 months for the distribution of obscene material to a minor; the sentences are to be served concurrently. Bardin also was ordered to register as a sex offender for 20 years, according to Court TV.

During sentencing, Circuit Judge Samuel Spalding noted there were 193 pages of "letters, pictures, and everything else," which he described as "juicy."

"The letters you sent ... they were juicy, they were things you'd see in a triple-X movie, and completely inappropriate, obviously, and I think you know that, for a young man that age," Judge Spalding stated, according to WKRC-TV.

Spalding continued, "And for an educator, it was incumbent upon you to set a better example. I will say, though, the 193 pages of letters, pictures, everything else, it depicts a very intelligent and articulate young woman who was clearly articulating her thoughts and desires to this kid."

RELATED: Ex-middle school teacher — guilty of 21 counts of sex crimes against daughter's underage babysitter — learns her fate

Bardin — a reported mother of a 5-year-old girl — had been an English teacher at the Adair County Juvenile Detention Center, where the victim was detained.

The Kentucky State Police said, "Evidence also revealed that Ms. Bardin had subjected the juvenile to illegal sexual contact and provided him with sexually explicit images of herself."

Citing testimony from Bardin's supervisor at the juvenile detention center, the judge added that the former teacher had been warned to end the relationship and stay away from the teen. Judge Spalding reportedly stressed that the student had been moved to another section of the detention center.

"And, ma'am, not only did you not heed that advice and stop, it looks to me like you actually doubled down on the behavior after that, and that is concerning," Spalding alleged.

Prosecutors accused Bardin of having a sexual relationship with the 17-year-old student who was detained at the juvenile facility.

The Kentucky State Police stated, "On March 27, 2025, the Adair Juvenile Detention Center conducted a routine search of juveniles' living units where letters and explicit material were found in a male juvenile's possession sent by an Adair County School teacher assigned to the facility."

The Union-Bulletin reported, "According to prosecutors, in one of the letters confiscated by investigators, Bardin talks about oral sex and having sex in the boy's cell."

"I hope you enjoyed that. I did," Bardin reportedly wrote in a letter to the minor, according to the Union-Bulletin.

Another letter written by Bardin allegedly said, "I know you say you'll take care of him, but shouldn’t someone else do it so suspicion is miles away from you? IDK, I'm going to miss you so (redacted) bad tonight. You look so handsome today, love. I love you."

In April, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported that the Adair County school district listed Bardin — with her first name spelled "Elana" — as a teacher at the Adair Learning Academy, which is part of the Adair Youth Development Center.

The youth development center operates in conjunction with the regional juvenile detention center, the Herald-Leader said, citing the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. Adair Superintendent Jason Faulkner told the paper that Bardin was an employee of the district and that she had been terminated.

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14-year-old 'angel' reportedly found dead in RV; alleged relative with criminal past charged with her murder, sexual assault



A missing 14-year-old girl was found dead reportedly inside an RV behind her home, and an alleged family member with a history of violent crime has been accused of sexually assaulting and murdering the young girl described as an "angel."

Citing Illinois State Police, KSDK-TV reported that Kylie Toberman was reported missing around 6:30 a.m. Friday. Police said the teen girl was found later that afternoon.

'I WILL NOT SHUT UP OR STOP till my child gets justice!'

The girl's biological mother, Megan Zeller, said Kylie was found dead inside an RV behind a house in Vandalia, where the teen lived with her adoptive mother and two sisters, according to a KSDK news video. Zeller said Kylie's step-uncle — 43-year-old Arnold B. Rivera — lived in the RV behind that house, the video added. Vandalia is roughly 70 miles east of St. Louis

The Illinois State Police said in a statement, "An extensive investigation identified Rivera as the suspect, and Vandalia Police located Rivera within a few hours and took him into custody."
Prosecutors charged Rivera with first-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, and concealing a homicide, the station said.
Citing charging documents, KSDK reported that Rivera sexually assaulted Kylie and strangled her with jumper cables. Rivera then put the girl's body in a tote in an apparent attempt to hide the crime, according to charging documents.
Rivera is being held without bond at the Fayette County Jail, according to KSDK.

RELATED: Father accused of murdering 67-year-old alleged rapist of his 14-year-old daughter makes startling bid for public office

While KSDK's news video indicates Keller identified Rivera as Kylie's "step-uncle," that isn't the only claim regarding the relationship between the suspect and the victim.

KSDK's news story — in contrast to its accompanying news video — said Rivera was Kylie's "caretaker" and makes no step-uncle mention. Further, KMOV-TV reported that Kylie's paternal grandmother said the teen was adopted over five years ago to the Toberman family — making Rivera legally the adoptive brother of Kylie.

It's also unclear why Kylie was adopted in the first place — and particularly why she lived in close proximity to a man with a reported violent criminal past.

Fox News reported that Rivera has a criminal history dating back to 2000, including accusations of child sex abuse.

In 2000, prosecutors in Macon County, Illinois, dropped charges of criminal sexual abuse of a child between the ages of 9 and 16 — as well as burglary — against Rivera in exchange for a guilty plea to felony aggravated battery, per court records.

Rivera was sentenced to 30 months of probation for the 2000 case. In 2008, Rivera pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle and was sentenced to 24 months of probation.

The New York Post reported that Zeller wrote on Facebook, "I was young and dumb ... I thought I could trust somebody and now my baby is an angel. I WILL NOT SHUT UP OR STOP till my child gets justice!"

KSDK reported that Kylie attended Vandalia Junior High School, which said in a statement, "We are deeply saddened to share that a student in our district has passed away far too soon. This is heartbreaking news for our school community."

The school noted that a crisis response team and school counselors will be available this week to offer support to students.

Kylie also wrestled at the Vandal Wrestling Takedown Club, which said in a statement, "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that we lost one of our wrestlers, Kylie Toberman, yesterday. Our team and community are grieving the loss of such a sweet and bright young girl."

She recently had been named the most improved wrestler, according to KSDK.

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Teacher accused of trafficking for alleged Soros-linked, sex 'dungeon' financier loses certification: 'Not a one-man show'



A Texas woman accused of sex trafficking women for her former financier boss has temporarily lost her teacher certification, according to a new report.

As Blaze News noted in September, a former famed Wall Street financier with money ties to George Soros is accused of torturing women at a secret BDSM sex "dungeon," according to authorities.

'During many of these encounters, Rubin brutalized women's bodies, causing them to fear for their safety and/or resulting in significant pain and injuries.'

On Sept. 26, FBI agents arrested 70-year-old Howard Rubin at his home in Fairfield, Connecticut. On the same day, FBI agents also arrested Rubin's alleged personal assistant — 46-year-old Jennifer Powers — at her home in Southlake, Texas.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York said in a statement released in September, "A 10-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging retired New York-based financier, Howard Rubin, also known as 'Howie' and 'H,' along with his personal assistant, Jennifer Powers, with sex trafficking and transporting women in interstate commerce for sex acts with Rubin."

Rubin — a former high-profile money manager at Salomon Brothers, Bear Stearns, and Merrill Lynch — was also charged with bank fraud in "connection with misrepresentations made to a bank in the course of financing Powers' mortgage for the Texas home of Powers and her husband."

If convicted of sex trafficking, Rubin and Powers each face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years behind bars. Rubin and Powers face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted of transporting women to engage in commercial sex acts. Rubin faces a maximum prison sentence of 30 years if he's convicted of bank fraud.

Rubin and Powers have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Federal officials said Powers became Rubin's personal assistant around 2011 and "managed the logistical aspects of their commercial sex operation."

Federal prosecutors said the alleged sexual abuse crimes occurred between 2009 and 2019 when Rubin and Powers "recruited multiple women to travel to New York City to engage in commercial sex acts with Rubin involving bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, and sadomasochism, referred to as 'BDSM' sex, and some of the women were trafficked."

According to the Associated Press, Rubin "lured dozens of women, including former Playboy models, to be sexually and physically assaulted during encounters in his Central Park penthouse in a soundproofed room described in court papers as 'The Dungeon.'"

Federal authorities said the purported sexual encounters happened at luxury hotels and at Rubin's two-bedroom penthouse apartment in midtown Manhattan, where one of the bedrooms was converted into "what they referred to as a sex 'dungeon' that was painted red, soundproofed, and furnished with BDSM equipment and devices, including a device to shock or electrocute the women."

The federal prosecutor's office stated in the news release, "During many of these encounters, Rubin brutalized women's bodies, causing them to fear for their safety and/or resulting in significant pain and injuries."

Federal officials said Rubin and Powers also forced the women to sign nondisclosure agreements, which would "require the women to assume the risk of the hazards and injury of the BDSM encounters with Rubin, prohibit the disclosure of information about the BDSM sex with Rubin, and require the payment of damages in the event of a breach."

RELATED: Shocking texts allegedly reveal sinister plan by teacher and her boyfriend to groom, sex traffic her student

Special agent Harry Chavis said Powers was quite involved in the alleged sexual abuse, and it was "not a one-man show."

Chavis stated, "While Rubin dehumanized these women with abhorrent sexual acts, Powers is alleged to have run the day-to-day operations of the enterprise and got paid generously for her efforts."

The Dallas Morning News, citing online records from the Texas Education Agency, reported Friday that Powers temporarily lost her state teacher certification. The paper added that Powers worked as a long-term substitute teacher for Old Union Elementary in Southlake.

A TEA spokesperson added to the Morning News that the State Board of Educator Certification is required to temporarily suspend a teacher’s certification or permit following an arrest. The paper added that in such cases, a hearing on the temporary suspension "must take place within about two months of the final outcome of the legal case."

CBS News in September reported that the Carroll Independent School District confirmed Powers had been a substitute teacher but was dismissed.

Cameron Bryan — president of the board of trustees for the Carroll Independent School District — said the district followed all TEA hiring requirements, including fingerprint-based criminal background checks.

An attorney for Powers did not immediately respond to the Morning News' request for comment.

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Middle school boy faces 10 felonies in AI nude scandal. But expulsion of girl, 13 — an alleged victim — sparks firestorm.



A Louisiana middle school boy is facing 10 felony counts for using AI to create fake nude photos of female classmates and sharing them with other students, according to multiple reports. However, one alleged female victim has been expelled following her reported reaction to the scandal.

On Aug. 26, detectives with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office launched an investigation into reports that male students had shared fake nude photos of female classmates at the Sixth Ward Middle School in Choctaw.

'What’s going on here, I’ll be quite frank, is nothing more than disgusting.'

Benjamin Comeaux, an attorney representing the alleged female victim, said the images used real photos of the girls, including selfies, with AI-generated nude bodies, the Washington Post reported.

Comeaux said administrators reported the incident to the school resource officer, according to the Post.

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office said in a statement that the incident "led to an altercation on a school bus involving one of the male students and one of the female students."

Comeaux said during a bus ride, several boys shared AI-made nude images of a 13-year-old girl, and the girl in question struck one of the students sharing the images, the Post reported.

However, school administrators expelled the 13-year-old girl over the physical altercation.

Meanwhile, police said that a male suspect on Sept. 15 was charged with 10 counts of unlawful dissemination of images created by artificial intelligence.

The sheriff's office noted that the investigation is ongoing, and there is a possibility of additional arrests and charges.

Sheriff Craig Webre noted that the female student involved in the alleged bus fight will not face criminal charges "given the totality of the circumstances."

Webre added that the investigation involves technology and social media platforms, which could take several weeks and even months to "attain and investigate digital evidence."

RELATED: 'A great deal of concern': High school student calls for AI regulations after fake nude images of her shared online

The alarming incident was brought back to life during a fiery Nov. 5 school board meeting during which attorneys for the expelled female student slammed school administrators.

According to WWL-TV, an attorney said, "She had enough, what is she supposed to do?"

"She reported it to the people who are supposed to protect her, but she was victimized, and finally she tried to knock the phone out of his hand and swat at him," the same attorney added.

One attorney also noted, "This was not a random act of violence ... this was a reasonable response to what this kid endured, and there were so many options less than expulsion that could’ve been done. Had she not been a victim, we’re not here, and none of this happens."

Her representatives also warned, "You are setting a dangerous precedent by doing anything other than putting her back in school," according to WWL.

Matthew Ory, one of the attorneys representing the female student, declared, "What’s going on here, I’ll be quite frank, is nothing more than disgusting. Her image was taken by artificial intelligence and manipulated and manufactured to be child pornography."

School board member Valerie Bourgeois pushed back by saying, "Yes, she is a victim, I agree with that, but if she had not hit the young man, we wouldn’t be here today, it wouldn’t have come to an expulsion hearing."

Tina Babin, another school board member, added, "I found the video on the bus to be sickening, the whole thing, everything about it, but the fact that this child went through this all day long does weigh heavy on me."

Lafourche Parish Public Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin explained, "Sometimes in life, we can be both victims and perpetrators. Sometimes in life, horrible things happen to us, and we get angry and do things."

Ultimately, the school board allowed the girl to return to school, but she will be on probation until January.

Attorneys for the girl's family, Greg Miller and Morgyn Young, told WWL that they intend to file a lawsuit.

"Nobody took any action to confiscate cell phones, to put an end to this," Miller claimed. "It's pure negligence on the part of the school board."

Martin defended the district in a statement that read:

Any and all allegations of criminal misconduct on our campuses are immediately reported to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. After reviewing this case, the evidence suggests that the school did, in fact, follow all of our protocols and procedures for reporting such instances.

Sheriff Webre warned, "While the ability to alter images has been available for decades, the rise of AI has made it easier for anyone to alter or create such images with little to no training or experience."

Webre also said, "This incident highlights a serious concern that all parents should address with their children.”

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Man enters ER with bloody knife saying serial killer took girlfriend's life. But her mother says she knows 'savage' truth.



A Massachusetts man in September walked into a New Bedford emergency room holding a bloody knife in his hand and claiming that a serial killer had stabbed his girlfriend to death, according to multiple reports. But the man now faces life in prison.

Tyler Baglini, 32, reportedly had a history of mental health issues and substance abuse, according to his attorney. After Baglini allegedly experienced an "episode" on Sept. 20, his girlfriend urged him to get help.

'But I know the truth. I know how savage, how horrific, and how violent his actions were.'

Citing court documents, People magazine reported that Baglini's girlfriend — 31-year-old Kerri Fidalgo — sent a text message to Baglini at 9:57 a.m. Sept. 20 that read: "Tyler, we can talk later. After you get checked out. You need help. You need to get better. You're having an episode and you're paranoid. Everything will be OK, but you need help. I love you. I care about you. Please."

Police said Baglini wrote back: "Goodbye, I really loved you and I forgive you. Time to go to hell; you were the best thing that ever happened to me."

Citing court documents, WPRI-TV reported that Baglini appeared at St. Luke's Hospital at 12:39 p.m. and used a public phone there to call his parents multiple times — as well as Fidalgo twice. Baglini told family and his girlfriend that he was checking himself in for mental health issues — but he didn't and left the hospital at 12:53 p.m., according to court documents.

Prosecutors said Baglini sent a photo of a knife to Fidalgo around 3:40 p.m.

Baglini later that afternoon reportedly staggered into the emergency room of St. Luke's while holding a bloody knife and claiming that a serial killer had stabbed his girlfriend to death.

A prosecutor said Baglini's "kitchen knife" had "blood on the blade," according to WJAR-TV.

WPRI added that Baglini entered the hospital just before 5 p.m. and said the stabbing took place at her Atlantic Street apartment.

Fidalgo's oldest sister, Kaila Whalen, reportedly became alarmed when police showed up that afternoon to do a welfare check on her sister.

"As my Portuguese-speaking grandmother fired questions at me in panic, I brushed her off and ran downstairs to Kerri's apartment, desperate to understand what was happening," Whalen told WPRI. "I had no idea what I was about to walk into. I didn't know I would find my sister lying on her living room floor, motionless, surrounded by her own blood."

Whalen added to WPRI that she remembered seeing her sister's eyes open and her hands raised as if she was trying to protect herself, which Whalen told the station is an image that will haunt her for the rest of her life.

Whalen recounted to WPRI, "No one should ever have to find someone they love like that. I was frozen in horror, screaming. My mind was racing, but [my] feet wouldn't move."

Still, she was able to run back upstairs for the officers, who called for backup and began CPR, according to WPRI.

"I remember how frantic and forceful it seemed, like it was hurting her. It was too much to bear, so I dropped to my knees in her kitchen and begged God to spare her life. I have never felt so hopeless — so useless," Whalen recalled to WPRI.

Assistant Bristol County District Attorney Karen O'Sullivan said Fidalgo had been stabbed 14 times in the neck, head, and torso, and her injuries were consistent with attempts to defend herself, according to the Herald News.

Fidalgo was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to the police report.

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The Bristol County District Attorney's Office said Baglini was arrested Sept. 20 and charged with murder.

Boston.com reported that Baglini was held overnight at Saint Luke's Hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

Last week at the sentencing hearing, Fidalgo's mother unleashed her fury on Baglini.

"I have watched him sit here in this courtroom, quiet and timid, as if he couldn't possibly have done what he did," Melissa Fidalgo, Kerri's mother, told the judge before sentencing, according to the Boston Globe.

"But I know the truth. I know how savage, how horrific, and how violent his actions were," she continued, according to the Globe. "I hate that he thought he had the right to take my daughter's life. I hate that he took her from us, from the family that loved her so deeply, from the future she was building, and from the world that was brighter because she was in it."

Baglini's attorney, Michael Hussey, said during sentencing that his client has a history of substance abuse and mental health issues that were "probably of little concern to anyone in this room, and probably of little value to this court."

Judge Raffi N. Yessayan responded, "Whatever other issues he may have, he's a batterer. He's a domestic abuser. I look at his record, and that's clear. That's why I didn't let him hide in the corner."

Baglini pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The judge sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 25 years, court records show.

Kerri's youngest sister, Jazelle Fidalgo, described her sister as "a mother, role model, protector, and best friend."

"Whenever I needed advice or comfort, she was the person I called," Jazelle told WPRI. "She made me feel safe. She believed in me more than anyone ever could. She pushed me to chase my dreams and see my worth, and to never give up on myself. She was the person who stood by me through everything — my shoulder to cry on and my source of strength when I didn't have any left."

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Dad-to-be made chilling revelation about car crash that put him in coma before dying — now his girlfriend has been charged



A father-to-be reportedly slipped into a coma after being involved in a car accident while his girlfriend was driving on Super Bowl Sunday earlier this year.

But he eventually woke up from the coma just long enough before his death to give a chilling revelation to law enforcement about his girlfriend and the car crash, according to multiple reports.

'I don't care what happens, you'll get what you deserve.'

Daniel Waterman, 22, was involved in a car crash on Interstate 95 in Flagler County on Feb. 9, Law & Crime reported, citing the warrant arrest affidavit. Waterman was in the car with his girlfriend — 24-year-old Leigha Mumby — who reportedly was driving a 2019 Honda Passport.

The car collided with a tree, police said, adding that no other vehicles were involved.

Mumby sustained serious injuries, according to police.

But Waterman suffered severe, life-threatening injuries, including a "C6-7 fracture, cervical spine injury, clavicle fracture, femur fracture, hip dislocation, epidural hematoma, pneumothorax with pulmonary contusion, zygomatic and temporal contusion, [and a] talus fracture," according to the affidavit.

Waterman fell into a coma — but recovered enough to communicate with investigators on May 15.

Syracuse.com, citing Waterman's mother, reported that he could barely speak, so police pointed to letters on a board while Waterman made sounds to indicate which letters he wanted to use.

The outlet reported that during the 90-minute interview with police, Waterman revealed that the car crash was not an accident.

While driving down the interstate, Waterman and Mumby got into an argument about a text message he received from a female friend in New York — and the fact that Leigha found out that day she was pregnant, according to the affidavit.

Waterman told the investigator who interviewed him that he and Mumby "exchanged expletives" and "Leigha began driving recklessly."

Waterman's mother, Heather Waterman, told Syracuse.com that her son was sending text messages to a friend about the Super Bowl the night of the crash because Waterman was a Kansas City Chiefs fan, and the friend was a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

Waterman's cousin, Jessica Stappenbeck, told FlaglerLive.com that just minutes before the crash, Mumby texted her the following from Waterman's phone: "This is what he gets for being a liar and a cheater."

Stappenbeck said Waterman told her on the day of the crash that he didn't know what to do about the pregnancy and that he "didn't like how Leigha was handling the situation."

Stappenbeck said Waterman and Mumby watched the Super Bowl at her home, but the couple left before the end of the game.

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According to the arrest affidavit, the last thing Waterman remembered before the crash was Mumby telling him, "I don't care what happens, you'll get what you deserve."

The affidavit said the vehicle "swerved off the roadway, colliding with a tree, making Daniel incapacitated."

An officer stated in the affidavit, "I have reason to believe Leigha made these statements and immediately swerved off the road to crash her car."

The arrest affidavit said the car's event data recorder found the vehicle was speeding between 93 and 95 miles per hour approximately three to five seconds before the crash.

"The brakes were not applied, ABS was inactive, and stability control was not engaged," the affidavit read.

The affidavit also noted that the vehicle was "aggressively maneuvering" about four seconds before the collision.

In July, Mumby was arrested on charges of reckless driving causing serious bodily injury and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to the affidavit.

Mumby was booked into the Flagler County Jail and subsequently released after posting a $150,000 bond.

Syracuse.com reported that Waterman died from pneumonia Oct. 8 at the Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, New York.

Following Waterman's death, prosecutors added vehicular homicide to Mumby's previous charges on Oct. 24, according to People magazine.

John Hager, an attorney for Waterman's family, told Fox News, "There are no real winners in this situation. It's a terrible, horrible situation, and the fact that these charges were filed, I think were right and just, and the family is satisfied with how the state attorney's office in Flagler County has been working diligently and is satisfied with the current charges being filed."

Hager told WTVT-TV, "This was not an accident. Evidence showed she didn’t use the brakes — the car was speeding up at the time of impact."

Hager added, "The family believes the new charge is appropriate and are relieved to see justice moving forward."

What's more, Waterman's death has ignited a paternity battle over Mumby's baby. Hager told WOFL-TV that Mumby recently gave birth to Waterman’s child.

Waterman's mother told Syracuse.com that her son took online parenting courses in August, and his dying wish was for his parents to get custody of the child.

"We'll do whatever we can do to bring her to us," the mother told Syracuse.com. "He wanted her raised in New York with his family." Hager told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that Waterman was visiting from New York at the time of the crash.

An obituary for Waterman posted to Syracuse.com said he "left this world on October 8th, far too soon following a tragic act of violence."

"Daniel passed away after courageously fighting for eight months from injuries sustained in a crash," the obituary added. "Daniel was an excited, soon-to-be father of a baby girl. He wanted nothing more than to come home to her and to the family who loved him so dearly."

Mumby is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 19.

The Florida Highway Patrol and the Flagler County Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News' requests for comment.

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Roses, romance, and a rip-off: Raunchy 'Bonnie and Clyde' reportedly steal from Mon Chéri restaurant — after risqué romp



Burglars not only stole from a restaurant in Arizona but also engaged in "bizarre" sexual relations on the premises, according to multiple reports.

A spokesperson for the Scottsdale Police Department told Blaze News that officers responded to a burglary report at the Mon Chéri restaurant around 10:00 a.m. Saturday.

'It's such a happy and positive place, so the fact that they did that on our establishment is just so disturbing.'

"Employees from the business called the police to report that two subjects were seen on camera around 3:50 a.m. forcing entry into the restaurant," police said.

Mon Chéri restaurant owner, Lexi Caliskan, told KSAZ-TV, "The first thing I noticed was that the whole stand was totally, like, torn apart. There were things all over."

"They damaged my two doors. So two doors need to be repaired or replaced. The actual registers are, like, just torn apart," the owner added.

Caliskan added to KSAZ that the suspects stole $450 in cash, the restaurant's iPhone, and a bottle of Bacardi rum.

Photo by U. Ozel Images via iStock / Getty Images Plus

However, before the couple broke into the restaurant, they reportedly had sex in a romantic floral display on the patio.

Caliskan told People magazine that the sexual acts were committed in a "romantic spot."

"We have a heart installation there, where our customers take Instagram photos," Caliskan explained, adding that the risqué incident was a "quick interaction" at the eye-catching rose display.

Caitlyn Sorensen, a Mon Chéri employee, told KPHO-TV, "We pulled up the surveillance, and we were disturbed, and who would do that? That's just gross. We don't want that here. And yeah, just, like, 'Why would you do that?'"

Sorenson continued, "It's such a happy and positive place, so the fact that they did that on our establishment is just so disturbing. Like, this isn't the place for it. Yes, we're full of romance and happiness, but that's not what we want here."

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Video of the couple near the floral display at the restaurant was posted on the Mon Chéri Instagram page.

The security video was captioned, "Two love birds broke into our restaurant in Scottsdale this morning."

The couple reportedly got frisky in a heart-shaped display made of roses.

Caliskan told KNXV-TV, "They got caught in the moment, there's roses everywhere, maybe it was kind of romantic, but modern-day Bonnie and Clyde."

Caliskan added, "I was just blown away by a man and a woman, what he had done, he ate afterward, then continued to break into the property."

Bailee Turner, the assistant general manager at Mon Chéri, said of the alleged incident, "Bizarre, violating — really just weird."

Caliskan told KPNX-TV, "They violated our roses, and we’re just not OK with that."

The restaurant is asking the public to help identify the burglars.

Police have yet to apprehend any suspects and said the investigation is still active.

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