A Sydney taekwondo instructor was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the brutal murders of a 7-year-old student and his parents, motivated by jealousy over the family's financial success. Yoo, who pleaded guilty, committed the crimes in his martial arts academy and at the family's home, driven by financial debt and personal issues. The judge emphasized the extreme culpability and cruelty of the acts, denying Yoo any chance of release.
Fletcher Merkel, an 8-year-old boy from Minneapolis who loved sports, cooking, and animals, was tragically killed in a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School. His funeral was held at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, where family and community remembered his vibrant personality and passions. The incident also claimed the life of another child, Harper Moyski, and left Sophia Forchas critically injured.
A mass shooting in North Baltimore injured six people, including a five-year-old girl, with the incident occurring while people were sitting outside eating crabs; the motive and suspects are still unknown, and police are investigating.
Two men, Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and Franklin Pena, have been charged with capital murder for the strangulation of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston. Surveillance footage and witness accounts led to their arrests. The suspects are being held in Harris County Jail, and their immigration statuses are under review. The case is still under investigation, including whether the girl was sexually assaulted.
A 3-year-old boy was fatally stabbed by 32-year-old Bionca Ellis in a random attack outside a Cleveland supermarket. Ellis, who had no prior connection to the victims, was arrested without resistance and charged with aggravated murder. The boy's mother was also injured but survived.
A five-year-old girl, Reign Ware, was among nine people fatally shot in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend. She was killed while sitting in a parked car with her father. Her family has made emotional pleas for those responsible to turn themselves in and for city officials to address the ongoing violence. The weekend saw a total of 41 people shot, with nine fatalities.
Carissa Davis, a previous child victim of Don McDougal, the alleged killer of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, tearfully recounted her own assault and expressed how close she could have been to facing the same fate as Audrii. McDougal, convicted of enticing a child in the past, has been charged with capital murder in Audrii's death, who died of homicidal violence including blunt head trauma. The 11-year-old girl's body was found tied to a rock in a Texas river, and she was last seen with McDougal, a family friend. McDougal, a reported neo-Nazi with links to the Aryan Brotherhood, is now being held without bond.
Carissa Davis, the first child victim of Don Steven McDougal, who is charged with the murder of Audrii Cunningham, speaks out about the system's failure to protect her and Audrii. Davis recounted an incident in 2007 where McDougal tried to undress her at a family gathering, and she wonders what could have happened if she hadn't been able to escape. McDougal pleaded guilty to enticing a child but wasn't required to register as a sex offender and went on to face more charges. Davis believes that the system failed both her and Audrii.
A shocking video of a Bahamas shark attack shows the aftermath of a 10-year-old boy nearly having his leg bitten off by a reef shark while participating in a shark experience at the Atlantis Bahamas Resort. The boy's father heroically assisted him out of the tank, and the boy was taken to the hospital in stable condition. The resort has since shut down the attraction and is reevaluating their procedures for guests.
Community activists rally around an 11-year-old girl in Chicago who was brutally beaten in what is believed to be a hate crime. The girl's parents are calling for justice and have faced threats for reporting the attack. The family is afraid to go home and claims that the police did not respond to their calls for help in a timely manner. The incident has left the girl traumatized, but she remains strong in spirit. Newly elected Chicago Police District Council members are demanding accountability and improved response times to violent crimes.
The FBI Omaha Field Office is seeking the public's help in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation, sharing pictures of an unidentified man known as John Doe 47, who may have crucial information regarding the identification of a child victim. The man, described as a Black male aged 18-25, was seen in a video obtained by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The FBI urges anyone with information to submit tips online or call their toll-free tip line. No charges have been filed, and the man is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
A 12-year-old girl was killed after gunshots were fired into her home in Lake City, Florida. Police are still searching for a suspect and have asked the public for any information. This tragic incident highlights the ongoing issue of gun violence affecting children and families across the country, with over 4,000 children and teenagers being shot this year alone. Gun-related deaths have become the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, surpassing motor vehicles, drug overdoses, and cancer.
One person is dead and another injured after a shooting at the burial of a 10-year-old girl who was killed by a stray bullet on Mother's Day in Southeast, D.C. The shooting victims were in a dispute "not directly related to the funeral," and one person is in police custody. The identities and relationship between the victims are unknown. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) who shot and killed the 10-year-old girl.
A six-year-old boy, Sir'Anthonio Brown, was fatally shot while playing in the front yard of his Kansas City home. The police found 30 to 40 shell casings at the scene and believe the adult accompanying the child was the intended target. The suspects, who were wearing masks, are still at large. The police are urging the public to call the tip line with any information and not to take matters into their own hands. The young boy was a kindergarten student at West Park Elementary School, and his teacher described him as a jokester who always had something witty to say.
A 12-year-old girl, Se'Cret Pierce, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Hartford, Connecticut, on Thursday night. Three others were wounded, but Pierce was likely not the intended target. The community is mourning her loss, and her family is devastated. Police are reviewing surveillance footage and are confident they will identify the suspect vehicle. The incident is the latest in a string of gun violence in Hartford, including the deaths of other young children.
