A Berks County mother and her three children killed by the children's father in a murder-suicide earlier this month are being memorialized in the form of thousands of dollars in donations pouring into the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation.

Megan Swingle Short, 33, and her three children, 8-year-old Liana, 5-year-old Mark Jr. and 2-year-old Willow, died Aug. 6 in their Sinking Spring home when police say Short's husband and the children's father, 40-year-old Mark Short, shot all four of them to death before turning the gun on himself. Authorities said Mark Short left a handwritten note, but have not detailed what the note said, except to say that in it, he admitted to killing his wife and children.

The Short family spent much of Willow's life at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia after the little girl was born with a severe congenital heart defect that required her to undergo a heart transplant when she was just six days old. In memory of Megan Short, Willow and the children, more than $3,000 in donations poured in for the CHOP Cardiac Center on a donation page titled, "Remembering the Short Family."

"The Philly Heart Community will always remember and cherish the Short family. Taken from us all far too soon, Megan, Liana, Mark Jr. & Willow's spirit will live on in the hearts of those they touched so deeply," the page reads. "Megan gave selflessly to the heart and transplant communities to support all who walked similar journeys. The family would want donations to go to the Cardiac Center, so that other families can continue to receive the love, support and hope that the Short family received."

The page includes a quote from Megan Short: "Anytime I am given the choice between love and fear, I will choose love. To me, the greater risk is never experiencing love at all."

Authorities and relatives have said that there were domestic issues between Mark and Megan Short, and she planned to move out with the children to an apartment in Yardley, Bucks County on the day of their deaths. Officials said officers responded to the Shorts' home on Winding Brook Drive July 18 after Megan Short called them following a fight with her husband. She told officers that day that she feared he would harm her, and they advised her to file for a protection-from-abuse order. Berks County authorities, though, say she did not file for one.

A day later, authorities said, Mark Short traveled to Lancaster County and purchased the .38-caliber revolver he used to kill Megan, the children, the family dog and himself.

View and donate to the CHOP fund in Megan Swingle Short and her children's memory here.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. 

A 39-year-old Delaware woman is facing charges for allegedly pouring bleach on another woman's head and a 1-year-old baby at a Wilmington Target store last week.

Delaware State Police said Lataka Mason surrendered to State Police Tuesday morning after "multiple tips from the public" poured in identifying her as the suspect in the bleach throwing seen in surveillance stills released by police over the weekend.

Mason argued with another woman after their shopping carts bumped into each other at the Target on Brandywine Parkway on Thursday, then picked up a bottle of bleach and "proceeded to pour it on the victim's head," according to police. The bleach also landed on a 1-year-old baby sitting in the victim's cart at the time, police said.

Mason fled after the attack, according to police. She's now charged with two counts of assault and endangering the welfare of a child. She faced arraignment Tuesday and is being held at the Delores Baylor Correctional Institution in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling makes no secret of his conservative political views or his desire to run for office. In an interview with WRKO Radio, Schilling said he's now considering challenging Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018, when she will be up for re-election.

"I think one of the things I would like to do is be one of the people responsible for getting Elizabeth Warren out of politics," Schilling said. "I think she's a nightmare and I think that the left is holding her up as the second coming of Hillary Clinton, which Lord knows we don't even need the first one."

Democratic political consultant Kevin Franck said the race would "get a lot of publicity."

But, Franck says that while it would be an interesting and nationally watched race, Schilling would have little chance of winning.

"He's out of step with the Massachusetts electorate on key issues like gun safety, LGBT rights, he headed a business that went down in flames and cost the taxpayers of Rhode Island a lot of money," said Franck. "That's an issue that's right in Elizabeth Warren's wheelhouse."

Franck is referring to Schilling's 38 Studios video game company that went bankrupt in 2012 after receiving $75 million in Rhode Island state financing.

Voter Sheila Hopkins recalls Schilling's bankruptcy.

"Curt Schilling, the one that nearly bankrupted in Rhode Island? Is that the same Curt Schilling?" Hopkins said.

Schilling would also be up against Warren's die-hard Massachusetts fan base, which includes Angela DePace of Jamaica Plain.

"I love Elizabeth Warren, I would support her until the ends of the earth," DePace said.

Which is not to say that Schilling doesn't have a healthy sized fan club of his own. It's just more geared toward baseball.

"Great pitcher, helped us get that World Series, the bloody sock," said Ken Coleman of Brookline. "But I would vote for Elizabeth Warren."

A special account used by former Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter’s staff was treated like a “slush fund” to pay for women’s shoes, flights and hotel rooms, City Controller Alan Butkovitz said Tuesday releasing findings of a spending probe.

The accusations didn’t sit well with Michael Nutter who fired back in a scathing attack calling Butkovitz a “liar, snake and a hypocrite.”

“The Controller is a liar, a snake and a hypocrite. There is no truth in what he says, every expenditure was proper and for an approved purpose and he never talked to either Desiree Peterkin-Bell or myself about any concerns, which is standard procedure, before releasing this slanderous, libelous and vicious bile from his mouth,” Nutter said.

“He is a sad and sick person.”

The Controller’s office investigation centers around money spent through The Mayor’s Fund, a nonprofit set up primarily to collect and spend revenue from the Philadelphia Marathon on community projects. Butkovitz said a review found $400,000 in questionable spending. The money was transferred in $200,000 increments to a special account called “Marathon Reserves” over a two year period.

Butkovitz said the money is supposed to be used on grant projects to benefit the city and that approval by a board overseeing the fund is required, but the controller claims neither happened. Money was spent using several credit cards linked to the fund, the controller said.

Desiree Peterkin-Bell, the former City Representative and high-level aide to Nutter, was fund chair when the spending took place.

The audit showed $52,000 was spent at the Courtyard by Marriott across from City Hall from Sept. 15, 2015 through Oct. 3, 2015 – a period of time that included Pope Francis’ visit. Butkovitz said there’s no invoices and no record of how many rooms were reserved.

Other spending Butkovitz deemed questionable includes:

• $45,000 for flights and hotels for a trip to Rome, Italy in June 2015
• $704 in Uber rides during a one month period
• $333 for lodging and food in Portland, Oregon
• $80 for a pair of women’s shoes at Macy’s

“It appears the former chairperson used the account as if it were a special slush fund,” Butkovitz said at a press conference Tuesday. “I find it absolutely intolerable the former chairperson used this account to purchase shoes.”

The funding was only approved by Peterkin-Bell, Butkovitz said. There was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, Butkovitz added, but he plans to further investigate the spending.

Peterkin-Bell told NBC10's Monique Braxton that the Executive Director signed off on all expenditures including ones outlined by Butkovitz.

The audit was requested by Ashley Del Bianco when she took over as Executive Director in 2015. She was appointed to the position by Nutter.

Del Bianco said she asked for the probe after $45,000 was spent to pay vendors for a holiday celebration. She said some of the spending wasn't "appropriate in support of the mayor's policies and procedures."

The Mayor’s Fund provides funding for a number of projects including the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy, PowerCorps PHL and community schooling, according to its website.

Two thieves didn't get far with their spoils after a Bucks County man spotted them leaving his house in his car and helped lead police to their whereabouts.

The homeowner was pulling up to his house along Black Rock Road in Lower Makefield around 7:40 p.m. Monday when he saw two men pulling out of the driveway in his white Infinity, police said.

The man then called police as he followed his car over the river into Trenton, New Jersey. Trenton Police stopped the car and arrested the men. Inside the car, police said they found stolen jewelry, cash and electronics.

David Francis Owle, 36, of Hamilton, NJ, and 24-year-old Danny Smith of Ewing, NJ are charged with Receiving Stolen Property in New Jersey and Burglary and Auto Theft in Bucks County, police said. They are being held in Mercer County Prison.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged to reject "bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms" — months after his slow response to the support of a former Ku Klux Klan leader and racially tinged comments about a judge's ethnicity generated controversy.

"I will fight to ensure that every American is treated equally, protected equally, and honored equally," Trump said in a statement posted on Facebook. "We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people."

Trump's statement came the same day when he was campaigning in the Milwaukee area. The Wisconsin city has been the scene of violent street protests that erupted after police fatally shot an armed suspect, NBC News reported.

Trump has been accused of stoking racial and xenophobic fears since he kicked off his campaign by accusing Mexico of sending "rapists" and other criminals to the U.S. and vowing to build a wall on the nation's southern border.

A South Jersey police officer is on leave after prosecutors allege he offered to drop charges for a woman under arrest in exchange for sex.

Monroe Township Police Officer Robert Marzi was arrested last week for the act that allegedly took place in January. The 29-year-old is a two-year veteran of the police force.

Marzi offered a woman help with her pending criminal case in exchange for oral sex, according to court documents. He was placed on administrative leave on June 15. He is now suspended without pay.

A review of Marzi's other cases is underway because prosecutors are concerned similar acts may have happened before.

“It is deeply regretful that a member of the Monroe Township Police Department has been charged with a crime," Monroe Police Chief John McKeown said in a statement. "Like all persons accused of a criminal act, this officer is entitled to due process of the law. I expect this to take time."

Marzi was set to be married in two weeks. No one was at home when NBC10 visited his Williamstown residence Tuesday. A knock at his parent's house also went unanswered.

He is out on $25,000 bail. It is not clear if he has retained an attorney.

Members of the Wounded Warrior Project need help in getting $37,000 in bicycle equipment back after it was stolen from a Delaware County hotel last week.

Nine Trek bicycles, parts and related equipment were stolen along with the U-Haul truck they were being stored inside from the parking lot of the Renaissance Philadelphia Airport Hotel at 500 Stevens Drive in Tinicum overnight Friday, police said.

The theft happened hours before the project's annual Soldier Ride in Philadelphia.

Tracy Farrell, the Wounded Warrior Project's vice president of health and wellness, said she was "disappointed, frustrated and just angry" by the theft.

"It was the equipment that we needed in case something happened. To either fix the bikes or help a warrior," she told NBC10 via Facetime.

The group will use equipment from other Wounded Warrior teams for a bike ride in Virginia Beach this weekend, Farrell said.

Tinicum Township Police said the stolen U-Haul is a 16 foot long Ford F-450 with Arizona license plate AD-21774. Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. James Simpkins, Jr. at 610-521-3830.

Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016

Sometimes talent runs in the family. Case in point: the Cunninghams.

Vashti Cunningham is just 18 years old, yet she’s an Olympic high jumper. She’s the youngest track and field athlete on the U.S. team in 36 years.

Philadelphia fans know her father: former Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham, who also serves as his daughter’s coach.

Randall was a legendary football player, but he seems even prouder of his role as father of a young woman who is blazing trails of her own.

One of the most noticeable things about Randall is his humility. He reflected a common theme among many of the athletes we’ve interviewed in Rio; despite their accomplishments, they credit God first.

Vashti competes Thursday. You’ll see Jacqueline London’s story about the Cunninghams on Wednesday’s late news. Don’t miss it!

Friday, Aug. 12, 2016

Usually as a journalist, I try to play it cool, but today I was absolutely star-struck. 

That’s because we interviewed Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian – otherwise known as the Final Five. 

These gymnasts are veritable powerhouses, and their personalities are just as big as their athletic achievements.

Here’s what I learned about them in just a couple of minutes:

• They’re fiends for Olympic pins. (I blogged about the pin phenomenon yesterday - see below.) They’re natural competitors, so of course they’re trying to see who can collect the most.

• Laurie loves Wawa. She’s from Middlesex County, NJ – and she’s been extolling the virtues of hoagies to her teammates. The Wawa passion is real!

• They genuinely like each other. There was so much giggling before, during and after the interview – and so many joyful interruptions between them. It was early in the morning, and they’d been making the media rounds and competing all week, yet they were still in high spirits. 

We’re truly excited about bringing you this story today. Stay tuned!

Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016 

Olympic athletes aren’t the only ones wearing prizes around their necks in Rio. 

Nearly everyone has a collection of tiny commemorative pins that function as currency during the Olympics. Most people keep the pins on their Olympic credentials – a public display that also serves as an advertisement. 

Here’s how it works: People collect pins and trade them. It’s a form of currency and the universal language of the Olympics. You meet strangers from different countries, and you try to facilitate an exchange. 

I’ve had strangers approach me on the bus and while I’m walking around the Olympic Park. I’ve even had soldiers and security guards ask if I’d like to trade. (I don’t speak Portuguese, and they don’t speak English, but they know the word “pin!”) 

And here’s the reason why: The coveted NBC beach volleyball pin. It’s like a snow globe filled with sand, a volleyball, and the NBC peacock. It’s the pinnacle of pins. 

Today we talked to a man at the Olympic Park who buys, sells and trades Olympic pins. Business must be booming! You’ll see that story in the coming days on NBC10 News.

Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016

Adeline Gray was told she couldn’t wrestle in middle school because she was a girl.

Now she’s an Olympian.

She told her inspiring story today during a news conference for the USA women’s wrestling team.

For men’s sports, the questions center on the athletes – their performances and sometimes their personal lives. This news conference was different.

Adeline Gray. Haley Augello. Helen Maroulis. Elena Pirozhkova. Every single one of them grew up wrestling boys because there were no teams for girls. Some of them had to fight to be able to participate. Decades after Title IX, gender still limits talented young athletes.

Today, these athletes were asked about their athletic achievements – but mostly in the context of their gender. Part of me thinks that’s frustrating, but I also understand it’s because they represent something bigger than themselves. They’re telling stories that little girls need to hear.

Here’s to paving the way for a future when female athletes are just athletes. 

Monday, Aug. 8, 2016

Today brought a trip to Lagoa Stadium, named for its neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro.

Talk about a beautiful venue. As the rowers competed, the mountains sat in the background – round and brown, a reminder that Rio is blessed with both the mountains and the sea.

We were there to interview the women’s eight rowing team –- a powerhouse that seems almost unstoppable. The women are going for their 11th straight world title, and they seem well on their way to making it happen.

Most of Team USA trains in Princeton, and as we interviewed the athletes, they talked about what a great facility they have – and how the Schuylkill River is a notoriously difficult place to row. It’s great practice for Rio!

It’s amazing to see how our area is producing such world-class athletes. Good luck in the games!

Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016

The Rio Olympics – what a feeling. Being inside the venues is magical.

Yesterday I had the chance to watch swimming and judo. I was close enough to hear the water splashing as the swimmers turned.

I witnessed a new world record at the pool and an Olympian winning gold in the judo arena.

And those venues Rowere ROCKING. The Aquatics Center roared when the Brazilian athletes hit the pool. A small but vocal group of Aussies cheered as their swimmers sprinted to victory.

During the judo matches, one section boomed with chants of, "AR-GEN-TI-NA! AR-GEN-TI-NA!" Japanese fans rallied their athlete with a call and response. Athletes from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan turned to the stands, thanking their fans for their raucous support.

There is so much patriotism and pride at these games – and nothing but positivity.

Friday, Aug. 5, 2016

There are so many compelling stories at the Rio Olympics. I’m hoping we’ll get to see a story of redemption for a South Jersey shooter.

Matthew Emmons is one of the world’s best shooters. He’s from Mount Holly. He’s won three medals at three previous Olympics, but he also has a history of heartbreaking setbacks.

At the Athens Olympics in 2004, he seemed to have locked up the gold in the smallbore rifle, three positions event. That’s when the unthinkable happened – on his last shot, he shot at the wrong target. What seemed like a sure-thing, first-place finish turned into eighth.

History repeated itself at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He had what appeared to be an insurmountable lead going into his last shot.

That’s when his finger twitched.

The gun went off.

He went from gold to fourth place – off the medal stand.

He’s not letting it get him down, though (having a gold, silver and bronze medal in other Olympic events helps). This week he told the us that he doesn’t feel any pressure from previous performances. You see, he’s a survivor – a cancer survivor.

Emmons was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010. Doctors removed his entire thyroid, and now he’s cancer-free and competing.

That’s what the Olympics are about. Let the Games begin.

Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016

Tonight, the Olympic Park in Rio's Barra neighborhood is virtually deserted.

As our crew prepares for our live shot, we pass a man with a paintbrush, repainting the ground bright green -- a last-minute touch-up before the park opens to visitors in less than two days.

Earlier today, the park echoed with cheers. Olympic volunteers rallied before the games, a show of unity as they prepare to host thousands of visitors. The only people in the park right now have credentials around their neck -- volunteers, workers and journalists.

That all changes very soon.

Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016

Today we visited what might be the most talented apartment complex in the world: the Olympic Village, where the athletes live during the Rio Games.

It’s easy to spot off the highway.You see rows of high-rise apartments, many of them brightly decorated with flags and banners, signifying the home countries of the athletes that live within.

Today we saw a parade of cyclists embarking on their morning workout, riding out of the village and onto the public highway.
The athletes wore different colors and had the names of different nations on their backs. None of that mattered as they smiled, shook hands and greeted each other before riding off together.

Diversity and unity – what a powerful combination.

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016

My morning in Rio began with the rooster’s crow – literally.

Sunrise was still hours away, but I could hear a rooster summoning me to wakefulness. I had reason to be up early – NBC10 was making a special visit to the Today Show set on Copacabana Beach.

A word or two about Copacabana – it’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s white sand and blue water, enveloped by round, brown mountains, speckled with vegetation. It’s one of the reasons I’m convinced Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Copacabana Beach is filled with enormous, ritzy hotels that take advantage of the stunning view. It has wide sidewalks and designated bike lanes that run parallel to the busy roads filled with cars. The bike lanes are always busy, and this morning, we saw wave upon wave of Brazilians exercising on the beach: running, squatting and lifting. (What else do you expect from a people known for their beautiful, chiseled physiques?)

The Today Show set is in an area called Leme.

When we arrived, we had an impromptu interview with the U.S. women’s fencing team – saber fencing, to be exact. We interviewed four athletes, and three of them were from New Jersey. Ibtihaj Muhammad is from Maplewood, and she’s poised to make history as the first American Olympian to compete in a hijab. Dagmara Wozniak is from Avenel, and she has a beautiful mane of blueish-purple hair designed to make her stand out. Monica Aksamit has a double connection to our area -- she lives in Matawan, and she graduated from Penn State. Last but not least, Mariel Zagunis, whom her teammates call the superhero of the team –an Oregon native who’s now entering her fourth Olympics.

You’ll see our interview with the fencers in the coming days – but if you’d like a sneak peek, check out Ibtihaj’s Snapchat (username: ibtihajjj). Jacqueline London makes a cameo appearance!

Follow our Rio team on Twitter and Facebook: @jackielondon FB: Jacqueline London @andreacberry FB: Dan Lee

Fire erupted in a South Philadelphia apartment building overnight, engulfing the building and leaving a firefighter injured.

Officials said firefighters responded to the building, on Broad Street near Wharton, shortly before 1 a.m. and struck a second alarm shortly after 1 a.m. when flames became heavy on the four-story building's upstairs floors.

Residents evacuated the building, and officials reported no injuries. One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and possible hyperthermia as a result of the heat and went to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for treatment. That firefighter is expected to be OK.

Firefighters put the blaze under control in about two hours.

Police said Broad Street will likely stay closed between Federal and Dickinson streets until 8 a.m. as the fire remains under investigation. The cause is not yet known.