A missing woman who suffered from autism was found dead on Friday between two parked cars.

On Friday, around 6:30 a.m., a concerned citizen on her way to work spotted an unresponsive woman lying on the ground between two parked vehicles on the 1400 block of North 57th Street.

The woman flagged down police and medics were notified. The victim, later identified as 29-year-old Christina Sankey, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say Sankey was reported missing on Thursday, around 2:30 p.m. Sankey, who suffered from autism and was unable to speak, was with her caregiver at the Macy’s Department Store on 1300 Market Street. Investigators say she was separated from her caregiver and wandered off. The caregiver alerted security and notified police.

Investigators say surveillance video captured Sankey going onto an escalator from the second floor to the first floor around 3:10 p.m. She was not seen after that.

Police have not yet determined a cause of death. Stay with NBC10.com for more details on this developing story.

Multiple police officers were assaulted by a wanted woman while taking her into custody.

Twenty-nine year old Jennifer Parker, of Nottingham, kicked the officers and the patrol car when she was placeed under arrest Thursday.

Parker was wanted in both Maryland and New Jersey for warrants totaling $8,500, according to reports.

The incident began around 11:45 p.m. when several police units responded to the 3000 block of Meadow Street for a report of a dispute. They found two people in a heated argument over money.

During the investigation, police found Parker wanted on warrants for failing to appear in court in two states, according to officials.

As Officer Nicholas Franco walked Parker to the patrol car, the suspect kicked the vehicle, causing a dent. Officer Krzysztof Kowalczyk came over to help restrain the suspect, who then kicked both of the arresting officers.

She was eventually secured in the police vehicle and officers began to transport her to police headquarters when she started repeatedly kicking and banging her head on the safety divider. For her safety, officers pulled over and tried to further restrain Parker. She then kicked a third officer, William Hutton, in the face.

The woman was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and criminal mischief for the damage to the patrol vehicle once she was at police headquarters, according to officials.

Parker is being held on $25,000 bail in addition to the outstanding warrants for $8,500.

The officers received minor injuries as a result of the assault and did not seek further medical assistance.

One person was killed and three people hurt after a shooting at an after-hours club Saturday morning in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey.

Police say the shooting occurred shortly before 5 a.m. at a speakeasy on the 900 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard. Three men and a woman were struck in the shooting. One man died from his injuries, another is in critical condition and the third is in stable condition. The woman is also in stable condition.

Police have not yet identified the man who died.

Police also say two other people were injured after they were burned by cooking oil when the shooting began.

Trenton's interim mayor, George Muschal, came to the scene himself and called for the city's inspections department to shut down the club, which he says is operating illegally.

"This is uncalled for. It's done by thugs, criminals in the after-hours speakeasy that should've never been in operation," said Muschal.

Dozens of shell casings were on the ground when NBC10 photographer John Panfile arrived on the scene. Police are searching for at least one gunman.

Muschal said one of the bigger issues that he plans to address is a lack of police presence in the area at night.

Muschal was sworn in as the city's acting mayor in late February after a state judge ruled that mayor Tony Mack had to step down because as a convicted felon, he was violating state law. Mack was convicted in a federal bribery and extortion case for accepting cash bribes. His brother Raphiel Mack was also convicted.

An off-duty officer shot a man Saturday after the pair argued over the man's dog defecating on the policeman's lawn in Northeast Philadelphia.

A 39-year-old man was walking his dog passed the officer's home on the 6400 block of Oakley Street in the city's Lawncrest section around 11: 50 a.m., when the dog defecated on the officer's front lawn, according to reports.

The policeman asked the man to pick up after his pet, which led to an argument.

Authorities say the man, of the 6400 block of Argyle Street, left the area, but he returned to the officer's home without his dog a few minutes later.

He then approached the officer and a physical altercation ensued, according to officials.

The man punched the officer several times in the face and head, before pulling the policeman's hooded sweatshirt over his head, covering his face while he continued his assault, according to investigators.

The officer, who was facing away from his attacker while he continued to receive blows, drew his Glock pistol, which was holstered to his hip, and fired backwards, according to reports.

The bullet struck the man in the right thigh, causing him to fall to the ground. The man was transported to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

The officer was transported to Jeanes Hospital, where he was treated for facial lacerations and bruises, and released.

The Internal Affairs Unit is investigating the incident, which will be reviewed by the District Attorney's Office, according to reports.

The officer is placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

Police did not release the name of the officer's attacker, but said he will face aggravated assault charges.

The man has been arrested previously for driving under the influence and in two separate burglaries.

Over a week after his skeletal remains were found, officials have not yet determined the cause of death of a retired University of Delaware professor who went missing a year and a half ago.

A hiker found the human skeletal remains of 64-year-old John Dohms in a heavily wooded area behind Fremont Road in Newark, Del. back on February 28 around 4:30 p.m. The hiker alerted State Park Rangers who notified Newark Police.

Dohms, who suffered from dementia, went missing back on Sept. 13, 2012 after leaving his home on East Cleveland Avenue in Newark, Del.

A search involving several police departments and rescue teams was conducted in the woodlands surrounding White Clay Creek State Park. But the retired professor was never found.

On Saturday, officials told NBC10 that they are still investigating how he died.

"The Delaware Medical Examiner's Office has ruled that the manner and cause of death are both undetermined," said Jill Fredel of the Delaware Department of Health & Social Services. "The ME's Office further ruled that an anthropological examination of Mr. Dohms' remains revealed no evidence of foul play."

Friends and family of Dohms also reached out to NBC10 and described the impact he had on their lives.


 

As officials continue to investigate the death of former University of Delaware Professor John Dohms, friends and family are remembering the impact he had on their lives.

A hiker found Dohms’ skeletal remains last month in Newark, Delaware. Dohms, who suffered from dementia, was missing for a year and a half before the discovery.

Dohms’ accomplishments alone were enough for people to hold him in high regard. Born in New York City, he graduated from Fair Lawn High School in New Jersey in 1966. He earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Bowling Green State University. He then earned his Ph.D in Veterinary Microbiology from the Ohio State University in 1977.

After that, he moved to Newark, Delaware and worked as a faculty member of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the University of Delaware for 32 years. He retired in 2009 with the rank of Professor of Microbiology of Infectious Diseases.

“He was a kind, generous warm-hearted man,” said Dr. Michael Price, an associate professor of biology at Liberty University and a former undergraduate research student of Dohms. “He served as the inspiration for my pursuit of an academic career.”

Beyond his prestigious career however, friends and family say his lasting legacy is the tremendous compassion and love he showed to those who were close to him.

“I remember John in Fair Lawn High School as a very nice, easygoing, great guy,” said Louise Curtis Seidl. “He was very bright and a good athlete. He was co-captain of the soccer team and was on the lacrosse team.”

For Dohms’ sister-in-law, Elaine Dohms, one story in particular perfectly captures the kind of man he was.

Elaine, who is married to John’s younger brother Jim, says she and her husband adopted three children from South America and two from Russia. Elaine’s adopted children from South America struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder after living through the assassination of their family. After her daughter went through a particularly bad episode, Elaine told John about her situation. She’ll never forget what her brother-in-law did next.

“Our daughter wanted to swim in the pool and that seemed to be the only way to comfort her,” Elaine said. “So imagine my surprise the next morning when John walked around our veranda and came to the pool area.”

According to Elaine, John had cancelled class and took the first flight to Tampa, Florida in order to help his niece.

“I will never forget the light in our daughter’s face when she realized that her beloved Uncle John came to see her,” Elaine said. “John kneeled down by the pool and our daughter raced into his arms. He gathered her close and held her for over two hours. They were both soaking wet and I just kept adding dry towels.”

After her daughter finally fell asleep, Elaine offered to take her and give John a break. According to Elaine however, John smiled and said, ‘No, I will hold her and let her sleep. She needs this.”

“I have many stories about this wonderful brother,” Elaine said. “But this is the story that I carry in my heart when I think of my brother John.”

John is survived by his partner, two brothers, nine nieces and nephews. He was 64-years-old.

Police arrested a teenager for bringing a knife to a Bucks County high school Thursday.

A 16-year-old Trenton student at Conwell Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills allegedly brought a black, folding knife to the school, according to police.

The Bucks County Courier Times reports the school president, Janet Dolard, notified authorities at at 11:49 a.m., when she found two boys involved in a fight.

No one was injured.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia planned to send a letter to families about the incident Saturday, according to Kenneth Gavin, Archdiocese spokesman.

"Our schools take their responsibility to ensure the safety of their communities seriously," Gavin added.

The Archdiocese operates the co-ed, high school, which is located in Lower Bucks County.

Police are issuing a "gold alert" for a missing Delaware man.

Authorities are looking for Michael S. Griffis, 24, who was last seen on Saturday, Mar. 8 at approximately 10 a.m. in the Greenwood, Del. area.

Griffis was last seen wearing a black “And 1” hooded sweatshirt, black long sleeved shirt, black jeans and black sneakers. He is reported as a 5’9” white male with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Troopers have been unable to make contact with Griffis to check on his welfare. Attempts to locate Griffis have been unsuccessful and there is concern for his safety, according to police.

If anyone has information in reference to this incident, they are asked to contact DSP Troop 2 at 302-337-1090 Extension #0 or with the Delaware State Police Mobile Crime Tip App. Information may also be provided via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Send an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

More than $3,000 has been raised to help the family of a teen beaten to death pay for his funeral.

The Trenton-based Martinez Security and Investigation along with the nonprofit People for the Revitalization of the South Ward (PROS), which assists the needy in the Trenton area, donated an additional $1,250.00 Friday to assist the family of 18-year-old Julio Lopez-Cruz pay for his burial and final arrangements.

The latest donation brings the total funds raised to more than $3,000.

Lopez-Cruz was walking to his home on Rusling Street in Trenton on Feb. 15 when Michael Holman and Dante Martin, both 18, allegedly attacked him, according to police.

The victim ran from the two suspects, banging on the door of a nearby home to get help.

But Holman and Martin grabbed Lopez-Cruz and threw him to the ground, causing him to strike his head, according to investigators.

The victim died a short while later.

Authorities arrested Holman and Martin on Feb. 27 and charged the pair with murder.

A Dartmouth College student and native of the Philadelphia area died Friday following a sudden illness.

The Valley News reports Blaine Steinberg, a Dartmouth junior and Penn Charter High School alum who is originally from Wynnewood, passed away at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

It is unclear what illness caused her death and college officials did not immediately return requests for comment.

Dartmouth President Phil Hanlon sent an email to students and staff Friday evening that said college officials had "been in touch with Blaine's family and shared our deepest condolences with them at this very difficult time," according to the Valley News.

The email also said counseling would be available to the Dartmouth community.

SEPTA passengers were terrified when shots hit the bus they were sitting on as it traveled through Northeast Philadelphia Saturday.

The driver called police around 9:30 p.m. Friday when a male suspect fired at the Route 20 bus while it was driving near the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue, according to reports.

About 50 passengers were on board when the shots were fired.

Authorities are unsure if the shooter was targeting the bus or if it was caught in the crossfire.

Officials say no one on the bus was injured.

As soon as the bus was struck, the bus operator drove to the Frankford Transportation Center to wait for police.

The vehicle is being held while both the Philadelphia Police Department and SEPTA Police investigate.

Stay with NBC10 for more on this developing story.

A parking dispute at a suburban mall Saturday led to one woman losing part of her finger.

Police say two black females confronted the 42-year-old female victim over a parking space in the lot by the Nordstrom's department store in the Cherry Hill Mall around 4:45 p.m.

The argument escalated to a physical altercation and one of the suspects bit the victim on the finger, according to officials.

Authorities say the victim's finger was severely severed and she was transported to Cooper University Hospital, where she remains in stable condition.

Police say the suspect is a black female in her mid-thirties with a heavy-set build and was possibly operating an older model Audi sedan.

Officials are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information about the suspect's identity to contact the Cherry Hill Police Dept. at 856-488-7828.

The U.S. Supreme Court will announce whether it will hear the case involving the Easton Area School District's desired ban on the "I (heart) boobies!" cancer awareness bracelets Monday.

In August the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the "I (heart) boobies!" slogan is protected by the First Amendment. But the school district appealed to the Supreme Court arguing the federal appeals court misapplied previous cases when it made its decision.

In its filing, district solicitor John Freund says school administrators should be able to "prohibit students from using lewd language to convey political or social messages, particularly where the ban does not have the effect of completely precluding the issue from the school forum and the same message can be conveyed in a more decorous manner."

The litigation began when two students, Brianna Hawk and Kayla Martinez, wore the bracelets at their middle school in 2010.

At the time, the pair said they hoped to promote awareness of the disease during the school's Breast Cancer Awareness Day. But school officials suspended them for defying the bracelet ban, which they argued was necessary because the bracelets distracted students and could lead to sexual harassment.

The official announcement will reveal the results of a conference that took place Friday.

Officials with the Pennsylvania SPCA say the mutilated body of an animal was found in an empty lot in North Philadelphia.

The animal was discovered on 30th Street and Jefferson. According to officials, the dead animal’s skin, paws and ears were removed. They also say the instruments used to mutilate the animal along with its paws were found in a blanket in the same lot.

Due to the extent of the mutilation, officers are still trying to identify the species of the animal.

"This is an utmost heinous crime," said Director of Humane Law Enforcement George Bengal. "We are working hard to uncover the facts and locate the offender."

If you have any information on this incident, please call the SPCA at 267-315-0237.
 

Daylight Saving Time is the best indicator that spring is just around the corner.

Today, Daylight Saving Time was ushered in at 2 a.m., the exact time to turn clocks ahead an hour. It can be a jolt to the system and take some time to adjust because of losing an hour of sleep. People reacted to the annual loss of sleep on Twitter, some in Philly said they were exhausted. Check out the tweets below.

If you are following Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's lead on Twitter, you may have set your clocks ahead an hour as he incorrectly tweeted. His account erased the erroneous tweet and followed up with a corrected tweet that told followers to "turn your clocks forward."

Despite getting an extra hour of daylight, old man winter is not ready to say goodbye and has put a delay on spring. The Philadelphia region has experienced a harsh winter with numerous snowstorms and the snow is not over. Get ready. The NBC10 First Alert Weather team is tacking a chance of snow this week.

It's a dream come true for Bensalem High School senior Kevin Grow who took to the court as a member of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters at the Wells Fargo Center this evening.

Grow, also known as KG3, signed a one-day contract with the Globetrotters and was referred to as their 'three-point specialist' during the Globies' second game of the doubleheader, which started at 5 p.m. Grow wore the signature red, white and blue uniform and headband.

"The energy in the room was very great. The crowd loved Kevin. It was a great experience to be there and see him happy. I went to the game to show my support," said Bensalem High School sophomore Brian Ortiz, who shot video from his seat.

"He's definitely had an impact on the school. There are signs in support of him everywhere. The whole school is behind Kevin."

Grow, who has Down Syndrome, played in Bensalem's second to the last basketball game of the season. His performance off the bench went viral when he made four three pointers in under two minutes.

The Globetrotters rewarded Grow with the team’s “Junior Phenom Award” on February 10 after the Bensalem game, according to a Globetrotters statement.

The Philadelphia 76ers drafted KG3 ceremoniously to a two-day contract last month. Grow joins Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to join both the Sixers and the Globetrotters.

Contact Sarah Glover at 610-668-5580, sarah.glover@nbcuni.com or follow @skyphoto on Twitter.

A man was lucky to be alive after being shot seven times overnight.

Someone opened fire on the unidentified 31-year-old along the 2900 block of Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Bullets struck the victim throughout his body leaving him in critical but stable condition at Temple University Hospital, according to investigators.

Philadelphia Police said they were looking for people seen inside a burgundy minivan, which was found near the crime scene. Police also recovered multiple shell casings from the area.

Police said they took two people inside that minivan in for questioning but later released those people because because they aren't suspects.

Police said they are looking for a single shooter.

Click here for more news from around Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Former United States president Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker at a conference on trade opportunities in Africa sponsored by U.S. Sen. Chris Coons.

• WATCH: Could Pope Francis possibly come to Philly?

The third annual conference sponsored by Coons was held Monday at the Chase Center in Wilmington.

The event brought Delaware businesses, faith communities and individuals together with experts on Africa to discuss trade opportunities and issues including human rights challenges, sustainable development, food security, putting an end to paching and global health.

Coons is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.

Click here for more policital news from around the region, country and world.