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In Case You Missed It: Yesterday's Top Stories

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Didn't get to catch the local news? Check out yesterday's top stories.

2 More Babies Get Herpes After Ritual Circumcisions: Officials
Two more infants were diagnosed with herpes in New York this month after undergoing ritual Jewish circumcisions, the Health Department says.

Mom, Daughter in Food Truck Explosion Die From Injuries
A mother and daughter in Philadelphia who were injured earlier this month after a propane tank exploded in the back of a food truck have died from their injuries, according to a family member.

McDonald's Cook Nabbed Selling Crack: Police
An undercover sting at a McDonald's on suburban Philadelphia's swanky Main Line has led to the arrest of a fast food employee who police say was selling crack at the restaurant.

Adorable Black-Footed Kittens at the Philadelphia Zoo
A trio of small and mighty black-footed kittens are now on display at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Boy with 27 Bruises Walks into Policing Center, Mom Charged
A mother in Pennsylvania was arrested after her 11-year-old son walked into a policing center with 27 bruises and welts on his body, police said.

 



Photo Credit: clipart.com

City to Improve Rec Center Safety

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NBC10's Katy Zachry explains how the City of Philadelphia is increasing security at recreation centers.

Security Cameras in Philly Cabs?

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A service that many Philadelphians take for granted also happens to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the city. Khalid Alvi, president of the Philadelphia Cab Association, tells NBC10 that being a cab driver in Philly isn’t easy or safe.

“It’s a high risk business,” Alvi said.

According to Alvi, just last month, nine cab drivers at All City Taxi were robbed at gunpoint. Last May, Alvi’s friend and co-worker Hafiz Sarfaraz was shot and killed in Cobbs Creek when a man pretending to be a customer tried to rob him.

The incident is one of many that prompted the Philadelphia Parking Authority to propose a measure for the installation of security cameras in taxi cabs.

“If you have a camera, this camera can protect these drivers,” Alvi said.

PPA officials agree.

“We think it’s going to have a very big impact,” said Dennis Weldon of the PPA. “This is something we think will be able to reduce crime, when people know they’re being watched. People who do bad things tend to go to places where they’re not gonna get caught.”

The PPA must get approval from the state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission before proceeding. If approved, the new measure will affect 3700 taxi drives and 1600 medallion owners.

“I think with the cameras, it will be a good chance for everybody who gets in the cab,” said Salman Butt, a cab driver. “They will know there is an eye on them.”

A vote will take place Thursday at 10:30  a.m. If approved each camera will cost $1,600 and the medallion owners will be in charge of carrying them. If the measure passes, you’ll start seeing the cameras inside of cabs starting in September.

 



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Pa. Prisoner Confesses to 2004 Murder

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A Pennsylvania prisoner has pleaded guilty to a decade-old murder in Michigan.

The Grand Rapids Press reports Walter Antraell Wilson told police last week he killed Robert Anthony Farmer in 2004. The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Kent County court this week.
 
Police say Farmer was shot in Grand Rapids during an attempted robbery and died soon after. They say detectives used DNA evidence, tips and witness statements to link the crime to Wilson.

Wilson is in federal prison serving a minimum of 15 years for possession of illegal weapons in a 2007 case. He faces a minimum sentence of 25 years for Farmer's death because of his record.
 

Nasty Crash on Roosevelt Boulevard

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Multiple vehicles crashed in the southbound lanes of the Roosevelt Boulevard during Thursday morning rush hour.

Officials say the accident occurred on the Boulevard just before the on-ramp for Interstate-76 near Fox Street around 8:45 a.m. The serious crash led at least one vehicle to leave the roadway and end up on the other side of the barrier.

An ambulance transported at least one person from the scene to a local hospital.

Traffic was backed up from around Ridge Avenue to 5th Street.

Crews are still working to clear all the disabled vehicles from the roadway.

Stay with NBC10 for more on this developing story.

 




Photo Credit: Christian Cazares

Funeral Set for 4 Children Killed in Gesner Street Blaze

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The four children killed in the massive Gesner Street fire earlier this month will soon be laid to rest.

The funeral for 4-year-old twins Maria and Marialla Bowah and brothers 4-year-old Patrick Sanyeah and 7-week-old Taj Jacque will take place August 16, Able Dennis, a Bowah family member, tells NBC10.com.

The two families have decided to hold one funeral for all four children. The location and time has not been finalized but will be open to the public, according to funeral director Antoine Turay of Turay Memorial Funeral Chapel. 

The children were killed in the early morning hours of July 5. Dewen "Marie" Bowah was home with her five children and babysitting the two boys when a fire broke out about 2:30 a.m. Bowah was able to help her three oldest children escape through a second floor window, which she also used to get out of the house alive. She was not able to reach the youngest kids who were sleeping in a separate room where they perished.

Numerous in-kind funeral donations have poured in to cover the funeral costs. Patricia Quinn of Final Farewell has lead the effort. Turay estimates the discounted cost for funeral services and burials is $10,000.

"It’s very sad, but I’m glad to know that I can at least help out and ease their financial burden so they can get on with their life as best they can. Pretty much all the funeral expenses have been covered," said Quinn of Guckin Funeral Mansion. 

As for why the funeral date took so long to be finalized, Turay said in West African cultures it is not uncommon for a funeral to take place 30 days after a death.


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



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

2 School Bus Drivers, 12 Others Arrested for Child Porn

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Fourteen New Jersey men, including one accused of blackmailing a girl into stripping naked on camera, are facing child pornography charges after a joint state and federal sweep uncovered a file-sharing network used by the suspects to download and distribute illicit images and videos online.

Thirty-year-old Michael Van Culin, of Monroeville, is facing charges for manufacturing child pornography after he allegedly coerced a 16-year-old Canadian girl into disrobing in front of a webcam while he recorded it remotely.

“We allege that Van Culin is a new breed of child predator: one who lurks in the shadows of the Internet and can strike from hundreds of miles away, sexually exploiting a child with devastating consequences,” said New Jersey's Acting Attorney General John Hoffman.

Van Culin allegedly engaged in online chats with the victim and then used the information he learned to hack into her email account and obtain email addresses of her family and friends.

He then threatened to expose details of the victim's personal life so she would strip naked, according to officials.

Authorities said they recovered video showing the visibly shaken victim undressing.

“It’s a parent’s worst nightmare that a hacker could invade the private world of a young girl and use her innocence and fear to enslave her," Hoffman said.

Three of the suspects -- 28-year-old Andrew Schreiner, of Williamstown, 28-year-old Armando Nortez, of Egg Harbor Township and 55-year-old Michael Parker, of Pennsauken -- were trusted with children in their work and personal lives.

Vineland mother Amber Burke-Yarbrough was disheartened to learn that her children's subsitiute bus driver, "Mr. Drew" as the kids called him, is Schreiner.  

I go out of the way to befriend the bus driver because they are supposed to keep the kids safe. When I saw his face, I knew he looked familiar," said Burke-Yarbrough.

The mother of three is now considering driving her kids to their schools in the Buena School District starting this fall. 

“Child predators come from all walks of life, and citizens everywhere must be vigilant as these threats aren't always easily seen,” said Andrew M. McLees, Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Newark.

Both Nortez and Schreiner were employed as school bus drivers for Sheppard Bus Company when they were arrested.

Parker was taking steps to become a youth minister and worked with kids at his church, First Presbyterian Church of Merchantville.

When police arrived at his home on July 8th to arrest him, Parker refused to answer the door. 

Looking through a window, officers could see Parker working at his computer. He was deleting nearly 200 child pornography items from his computer, according to police.

Photos of fully clothed young boys from First Presbyterian were found on his computer, according to investigators.

"We’re utilizing these child pornography sweeps to arrest these predators before they can harm more victims or pursue their victims offline," Hoffman said.

Thirty-one-year-old Thomas Pirretti, of Flemington, was also charged. Investigators said he and another defendant were discussing their desire for prepubescent girls online, when Pirretti asked if he could "date" the other suspect's 10-year-old daughter.

"When we target those who share child pornography online, we routinely uncover offenders who are sexually abusing children or stalking them," said Elie Honig, Director of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.

Schreiner, Nortez, Parker, Van Culin, Pirretti and nine others used a file-sharing network to download and distribute child pornography online, according to investigators, who said the files included child rape videos.

The remaining suspects include a 41-year old healthcare company executive, Jonathan Fink of Cherry Hill;  47-year-old Walter Javier Vibanco of Lower Township; a 46-year-old software engineer, Arlanda Johnson of Pemberton Township; 46-year-old Daniel Allen Corda of Bellmawr; 28-year-old Jerrell Harris of Elizabeth; 23-year-old Matthew Hems of Tabernacle; a 74-year-old retired postal worker, Arnold M. Kay of Linden; 34-year-old Jorge Geovani Lopez-Betancourt of Trenton; and 48-year-old Raymond Purkis III of Montgomery Township.

Fink allegedly had at least 750 images and videos depicting child pornography on an external hard drive at his home.

"Viewing these vile images is a serious crime in itself, because it motivates those who sexually exploit children to create child ponography and it re-victimizes the children invovled," Honig said. "And it also can be a strong indicator that we are dealing with a child predator."

The file-sharing network allowed the suspects, who were all charged with possessing child pornography, to share the illicit images and videos in the same way others privately share music or movies, according to officials. Investigations into their conduct are ongoing.

Authorities took the 14 men into custody between Feb. 10 and July 22, part of a second round sweep in Operation Predator Alert, Hoffman said. Fourteen other suspects were arrested last fall.

All the men picked up in the latest round were charged with possessing child pornography under New Jersey's new child pornography statute.

The statute, which was signed into law on Aug. 14, enhanced the penalties for those who possess, distribute or manufacture child porn, and changed the definition of "child" to anyone under 18-years-old, up from 16.

Those convicted of distibuting 25 or more files will face a mandatory state prison sentence of five years without the possibility of parole. Defendants convicted of possessing 100 or more files will face a presumptive sentence of three to five years in prison.

Van Culin, who was charged with first-degree manufacturing of child pornography, could spend 10 to 20 years behind bars.

Bail set for the defendants ranges from $10,000 to as high as $150,000 for Van Culin.

Anyone with information about any of the suspects that might be relevant to the investigation is urged to contact New Jersey's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Tipline at 1-888-648-6007.

27th Annual Tour De Shore Set for This Sunday

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The Irish Pub's flagship event, "Tour De Shore" is set for its 27th annual trek across the state line to New Jersey. More than 1500 participants will make the 65-mile journey this Sunday.

Patient Kills Case Worker, Shoots Doctor Who Then Fires Back

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A female case worker was killed and a doctor shot when a psychiatric patient opened fire on them Thursday in a wellness center on the campus of a Delaware County, Pennsylvania, hospital, officials say.

Officials say that patient was then shot by the doctor, who returned fire from his own gun.

The shootout took place around 2:20 p.m. Thursday inside a doctor's office in the psychiatric unit at the Sister Marie Lenahan Wellness Center, officials say. The center is located along the 1500 block of Lansdowne Avenue in Darby, Pa. That's located across from Mercy-Fitzgerald hospital, on its campus.

The gunman, identified as Richard Plotts, of Upper Darby, had come to the unit with his caseworker, 53-year-old Theresa Hunt of Philadelphia, according to Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan. They then went behind closed doors in a doctor's third floor office when a confrontation occurred.

“A worker did confirm that he heard some loud arguing going on. They came in and they actually opened the door and saw him pointing a gun at the doctor. They did not notice the case worker at that point. They shut the door very quietly and one immediately called 911," Whelan said.

The DA said a short time went by and then gunfire erupted from Plotts' gun. Plotts has had run-ins with the doctor's and hospital staff in the past, Whelan said.

Both the doctor, identified as Dr. Lee Silverman, and the case worker were hit by the gunfire. The woman was fatally shot in the small office, and the doctor was grazed in the head, Whelan said.

Silverman also pulled out his weapon and fired upon the suspect, the preliminary investigation showed. Plotts was hit three times in the torso, Whelan said.

Other doctors and case workers then rushed into the room and tackled the man to the ground, wrestling with him for the weapon.

“We’re not exactly sure what had occurred and what might have precipitated this particular incident," Whelan said. "We do know the psychiatric connection, we have that concern, however we don’t know if there was another dispute that occurred inside that room that led to these shots being fired."

Both Plotts and Silverman were taken to the trauma center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in nearby Philadelphia. The suspect is in surgery and is listed in critical condition, Whelan said. The doctor's condition has not been released.

Officials say a 911 call came in at 2:19 p.m. with the caller saying a doctor had been shot. The center and hospital was quickly placed on lockdown as police swarmed the campus.

Allen Williams was checking in his father for an X-ray on the center's ground floor when the shooting happened.

"As we were giving the information, they said the hospital is on lockdown and they locked out the doors. They told us to sneak out the back door," he said. “I was hoping everyone was going to get out safe."

Williams slowly led his father, who uses a walker, in a group of 15 people onto a grassy area outside the building. He says police kept them at the scene as they checked the building.

Police arrived within minutes and evacuated the entire wellness center as SWAT officers swept the building as a precaution.

The Sister Marie Lenahan Wellness Center has physician offices and offers outpatient services for ambulatory care, audiology, cardiac rehabilitation, radiology and hearing and balance, according to the health system's website.

Late Thursday night, Mercy Fitzgerald released this statement regarding the deadly shooting:

"We continue to pray for the victims and their families. As this is an ongoing investigation, we remain focused on working with the Delaware County Police Departments to understand fully the details of the event and to do all we can to assist those affected.

We are thankful for the responders to this incident, the many law enforcement professionals who are a part of the investigation, and the outpouring of support we have received from our community."

A large police presence from Yeadon, Haverford Township and other Delaware County law enforcement agencies remained at the scene for hours as the crime scene was processed.


Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.

Shooting Prompts Change at Local Rec Center

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Residents and city officials hope that new security cameras placed at a West Oak Lane recreation center will help deter violent crime.

Two teenagers were sent to the hospital when shots were fired at the Simons Rec Center on the 1600 block of Walnut Lane lastThursday. Residents of the community are speaking out about the violence and hope that cameras will discourage future violence.

"A lot of elderly people around here, children around here and it’s frightening," West Oak Lane resident Merion Kilby said.

Simons Rec Center could see Parks and Recreation installing an extensive network of security cameras sooner than planned because of the shooting incident.

A local grandmother – who did not want to be identified - attempts to keep her family safe by avoiding the community center altogether.

“I don’t even send my kids to the rec center to play," said another resident who asked not to be identified. "I don’t even send them to camp over there because I am afraid of the violence."

The city's Parks and Recreations department is aiming to have cameras installed in every rec center in Philadelphia by 2016. Simons Rec Center's camera will most likely be installed sooner light of the recent shooting.

The security systems will cost around $60,000 and will be paid for by each district's city council.

“Security cameras are a proven and necessary tool to help ensure that citizens and staff are safe while enjoying our parks and recreational facilities” Michael Diberardinis, Commissioner for Philly Parks and Rec said.

Simons Rec Center will hold an anti-violence vigil, led by the police, Thursday at 5 p.m.



Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia

IMAGES: Mercy-Fitzgerald Hospital Shooting

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A doctor and two other people have been shot at a wellness center on the campus of Mercy-Fitzgerald Hospital, Delaware County.

Photo Credit: SkyForce10

Aviation Expert Discusses Flying Dangers

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Aviation expert Arthur Wolk stopped by NBC10 to discuss air travel concerns following recent -- deadly -- events.

NBC10 First Alert Weather: Big Cool Down Tonight

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Temperatures will drop into the 50s tonight and Friday will be beautiful!

Man Hangs Family Dog Before Setting Home on Fire: Police

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A New Jersey man allegedly involved in a domestic dispute hanged his family dog before setting fire to his home, police say.

The Press of Atlantic City reports that 29-year-old Janrv Bacolod is accused of using an accelerant and setting fire to several parts of his Holly Street home in Mays Landing last Friday.

Several cats inside the home were killed, according to The Press of AC.

Prior to setting the blaze, police say Bacolod hanged his dog.

Police records show that the suspect's estranged wife had a restraining order against him. They say he violated that order when he called her at work and threatened her.

Bacolod is being held on $100,000 bail, according to the paper.

 



Photo Credit: Associated Press

Shooting Suspect Was Abusive, Crazy: Ex-Wife

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He's been called abusive by his ex-wife and crazy by his neighbors, and he's even served time for a Delaware bank robbery. But the latest crime Richard Plotts, 49, of Upper Darby, is accused of committing left his case worker dead, a doctor wounded and himself fighting for his life.

Police say Plotts opened fire Thursday in the psychiatric unit at the Sister Marie Lenahan Wellness Center in Darby, killing his 53-year-old case worker and wounding a doctor who fired back, critically injuring Plotts. He is in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

"It doesn't surprise me at all," said former Crum Lynne neighbor Diane Clements. "He was a creep."

That's one of the nicer things said about Plotts.

His ex-wife, who asked to remain anonymous, told NBC10 her ex-husband was abusive, made threats on her life and acted violently toward her family.

"He was violent, physically and mentally," Plotts' ex said. "He has threatened to kill me. He's been violent to my family — parents, siblings — and he's just never been a very good person."

The couple's divorced was finalized in 1999, while Plotts served six years in prison for a Delaware bank robbery four years earlier.

While serving the remainder of his sentenced for the robbery -- three years supervised release -- he was arrested for possession of a firearm. His release was revoked and he was sent back to prison.

He was also arrested in the early 90s for trying to make a purchase at a John Wanamaker store with a stolen credit card, according to court records.

"He's a con artist," said his ex-wife. "He has psychiatric issues."

She did not elaborate on what those issues were, and details on his mental health were not immediately available.

"He was a goofball. He was crazy, and he had a girlfriend, and we used to hear him beating that girl up," Clements said.

Plotts was evicted from his home in the Kenneth House Apartments on West Chester Pike in Upper Darby about six months ago, according to a building maintenance man.

Cathy Nickels, his neighbor there, recalled the contentious way Plotts left after his eviction.

"As he was taken away in a van," she said, "he yelled, 'You haven't heard the end of me yet.'"



Photo Credit: Family Photo

First Alert Weather: Comfy, Sunny Friday

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We're in for a cool start to Friday and a sunny, comfortable end.

Hotel Evacuation Safety Tips

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Most people have a home evacuation plan. They know how to get out of their house safely and to call 911.

But having a hotel evacuation plan is just as important and it's a lesson that guests at the Center City Sheraton learned the hard way when reports of smoke coming from the building’s basement forced an evacuation at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The evacuation of the 757-room hotel took more than ninety minutes, a dangerously long, but quite common amount of time, according to Executive Philadelphia Fire Chief Peter Crespo.

“People go to restaurants and crowded nightclubs and they forget to look for emergency exits and they forget the fire exits and they only remember the one where they came in,” Crespo said. “It creates a bottleneck effect.”

That “bottleneck effect” can be avoided, says Crespo, if individuals observe their surroundings and follow this advice.

Before you enter a hotel, Crespo recommends taking notice of the size of the hotel and the location of the fire exits and escapes on the outside of the building. In the event of an emergency, it is important to know where these exits lead.

Once inside the building, guests should continue to look for emergency exits, as well as evacuation plans.

“Evacuation plans are supposed to be located behind every door of the hotel room,” Crespo said. “So close the hotel room door, and look behind it and that is where the escape plan should be displayed.”

The escape plan is an aerial diagram of the floor, color coded to show guests where they are, where the fire escape is, and where the closest pull station is. Those diagrams, approved by the Philadelphia Fire Department, are also located at every elevator. They display the quickest route to a safe location.

“If you’re staying with a family in separate rooms or floors, discuss an assembly point,” suggests the Chief. “In case [you are] separated in an emergency, meet there.”

Crespo also advises checking for emergency equipment, like fire extinguishers, near your room.

Hotel staff undergoes fire drills and fire safety training, but often hotel guests outnumber hotel staff.

“It is up to you as a hotel guest to be responsible for knowing the floor diagram, the evacuation procedure and where the exits are located."

 

First Case of Mosquito-Borne Virus in Delaware

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Public health officials say Delaware has recorded its first case of a mosquito-borne virus that has been spreading in the U.S. from the Caribbean.

The Division of Public Health said in a news release on Thursday that the chikungunya virus has been diagnosed in a 51-year-old Sussex County man. 
 
Officials say the virus is linked to the man's recent travel to the Caribbean. Authorities say the man was treated for his symptoms earlier this month and was never admitted to a hospital.
 
Chikungunya virus is rarely fatal. Infected people typically suffer fever, severe joint pain and swelling, muscle aches, headaches or rash. Patients usually recover in about a week, although some people suffer long-term joint pain. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment.



Photo Credit: wikicommons

Crossdressing Bank Robber Arrested in Delaware

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Maryland State Police say a man who dressed as a woman and robbed a Cecil County bank has been arrested in Delaware.

Troopers say a person wearing a dress and a wig walked into the National Penn Bank in Rising Sun about 4 p.m. Wednesday. Police say the robber gave a teller a note demanding cash and threatening to shoot employees, but did not show a weapon.

Officers say after getting cash, the robber fled on foot. An investigation led to police identifying a suspect.

Delaware State Police arrested 34-year-old Kent Hunt Buckson of Bear, Del., about 9 a.m. Thursday at a hotel in Newark, Del. He is charged with armed robbery and other offenses.
 

Fire Tears Through Bucks County Home

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A blaze broke out in Bucks County home early Friday morning.

Firefighters responded to reports of smoke and flames on the 3300 block of Ephross Circle, Solebury Township around 5:45 a.m., according to officials.

Crews got the fire under control around 6:10 a.m., according to authorities.

No one was injured, but the blaze prompted officials to close Aquetong Road between Mechanicsville Road and Route 263.

 



Photo Credit: Associated Press
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