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Missing NJ Student's Mom: He Is Still Alive And Out There

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Emotional pleas for more prayers and information came again from the family of Aaron Sofer on the fifth day of a massive, and so far fruitless, search for the 23-year-old New Jersey student who was last seen hiking in the Jerusalem Forest.

"We believe he is still alive and out there," his mother Chulda said from Jerusalem after being briefed there by police.

"And if everyone could think of him as their own," she said. "We really beg everyone and we plead with everyone, if anyone knows any lead to where Aaron is, if you could please contact the police immediately."

Sofer, who is one of 10 children, grew up in an ultra-Orthodox family in Lakewood, New Jersey. He's in Jerusalem studying and was between semesters on Friday when he went hiking with a friend in the woods. The two got separated, and Sofer has not been seen since.

There are fears he may have been abducted due to the Israeli war in Gaza. No one has claimed responsibility for kidnapping the yeshiva student.

Chulda and Moshe Sofer flew from the U.S. to Israel over the weekend to join the search for their son. They were briefed on the efforts Wednesday by Israeli police.

"They're not sparing any expense or any effort to see that our son comes back," Moshe said. "Unfortunately, nothing has come up." 

Support for the search is growing in Lakewood, where a prayer vigil took place 8:30 Wednesday night at the Toras Aaron School.

"Everyone I ask, everyone should help bring back my brother," said 11-year-old Yechiel Sofer. "Everyone should please pray hard."

The charitable organization Chesed of Lakewood also began collecting money to help fund the ongoing search.

"Everyone's praying and we're trying to do whatever we could to assist in the safe finding of Aaron," said Ben Davidowitz a Chesed volunteer.

The search for Sofer is set to resume in Israel on Thursday.


Gunmen Rob Frat House in University City

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A night of celebration soon turned to one of terror for members of a local fraternity after armed men broke into their home.

Members of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity were hosting a birthday party at their frat house on the 400 block of South 42nd Street around 2 a.m. Wednesday. Suddenly the members, who are students at the University of Sciences in Philadelphia, heard a knock at the door.

“As soon as I turned the knob and cracked the door I got gripped up,” said one of the students, who did not want to be identified.

Police say two armed men forced their way inside the home and ordered everyone to the ground. They then began to attack one of the students.

“I was shaking,” the student said. “My body was shaking. I couldn’t catch my breath at times because the guy was kicking me in the gut.”

As one of the suspects watched over the victims downstairs, the second gunman dragged a student upstairs and demanded he give him money that was inside a safe, according to police.

“We went up the president’s room and he took all of the fraternity dues we started collecting,” the student said.

Investigators say the gunmen stole around $1000 from the safe before fleeing the scene. Police have not yet released a description of the gunmen.

Officials with the University of Sciences told NBC10 they are working with the University of Pennsylvania, whose campus is located near where the robbery took place, to make sure students are safe. Penn Police normally patrol the area.

Officials with the University of Sciences also said they would send a safety alert to students on Thursday.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Bricks Collapse Onto Deadly Shooting Victim's Car

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Philadelphia medics responding to a car crash into a building made a grisly discovery.

A man, shot in the head, was behind the wheel of the car that collided with the abandoned home along the 1600 block of Seybert Street in North Philadelphia.

City police say the unidentified man was driving just before midnight when a gunman opened fire, striking the victim in the head.

The victim’s Hyundai sedan then slammed into an abandoned house.

"Hundreds of bricks from the front of the building collapsed onto this vehicle," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.

The victim was unconscious in the front seat.

"Paramedics and police had to struggle to get this unconscious male out of the driver's seat of vehicle," Small said. "They pulled him out through the passenger's side window because the vehicle was so covered with bricks and debris."

Once crews got the man out of the car they realized that he had gunshot wounds to his face, shoulder and back.

Investigators found 18 spent shell casings about 100 feet from the crash scene.

Licenses and Inspections was called in to inspect the scene before police could remove the car.

Police didn't make any immediate arrests.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Massive Fire Rips Through New Jersey Church

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More than 100 firefighters battled intense flames and stifling heat and humidity Wednesday night when a massive blaze ripped through a New Jersey church.

It's not clear what sparked the four-alarm blaze at Central Baptist Church on East 20th Street in Paterson Wednesday night, but heavy flames quickly spread through the three-story church, according to officials. 

About 40 people were attending service when the fire broke out, according to Pastor Jose Luis Castro.

"The cloud of smoke was getting stronger, stronger, and from the side I started seeing flames," said Castro. 

The congregants fled the building, and three families living in the homes adjacent to the church also escaped. 

The roof of the church collapsed early on, putting firefighters into "defense mode" and signaling that crews would have to be there for an extended period of time, a fire official on the scene said. The humidity and heat forced firefighters to rotate crews quickly throughout the night. 

By the time the fire was out, the church was destroyed and both houses next door were damaged.

"The whole roof collapsed. This whole thing has to be gutted and redone," said Castro.  

"Some of the members, they started to cry," said Castro, who has led a congregation of more than 100 members for nearly three decades. "But I start to calm them down, and for me the important thing is nothing happened to nobody." 

The church has been in existence for more than 100 years and is considered by many a pillar of the community. 

"A lot of memories there, but we're going to reconstruct," said Castro. 

Other local leaders went to the church Thursday to show support.

"I heard he was in trouble, and I came right over because we're all about unity," said Pastor Michael McDuffie of Paterson. 

City councilman Andre Sayegh said: "We're going to keep him and his family in prayer, and we're going to uplift him the way he's uplifted so many of his congregants for so many Sundays." 

Castro said he will continue to hold his church service at a temporary location until the church is rebuilt. 

A cause of the fire hasn't been determined, but a fire inspector said he believes the fire started on the newly installed roof and worked its way down. 

Man in White Van Tries to Lure NJ Boys: Police

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Police in a New Jersey community say they're searching for a man accused of trying to lure two boys into a van last week. 

The man was driving in the area of West Park Avenue and Whalepond Road in the Township of Ocean at about 8 p.m. last Thursday when he approached the 11-year-old and 12-year-old boys and yelled at them to come over to the van, police said. 

The boys ran away and told their parents, who contacted police.

The man is described as being about 40 years old, driving a white passenger van with regular-sized front driver and passenger windows, with smaller tinted windows along othe side of the van. The back driver's side and middle portion of the van had some rust on them. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ocean Township Police at 732-531-3323 or emailing crimetips@oceantwp.org. 

Shots Ring Out, 2 Struck on Warm Summer Night

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On a warm night, more than one dozen shots rang out near a middle school in a shooting that left two men hospitalized overnight.

Philadelphia Police rushed to Tulip and E Cambria Streets in the city’s Kensington neighborhood just after 10:45 p.m. Wednesday.

The officers found a 20-year-ol shot in the leg and a 22-year-old shot in the leg and back.

Both victims were taken to Temple University Hospital in stable condition.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said that surveillance video could help them determine suspects in the case.

Small said that they are fortunate no one else was hurt considering that the Memphis Street Academy and many homes are nearby.

"On a wam summer night I'm sure there were a lot of people, parents, children, sitting on their front steps... we are fortunate we don't have more victims."

Investigators found 15 shell casings from a semi-automatic weapon at the scene.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Rear of Row Home Crumbles

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A portion of a row home collapsed into a backyard in the Mantua section of Philadelphia.

Accused DUI Driver Crashes Into Police Car

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Albert Lech of Delaware is facing charges after police say he was driving under the influence and crashed into the back of a New Castle County police car Monday night.

Restaurant Patron Thwarts Knife-Wielding Robber: Police

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Police are looking for the man they say was caught on video trying to rob a New Jersey restaurant with a large knife and then slashing at a customer who confronted him.

Police say the robber went into the Kapadokya Mediterranean Grill in South Brunswick at about 3 p.m. Tuesday with a drawstring jacket hood obscuring his face and a black drawstring bag over one of his hands. 

The robber demanded money from a cashier, and police say a customer stood up and told the robber to leave. That’s when the robber pulled the bag off his hand, revealing a knife.

The customer is seen on surveillance footage talking with the robber, then grabbing him by the arm and pushing him away. The robber then slashes at the customer, who grabbed a motorcycle helmet to fend off the attacks.

The robber walked toward the exit, then tried to slash the customer a few more times before leaving the store without any cash, the video shows.

The customer wasn’t injured in the attack.

Anyone with information about the robber is asked to call the South Brunswick Police Department at 732-329-4646.

Homeowner Interrupts Burglary, Shots Fired

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SkyForce10 is over the scene where a man came home to find a burglar in his Rhawnhurst house. Police are saying the homeowner chased the burglar who then shot at the him.

Kids Graffiti Hate Messages on Sports Complex: Police

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Police are searching for eight young people caught on surveillance video scrawling hate messages onto Memorial Field in Middle Township.

Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Drug Ring Behind Deadly Abduction, Bodies in River?

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A day after a soaking wet man, bound and suffering from stab wounds, crawled from Philadelphia's Schuylkill River after he and two other men were abducted, attacked, robbed and dumped into the water, the investigation continued on two sides of a street miles away.

Philadelphia Police spent overnight outside two properties along 72nd Street in Southwest Philadelphia after being led there by the lone survivor of the deadly attack.

Investigators got a search warrant then rummaged through the houses, yards and stoarge bins along the 2400 block of 72nd Street in Southwest Philly.

The investigation began more than 24 hours earlier when officers rushed to the water along Kelly Drive near Hunting Park Avenue in Fairmount Park around 4 a.m. Wednesday after someone called 911 to report a partially-dressed injured man screaming along the roadway.

When authorities arrived on the scene, they found the man, identified by NBC10 sources as 23-year-old Thanh Voong, soaking wet and suffering from multiple stab wounds to his stomach and legs. His arms and legs were partially bound and he had duct tape on his face.

The attack left Voong in critical condition at Hahnemann University Hospital, where he underwent surgery for seven stab wounds.

Investigators found two unidentified bodies submerged in the water -- both bound with tape and tied or tethered to some sort of anchor.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said the victim told investigators that about five men abducted him near 62nd Street and Woodland Avenue in Southwest Philly and threw him into the back of a van around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

"While in the back of the van he was blindfolded, he was stabbed numerous times, he was robbed of an undisclosed amount of money," said Small. "He says that while in the back of the van he then realized that there were two other males in the back of the van... they were duct taped and they appeared to have been stabbed numerous times."

Police believe at some point Tuesday night, the abductors brought the men to a home at 72nd and Elmwood Streets. Officers returned to the home Wednesday night. Investigators tell NBC10 they found a marijuana growing operation inside a nearby trailer, leading them to believe the abduction and attack were related to drugs. Small also said that robbery was the motive behind the attack.

Neighbors told NBC10 that a resident of the Southwest Philly could be seen Wednesday morning removing some items from his property. He hasn't been seen since.

Detectives are reviewing surveillance video that captured the area near where the abduction took place in hopes of finding the van and the suspects.

Police earlier responded to the victim's Northern Liberties home to collect evidence.

"There were original reports of blood evidence," said Philadelphia Police Cpt. James Clark. "That is not the case. Through the investigation we found out the surviving victim lived there so we went to that residence. But the crime did not happen there."

Police continue to investigate. No arrests have been made.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Dump Truck Crash Sparks Fireball, Kills 3: Police

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Three people were killed when a dump truck struck multiple vehicles on Interstate 280 in New Jersey on Wednesday, causing one car to burst into flames, authorities said.

The truck was heading east in East Orange when the driver lost control and crashed into a Honda and four other vehicles at around 10:30 a.m., state police said. 

The Honda became engulfed in flames after it was struck, police said, killing the driver and two passengers. The identities of the victims are being withheld pending family notification.

"There was a massive fireball that engulfed the entire vehicle, and unfortunately we could not get those people out," said New Jersey State Police Lt. Col. Edward Cetnar. 

Witnesses said the dump truck driver and others tried desperately to extinguish the fire before firefighters arrived. During their attempt, the Honda driver issued a warning.

"Whoever was in the car in the driver's seat beeped the horn, and then the car exploded," said witness Tamika Ann of East Orange. "They beeped the horn to let somebody know they were in there, it just brought me to tears." 

Four other people suffered minor injuries, including the driver of the truck and two children.

A short time later, another fatal crash occurred less than a mile away from the scene of the first accident on Interstate 280, when a van drove into the back of a tractor-trailer which was stopped due to traffic. The driver of the van was pronounced dead at the scene.
 
Both accidents remain under investigation.
 

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

Choking Victim Saved Aboard NJ Yacht

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The United States Coast Guard came to the rescue of a choking victim aboard a yacht in the waters off New Jersey.

A woman aboard the Cape May-based 65-foot yacht Canyon Lady began to choke on her lunch Wednesday near Cape May Harbor.

The local Coast Guard came to the rescue after the crew called for help.

“Once we were on board, I established who the victim was and found the 61-year-old female laying in the recovery position,” said Chief Petty Officer Richard Fisher.

Fisher, an EMT, acted quickly.

“I administered 15 liters high-flow oxygen because she was still a little blue. Once we did that she was able to come around a little better, we were able to sit her up and she began talking.”

The unidentified woman refused further treatment.



Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Nick Ameen

Body of Missing NJ Student Found, ID'd by Parents: Sources

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A body found on the outskirts of an Israeli forest has been identified as that of a New Jersey student who went missing nearly a week ago, police sources say. The remains were confirmed by his parents, sources say, who were holding out hope that the man was still alive.

The body of 23-year-old Aharon Sofer was discovered around 3:30 p.m. Israeli time on Thursday just a few kilometers from where the Lakewood, New Jersey, man was last seen while hiking with a friend in the Jerusalem forest.

There were no reasons to believe foul play was involved after the body was found, officials said. They believe the man may have slipped and fell while navigating difficult terrain.

The discovery came a day after emotional pleas from Sofer's family as they prayed for his safe return. Chulda and Moshe Sofer had flown from the U.S. to Israel over the weekend to join the search for their son.

"We believe he is still alive and out there," his mother, Chulda Sofer, said from Jerusalem after being briefed there by police.

"And if everyone could think of him as their own," she said, "we really beg everyone, and we plead with everyone, if anyone knows any lead to where Aaron is, if you could please contact the police immediately."

Sofer, who is one of 10 children, grew up in an ultra-Orthodox family in the Ocean County, New Jersey, town. He went to Jerusalem to study and was between semesters on Friday when he went hiking with a friend in the woods. The two got separated, and Sofer hadn't been seen since.

Lakewood Mayor Meir Lichtenstein said Sofer wasn't an experienced hiker.

"He actually called his mother and asked her permission," he said.

There were fears the yeshiva student may have been abducted due to the Israeli war in Gaza. But no group ever took credit for the disappearance.

As dictated by the Jewish faith, Sofer's body must be laid to rest within 24 hours. A family friend says the burial will take place at 9:30 a.m. Israeli time on Friday.

Audio from the service will be fed back to New Jersey so family members at home can take part.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia



Photo Credit: Family Photo

Surveillance Released from $87K Police Impersonator Robbery

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Detectives have released surveillance video showing police impersonators robbing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Philadelphia food distributor.

The robbery took place at Kawa Trading along the 1700 block of Delaware Avenue in the Fishtown section of the city at 2 a.m. on Wednesday, police said.

In the video, the men, who were wearing hats that say "POLICE," can be seen getting out of an SUV and using a flashlight outside the facility's door. Investigators say they identified themselves as officers to get the two employees inside to let them in.

Once inside, the men, one of whom had a badge hanging from his neck, led the employees to the office at gunpoint. They forced the victims to lay on the ground as they stole $87,700 in cash. Police initially believed the men stole $100,000, but the amount was later revised.

The men then fled in a 1990s sports utility vehicle and remain at large.

The first suspect is described as 20-30 years old with a stocky build. He was wearing a light blue medical mask, white shirt and the police hat. The other man is in his mid-to-late 20s. He wore a black shirt and the baseball cap.

Anyone with information is asked to call Philadelphia Police at 215.686.TIPS.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police

Philly Made $5M This Year from Litter: Controller

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Residents and businesses failing to properly dispose of their trash made the City of Philadelphia more than $5 million this year, according to a report by the city's controller.

Controller Alan Butkovitz said the city collected $5.08 million in trash fines during the 2014 fiscal year -- running from July 2013 to June 2014. That total is up 75 percent over six years ago when, in the 2009 fiscal year, only $2.9 million in fines were collected.

A typical littering fine is $150. The citations can be issued by police, building inspectors and Streets Department employees.

The Streets Department also has a special program called SWEEP, or Streets & Walkways Education and Enforcement Program, that sends staffers out to police littering issues -- primarily in the city's commercial districts, according to its website.

The city averages $425,000 in fines a month, according to the controller. Since 2009, Philly has made $26 million in littering revenue. But, Butkovitz says that's just a fraction of the money owed.

Revenue Department records show nearly $70 million is still owed, according to the controller. However, his office says, some of the fines are very old and officials feel most are uncollectable.

The trash cash that can be collected goes into the city's General Fund, which provides money for various services and projects.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

Revel Closing, But Homeowner's Property Fight Continues

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The three-story brick house on a mostly deserted street in the shadow of the failed $2.4 billion Revel Hotel Casino was Charlie Birnbaum's father's livelihood. It allowed him to reside a couple of blocks from his beloved beach and earn income by renting out two floors to tenants.

"This building gave him dignity. It was his refuge," Birnbaum, 67, said this week. "As it was for my mom when my dad passed away. Because of this building, my dad didn't die in a nursing home."

Not even the killing of his mother there during a 1998 robbery diminished Birnbaum's beautiful memories of what the house meant for his family.

It's those memories that keep him from accepting a buyout from the state agency in charge of redeveloping Atlantic City as the resort city's casino industry shrinks. Even with the hulking glass structure down the street preparing to sit empty after Revel closes this weekend, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority says it still wants to redevelop the nearby land where Birnbaum's house sits.

Birnbaum's lawyer and an attorney representing other tenants affected by the redevelopment plans met Thursday with a judge who is deciding whether the CRDA has the right to force them out through eminent domain. The judge heard arguments from both sides in May and scheduled another hearing for Oct. 6.

Though Birnbaum does not live at the house, he still goes there almost daily. He uses the first floor for his business tuning pianos played in the city's casinos, and to play the piano still in the living room, which is surrounded by pictures of his family.

"The building has been my refuge in a similar way," he said. "I've been able to continue making a living and doing what I do."

The building is one of a few inhabited properties that dot the landscape, surrounded by patches of grass and undeveloped lots with for-sale signs. His parents, Holocaust survivors, bought the house in 1969 when Birnbaum was in college, and he still rents out its two apartments.

Robert McNamara, an attorney representing Birnbaum from the Virginia-based Institute of Justice, said the CRDA doesn't have any concrete plans to redevelop the area and is out to "destroy Charlie's family home."

"They're just moving forward no matter what to create more vacant land in Atlantic City," McNamara said.

Elaine Zamansky, a spokeswoman for the redevelopment agency, said she couldn't comment on Birnbaum's case, but that the agency is "accumulating land that makes it attractive for developers to buy."

The opening of Revel two year ago had inspired plans for the surrounding South Inlet area, including a $75 million entertainment complex proposed by a group that includes former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal.

The CRDA had planned to use its share of revenue from Revel -- 1.25 percent of gambling winnings -- to pay for a $50 million bond to buy and clear several blocks. But Revel's struggles led the agency to use a more modest $8.5 million to remake the neighborhood.

Birnbaum, who lives 30 miles inland in Hammonton and has made a living by tuning pianos at the casinos for Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and others, said he was offered fair market value for his family's house, about $240,000. He said he would leave if he was given a detailed reason on what the city wants to do with the land.

"I was hoping that my parents would see some turnaround and some progress, and now I'm hoping and praying that I'll be the one that sees the turnaround and progress in spite of Revel and in spite of Showboat and (Trump) Plaza, because we've gone through some tough times," he said. "And if it means going through more tough times, so be it."

Masked Men Steal $70K, Shoot Man Outside Supermarket

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Two masked men waited more than an hour outside of a Northeast Philly grocery store Thursday so they could steal holdup a businessman who was heading to a bank to make a cash deposit.

The 37-year-old victim pulled in to the parking lot of the Pathmark at Large Street and Bleigh Avenue just after 6 p.m. with about $70,000 to deposit at the Citizens Bank branch located inside the supermarket, according to authorities.

As soon as he arrived, the suspects pulled their vehicle behind the man's car -- blocking him in the parking space, police said.

The armed robbers demand the man's cash and shoot him in the right arm before taking off in a white Dodge Caravan, according to officials. The suspects were last seen driving on Cottman Avenue.

The shooting victim was rushed to Aria-Torresdale Hospital in stable condition, according to police.

Stay with NBC10 for more on this developing story.



Photo Credit: George Spencer

Stranger Comforted 5-Year-Old Kidnapping Victim

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It was just another early morning for Nelson Mandela Myers as he walked from his Upper Darby home to 69th Street Station en route to his sanitation job.

But by daybreak, he would be hailed a hero for finding a missing girl and ensuring her safety until police arrived to reunite her with her mother.

It was 4:20 a.m. on Jan. 15, 2013. Myers was walking by the park at 69th and Ruskin Lane when he heard cries echo through the cold darkness.

“Help! Help! Help!”

Myers walked toward the voice and saw a little girl. She was shivering and barefoot, cowering under a swing set wearing only an oversized black T-shirt.

He lifted her up over the fence that separated them and enveloped her in his Under Armour hoodie to keep her warm. Moments later, holding her in his left arm, he called 911.

Myers recounted that morning in his testimony on Thursday during day four of the trial of Christina Regusters. The 21-year-old woman is accused of abducting the child from her elementary school and viciously raping her with a sharp object. Prosecutors say the victim -- only 5-years-old at the time -- was later dumped in the park.

“I’m hurt. I’m scared to find my way home,” the cold girl could be heard saying on a 911 recording played in a Philadelphia courtroom.

Nelson testified that the girl told him that somebody stole her. He described her condition as “dirty, shivering and cold” when he found her.

When he asked how she got to the park, the child sad she ran from South Philly. He knew that was likely not possible but offered her comfort and continued to talk with her.

Prosecutors ran through the rest of the morning with other first responders and police.

Paramedic Jonathan Serbin, who also took the stand on Thursday, took her vitals and made sure she was stable and that her heart rate was OK.

Serbin said he was concerned because he didn't know how long she had been out in the cold. She was taken by ambulance to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

There, she was cared for by doctor’s and nurses and interviewed for the first time by Kimberly Organ of the Philadelphia Police Department's Special Victims Unit.

Organ recalled from the witness stand that the child she met was quiet, still and timid, never raising her voice as she interviewed her.

The girl told Organ that she was with a teenage girl named China and that a man poked her with a toothpick in her private parts. Organ asked her if she ever saw the man. The child replied that she only saw a photo of him. The rest of the time, detectives believe she was blindfolded.

While she was held inside the home, the child said she was fed steak, broccoli, rice and apple juice.

Organ testified that the girl told her that China woke her up early in the morning and took her out of the house with plastic bags on her feet. They walked to the playground where she was told to scream for help.

Regusters denies the charges against her. Her attorney, Fred Harrison, expects his client to take the stand in her own defense next week.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police
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