N.Y. mother charged in animal torture
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (AP) — A New York woman accused of forcing her children to torture household pets and burying dozens of animals in her backyard has been indicted on charges of child endangerment, animal cruelty and animal torture, according to court records released Tuesday.
Sharon McDonough, 43, is scheduled to be arraigned on the upgraded charges Thursday in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, on Long Island. Her attorney said she will plead not guilty.
A court Web site lists 12 new charges against the mother of seven. Six of the counts are for endangering the welfare of a child, all misdemeanors; she also faces two counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals and four misdemeanor counts of torturing or injuring animals.
Mother accused of fatal 'evil scheme'
BROCKTON, Mass. (AP) — In an "evil scheme," a Massachusetts mother fabricated symptoms of mental illness to get her 4-year-old daughter powerful drugs, then overmedicated the girl and allowed her to die when she became ill with pneumonia, a prosecutor said Tuesday at the woman's murder trial.
Assistant District Attorney Frank Middleton said Carolyn Riley took her daughter, Rebecca, to a psychiatrist when she was 28 months old in hopes of getting her diagnosed with mental illness and put on drugs so she and her husband could collect Social Security disability payments for the girl.
Middleton said Carolyn Riley consistently overmedicated the girl, giving her more than the amount prescribed by a psychiatrist. Then, when the girl became ill with pneumonia in the final days of her life, Carolyn Riley ignored the urgent pleas of three people who lived with them and refused to take her daughter to a doctor.
Dutch elm disease fells Herbie the tree
YARMOUTH, Maine (AP) — Herbie, a massive tree that stretched 110 feet into the sky, captured the imagination of a town's residents and earned the title of New England's champion elm, was cut down Tuesday after a long battle with Dutch elm disease. It was more than 200 years old.
Assisted by a massive crane, a crew took the proud tree down, limb by limb, as residents and the tree's 101-year-old caretaker gathered to bid it farewell. Even with its massive limbs removed, the tree's 10-ton trunk was so heavy that it shook the ground when it fell with a thud.
Boy rejoins class with acceptable 'do
MESQUITE, Texas (AP) — A 4-year-old Texas boy disciplined for having long hair has returned to his class with a brand new 'do.
Pre-kindergartner Taylor Pugh rejoined his classmates at his suburban Dallas elementary school on Tuesday.
Elizabeth Taylor says her son's hair is still long, but now she's styled it in a double French braid pinned up at the base of his neck. The school principal approved the style.
The boy typically wears his hair long and had been sequestered from classmates at Floyd Elementary School in Balch Springs since late November.
Trial opens for duo in faith-healing death
OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) — A prosecutor in the trial of an Oregon couple charged with negligent homicide in the faith-healing death of their 16-year-old son says the defendants failed to meet the community standard for medical care.
Prosecutor Greg Horner made his statements Tuesday to a Clackamas County jury in opening statements in the case of Jeff and Marci Beagley of Oregon City.
The teen died in June 2008 of complications from a urinary tract blockage that doctors said could have been treated.
Defense attorneys say the defendants were not aware of the serious disease affecting their son Neil because his symptoms resembled a cold or flu.
Muslim converts alarming officials
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. law enforcement authorities believe as many as three dozen Americans who converted to Islam in prison have traveled to Yemen, possibly to train with al-Qaida, according to a Senate report.
The "radicalization" of the individuals has alarmed U.S. officials even though no evidence has immediately tied them to terrorist activities.
Several of the individuals have "dropped off the radar" for weeks at a time and continue to carry U.S. passports, according to a copy of the report obtained by The Associated Press.
The assessment was written by staff working for Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass.
FBI probing case involving senator
WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is investigating the sex-and-money case involving Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who has acknowledged arranging for a payment of nearly $100,000 over an extramarital affair with a former campaign staffer and helping the woman's husband find employment as a lobbyist.
A spokeswoman for Ensign, Rebecca Fisher, would not say Tuesday whether the senator talked with the FBI.
Ensign acknowledged the affair with Cynthia Hampton in June. He also helped her husband, Doug Hampton, gain employment with a lobbying firm and his parents provided the Hamptons with a payment of nearly $100,000 that they described as a gift.
New Jersey swears in GOP governor
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Republican Chris Christie was sworn in Tuesday as New Jersey's 55th governor, vowing to deliver the far-reaching change he said voters elected him to bring about.
"You voted loudly and clearly for change, and you have entrusted us with what may be our last, best hope for a stronger New Jersey — the New Jersey of our youth, full of hope and opportunity," Christie said.