Nanny Hides In Bathroom With Baby After Masked Men Tried To Break Into LA Home

A nanny hid in the bathroom with a baby fearing for their lives after three masked men hopped over her employer's fence and tried to break into the house in Los Angeles' Pico-Robertson neighborhood. FOX 11 spoke with the baby's mom, who wasn't home when the horrifying experience unfolded. On August 24, the mom left the house to go pick up her other kid from school, leaving her baby home with the nanny. Once the mom left, the suspects hopped over the fence and broke into the family's backyard. The surveillance video capturing the masked men trying to break in went viral on social media after @streetpeopleofbeverlyhills shared the post. The nanny was home when the suspects were trying to break in. When she realized what was happening, she grabbed the baby and sprinted for safety inside the bathroom. The nanny then sent a frantic series of texts to the mom. Thankfully, the suspects did not get inside the house and no one was physically attacked. Still, the family is emotionally shaken from the incident.

FOX 11

Police Search For Driver Who Hit And Killed 73-Year-Old Grandfather In Sylmar

Family members are desperately trying to find the driver who hit and killed a 73-year-old grandfather as he was using a walker to cross an intersection in Sylmar earlier this month. Perfecto Delgado Garcia, 73, was hit Aug. 9 near the intersection of Polk Street and Norris Avenue, around 8:40 p.m., leaving him with severe injuries. He died two weeks later. “He came that night to the store to buy himself something, and a car hit him, and that’s all I know. And he ended up in the hospital and he passed away,” said his heartbroken granddaughter, Brenda Izarraras. Neighbors say the intersection is known to be dangerous, especially at night because it’s difficult to see people crossing. They said they’ve called the city to complain, asking for them to place streetlights in a dark section of the road, speed bumps and a traffic signal to make it safer for pedestrians who live nearby. “I don’t want to walk the neighborhood with my daughter because of the danger that lurks out here with the cars as fast as they go by,” neighbor Christina Olmos said. She said that on the night of the crash, she heard a thump but no screeching of tires. She thought it was two cars that collided, only to find out later it was Garcia who was hit. Police have only been able to say that the suspect car was dark in color, but Garcia’s family is hoping the person responsible for his death will be found soon.

NBC 4

Fentanyl Blamed For Surge In Overdose Deaths In And Around Skid Row, According To New Data

Fentanyl is being blamed for a surge of overdose deaths in and around Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles over the past five years, with Black men making up the majority of the victims. Overdoses shot up dramatically in ZIP Codes encompassing Skid Row, from 13 in 2017 to 148 in 2022, with fentanyl accounting for more than 70 percent of the deaths, according to data from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner shared with service providers. “These are not just numbers and statistics, these are friends, family and loved ones,” said Charles Porter, the prevention coordinator at United Coalition East Prevention Project, which provides outreach services in Skid Row. “We must stop the rise in overdose deaths and cannot tolerate another loss.” Of 140 fatal overdoses from January through November of 2022, 83 of the people who died were Black, according to the group’s data. That is 59 percent of the deaths. Men made up 76 percent of the victims. “People tend to die 10, 20, 30-plus years younger just because of the experience of Skid Row,” said Skid Row resident Suzette Shaw, who stressed the disproportionate impact of overdose deaths on Black people. “Our people are living and dying out here on our streets.”

Los Angeles Times

LGBTQ+ Friendly Restaurant In LA Subject To Vandalism, Arson

A Los Angeles restaurant known for being friendly to the LGBTQ+ community has been subject to multiple acts of vandalism, including most recently an arson spree damaging employees' cars. The chef of Sorry Not Sorry in the Sawtelle neighborhood says three cars were doused with fuel and torched at the restaurant while a burlesque show was being performed inside. "This is the most recent incident in a long string of crimes against Sorry Not Sorry," chef Kim Vu wrote on Instagram. "We were recently burglarized for the second time, and we are consistently battling various forms of vandalism to our property." Brandon Waller, the restaurant's general manager, is trying to make sense of what happened. He added that the tires on the employees' cars were also slashed on top of the fires set. "The scariest part is that one car was next to our propane tank cage," Waller said. "A few more minutes, and that actually could have been a very catastrophic fatal event."

ABC 7

Friend remembers woman who was found dead and wrapped in plastic in downtown LA

It’s now been two weeks since a 30-year-old woman was found dead in a Los Angeles bedroom – wrapped in plastic. The Medical Examiner later identified the woman as Hannah Collins. Now, Collins' friends and family are hoping for some answers about her death. Collins spent her high school and college years in Mississippi and made many memories with Courtney Sanders.

NBC 4

Nearly 14,000 Items Stolen From Victoria's Secret, CVS Recovered In LA Retail Theft Investigation

Two people were arrested in an organized retail theft operation that was selling stolen merchandise behind a makeshift storefront display in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said Thursday. The retail theft fencing operation involved nearly $200,000 in merchandise stolen from Los Angeles-area CVS and Victoria's Secret stores, the California Highway Patrol said. A 'fence' is a person or group of people who buy stolen goods and then sell those items at seemingly legitimate businesses, swap meets and online. The goods are then sold to buyers who may or may not be aware the merchandise was stolen. In this case, the criminals were selling stolen merchandise from a location behind a storefront-style display in downtown LA, the CHP said. Nearly 14,000 stolen items were recovered with a retail loss of nearly $200,000, the CHP said. Investigators determined the items were stolen with assistance from retail loss prevention personnel at the businesses, the CHP said. Items recovered included makeup, cosmetics and other products. Some of the items were found in downtown LA's Santee Alley area, authorities said. "Sometimes, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is," said CHP Lt. Sergio Perez. "In this case, we're talking about Victoria's Secret. Well, Victoria's Secret has their own storefronts, so for their product to pop up on the street somewhere, chances are it's going to be a fake or it could be a stolen product. Just be cognizant of that if you're buying name-brand."

NBC 4

WeHo Deputies Arrest Man Accused In Hollywood Attack With Axe Or Machete

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday arrested a man they said attacked another person with a bladed weapon in Hollywood almost two weeks ago. Eric Vanhorn, 43, used “a sharp object that was described as an axe or machete” to attack another person at Highland Avenue and Romaine Street at about 1 p.m. on Aug. 19, the LASD said in a press release. The LASD West Hollywood Station and the Los Angeles Police Department shared information that allowed deputies to find and arrest Vanhorn Wednesday afternoon. He was booked into the West Hollywood Station for attempted murder and is being held without bail. He is due to appear in the the Airport Branch of the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday.

KTLA 5

Man Found Guilty In Landmark California Fentanyl-Related Homicide Case 

A man has been found guilty of second-degree murder for the 2020 fentanyl related death of a 26-year-old woman in Temecula, marking the first such conviction in California history. According to a release from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Vicente David Romero, 34, “split” a pill containing fentanyl with Kelsey King on June 16, 2020. “During the five-day trial, the prosecution called ten witnesses to testify and showed body-worn camera footage in which Romero said he gave and split a pill known as a ‘blue’ or ‘M30’ with King, which he knew to contain fentanyl,” the Riverside County District Attorney’s office said. Romero’s case is the first of 23 active homicide cases in Riverside County related to fentanyl poisonings to go to trial, the DA’s office said. “Today, our office has successfully provided justice to a victim’s family by securing the first-ever guilty verdict by a jury in a fentanyl-related homicide trial in the state of California,” Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. “This verdict is a testament to our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities, providing justice for victims and holding those accountable who engage in the distribution of illicit fentanyl resulting in death.” 

KTLA 5

CHP Gears Up For Labor Day Weekend With 'Maximum Enforcement'

California Highway Patrol officers will be ramping up operations on highways and roads throughout Los Angeles County starting Friday to catch drunk and drug-impaired drivers, as part of the agency's annual Labor Day weekend enforcement campaign. The "maximum enforcement period" will get underway at 6 p.m. Friday and conclude at 11:59 p.m. Monday, the CHP reported. During that time, all available officers will be deployed for targeted crackdowns. "Alcohol-and drug-impaired driving continues to be a leading cause of traffic fatalities and injuries," CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. "An impaired driver behind the wheel puts himself and everyone on the road in great danger." Duryee said this year's campaign will be part of a unified "tri-state initiative," with officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Nevada Highway Patrol also conducting targeted patrols. "The CHP, along with our partners in Nevada and Arizona, is committed to proactive enforcement throughout the holiday weekend," he said. "We will deploy all available personnel to ensure the highest level of safety for everyone traveling."

Westside Current

Texas Deputy Dies In Crash On His Second Day On The Job

A memorial has been set up for a 25-year-old deputy with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office after he was killed in a car crash the morning of Aug. 29. The investigation surrounding the cause of the crash is ongoing, but the preliminary report says Deputy Matthew Pierson failed to yield to a semi-trailer at a state highway intersection, according to a department Facebook post. It was Pierson’s second day on the job, KJAS reports. The semi-driver was not injured in the crash. The memorial, a patrol car decorated with Pierson's name, is set up in the Shelby County Sheriff's Office's parking lot. It is open to the public to leave condolences. Surrounding counties and other officers aided in Deputy Pierson's procession, another Facebook post reads. Pierson was also a volunteer firefighter and public information officer with the Etoile Volunteer Fire Department. “Matt was all about helping people even if he didn’t know them. He was loved dearly by his fire department family,” Etoile VFD Fire Chief David Wheeler said in a statement.

PoliceOne

Westlake High School Football Player Dies After Having Trouble Breathing

A 17-year-old Westlake High School athlete has died after suffering breathing complications, according to a letter sent out to the school's community this week. Julius Poppinga, a junior at WHS that played both football and lacrosse, died on Tuesday after "having breathing issues," said the Los Angeles Times. Poppinga has reportedly not participated in any athletic activities with the school since Aug. 18, when the football team played their first game of the season. He was supposed to go home on Saturday, after suffering a severe asthma attack, according to family. "I miss him so much," said Julius' sister Jasmine, who is just 18 months older. She cheered at WHS football games while her brother played last season. "I know he's watching over me and my family in California right now." She says that despite his whole life revolving around football, Julius was an even more special person, whose compassion shone the brightest. The two had spoken earlier on Wednesday before she learned of his sudden death. 

CBS 2

LA County COVID Cases Slightly Increase, But Officials Still Urge Residents To Stay Safe

Los Angeles County is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and with Labor Day weekend upon us, health officials are urging residents to follow common-sense safety precautions. L.A. County's Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer held a media briefing Thursday afternoon, her first in several months, and offered a lot of nuances and some good news. But as far as policies go - there's no news. "I want to note, there's nothing that's changed,'' she said at the beginning of her remarks. "We're not announcing new safety measures today or new opportunities for people to take certain actions. We're just going to sort of run through where we are with the data.'' Ferrer showed how overall case numbers have doubled in the past month, but the numbers overall are lower than various parts of the pandemic. A more reliable data point for the severity of the virus? Hospitalizations, which have also increased, but like overall case counts, also remain low. "Folks that get hospitalized usually aren't primarily hospitalized for COVID, but incidentally test positive," explained Dr. Nicholas Orozco, an ER Physician at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center.

ABC 7

California’s COVID Comeback Intensifies, But Officials Say There’s No Cause For Alarm

Outbreak investigations. Disrupted work schedules. Canceled vacations. Wearing masks. Sound familiar? COVID-19 is making a comeback in California. Coronavirus levels in wastewater are on the rise in the state’s most populated areas, and hospitalizations continue to tick upward as residents return from trips and head back to school. The latest rebound, seen both in public health data and at-home tests, has led some to question what — if any — new measures they should consider taking to protect themselves. With Labor Day weekend right around the corner, some may wonder whether they should scale back or alter their plans. While residents should be aware of current trends, and the steps they can take to reduce their risk of infection, the higher transmission rates aren’t “a cause for alarm,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “We want everyone to enjoy this last weekend of the summer, and we think this can be easily done with some simple basic safety measures,” she said. Such steps are taking on increasing importance given the first sustained COVID flare-up in months.

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles City Officials Celebrate Opening Of New Supportive Housing Site For Senior Citizens 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and city councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez announced the opening of PATH Villas Hollywood, the city’s newest supportive housing site, on Thursday. The new housing site is a six story, 60-unit development serving low-income seniors ages 55 and up that are transitioning out of homelessness, according to a release from PATH Ventures. Out of the 60 units, 45 are studios, which are approximately 450 square feet. In addition, 14 one-bedroom units coming in around 740 square feet will be joined by a 970-square foot two-bedroom unit for the building manager. Property management and intensive care management offices are located on the ground floor of the building, PATH Ventures said, which also contains a landscaped courtyard and a large community room complete with a communal teaching kitchen. On-site services include motivational interview training, building coping skills, harm reduction and life skills education, as well as community building activities and linkages to nearby resources to help residents achieve short and long-term goals, according to PATH Ventures.

KTLA 5

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.