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3-Year-Old Ayla Miller Beaten To Death By PA Grandma Johnson: Affidavit 3-Year-Old Ayla Miller Beaten To Death By PA Grandma Johnson: Affidavit
3-Year-Old Ayla Miller Beaten To Death By PA Grandma Johnson: Affidavit A 56-year-old grandmother is accused of beating her 3-year-old granddaughter to death over Labor Day weekend, Pittsburgh Public Safety announced on Sunday, Sept. 1. Denise Johnson of Pittsburgh's North Side has been charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, aggravated assault, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children, according to the police and court records.  The charges stem from an investigation by homicide detectives after her 3-year-old granddaughter Ayla Miller was found dead by other family members — including another child — in Johnson's apartment, as …

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by Jillian Pikora
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51 Cats, Dogs Rescued From Berks County Home, Owner Charged With Animal Cruelty 51 Cats, Dogs Rescued From Berks County Home, Owner Charged With Animal Cruelty
51 Cats, Dogs Rescued From Berks County Home, Owner Charged With Animal Cruelty A 50-year-old woman from Bern Township has been charged with animal cruelty after 51 cats and dogs were found at her home in poor condition, authorities said. Jennifer May Ayala was charged by Humane Police Officer R. Harnish from the Department of Animal Protection at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County. Ayala is charged with one felony count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals – Causing Serious Bodily Injury, 51 misdemeanor counts of Cruelty to Animals, and 31 summary counts of Neglect of Animals. Harnish opened an investigation after receiving a tip about an owner refusing veteri…

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by Jon Craig
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Florida Man Struck Dead On I-78: Pennsylvania State Police Florida Man Struck Dead On I-78: Pennsylvania State Police
Florida Man Struck Dead On I-78: Pennsylvania State Police A 49-year-old Florida man has died following a hit-and-run on Interstate 78, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Saturday, Aug. 24.  Jymel Dejuan Smith of Clermont is a trucker, according to his social media, he had pulled his tractor-trailer over on I-78 West near mile marker 41.5 in Greenwich Township at 4:54 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 13, PSP Hamburg Trooper Brian Roland detailed in the release.  While standing next to the tractor-trailer another vehicle struck him and fled the scene, Roland wrote. That vehicle was located nearby by Pennsylvania State Police and they arreste…

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by Jillian Pikora
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Teacher, Scout Leader Snapchat Student Nude Selfie: PA State Police Teacher, Scout Leader Snapchat Student Nude Selfie: PA State Police
Teacher, Scout Leader Snapchat Student Nude Selfie: PA State Police A former teacher and Boy Scout leader has been charged with sending a child inappropriate messages to a former student on Snapchat, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Wednesday, Aug. 21.  Ryan Gibbon Stewart, 47, Jonestown, Lebanon County, was a Boy Scout leader and father of four children who taught in both the Northern Lebanon and Susquehanna Township school districts, according to the Pennsylvania State Police and public records. The current Northern Lebanon School District student received a "dick pic"  — that turned out to be a full-frontal nude image —  from a for…

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by Jillian Pikora
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Man Convicted Of Raping Girl Under 13: Bucks DA Man Convicted Of Raping Girl Under 13: Bucks DA
Man Convicted Of Raping Girl Under 13: Bucks DA A 61-year-old Bristol Township man was convicted on Tuesday, Aug. 13 of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a young girl, authorities said. Gerald Lee Roberts was found guilty of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, and indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office. He will be sentenced by Common Pleas Judge Stephen A. Corr on Nov. 22. Roberts posted $5,000 bail, according to court records. The victim testified during the trial that she was sexuall…

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by Jon Craig
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Man Sentenced For Trying To Meet Girl For Sex In Bucks County: DA Man Sentenced For Trying To Meet Girl For Sex In Bucks County: DA
Man Sentenced For Trying To Meet Girl For Sex In Bucks County: DA A Pottstown man was sentenced to 8 ½ to 17 years in Pennsylvania State Prison for trying to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex in Bensalem Township, authorities said. Uturah Golson, 33, pleaded guilty in April to criminal attempt to commit rape of a child, criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and criminal solicitation to photograph or film a child sex act, according to the Bucks County District Attorney. Golson appeared before Common Pleas Judge Charissa J. Liller on Thursday, Aug. 1, and she sent him to state prison for up to 17 years. Additionally, she sentenced…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Fleeing DUI Driver Charged In Firefighter's Death: Bucks DA Fleeing DUI Driver Charged In Firefighter's Death: Bucks DA
Fleeing DUI Driver Charged In Firefighter's Death: Bucks DA A 26-year-old driver was heavily intoxicated when he fled from a Hilltown Township police officer leading to a crash that killed his passenger, a former volunteer firefighter, authorities said. Colin John Wahlers, of Perkasie, was arraigned Friday, Aug. 2, on charges of homicide by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude police, involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence-general impairment, driving under the influence-highest rate, and recklessly endangering another person, according to the Bucks County District Attorney. He was also charged with fi…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
13-Year-Old Accused Of Stabbing 10-Year-Old To Death ID'd: PA State Police 13-Year-Old Accused Of Stabbing 10-Year-Old To Death ID'd: PA State Police
13-Year-Old Accused Of Stabbing 10-Year-Old To Death ID'd: PA State Police A 10-year-old boy is dead and a 13-year-old has been charged with murder in connection with his death, Pennsylvania State Police and the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office announced on Aug. 2.  James Campbell, 13, of Stahlstown has been charged with criminal homicide and murder in the first degree, court records show. He has been held without bail in the Westmoreland County Juvenile Detention Center. The 10-year-old who was stabbed was sleeping over at the 13-year-old's home in the 400 block of Donegal Lake Road in Donegal Township, Stahlstown, Westmorel…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Ex-Boston Children's Anesthesiologist Traded Child Rape Videos In Messages: Court Docs Ex-Boston Children's Anesthesiologist Traded Child Rape Videos In Messages: Court Docs
Ex-Boston Children's Anesthesiologist Traded Child Rape Videos In Messages: Court Docs Federal investigators said a former anesthesiologist fellow at Boston Children's Hospital traded child pornography on a messaging app to get access to other videos and photos of children as young as infants being sexually abused by adults.  Christopher Sheerer, 35, of Boston, is charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, Homeland Security investigators said. Sheerer was previously a cardiac anesthesiology fellow at Johns Hopkins Children's Center and attended Albright University in Reading, Pennsylvania, a…

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by Josh Lanier
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Harrisburg Concertmaster's Alleged Rape Of Young Girl Detailed In Disturbing Affidavit Harrisburg Concertmaster's Alleged Rape Of Young Girl Detailed In Disturbing Affidavit
Harrisburg Concertmaster's Alleged Rape Of Young Girl Detailed In Disturbing Affidavit A violinist and former concertmaster of the Harrisburg Symphony has been charged with multiple felonies for sexually abusing a child starting when she was 6 years old and continuing until she was 17 years old, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice.  Odin J. Rathnam, 58 of Sheffield Lake, Ohio, was arrested at his home on a warrant by the Lower Paxton Bureau of Police in connection with the sexual assaults which happened "throughout Dauphin County and other areas of Pennsylvania between 2008 and 2019," as stated in a police release.  **WARNING: The Details Of This C…

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by Jillian Pikora
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Infant Among 8 Hospitalized After Horse-Buggy Crash Involving DUI: PSP Infant Among 8 Hospitalized After Horse-Buggy Crash Involving DUI: PSP
Infant Among 8 Hospitalized After Horse-Buggy Crash Involving DUI: PSP A 5-month-old infant and seven other Amish people were hospitalized after being rear-ended by an allegedly drunk and high driving, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Monday, July 22.  James Leo Walkergoutal, 27 of West Chester, was found "under the influence of alcohol and drugs" when he rear-ended the horse and buggy, Pennsylvania State Police Lancaster Trooper James Grothey wrote in the release.  Walkgoutal had been driving his Toyota Prius east on Lincoln High East/US Route 30 when he struck the horse-and-buggy just west of Slaymaker Hill Road, Paradise Township, …

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by Jillian Pikora
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Child Porn Bust: Burlington Man Distributed Disturbing Images, Prosecutor Says Child Porn Bust: Burlington Man Distributed Disturbing Images, Prosecutor Says
Child Porn Bust: Burlington Man Distributed Disturbing Images, Prosecutor Says A 35-year-old Burlington County man has been charged on child pornography charges, authorities announced. Gregory Chesko, of Burlington, became the center of an investigation following a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children concerning his online activities, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw said. The investigation found that Chesko had sent multiple images and videos depicting child pornography from his phone using an instant messaging application, Bradshaw said. Child porn was found on his devices during the execution of a search warrant…

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by Cecilia Levine