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Tragedy Strikes Twice: Cancer, Fire, and Heartbreak Devastate Harrisburg Family
Forever 16-years-old, Bryleigh Rayne Hoover, of Harrisburg, PA, fought bone cancer with unimaginable courage—only to be taken too soon on February 8, 2025. Her story, marked by loss and resilience, resonates far beyond her hometown. Just days after Christmas, on December 28, 2023, a fire tore through their West Hanover Township home, leaving her single mother, Amanda Via—a dedicated nurse—and her 6-year-old brother Jaxon, who has autism, with nothing but heartbreak and hope.
Bryleigh was more than a fighter; she was an artist, a dreamer, and her brother’s fiercest protector. Her paintings br…
PA Man Who Sexually Abused Autistic Child, Fled Sentencing, Captured In Dominican Republic
A Reading man who sexually abused an autistic child and skipped his sentencing hearing was captured in the Dominican Republic and returned to Berks County, authorities announced Friday, Feb. 7.
Rafael Vendrell, 75, pleaded nolo contendere to two counts of Aggravated Indecent Assault in November 2023 after being accused of sexually abusing an autistic juvenile, according to Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams.
Vendrell was released on bail while awaiting his sentencing on Feb. 14, 2024, but failed to appear in court, prompting a judge to issue a bench warrant, authorities said.
On …
Autistic NC Teen Missing In PA Since Mid-May Found: Police
UPDATE:
Jason P. Beverly II, 19, of NC, has been "located and is safe" the police said around 5 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2023.
No additional information was released.
ORIGINAL:
A teenager on the autism spectrum has gone missing in Pennsylvania, police announced on Monday, June 5, 2023.
Jason P. Beverly II was undergoing addiction recovery at Revelations of Freedom Ministry, 114 Rancks Church Road in East Earl Township when he "walked away" on May 16, 2023, the area police explained in the release.
His family in North Carolina received a phone call from him telling…
ER Patient Kicks Nurse In Face At Hospital In Ephrata, Police Say
An emergency room patient has been charged after he kicked a nurse in the face at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, police say.
Ethan D. Sorensen, 22, of Ephrata, injured the nurse and also damaged a hospital room door by punching a window during the incident on December 7, 2022, at 2:42 p.m., according to a release by area police in January 2023.
He was out on $35,000 in bail for aggravated indecent assault of a child and indecent exposure in March 2022 at the time of the incident, court records show.
He has been arrested for this incident and another assault on Dec. 17 ac…
Missing Pennsylvania Autistic Teen Found Dead After Kidnapping, Beating: State Police
Eight people have been charged including a 14-year-old girl and at least one family member of a 19-year-old autistic man police say was kidnapped, beaten, killed, and left in a remote wooded area in Western Pennsylvania on Oct. 20, according to a state police briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
Hayden Robert Garreffa, 19, of Dilltown was found dead in Brush Valley Township by state troopers on Saturday, Oct. 22 around 4 a.m., according to a release by the police.
His death was believed to be a homicide, according to state police citing the Indiana County coroner's office.
The police t…
