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Gov. Malloy Orders $10 Million Electronic Tolls Study

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Gov. Dannel Malloy ordered a $10 million study on the issue of tolls in Connecticut Tuesday, and reaction to the move on an already heated topic is mixed.

“It's a shameful proposal by the governor in my opinion,” said State Sen. Joe Markley (R-Dist. 16).

The study calls for the Department of Transportation and their environmental impact on several highways, including, but not limited to I-95, I-91 I-84, the Wilbur Cross Parkway, and the Merritt Parkway.

The study would also look at reducing or eliminating the gas tax and possibly giving state residents a discount or tax credit.

“Bond to do a study and you've got something that's of no value a year after it's written,” Markley said. “I can't think of anything more ridiculous to do through bonding than a study.”

Markley, who’s running for lieutenant governor, is against tolls and the $10 million study, saying ti should be up to the next administration to decide if they even want it.

“There's really not sufficient legislative support I don't believe to pass,” Markley said.

Meanwhile, Democratic State Rep. Tony Guerrera (D - Dist. 29) told NBC Connecticut that he sees value in the study and hopes for multiple proposals from the DOT.

“This doesn't mean tolls are going to happen. All this is is just a plan and whether the general assembly would like to implement the plan or not,” Guerrera said.

Guerrera also pointed out that money collected from out-of-state drivers could help those in-state.

If we are making a substantial amount of money on electronic tolling, then maybe we should look at getting rid of the car tax,” he said.

The state Bond Commission is expected to vote on the $10 million allocation on July 25.


Greenwich Man Child With Possession of Child Pornography

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A 20-year-old Greenwich man was charged with possession of child pornography after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led police to obtain search warrants for the home of John Zimmel.

Police said they searched Zimmel’s home on Wildwood Drive in Greenwich on May 5, seized several digital storage devices and found more than 130 videos and 60 images of children engaged in sexually explicit acts.

Police said they also found several online chats about fantasy sex acts with children.

Zimmel was arrested Sunday and was charged with possession of child pornography in the first degree.

He posted a $100,000 bond and he is due in court on July 30, according to police.



Photo Credit: Greenwich Police

I-84 West in Southington Reopens After Crash

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The westbound side of Interstate 84 in Southington has reopened after a crash Wednesday morning.

According to Connecticut Department of Transportation, the three-car crash closed the highway between exits 32 and 31.

There is no word what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.



Photo Credit: Connecticut DOT

Mother, Son Arrested for Animal Cruelty in Southington

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Southington Police have arrested a mother and her son after their dog was found to have multiple health problems last month.

According to police, 21-year-old Kyle Burleigh, of Plantsville, brought a dog to the Southington Animal Control facility in June. He told Animal Control that he had found the dog six days prior.

The dog had trouble walking, had very long nails on all paws and had large skin tags on its underside, officials said.

Kyle told Animal Control that that was the condition that he had found the dog in and that he did not recognize it from the area. He also told them that he was not the owner of the dog and gave a statement on the incident, police said.

The dog was taken to a local veterinary for a medical evaluation. The vet had a record of a dog matching the description of this one being owned by Kyle's mother, Linda Burleigh, also of Plantsville.

Vet officials say the dog's name is Knight and they had last treated him in September of 2010. An examination revealed the dog was dirty with a strong foul odor, had hair loss, scaly skin, chronically infected ears, masses hanging from his abdomen, some atrophy in his hind legs and nails that had grown long enough that they grew into his toe pad.

State records show that Linda adopted Knight in August of 2010.

Officers confronted Kyle with the information about Knight. Kyle admitted that he originally gave a false statement about Knight's owner, police said. Kyle also admitted Animal Control into his home where they found dried blood on the carpet. Kyle told them that the blood was from Knight's ingrown nails, officers said.

Kyle and Linda are facing charges including cruelty to animals, failure to vaccinate a dog and failure to license a dog. Kyle is facing an additional charge of making a false statement.

Both Kyle and Linda were released on a $1,500 bond and are scheduled to appear in court in Bristol on July 23.

Knight is receiving medical treatment and experts say his condition is improving.



Photo Credit: Southington Police

Strangers Give Chicago Teacher Money for Students on Flight

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Kimber Bermudez was simply flying to visit her parents in Florida when the Chicago teacher’s trip took an unexpected turn — ending with a gesture from strangers that left her stunned.

What began as a simple conversation with her seatmate led to three other passengers on the plane handing her cash to enable her to better help her students, who come from predominantly low-income families on the city's Northwest Side.

As she boarded Southwest flight 1050 to Florida last Tuesday, Bermudez began talking to the man seated next to her.

"I have been known as a talker since I was a child," she told NBC 5.

Bermudez said she quickly began discussing her job at Carlos Fuentes Elementary, a charter school in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood.

"He said, 'What do you do?' I said, 'I am a teacher' and he asked where," she said. "He said, 'What is your greatest struggle?' And I started talking about our school and the amazing educators here."

Bermudez noted that she works in a low-income school where her students often face everyday challenges no child should have to deal with. She said teachers at her school often use their own money to help students whose families couldn't afford to buy supplies. 

“We talked about the world and how no child should ever do without,” she wrote in her post. “In 2018, kids should never be hungry or in need of anything.”

The man asked her for her work information as his company often donates items for schools like the one Bermudez works in.

“I was not intending for him to say that, and then gave him my school email. Then something amazing happened...” she wrote.

That's when a man sitting behind Bermudez revealed he had overheard her conversation.

"He was tapping me, 'Hey I'm sorry for listening' and handed me cash and I was trying to understand what was happening," she said. 

"I heard your story; do something amazing," the man told her.

Bermudez, who later learned the wad of cash totaled $500, told the man she would use the money to buy her students books and give back to the community.

But it didn’t end there.

As the plane landed, Bermudez said another man sitting across the aisle from her handed her $20 and the man in front her of turned around to give her $10 more.

“I started crying on the plane,” she wrote. “I told all four men that I would do something amazing for the kids. I was not telling my story to solicit money, and never intended to walk out of that flight with anything other than my carry on.”

She told NBC 5 the money will change her students' lives in the classroom. 

"With more resources I will get to do more and the kids will get to do more," she said. "I am just baffled and blown away by all of this." 

Bermudez’s recount of what happened on her flight has been shared more than 800 times since she posted it on Facebook last week.

“I do however hope that posting this continues the chain reaction of people helping those in need, and especially the children in need,” she wrote. “It doesn’t have to be a school in Chicago, and any bit helps!”

She asked that her post be shared in an effort to find the generous strangers to thank them “and their amazing hearts.”

“My heart is in complete shock and awe right now,” she wrote. “When the world seems crazy there are always good people. I would do anything for my students, and want to thank these strangers. I don’t know the name of the man who gave me the $500 or the other generous strangers, but they deserve to be recognized.”

Signed, she wrote, Kimber Bermudez, Aisle 14 Seat C.



Photo Credit: Kimber Bermudez/Facebook
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2 Connecticut Swimming Areas Closed

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Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Crews Find 4th Victim in Deadly Everglades Plane Collision

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Rescue crews say they have found the fourth victim of a deadly collision between two small planes over the Everglades in Southwest Miami-Dade.

Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said the person found after crews resumed their search Wednesday morning near Southwest 8th Street between Krome Avenue and the line with Collier County was a 22-year-old flight student.

The collision happened around 1 p.m. Tuesday about nine miles west of Miami Executive Airport, officials with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the FAA said.

Three victims – 22-year-old Jorge A. Sanchez, 72-year-old Ralph Knight, 72; and 19-year-old Nisha Sejwal – were identified immediately. Zabaleta said federal investigators on the scene confirmed all three were experienced pilots.

Footage showed the badly damaged planes, a Piper PA-34 and a Cessna 172, in a grassy area of the Everglades. Crews responded to the scene by helicopter and airboat to recover the bodies.

The wreckage of both planes had the name of local flight school Dean International on their sides. The school, which is based out of Miami Executive Airport, has been involved in a number of incidents involving planes, most recently a crash in the Everglades in May that left two hospitalized.

NBC 6 last year obtained reports by the National Transportation and Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration of downed planes from the school. Since 2007, a total of 29 accidents or incidents had been documented, including five fatalities, before the two cases this year.

After two crashes in 2017 – one where a pilot was killed after crashing in the Everglades and another where two people were not injured following a crash landing in Key Biscayne – nearly 80 percent of the company’s 50 planes were taken out of service to deal with issues ranging from routine maintenance to faulty beaks, loose and missing screws and more.

Both the NTSB and the FAA continue their investigation into the latest crash. NBC 6 reached out to the owner of Dean International Flight School, but has not heard back.

Woman, 71, Survives Bear Attack in Her Kitchen

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A 71-year-old New Hampshire woman was badly injured when she was attacked by a black bear inside her own home early Tuesday and had to drag herself to the phone to call for help, her daughter said.

Apryl Rogers, of Groton, was hospitalized after suffering serious injuries to her head and face during the encounter.

New Hampshire Fish and Game officials said that the attack occurred around 1:15 a.m. at the woman's home on Hall Brook Road. They believe the bear injured the woman accidentally while trying to get out of the home.

Rogers' daughter, Stacey Murray, surveyed the aftermath: A wad of animal fur resting on the kitchen counter, claw marks left on the door, household items strewn across the floor and a blood trail in some places.

"There's trash everywhere. There's bear feces everywhere. There's blood everywhere," Murray said.

Murray said her mother was woken up by strange sounds in the house.

"We think (the bear) pushed the door," Murray said. "Door wasn't latched tight enough."

She said her mother got out of bed and went into the kitchen to investigate.

"She apparently cornered the bear and it attacked her face trying to get out of the house," Murray said.

Rogers' daughter said she was "shocked" about the bear attack, but not surprised that her mother, who uses a wheelchair, was able to drag herself to her phone — which was left covered in blood — to call 911. 

"We all know she is strong so she'll be OK," Murray said through her tears.

Efforts are now underway to locate the bear, and officials said it will likely have to be killed once it is found.

Groton is a town of fewer than 600 people, located just south of the White Mountains and about 50 miles north of Concord.



Photo Credit: FILE - AP

Stamford Company Hopes to Develop Land Around Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford

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Stamford-based RMS Companies hopes to develop the land surrounding the minor league ballpark in Hartford. 

Hartford city officials said Wednesday that the city is pursuing the development of land around Dunkin’ Donuts Park with RMS Companies. The company’s website said its portfolio includes the UConn residents in Stamford, the Goodwin Hotel in Hartford and several other properties.  

They city and the company have not reached a development deal, according to the mayor’s office, which said, “there will be substantial discussion with the City Council as well as with the public as the process moves forward.” 

The development rights for the area were originally awarded to Centerplan, the same company that was meant to develop Dunkin’ Donuts Park. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin’s administration called off that contract after ongoing construction and cost issues that delayed the completion of the park. 

Then the city of Hartford terminated Centerplan’s contract to develop the surrounding parcels due to their "failure to deliver the ballpark and lack of honesty and transparency." 

Centerplan Construction filed a lawsuit against after it was terminated from the stadium project and the city has since filed a counter-claim. 

In November 2017, the city issued a Request for Proposals for city-owned properties around Dunkin’ Donuts Park. 

When the deadline came in March, RMS Companies was the sole bidder, according to Hartford officials. 

“RMS has a sound reputation, a strong track record, and a serious plan for development, and our discussions thus far have been productive and positive. We will continue to do our due diligence and work to negotiate a responsible agreement for the development of these key parcels, and we look forward to involving the community directly as the process continues,” Bronin said in a statement. 



Photo Credit: Submitted

2 Kids Bitten in NY Shark Attacks; Tooth Sticks in Boy's Leg

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A boy and a girl were bitten by sharks in separate attacks off Fire Island Wednesday, according to local officials and the father of one of the children.

A spokeswoman from the town of Islip said the 13-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl were bitten off the shores off Atlantique Beach and Sailors Haven -- two beaches about 4 1/2 miles apart -- around 11:15 a.m.

In the Atlantique Beach attack, the boy was boogie boarding when he was bitten, the spokeswoman said. He stumbled out of the ocean; a lifeguard ran to him and discovered the bite.

The wound was dressed and cleaned, according to the spokeswoman, and responders found a tooth lodged in the child's leg. The tooth was removed and is being analyzed to determine the shark species.

In the other attack, Philip Pollina said his daughter was waist deep in the water off Sailors Haven when she began panicking. He said when lifeguards pulled her out of the water she had deep cuts on her leg.

Beach-goers saw what officials think was a sandbar shark -- a shark commonly found along the Atlantic Coast -- about 25 yards offshore. Adult sandbar sharks can grow to be up to 8 feet long, but the 12-year-old girl's father said she thought the shark was only about 2 feet long. Sandbar sharks are known for their large first dorsal fin, and the girl did report seeing a fin before she was attacked. She was able to walk after the attack, but was taken to a hospital.

"Once we figured it out it was pretty surreal," the father said.

The town of Islip has banned swimming at all of its ocean-facing beachesFire Island beaches are managed by multiple local, state and federal jurisdictions. A spokeswoman for Fire Island National Seashore said all the beaches are closed until further notice as authorities investigate.

That spokeswoman, Elizabeth Rogers, also said the bite marks on both victims were found to be "consistent with a large fish," but authorities have "not confirmed" either case as a definitive shark bite.

Shark sightings aren't uncommon on Long Island or at the Jersey Shore, but unprovoked attacks are rare. Since 1837, only 10 shark attacks have been reported in New York. Fifteen have been reported in New Jersey and one in Connecticut.

Farmington Man Has Been Missing Since Friday

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Farmington police are trying to locate a missing 47-year-old man who has been missing for almost a week.

Police said 47-year-old Bryan Canto, a husband and father, was last seen at his home in Farmington around 9:30 a.m. Friday and appears to have left home on foot.

He is bald with blue eyes, 185 pounds, and 5-foot-11. He also tattoos on his left and right arms – a Libra symbol and a Rising sun with a lion. He was last seen wearing a blacked collared polo shirt, tan shorts and brown Sketchers sneakers.

“On behalf of the Canto family, we want to thank everyone for their continued prayers and support during this difficult time. We also appreciate the great efforts of the Farmington Police Department with whom we are working closely,” a statement from the family says.

Canto has never gone missing before and the behavior is “completely out of line for his character,” according to police. Police are concerned for his safety and well being.

Anyone with information on Canto’s whereabouts should contact Farmington police at 860-675-2400.



Photo Credit: Canto Family

Kavanaugh Said He’d Overturn Independent Counsel Precedent

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Two years before President Donald Trump nominated him to a seat on the Supreme Court, federal appeals courts Judge Brett Kavanaugh said he believes the legal precedent that allows for independent counsels to investigate government officials for federal crimes should be overturned, NBC News reports.

When asked about cases he believes should be overturned, Kavanaugh cited Morrison v. Olson, a Supreme Court ruling upholding a 1978 law that creates a system for independent counsels to investigate and potentially prosecute government officials for federal crimes. 

Kavanaugh was quoted as saying "It's been effectively overruled, but I would put the final nail in" at an event for conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute. 

After the law expired, new regulations allowed for the appointment of "special counsels," but unlike independent counsels, special counsels answer to the U.S. attorney general. The president's campaign is under investigation by a special counsel, Robert Mueller, as part of the ongoing federal probe into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

CORRECTION (July 28, 2018, 3:43 p.m. ET): A headline on an earlier version of this story mischaracterized Kavanaugh's comments. He was talking about the legal precedent that allows for independent counsels.



Photo Credit: Alex Edelman/Getty Images

Father Says His Son is Not the Same After Their Separation

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A Honduran father says his 3-year-old son is not the same as he was before the two were separated for nearly two months while the father was held in detention centers around the country, NBC News reported.

"It has been difficult to gain his trust like it was before," said José, who asked that his last name not be used out of concern for his family's safety.

José and his son, José Jr., sought asylum after crossing the border in Hidalgo, Texas, but were soon separated by immigration officials. They fled Honduras after criminals killed other family members and warned that José was next, according to José and advocates supporting his case.

The father and son are staying with relatives in Virginia as José waits for his case to be heard in immigration court.

José said he hopes to explain what happened when he's older, but fears his son will be “left with problems.”



Photo Credit: Southern Poverty Law Center

West Hartford Town Officials Agree to Settle Case Connected to School Sex Assault Allegations

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Town officials in West Hartford agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit that alleged a sexual assault in a middle school locker room in 2013 and claimed a pattern of negligence within the district. 

That lawsuit claimed that three students allegedly yelled out "Let's rape [a student]” in an unsupervised boys locker room at Sedgwick Middle School in West Hartford in April 2013, then dragged the 8th grader "while he was kicking and screaming, into the unlocked closet" where he was sexually assaulted.  

“The Town Council agreed Tuesday night to a settlement of $87,500 in a case involving a minor, alleging that the West Hartford Board of Education and three physical education teachers at Sedgwick Middle School were negligent and failed to comply with the Board of Education’s sexual harassment and bullying policy related to incidents that took place in the Sedgwick Middle School locker room on April 24, 2013, and April 25, 2013, when the plaintiff was an eighth-grader at the school,” corporate counsel Pat Alair said in a statement.


Driver, Police Officer Pull I-95 Crash Victim to Safety

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Quick action by a witness and a police officer saved the life of a Norwalk woman who had a medical emergency while driving on Interstate 95 in Fairfield Wednesday.

Police said Bridgeport resident Frederico Davis and Connecticut Conservation Police Officer Hey saw a two-car accident around noon on I-95 south near the Black Rock Turnpike overpass. The pair jumped into action when they realized one of the cars was on fire, pulling the semi-conscious driver to safety.

“It was the quick action by the Bridgeport resident and the uniformed Conservation Police Officer working together that definitely saved this woman from the toxic smoke, burn injuries and possibly losing her life”, said Fairfield Assistant Chief Erik Kalapir.

The driver of the second vehicle did not report any injuries.

The Fairfield Fire Department responded to extinguish the blaze. American Medical Response and the Connecticut Department of Transportation also responded to the crash.



Photo Credit: Fairfield Fire Department

Delta Airlines Gets Backlash For Pit Bull Service Dog Ban

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Dog owners and animal advocates say Delta Airlines’ new ban on pit bulls as service and support animals is unfair, and they are calling for the ban to be lifted.

Thousands of people around the world signed a petition against Delta's ban, which went into effect on July 10. The airline prohibited all pit bull-type dogs from flying on their planes as service or support animals. Now, the company is facing backlash worldwide.

At Mineta San Jose International Airport, a professional service dog trainer said he understands the airline’s pit bull concerns but blames owners for skipping the right kind of training. It's not the breed, he said.

"Pit bulls are not more dangerous than other dogs," said Franck Kangah, a professional dog trainer. "I've seen little dogs that were more dangerous than other pit bulls."

A petition on Care2.com has gathered more than 100,000 signatures to fight Delta’s ban.

The U.S. Department of Transportation told NBC Bay Area "a limitation based exclusively on breed of the service animal is not allowed under the department’s Air Carrier Access Act."

Gisselle Nuñez, the owner of a full-breed, blue nose pit bull named Murphy, says the Delta ban gives the breed a unwarranted bad wrap.

"The question is, Delta Airlines: What is your criteria for banning this particular breed?" Nunez said. "Show us the research, show us the facts, but don’t perpetuate negative perceptions."

The airline has reported that some of its employees were bitten by pit bulls on flights.

Kangah, who trained Murphy for 10 months, said he understands Delta’s concern but argues it’s the owners’ fault for failing to put the dogs through the right training.

"Without the proper training, like true, proper training of a service animal, you’ll have accidents like that of a dog biting another dog or even a dog pottying inside a plane," Kangah said. "If you see the obedience, you automatically know, that is a service dog. You can see the difference between a really trained service dog and not a true service dog."

Delta Airlines did not reply to questions about what type of facts or research it used to make the ban decision.

Southwest Airlines does not restrict pit bulls on its flights, the company said in an email to NBC. JetBlue doesn’t address specific breeds within its pet or service animal policies.

Pit bulls cannot be brought onto American Airlines planes as checked luggage but are allowed to be on the company’s planes as service animals or paid pets, a company spokesman said.

The Department of Transportation says it is looking into possibly changing the rules for service animals on flights.

—Scott Gelman contributed to this story



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area/Nunez family

Route 8 South Closed in Seymour

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Route 8 southbound in Seymour is closed due to a vehicle fire.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation confirmed the closure near exit 20. Drivers should expect delays in the area.

Details were not immediately available.



Photo Credit: Matthew Steven

Supporting Our Schools: From Basic Supplies to Chromebooks

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Many teachers say they pay for classroom supplies out of their own pockets. Kathryn McBride, a special needs teacher, says she spend her summer searching through tag sales for anything that can add to her classroom and help her students, who have autism, succeed.

“Especially working in an inner-city, we spend probably most of our paycheck buying the things that we need for our students,” said McBride, who works as a Self-Contained Autism Teacher at in Naylor Leadership Academy in Hartford.

Donorschoose.org gives you the chance to chip in. 

NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut are partnering with the project to help teachers get the funds they need from their communities.

McBride is asking for art supplies to improve her students’ learn fine motor skills.

“Different types of scissors to cut with, different types of paper so that they’re having the opportunity to strengthen those find motor skills in their hand and that will lead to better grasp of writing utensils and hopefully better writing skills,” she explained.

The project costs $603 and only has nine-days left to be fully funded.

Time is also running out for Ms. Traver’s “Crazy for Chromebooks,” too. She’s just $271 away from being able to bring her classroom into the 21st century, but she needs to be completely funded by July 27.

Like all teachers who’ve posted projects on donorschoose.org, her project must be fully funded by the deadline or she gets none of the donations that have already been made.

When you click on a project you can see where your money is going.

For instance, Mrs. Satalino at West Bristol School is asking for special chairs to help her young learners get the wiggles out and focus better on learning. She’s listed the items she plans to purchase for her flexible seating initiative on her donation page.

Librarian Caitlin Carbonell says some of the books at Waterbury’s Sprague Elementary date back to the 1940s.

“My students have shown me that they love to read and when they have what they call an “ugly” book, a book that’s been taped over a ton of times or I’ve had to repair it a bunch of times they get frustrated,” Carbonell explained.

Teaching at a Title I school means she’s often looking for ways to fund projects in her library.

“Even in Waterbury and a lot of other cities they don’t have a book budget so you kind of scramble to find money where you can,” said Carbonell.

Among the more than 1,000 projects is Hanover School Psychologist Amanda Gonzalez’s bilingual program. She plans to use bibliotherapy, or books, to support the social-emotional needs of her Meriden students, some who relocated from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

“Often it’s difficult for students to reflect on their own personal lives at that age but they can relate to characters in a book,” said Gonzalez.

The teachers say they are thankful to their caring communities for giving these students the supplies they need to succeed.

“It really makes your heart warm when you see those donors helping to fund your project. It lets you know that there’s still good people out there that care about children and the future of our world,” noted McBride.

After you donate you can leave a message about why the cause is important to you.

Deborah Giddings of Enfield gave to the Dr. Suess project in memory of her mother-in-law who she says was dedicated to making sure children had books. Carbonell wrote back thanking her for the heartfelt contribution.

For more information and to donate, click here.

Wrong Funeral Home Picks Up Body From Local Hospital

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A Plymouth woman wants to make sure no one else goes through the same ordeal she did when her husband’s body was picked up from the hospital by the wrong funeral home.

When Christina De Araujo lost her husband of 23 years, she was heartbroken.

“He was my best friend. He was the one that would make me feel better and vice versa,” said De Araujo.

In March, her husband suffered a seizure at home and was taken to Waterbury Hospital where he later died.

“It’s been tough,” said De Araujo.

The grief-stricken widow contacted a close friend to help with funeral arrangements and he called several funeral homes to get some basic information. De Araujo said she eventually decided on Abbey Cremation Services in Rocky Hill.

“We went over to the funeral home to sign off on all the necessary documentation to authorize the funeral home to pick up my husband at the hospital,” said De Araujo.

Less than 24 hours later, De Araujo received a disturbing phone call from a representative of Abbey telling her someone had already picked up her husband’s body from the hospital.

“I literally was shaking. Who on earth took my husband? Who allowed him to be released?” said De Araujo.

She said she immediately called Waterbury Hospital to find out what happened to her husband’s body.

De Araujo says the hospital told her that Luddy and Peterson’s Funeral Home and Crematory in New Britain had come to get the body and that the funeral home had informed the hospital that they had permission to collect the body.

De Araujo explained to the hospital that Luddy and Peterson’s was the wrong funeral home.

“I’m really annoyed that my husband is on this field trip that he didn’t ask for,” said De Araujo.

De Araujo said Luddy and Peterson apologized profusely and wanted to make it right. She said they told her that her friend authorized removing her husband’s body. De Araujo says that’s not true.

She says she and Luddy and Peterson's agreed to have Abbey pick her husband’s body up from the New Britain funeral home and transport him to Rocky Hill.

“It was just so heart-wrenching to have to go through all that,” said De Araujo.

She reached out to NBC Connecticut Responds because she doesn’t want others to go through what she did.

Luddy and Peterson’s funeral home and crematory declined an on-camera interview.

Instead, co-owner, Ben Peterson, told Responds in a statement:

“We feel horrible over this situation. We dispute the claim by the widow that no family member gave us permission to collect the body. We were under the impression that the informant/family friend was in direct contact with the next of kin. We believe it was a break down in communication.”

As a result of this situation, Peterson says the funeral home is changing its policy to only speak with the next of kin or other family members before removing a loved one from the hospital. They will no longer get consent to release a body from a friend.

Waterbury Hospital told NBC Connecticut Responds that they can’t comment on specific cases but sent us a statement about their policies:

At Waterbury Hospital, we strive to provide high-quality care with dignity and compassion to all our patients and their families. We continually review and revise procedures and practices in order to meet this goal. Patient privacy laws prevent us from commenting on any specific case.

Generally speaking, however, when a patient dies in the hospital, the following steps are taken:

  • A family member or representative for the family calls the funeral home of their choice and requests that they handle the arrangements, which includes picking up the deceased from the hospital.
  • When the funeral home representative comes to the hospital, s/he asks for the deceased, is presented with and completes paperwork, including who authorized them to come to the hospital, and signs for transferring the patient to the funeral home.

After this occurs, it’s between the family/family representative and the funeral home.

De Araujo wants to make sure it doesn’t happen ever again.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Person Hit by Car in Meriden

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Lifestar responded after a person was hit by a vehicle on Gravel Street in Meriden Wednesday.

Meriden police confirmed the crash, but could not immediately provide details.

This is a developing story. NBC Connecticut has a crew on scene and will provide updates as they come into the newsroom.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut
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