The hospital that treated the infant child who was ripped from his mother's womb after her grisly slaying in Chicago says bills sent to the infant's father were an "error."

Frank Avila, the attorney for the family of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa, said Advocate Christ Medical Center sent medical bills totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars to Yovanny Lopez in wake of his child's death.

The hospital acknowledged Thursday that the bill was "inadvertently sent" and the hospital "regrets this error," but said it could not comment further due to patient privacy. 

"Our hearts and prayers continue to be with the Ochoa-Lopez family during this difficult time," the hospital said in a statement. "We have had discussions with the family regarding a bill that was inadvertently sent and we regret this error. We take our obligation to patient privacy seriously, and therefore are unable to comment further regarding care, services or billing."

The mother-daughter duo accused of killing Ochoa before cutting her unborn baby from her womb and claiming it as their own are now facing a new murder charge for the infant's death. 

Desiree and Clarisa Figueroa have been charged with murder after the infant who was ripped from 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa's womb following her death died at a Chicago hospital last month, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's office. 

Both were ordered held without bond on the new charge Thursday. 

"We are grateful that charges have been placed on these murderers," said the father of the baby, Yovanny Lopez. "We understand that the evidence supports charging both mother and daughter in the death of my infant son who suffered so much from injuries inflicted upon him by these women. We have faith that the criminal justice system will prevail and justice will be served.”

Ochoa's infant child died weeks after his mother's murder. The baby's death was ruled a homicide by the Cook County Medical Examiner, who determined the child died from a lack of oxygen and blood to his brain and cited "maternal assault and demise." 

The Figueroas, along with Clarisa Figueroa's boyfriend Piotr Bobak, had already pleaded not guilty in the death of Marlen Ochoa.

The mother and daughter pair were charged with first-degree murder in the Ochoa's grisly killing. Bobak was charged with concealing the homicide. 

"Not only will the state not be able to prove him guilty, he’s innocent," said Bobak's lawyer Hal Garfinkel. "Mr. Bobak is innocent. Both of us look forward to his day in court."

Authorities contend that not long after Clarisa Figueroa's adult son died of natural causes, she told her family she was pregnant. They say she plotted for months to acquire a newborn, and that she posted an ultrasound and photos of a room decorated for a baby on her Facebook page. In March, she and Ochoa connected on a Facebook page for pregnant women.

Prosecutors alleged the mother-daughter pair lured Ochoa to their home, where they offered to give her clothes and other items for her unborn child. As Desiree Figueroa was showing Ochoa a photo album of her late brother to distract her, Clarisa Figueroa sneaked up behind her and strangled her with a cord before her baby was cut from her womb.

Later that day, Clarisa Figueroa called 911 claiming that her newborn baby was not breathing. When first responders arrived, the child was blue. They tried to resuscitate the infant and took him to Christ Medical Center, where he remained until his death.

Prosecutors said 46-year-old Clarisa Figueroa was examined in a birthing center at Advocate Christ Medical Center on April 23 after claiming to have given birth, "but showed no signs consistent with a woman who had just delivered a baby."

A technician at the Oak Lawn hospital cleaned blood from Figueroa’s arms, face and hands, prosecutors said, but it was unclear if anyone verified that she had actually given birth. Figueroa was allegedly able to pass off the baby as her own for weeks.

An investigation from the Illinois Department of Public Health cleared the hospital in the case, but noted deficiencies in their process. 

Waterbury Police have canceled the Silver Alerts for three young children and their mother.

Authorities issued Silver Alerts for 1-year-old Terrah Gomez, 3-year-old Leucian Gomez, 4-year-old Orianne Gomez and 25-year-old Colleen Lavaway.

Circumstances behind the Silver Alerts were not released, but police said the Silver Alerts have been resolved. 

Anyone with information is asked to call Waterbury police at 203-574-6911.

A man has been stabbed in Hartford and police are investigating.

Police said it happened at 791 Windsor St. and the victim is conscious and alert. 

No additional information was immediately available.

The 100 degree temperatures forecast for this weekend are a top concern for campers.

At Markham Meadows Campground in East Hampton, a large group of 25 people who reserved five campsites decided to reschedule for an alternate weekend because of the heat.

“They’ll come back, just want to pick a weekend when it’s not 100 plus degrees and I can’t blame them,” Melissa Engel, the owner of Markham Meadows Campground, said. “We’ve had several phone calls this week with people concerned about the 100 plus temperatures and they’re going to be in tents and tents hold heat. So camping is not always the coolest way to enjoy a hot weekend, unfortunately.”

There are some families who decided to stick it out though. The Merriman family brought fans for their tents and for under their canopy. They also stocked up on plenty of water and plan on spending most of their time in the pool or the pond.

“I’m not worried. There’s bodies of water, we may be in it all the time,” Marleen Merriman, a camper from Cheshire, said.

The owner says fortunately 100 degree temperatures are unusual in Connecticut.

“I can tell you slushie sales will be up and the pool will be full and the boats will be used and my advice to everybody is to stay near a body of water, etiher the pond or the pool, just sit and relax,” Engel said.

A brief search for missing hikers in Berlin is over after they made their way back to the trail. 

Officials said the search was on Ragged Mountain and it did not appear there were any injuries. 

Twenty members of the Special Olympics USA team were welcomed at the White House Thursday for their accomplishments at the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019.

Two of those members hail from Connecticut: Ken Richter of Newington and Steve Manzone of Bristol. Richter and Manzone competed in bocce and earned gold medals.

The group was part of 315 that represented the United States, competing in 18 of the 24 sports offered including swimming and basketball, according to Special Olympics Connecticut.

Special Olympics USA brought home 72 gold, 62 silver, 70 bronze medals and 97 participation ribbons, Special Olympics Connecticut said.

The event marked the first time a Special Olympics team was invited to the White House after representing the U.S. at a Special Olympics World Games event.

Various oat-based products like cereals, trail mixes and snack bars tested positive over the past year for a chemical in a widely used weedkiller that is linked to cancer, according to the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization. While several experts say not to panic, they note that a debate exists over how great a risk the chemical poses to consumers.

“I am the parent of a 2 1/2-year-old,” toxicity expert Jamie Alan with Michigan State University told NBC. “I will be letting her finish the Cheerios she has, but will probably buy the organic brand from now on.”

Glyphosate, an active ingredient in Bayer-Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer, has been discovered in several of General Mills’ oat-based cereals and snacks in the most recent of three rounds of testing by the Environmental Working Group. The chemical, which is also found in other herbicide brands, regulates plant growth and hastens crop ripening in broadleaf plants and grasses.

People can be exposed to glyphosate by breathing it in, eating food treated with it, or absorbing it through the skin.

The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit with financial links to the organic industry that specializes in research into toxic chemicals and advocates for their removal from food and products. Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch and Cheerios contained more than quadruple a limit devised by the environmental group, one that is not universally accepted.

“This is a big deal on oats,” Christopher Bosso, professor of public policy at Northeastern University, told NBC. “Oats hadn’t been major in residues. They were seen as safe.”

Bosso said he didn’t have a reason not to trust the environmental group’s data, but that “the conversation is what the benchmark is for safe exposure, which is disputed.”

General Mills told NBC that its top priority has been food safety, and that the company “continue[s] to work closely with farmers, our suppliers and conservation organizations to minimize the use of pesticides on the ingredients we use in our foods.”

The Environmental Working Group tested products against a standard of 0.01mg of glyphosate per day, an amount that would allow a consumer to eat about two bowls of Honey Nut Cheerios.

That amount of glyphosate is 7,000 times smaller than a federal level set by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is responsible for creating the legal limits on pesticide residues. It is also 110 times smaller than the "no significant risk level" established by California, on which the environmental group based its initial tests.

Lisa Lefferts, senior scientist for Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food advocacy organization, called the environmental group’s approach “very conservative” because its level is much lower than California and the EPA's. 

But she also said that General Mills should take more action. 

“General Mills should tell its suppliers not to use glyphosate, or at least, reduce to a minimum the levels of glyphosate and other pesticides getting into foods,” she said.

Arms of the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have found that glyphosate is a probable carcinogen. The EPA disagrees.

"There’s no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer," Alexandra Dunn, an EPA assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution prevention, told the Des Moines Register in April. "There's no risk to public health from the application of glyphosate."

The EPA’s proposed reference dose — which it defines as “an estimate of daily exposure that would not cause adverse effects throughout a lifetime” — is 1 milligram of glyphosate a day for every kilogram you weigh.

The Environmental Working Group created its limit by starting with a risk exposure level for cancer of 1.1 milligrams a day set by the California Office of Environmental Health and Hazard under the state’s Proposition 65. The environmental group used California’s level — meant to warn consumers of pesticide levels in foods — because it was “based on [California’s] cancer findings,” according to Olga Naidenko, its vice president of science investigations.

California has classified the chemical as a Group 2A carcinogen, which means that there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in animals used in experiments and is probably carcinogenic to humans. 

“[Glyphosate] is known to the state of California to cause cancer,” said Sam Delson, the deputy director for external and legislative affairs at the Office of Environmental Health and Hazard.

The state’s estimate is that if 100,000 people are exposed to glyphosate in a lifetime, one additional case of cancer would be expected.

In devising its benchmark, the environmental group applied a separate federal law, the Food Quality Protection Act, that requires organizations to “consider the special susceptibility of children to pesticides by using an additional tenfold (10X) safety factor when setting and reassessing tolerances unless adequate data are available to support a different factor.” The EPA does not factor the law into its limit because the agency found that there is “no indication that children are more sensitive to glyphosate.”

Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, the food found by the environmental group to have the highest levels of glyphosate, contained 833 parts per billion, which is equivalent to 0.83 milligrams per kilogram and below the level that would have required notification in California. In fact, the state categorizes glyphosate as posing “no significant risk” because it is not aware of foods containing amounts of the chemical that exceed its risk level.

In 2015, an agency within the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, also found that glyphosate is a possible carcinogen. Then, in 2017, a second scientific group, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, released a study that confirmed and strengthened the cancer agency’s research.

The EPA stands behind findings from other studies that contradict the two agencies’ conclusions.

In April, EPA scientists concluded that there is “no risk to human health from current uses of glyphosate" and "no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer." Earlier, in 1993, EPA listed the chemical at the second lowest of four levels of toxicity.

The agency is currently reevaluating the chemical under its pesticide registration review program, as it is required to do for all registered pesticides at least every 15 years.

Research conducted by a scientific journal, Environmental Sciences Europe, found that the conclusions reached by EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer differed because the EPA relied mainly on studies conducted in-house by Monsanto or contracted by EPA with an outside lab, the author, Charles Benbrook, told NBC. Ninety-nine percent of these studies showed no connection between glyphosate and cancer because the agency "largely ignored" studies focused on groups exposed to high amounts of glyphosate, according to Benbrook, who was also an expert witness for the plaintiffs in recent lawsuits against Monsanto.

The cancer agency evaluated mostly peer-reviewed studies, 70% of which showed a link between glyphosate and cancer. It also encompassed a wider range of data, while the EPA invested "much less effort" in ensuring that their assessments were based on "accurate exposure and toxicological data,” according to Benbrook’s findings.

The EPA told NBC that the agency “considered a significantly more extensive and relevant dataset” than the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Lefferts, of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, argues that the cancer agency is the best authority. She told NBC that she thinks the EPA's level is "too low."

“Right away, I think the EPA standard has a problem because it [says glyphosate] doesn't cause cancer,” Lefferts said. "This is more than just a correlation. Glyphosate causes cancer in animals and it is likely that glyphosate causes cancer in humans.”

On June 14, Bayer announced its plans to invest $5.6 billion over the next decade to develop “additional methods to combat weeds.”

The news comes after thousands of recent lawsuits alleged that glyphosate is causing cancer. Many of those who sued were exposed to glyphosate directly, absorbing or breathing in the chemical while spraying it on crops. This type of exposure poses a greater risk for cancer because the exposure amount is higher than it is in foods, the EPA told NBC. The EPA has set a level of 30 milligrams per kilogram of food as the maximum amount of glyphosate that is allowed to remain in or on food. That measurement is separate from its reference dose and is meant to ensure that the pesticide is used according to label directions.

Most recently on May 13, jurors awarded more than $2 billion to a California couple who say the Roundup they used on their land caused their non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Bayer-Monsanto insists that Roundup is not linked to cancer, and is appealing that verdict and others.

Bayer has also petitioned the EPA to raise its maximum legal residue levels for glyphosate, which the EPA has increased by 300% since 1993.

The EPA said that its maximum residue levels were changed to “harmonize” with Codex Maximum Residue Levels, which is a set of international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice. The agency told NBC it “found no risks of concern in the current dietary risk assessment assuming the maximum-allowable residues on cereal grains.”

The EPA arrived at this conclusion relying partly on a paper published in 2000, which assessed the risk of glyphosate, that Monsanto scientist William Heydens said the company ghost-wrote. The claim was made in an email that was unsealed by a federal judge in California and is among the documents introduced in the court cases against Monsanto by those suing the company.

In the 2015 email, Heydens proposed a "less expensive/more palatable approach" in which Monsanto would use the same method as the 2000 paper and “ghost-write” sections of a new scientific publication.

Heydens said an option would be to add the names of some scientists in the field, Helmut Greim, Larry Kier or David Kirkland, to the publication and then "we ghost-write the Exposure Tox & Genotox sections. But we would be keeping the cost down by us doing the writing and they would just edit & sign their names so to speak,” Heydens wrote. “Recall that is how we handled Williams Kroes & Munro, 2000."

Monsanto insists that the company did not ghostwrite the Gary M. Williams, Richard André Kroes, and Ian Munro glyphosate paper, which concluded that the chemical does not pose a health risk to humans. The court documents indicate Heydens did review and edit parts of the 2000 paper; Monsanto says the editing was minor. The EPA used the Williams publication as a reference in its own paper to conclude that the "strongest support" for classification of glyphosate is "not likely to be carcinogenic to humans."

Lefferts of the Center for Science in the Public Interest said that the risk from glyphosate in cereal is small, but that there is no reason to eat foods that contain the chemical.

“We take drugs that have side effects because we think they will cure a condition we have. When we’re eating food, it’s supposed to be nourishing, good for us,” she said. “What’s the good for us putting up with cancer-causing substances? There is no benefit directly.”

Northeastern University's Bosso agrees that the impact of eating a bowl of cereal is probably very little, but that he eats organic to avoid exposure to chemicals.

“I am afraid of glyphosate,” he said.

A growing number of countries, cities, and towns are placing bans or restrictions on glyphosate use. Currently, 29 countries have joined this effort, with Austria announcing in June its plans to ban glyphosate within the year. The United States has yet to place a ban on glyphosate.

The glyphosate findings point to a larger issue in the food industry when it comes to chemicals.

“The [Environmental Working Group] report is putting pressure on the industry to switch to organics and not use glyphosate,” Bosso said. “[But] the bigger conversation is the fact that, in general, there are too many chemicals out there in food and in life.”

Officials are investigating after a car fire inside a garage in Norwalk sent a firefighter to the hospital Friday morning.

The incident occurred at Tuff Lawn Lawn Service, Inc. on Martin Luther King Drive. 

When crews arrived, they saw a pickup truck engulfed in flames parked next to pallets of fertilizer with pesticides. Crews said the cab of the truck was fully involved in the fire.

The sprinkler system controlled the fire while firefighters extinguished it.

Crews said the damage appears to be confined to the vehicle and the pallets of fertilizer/pesticides next to it.

The firefighter was sent to the hospital for exposure to pesticides in smoke and was treated and released, according to crews.

No injuries have been reported.

A dangerous heat wave is hitting central and eastern U.S. this weekend with thermometers soaring close to 100 degrees. The high humidity will make it feel even hotter in some places. 

Take a look at some helpful tips on how you, your loved ones and your pets can stay safe in the hot weather:

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HOT WEATHER AND HEALTH

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EXERCISING IN HOT WEATHER

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE IN HOT WEATHER

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Several cities and towns have opened cooling centers as Connecticut deals with excessive heat.

Bolton

Bridgeport

• Greater Bridgeport Transit Bus Terminal at 710 Water Street, Daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• East Side Senior Center at 1057 East Main Street, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Black Rock Senior Center at 2676 Fairfield Avenue, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• North End Bethany Senior Center at 20 Thorme Street, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Bridgeport Public Library Main Branch at 925 Broad Street, Mon.- Tues. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wed.- Thurs. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Bridgeport Public Library Black Rock Branch at 2705 Fairfield Avenue, Mon. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tues. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wed. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thurs. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Bridgeport Public Library North Branch at 3455 Madison Avenue, Mon. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tues. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wed. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thurs. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bristol

• Bristol Public Library at 5 High Street, Mon.- Thurs. 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Bristol Senior Center at 240 Stafford Avenue, Mon.- Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Community Health Center at 395 North Main Street, Thurs. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Brian's Angels at 19 Jacob Street, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily 
• The Agape House at 43 School Street, Mon.- Sat. 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• The Salvation Army, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cheshire

• Cheshire Senior Center at 240 Maple Avenue, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cheshire Public Library at 104 Main Street, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Town Hall Lobby at 84 South Main Street, Mon.- Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cheshire Police Department lobby at 500 Highland Avenue, 24 hours daily

Fairfield

• Bigelow Center for Senior Activities, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Black Rock Church, Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Fairfield Public Library Main Branch, Thurs. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Fairfield Public Library Woods Branch, Thurs. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Fairfield Police Department lobby, 24 hours daily
• Fairfield Recreation Fitness Center, Mon.- Fri. 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sat.- Sun. 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New Haven

(For seniors daily until 4 p.m.)

• Atwater Senior Center at 26 Atwater Street
• Dixwell/Newhallville Senior Center at 255 Goffe Street
• East Shore Senior Center at 411 Townsend Avenue

(For general public)

• New Haven Free Public Library at 133 Elm Street, Mon.- Thurs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Fair Haven Branch Library at 182 Grand Avenue, Wed.- Thurs. 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Mitchell Branch Library at 37 Harrison Street, Wed.- Thurs. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Stetson Branch Library at 200 Dixwell Avenue, Wed. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Courtland Seymour Wilson Branch Library at 303 Washington Avenue, Wed.- Thurs. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New London

• Senior Citizen Center at 120 Broad Street, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily

North Haven

Simsbury

• Simsbury Public Library (Lower Level Entrance) Wed.- Thurs. 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Eno Memorial Hall (Senior Center) at 754 Hopmeadow Street, Wed.- Thurs. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

South Windsor

• South Windsor Community Center on Nevers Road, regular hours
• South Windsor Library on Sullivan Avenue, regular hours

Stamford

• Building One Community at 75 Selleck Street, Mon.- Sat. 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Chester Addison Community Center at 245 Selleck Street, Mon.- Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sat. 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Jewish Community Center at 1035 Newfield Avenue (bring photo ID), Mon.-Thurs. 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat.- Sun. 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Stamford Government Center at 888 Washington Boulevard (1st Floor lobby), until 9 p.m. daily.

Torrington

• Torrington City Hall Auditorium at 140 Main Street, Wed.- Fri. & Monday 8 a.m to 8 p.m.
• Sullivan Senior Center at 88 East Albert Street, Wed.- Fri. & Monday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Joseph House at 116 Water Street, Wed.- Fri. & Monday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Coe Memorial Park Center at 101 Litchfield Street, Sat. - Sun. 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday’s stifling heat did not stop Community Renewal Team’s Meals on Wheels drivers, like Betty Woods, from making sure their clients are prepared for the weekend.

Woods said with 35 stops, beating the heat is a challenge.

“The trucks are air conditioned. They provide us with water. We have water in our trucks and we take breaks.”

Woods was not worried about herself but the seniors she has been delivering meals to for a few years.

“On a week like this when it’s going to be very hot every day, gotta make sure they’re comfortable for more than just a day.”

The Community Renewal Team said while its drivers delivered 5,000 meals on Friday, they also did wellness checks ahead of this weekend’s scorching temperatures.

“We’re not allowed to leave the meals on doorsteps, bags or anything or coolers,” explained Gladys Rivera, the program manager for Meals on Wheels. “They are responsible for making sure that the client opens the door or caretaker opens the door, family member and that they hand deliver the meal and make sure that the client is doing well.”

Something Woods said is a vital part of her job.

“Make sure that they have water, fluids, fan is running or the ac is running.”

Woods said if she has concerns about a client, she will report those to the program manager who will reach out to a family member.

“It’s not just food that you’re delivering. You’re delivering comfort you’re delivering security. It’s a good relationship. I really enjoy the people I deliver to.”

Thousands of people in Connecticut don’t have the choice but to work outside, even as temperatures approach triple digits.

It’s not hard to find them.

Along the Long Island Sound in New Haven, food trucks line the road adjacent to Interstate 91, and the heat inside those trucks on a warm day is already tough to bear.

“It’s 89 to 90 in here,” said Jose Santos, who was working inside the Tacos Mexico! truck.

He said he expects the temperature inside the truck to climb to 120 degrees by the time Saturday afternoon arrives. He said the truck will be incredibly uncomfortable if that happens.

“We need to be careful,” Santos said. “What we’ll do is wet some towels, put in the freezer and put it on your head and continue, still working.”

In Cromwell, firefighters were outside their fire house on Friday afternoon, and they were using a hydrant, but it wasn’t to spray water on a blaze.

Instead, in the blazing heat, they were raining water upon a group of about a hundred children at a day camp.

“Honestly, when I was younger, I wished the firefighters came out and laid out the hose,” said Frank Marotta, who was manning the hose, making sure the most kids had the chance to get some relief from the sun. “Nothing better to cool off with, you know?”

Those firefighters used this interaction with the kids as a way to make sure they know what to do avoid heat related illnesses.

“Getting overheated in the summer is one of the worst things that could happen. Especially with younger kids and smaller bodies. They can’t handle much exertion, getting them cool, telling them to keep hydrated, running around, I mean I’m getting hot just doing it,” he said.

The nation's top spy has created a new job to coordinate the U.S. response to election security threats, NBC News reports.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats announced Friday he has established the position of intelligence community election threats executive — and appointed a career official, Shelby Pierson, to serve in this new role.

Pierson will serve as the agency's principal adviser on threats to elections and matters related to election security, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement. She will coordinate and integrate all election security activities, initiatives and programs across spy agencies and synchronize intelligence efforts in support of the broader U.S. government, the statement said.

Coats also directed the FBI, the CIA and other spy agencies to name a single lead for election security for each agency.

Do you have REAL ID? The answer for about 1.2 million people in Connecticut is no, but come October 2020, you’ll want to have it or else you can’t fly domestically or enter federal buildings.

“We were very proactive in understanding how long this was going to take,” Sibongile Magubane, Connecticut’s DMV commissioner said.

Magubane says since Connecticut started issuing REAL ID verified licenses in 2011, about 47 percent of Connecticut residents have gotten them.

So how do you know if you have REAL ID? Look for the gold star on your license.

“Now we’re going to really put the pedal to the metal to get the information out a year before it’s actually due,” Magubane said.

The DMV issues around 160,000 licenses a year. There are more than seven times that many licenses that need to become verified by October 2020.

“As we prepare we will see what staffing we need, we also have 12 partner locations that include AAA,” Magubane said.

“We’re hearing from the TSA is if you do not have a compliant ID will not be able to fly,” Kevin Dillon, Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority said.

Dillon says passengers would have to bring other documents like a passport or birth certificate in order to fly.

A document hassle that new REAL ID carriers like Jonathan Mack are glad to learn they no longer have to face.

“I feel good that I don’t have to go through that,” Mack said.

For a list of the documents needed to obtain a REAL ID, you can head to the DMV’s website at ct.gov/dmv. 

A limited-edition pop-up sneaker sale in Lower Manhattan Thursday that erupted in chaos prompted police to shut down the event.

Video from Citizen App showed a multitude of hundreds of people standing in line in hopes of getting their hands on a pair of the AriZona Iced Tea-themed Adidas sneakers.

The shoes, which featured designs similar to the renown cans from AriZona beverages, including the cherry blossoms motif, were selling for a mere 99 cents.

Such was the excitement and demand for the sneakers that two people were allegedly assaulted while waiting in line, according to police. That’s when the promotion was called off.

The canceled event prompted AriZona to issue a statement: “Thanks to our loyal fans that came out to support our partnership with Adidas. Due to overwhelming demand and safety concerns, the NYPD shutdown our pop-up. We sincerely apologize to all our fans that waited in line. We are actively working to remedy the situation."

Police are investigating after they arrested a juvenile in connection with a robbery in Avon Thursday night.

Officers responded to Countryside Park at 335 Huckleberry Hill Rd. for a reported armed robbery. Police only located the robbery victim, who was uninjured, at the scene.

Shortly after, police found the suspect's vehicle and arrested the driver, who was a juvenile.

The car and several electronic devices were seized as evidence. Police are in the process of obtaining search warrants for those items, according to police.

The juvenile was issued a summons for first degree robbery and first degree conspiracy to commit robbery, according to police.

Police said it was an isolated incident.

A dog struck by two cars on the Merritt Parkway is on the mend after surgery to amputate a shattered leg, and Woodbridge Animal Control is looking for donations to help with her medical expenses.

According to Woodbridge Municipal Animal Control, a Department of Transportation worker witnessed the dog, now known as Merritt, being struck by two SUVs on July 15.

Woodbridge Animal Control responded to pick Merritt up and discovered she was “chewed to pieces,” with chew marks and scars up her legs, across her chest and up onto her head. Officers believe she may have been used as a bait dog.

Merritt was rushed to the veterinarian where a surgeon determined the damage to one of her legs was so bad, they opted to amputate it.

The surgery was successful and Merritt is currently being fostered by an animal control officer. She has racked up $5,000 in medical bills, and will still need therapy to learn how to live without her leg.

Animal Control is looking to identify the person who abandoned Merritt. Anyone who recognizes Merritt should contact them at woodbridgeanimalcontrol@gmail.com.

Those interested in donating to Merritt’s care can contact Woodbridge Animal Control or mail checks to ONE BIG DOG, 135 Bradley Road, Woodbridge CT 06525.

An increasing number of women are using cannabis before becoming pregnant, as well as early in the pregnancy, according to a new study published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open.

The findings, from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, are based on reports from 276,991 women living in California before recreational marijuana was legalized in that state. The women were asked about their cannabis use at their first prenatal visit, NBC News reports.

The data showed that prevalence of women who reported using marijuana during the year before pregnancy grew from 6.8 percent in 2009 to 12.5 percent in 2017. The number of women who said they used marijuana while pregnant was much smaller; however, that prevalence also increased from 1.9 percent in 2009 to 3.4 percent in 2017.

But there's no evidence that cannabis is safe for pregnant women.

"No amount of cannabis use has been shown to be safe during pregnancy," said Kelly Young-Wolff, lead author of the new report and a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente Northern California. "We do know that cannabis crosses the placenta and reaches the fetus."

The blazing sun is weighing heavy on both adults and kids.

Plenty of families are hitting the water to try and beat the scorching temperatures and high humidity this weekend.

Overexertion is a concern for many families who visit the Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park.

The water destination has more than 27 acres of water and offers dozens of activities like ziplining, and blow-up water slides.

The heat tends to take away from the non-stop fun.

Rachel Charles has two children and says safety comes first.

"If anyone gets tired, we always tell them to come in and take a rest,” said Charles. “I’m always looking for ways to keep my kids safe.”

Charles says it’s all about finding a balance.

"This is the best place to be in the summer and in the hot water because they're in the water all the time,” said Charles.

Dozens of camps are stopping by the park to enjoy all the fun like Middlebury Parks and Recreation.

“We meet up a couple of times during the day,” said Debbie Boesell. “We’re also making sure our campers are drinking the water that they brought with them.”

Sean Hayes is the CEO of Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park and offered a few tips to beat the heat.

"Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate, no soda, we always try to stay away from the sodas,” said Hayes. “We suggest, stay in the water, stay out of the heat.”

Lake Compounce is another premier destination for families.

Margaret Kazmierczak decided to take a trip to the park and battled the sun throughout the day.

“As soon as we got here, it was super-hot,” said Kazmierczak. “Sometimes it is difficult to wait out in the heat when there’s no shade to try and get on a ride.”

Kazmierczak says she likes to take advantage of Lake Compounce’s free water fountains.

“We like to prepare our water before we get in line,” said Kazmierczak. “We like to fill up before any of us start to feel light-headed.”

Whether people are enjoying the water park or the theme park, Compouce wants to ensure everyone is protected against heat exhaustion and dehydration.

Jerry Brick is the general manager at Lake Compounce’s and says preventative measures are in place for those who feel like the heat is just too much.

“We have sprinkles that we will set up in the mean part of the park,” said Brick. “Our visitors always have the option to walk through them and cool down.”

Sky Avila also decided to visit Lake Compounce with his family.

Avila makes sure to carry around a jug of water and makes sure his kids are constantly taking sips.

“We like to make sure everyone has liquids in their system to avoid any dehydration,” said Avila. “We always encourage everyone to pay attention to their bodies and if they feel dizzy to take a break from the fun.”

Lake Compounce has seven water filling stations for families.

Summertime means fun, sun and lots of outdoor activities. But higher temperatures also mean higher risks of heatstroke and dehydration for our furry companions.

Dr. Ian Kupkee, a veterinarian at Sabal Chase Animal Clinic in Kendall, Florida, sees about a half dozen pets that suffer from heatstroke each summer. He says pets that are left in hot cars, garages or even screened porches are susceptible to heatstroke. 

“Pets who are left in hot cars are the victims who usually make the most dramatic headlines, but the cases we see are usually the ones where pet owners are caught unaware,” Kupkee said, adding that home garages can easily reach temperatures in the mid-90s during the day.

“Unless the garage is air-conditioned, this is not a safe place for a pet,” he said. “The same goes for screened porches. They are simply too hot.”

When it comes to protecting your furry friend from the sweltering heat, there are a number of steps pet owners can take. Here are some tips to prevent heat exhaustion and keep your pet cool.

Take your pet for walks during the cooler hours of the day
According to Dr. Kupkee, walks and intense playtimes should happen early in the morning or after sunset.

Check the temperature of the pavement
If the concrete is too hot for your hands, it’s also too hot for your dog's paws, Dr. Kupkee says. As a precaution, place water on the pads of your dog’s feet when going for walks in the early morning or late evening.

Keep a kiddie pool in the backyard
Filling a kiddie pool with a few inches of water can help keep your pet cool while they are playing outside.

Apply sunscreen
Believe it or not, pets get sunburns too, especially those with short or light hair coat. Apply sunblock on your dog's nose, ears, bellie and anywhere else on their bodies where there is less hair. Ask your vet about products suitable for your pet.

Know the risk factors
Pugs, English bulldogs, Shih-Tzus and other “smush-faced” breeds -- also known as Brachycephalic pets -- are at high risk of heatstroke, according to Dr. Kupkee. The throats and breathing passages of these animals are flatter and smaller, making it more difficult for them to inhale oxygen. Cats in this category include Persian, Burmese and Himalayan felines. If your pet falls under the Brachycephalic category, take extra precautions to make sure they stay cool.

Smaller dogs -- like Dachshunds and toy breeds -- are also a common victim of heatstroke, Dr. Kupkee says. These short legged dogs tend to be closer to the ground and will feel the heat of the pavement 10-40 degrees higher than the ambient temperature.

Take extra precautions for pets with health issues
Overweight, obese or elderly dogs are less able to handle the heat than other dogs, Dr. Kupkee says. Dogs who suffer from heart problems are also at risk.

Carry enough water for you and your pet
Hydrate your pet often during the summer months and when you’re out for walks or playtime.

Be aware of the signs and symptoms
Panting excessively is a common symptom of heat exhaustion. Other symptoms include dizziness, weakness, seizures, lethargy or diarrhea. If your pet is suffering from heat exhaustion, their gums and tongue may also appear to be bright red. Take your pet to the veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic if they show any of these signs or symptoms.