Waterbury police are investigating an untimely death on Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury.

No additional information was immediately available.

More troubling video of workers at a New Jersey Montessori school has surfaced after an NBC 4 New York report showing cellphone video of an aide aggressively handling a 23-month-old girl led to the firing of three teachers and two school officials. 

The new video, taken by another witness after NBC 4 New York's exclusive report Wednesday, shows an employee at the Apple Montessori School in Hoboken grabbing a crying child by her feet and holding onto them while she yells, "Stop. Stop it right now." 

She then yanks the small child up, swings her over the fence by her arms and marches the wailing girl back into the building, nearly dragging her by the arm.

After being shown the new video by NBC 4 New York Thursday, a spokeswoman for the school confirmed the woman was one of the five employees who were fired but had no further comment on the video, which was taken May 13.

The person who shot the video told NBC 4 New York she had observed workers getting increasingly rough with the kids over a period of time. She was cleaning a window in an apartment above the play area when she filmed the incident on May 13, intending to show it to her mother and ask for her opinion. 

The tipster, who asked to remain anonymous, said she never showed it to the school because she had no ties to the school and didn't know how to approach anyone with the video. 

On Wednesday, another woman with a similar vantage point in the building, shared her own cellphone video of a teacher's aide at the school grabbing a 23-month-old girl and roughly attempting to put a hat on her had. Clearly exasperated, the woman aggressively picks up the child and pushes her to the ground, finally leaving her lying there as other children play around her.

Apple Montessori said in a statement Thursday it was "deeply troubled by the behavior of the former staffer." The school said it didn't see that video, which was also shot in May, until Wednesday, and took immediate action to remove the aide from the classroom.

The director and assistant director of the Hoboken location, who had the video last week, also were fired "for their mishandling of this incredibly serious situation," the school said, along with a teacher and another teacher's aide who were present at the time the video was captured.

The child in the initial video is Brett Stenhouse's daughter. He saw the video for the first time when it was shown to him by NBC 4 New York, and was shaken but said the little girl is OK.

"It was really disturbing," said Stenhouse. "We're being told that there had been an incident. I didn't expect it to be as severe as it actually was."

Stenhouse also learned of the video Wednesday. He pulled his daughter from the school Thursday.

The person who shot that first video wrote to NBC 4 New York, saying she showed it to the school director last week and was told the teacher would be placed on working probation for 30 days, meaning she would be able to remain on site and working.

After that conversation, she feared the school wouldn't notify parents, so she posted the video on Facebook. A local parenting group reposted it, and parents of children outside the school were equally horrified, with some saying that they were sick to their stomachs.

The family that runs the Apple Montessori Schools sent a letter to parents Wednesday, saying in part, "We are outraged by the lack of care and concern this employee showed. We do not condone this type of behavior in any way, shape or form."

The school added that it runs background checks on employees. 

Kyle Lanphear used to send his children to Apple Montessori's location in Cliffside Park. He says he pulled his daughter out of the school when her teacher abruptly left and the teacher who replaced her "didn't even have a bachelor's degree."

"She wouldn't be able to work in any classroom in America, but she can teach my kindergartener," Lanphear said.

The I-Team has learned schools like Apple Montessori are not licensed child care centers. They are not subject to strict state regulations that require teachers to meet minimum standards, nor are they subject to laws requiring criminal background checks for all child care workers.

According to the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, the Apple Montessori schools are considered programs operated by private schools run solely for educational purposes. The agency says the school is only required to follow rules set by a board of directors.

"Should they be allowed to police themselves?" asked Cecilia Zalkind, executive director of Advocates for Children of New Jersey which works on state, local and federal levels to implement changes to benefit children in the Garden State. "If a program is licensed they are under the authority of the state DCF. There should be reporting to parents when something happens."

Apple Montessori said in a statement it was implementing new safety measures to ensure "this type of incident doesn't happen again."

As for the fact that it's not a licensed day care, a spokesperson said only: "We are run like a school."

Students were evacuated from Naugatuck High School after the smell of natural gas was detected in the building and they have been sent home.

The smell was reported at 12:30 p.m. and students were directed out of the building to a safe location on school property while the odor was checked by the Naugatuck Fire Department and the utilities.

Police said there was a propane leak connected with renovation at the school and students have been released for the day.

Buses are transporting students.
 

Police have issued a Silver Alert for a missing 89-year-old North Stonington woman.

Elizabeth Buffum was last seen on Thursday and is believed to be driving a tan 2004 Subaru Forester with Connecticut license plate 556032.

Buffum's grandson reported her missing around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and said she had gone to the bank.

Buffum has gray hair and hazel eyes, stands 5-feet tall and weighs 110 pounds.

When she was last seen, she was wearing a green sweater over a floral print shirt and pants, which are possibly tan.

Anyone with information on where Buffum is should call State Police Troop E at 860-848-6500.
 

Firefighters rescued a dog after an overheated power strip caused a fire at 691 East Middle Turnpike in Manchester on Friday morning.

Drivers who were passing by the home called 911 at 10 a.m., and firefighters arrived within four minutes to find heavy smoke coming from the second floor and fire from one bedroom window.

Manchester fire chief David Billings said the family wasn't home at the time and firefighters determined that the fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom.

The dog crews rescued was covered in soot, but Manchester Animal Control provided immediate care and the pet was taken to a veterinarian's office as a precaution.

The fire was under control as of 10:12 p.m.

Three adults and three children have been displaced.

A Milford police officer saved a driver who went off the road and hit a gas pump on Saturday.

Police said Officer Sean Degnan responded to a crash at 190 Woodmont Road around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday and found that the driver had gone off the road and hit a parked vehicle, then a gas pump.

The driver was unresponsive and Officer Degnan removed the person from the vehicle and performed CPR, which police said was instrumental in reviving the operator.

The driver and the passenger were treated for injuries at the scene and transported to a local hospital.

The Milford Police Department has recognized Officer Degnan for his heroic efforts.
 

Hartford police arrested a group of teens accused of firing gunshots at a group of people from a passing car.

A police officer on a motor vehicle enforcement detail stopped a tan Nissan Maxima on Vine Street that was speeding and went through a stop sign at Mather and Magnolia streets on Tuesday and learned that it was involved in a drive-by shooting, police said.

Police said Riyin Prude-Fuentes, 19, of Newington, was driving and four boys between 14 and 16 were in the car.

As police were checking on DMV documentation, Hartford dispatchers broadcast that shots had been fired at a group of people standing in front of 500 Albany Avenue from a tan Nissan Maxima with a vertical sun roof.

Believing the car stopped was the one involved in the shooting incident, police called for backup, removed people from the car and a .22 caliber spent shell casing fell from the lap of the a teen sitting in the back passenger side, police said.

As officers searched the vehicle, they found a Ruger .22-caliber rifle with the barrel and stock sawed off in a back pack stuffed beneath the front passenger seat.

Police transported all four juveniles to the Shooting Task Force field office and their parents were notified.

Police said they determined that the juvenile passenger fired shots from the car at a group of people in the area of Albany Avenue and Bedford Street.

When police searched the area, they found no victims.

Prude-Fuentes was arrested and charged with reckless driving, weapon in motor vehicle and first-degree conspiracy to commit assault.

The three juveniles were transported to the Hartford Police Detention facility for booking and processing.

A 15-year-old Hartford boy was charged with weapon in motor vehicle, first-degree criminal attempt assault, first-degree conspiracy assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm and first-degree reckless endangerment.

A 16-year-old Hartford boy was charged with weapon in motor vehicle, a 14-year-old Windsor boy was charged with weapon in motor vehicle and an 14-year-old Hartford boy was charged with weapon in motor vehicle.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has halted production and will temporarily close its shops, after listeria was found once again in its production facility.

The ice cream company said it stopped production earlier this week and began investigating where the listeria came from and how it re-entered the facility.

Jeni’s CEO John Lowe said the company has a theory that is being tested, but it’s not clear when production will resume.

“Since resuming production in our kitchen on May 13, 2015, we have been testing every batch of ice cream we have made and holding it until we learned that the testing did not detect any Listeria,” Lowe said in a statement. “So it is with complete confidence that I can say all of the ice cream that has been served in our shops since reopening on May 22 has been safe and is 100% Listeria-free.”

The company said it plans to temporarily close its shops “because we don’t have enough ice cream to keep them stocked.” It’s not clear when stores will reopen.

“While we would most certainly prefer that Listeria never enter our facility, we do take solace in the fact that our protocols and testing have worked: we found the Listeria before it got into ice cream we served,” Lowe said.

Jeni’s closed all stores and recalled all retail products in April after listeria was discovered in some pints and later in the factory. The company later said the source of the listeria was traced to a spout on its pint-filling machine at the Ohio production facility.

The ice cream shops reopened Memorial Day weekend with their signature “Salty Caramel” ice cream and other flavors, but some of the usual flavors weren’t immediately available as the ice cream makers had to start from scratch.
 

When the Great Harvest Bread Company in Manchester burned down in 2013, the owners weren’t sure they would rebuild. They had just paid off the loan on a franchise they'd been operating for a decade.
If the lines on opening day on Friday at the new location on Talcottville Road in Vernon were any indication, they made the right decision to reopen.

“We’ve been waiting for them to open. We love their bread," said Karen Aspinwall, of Manchester, who brought three generations to the bakery for opening day. “We’re breaking her in early on the Great Harvest bread,” she said, pointing to her granddaughter in a stroller.

It was encouragement from their customers that attracted Jean and Dale Roberts to the idea of reopening in the first place.

“We’re very excited and happy to be here,” Jean said, fighting back tears as she saw the line of customers.

While it would mean starting from scratch, at least they knew they wouldn’t have to build the customer side of their business back up, as their contractors pointed out.

“They said that people were knocking on the door, banging on the door. ‘When are they gonna get going again?’,” recalled Jean.

Robert Goric, of Ellington, was one of those customers.

“I have been waiting for this store to open since the fire. We are long-time customers,” Goric said.

On day one, new customers were coming in the door as well.

“I’ve been driving by, seeing the sign here that says that this store is coming, so I’ve been very curious to learn about the bread,” Larry St. John, of South Windsor, said.

“It really feels good. A lot of our favorite friends that have been true customers for 10 years, they’re back, and a lot of new customers,” Jean said.

Known for their freshly milled wheat, with a new store come new menu items, like sandwiches, and old favorites they hope to be serving up for generations to come.

The new location is at 425 Talcottville Road in Vernon.

A Massachusetts woman, who suffered injuries after being struck in the head with a broken bat at Fenway Park, has been released from the hospital, according to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The hospital says Tonya Carpenter, 44, remains in good condition and has been transferred to a rehabilitation center.

"Ms. Carpenter's recovery so far has been excellent. She's getting stronger every day, and we've seen tremendous progress. We're confident she's ready to move forward with the next phase of her care," says Dr. Efstathios Papavassiliou of the BIDMC neurosurgery department.

Carpenter, of Paxton, suffered what authorities initially thought were life-threatening injuries during the June 5 game between the Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics. She was struck in the head in the second inning when Oakland third baseman Brett Lawrie's bat broke and flew into the seats along the third-base line.

Lawrie sent her a note and flowers in the hospital. The same flowers appeared to have accompanied her to the rehab.

The hospital has noted that Tonya and her family have asked for privacy and will not be commenting.

Carpenter works as an office manager and executive assistant.  A GoFundMe page has been established for Tonya as she recovers and expenses pile up. Click here to make a donation. 

Organizers say they've received donations from Red Sox fans, Yankee fans, witnesses at the game and from overseas.

Major League Baseball is reviewing fan safety at stadiums.

February was the coldest month on record in the Hartford area in 110 years.

Meteorological spring, defined as the 3-month period from March to May, was 11th driest on record with only 7.39 inches of rain (or liquid equivalent from snow).

So, how is the strawberry crop doing?

Put simply, very well. “This is the best season in 30 years,” screamed a customer picking berries as the NBC Connecticut car pulled into the dusty pick-your-own field in Middlefield.

Lyman Orchards is a hot spot for eager berry pickers in search of the plump, red berries this time of year.

According to Lyman Orchard’s “pick your own” calendar, strawberries are in-season from early June through early July. Peak season is occurring right now.

Though this year has been filled with weather extremes, John Lyman III says the cold of this past winter actually benefited the crop.

“One of the things that was kind of unique, in a way, it was a sustained cold. Once it turned cold in at the end of January, it stayed right through February. That’s okay, because the plants acclimate themselves to the climate. It’s the ups and down that create probably more stress on the plants and the trees.”

Lyman III serves as executive vice president of Lyman Orchards and has been part of the operation since 1980. He says this year’s crop is one of the nicest, following a challenging year in 2014, even though it’s been dry this spring.

“There are things that you can and can’t control with the weather, and what we’re finding out, is that if you can control the moisture through irrigation, it’s probably worth the investment to do so.”

Going forward, the summer months of June, July and August are forecast to have equal chances of above or below precipitation by government meteorologists. In the temperature department, equal chances also exist for above or below average temperatures.

Should it turn out dry, Lyman Orchards is ready with a network of weather stations and irrigation systems.

“In the last say 5 or 6 years, we’ve developed a network of these weather stations and they go into Cornell. They have a system using and tracking all of the data to give you predictions on pests, measure for diseases, the amount of time it was wet, the temperature, to give you some predictive models on that,” says Lyman III.

Sam Manzo from Southington says the berries are very sweet. “There are a lot of them. I’ve only been picking not even 15 minutes, and I’ve picked half a tray.”

As for the difference between store-bought berries and pick-your-own, the Dillon family thinks the benefits are worth it.

Grandma Dillon, who’s picked her own berries for over 30 years, was joined by her daughters and grandkids enjoying some family time together while filling their baskets. To those who’ve never ventured out to pick their own, she says “I think they’re losing out, missing out. These are the best, nice and fresh.”

Pick-your-own strawberries are available through the rest of the month at Lyman Orchards. You can check the latest picking conditions by clicking here.

Isolated showers cross the state tonight, in advance of a cold front that comes through early tomorrow. Temperatures will be fairly mild, in the upper-60s with humidity.

There is no severe weather in the state, but it has been firing to the west in New York, where a tornado watch was in effect until 11 p.m.

Scattered showers and perhaps thunder may linger overnight between midnight and 6 a.m., but strong storms are not expected.

Saturday looks like a really nice day, with increasing sunshine. Temperatures will be in the 80s with a light breeze.

[[273570711,C]]

The Rascal Flatts Riot Tour 2015 pulls into the XFINITY Theatre on Sunday, and the weather will cooperate. Mostly sunny skies and comfortable dew points will make for a great finish to the weekend.

High clouds will filter the sunshine, especially late, on Sunday.

An abundance of clouds on Monday will produce scattered showers. A period of steady rain is even possible, and it will be cool with temperatures barely cracking 70 degrees.

Some showers will linger into Tuesday, especially in the morning hours. Temperatures will surge back into the 80s.

Wednesday looks marvelous with lots of sun, puffy clouds and temperatures near 80 degrees.

Stay with the NBC Connecticut First Alert weather team for the very latest forecast on-air, online and on the app.

Milford police said the person who made a threat against West Shore Middle School, prompting officials to close school on Wednesday, has been located, is from another state and criminal charges are pending. 

On Tuesday night, school officials notified parents about a "low-level threat" and the decision to close West Shore Middle School on Wednesday as a precaution. 

In addition to the school closure, police also added security at other Milford schools on Wednesday.

According to a news release from police on Friday, a person from another state used an acquaintance's user name and password information to access a social media account and "allegedly distributed threatening messages to students of the West Shore School community."

The person was located at his home, according to police, who said criminal charges are pending.

Parents said the threat was made on Instagram, but police have only said it was made through social media.

A child and bus driver hospitalized after an ambulance rear-ended a bus of magnet school students in Hartford on Friday afternoon, according to David Medina, spokesperson for Hartford Public Schools.

An ambulance struck the back of a school bus at about 3:30 p.m. on Friday near the intersection of Main and Wethersfield streets in Hartford.

The bus was transporting 16 children from the Break Through 2 Magnet School at the time.

A child who was sitting in the back of the bus at the time of impact and bus driver were taken to an area hospital for treatment after complaining they were in pain.

The school principal and school administrator responded immediately to the scene to attend to the other 15 students.

Most of the children were picked up by their parents at the site of the crash. Any children whose parents couldn't come get them were put on another bus and taken home.

It was an emotional homecoming memorial for a fallen Marine from Southern California killed on a disaster relief mission in Nepal last month, as hundreds of people filled a minor league baseball stadium to remember him.

Draped in an American flag, Sgt. Eric Seaman's casket was carried by uniformed fellow Marines onto The Diamond in Lake Elsinore, where the Lake Elsinore Storm play. His wife, Samantha Seaman, told the mourners, and Eric, that she couldn't believe he chose her to be his wife.

"I'm incredibly thankful you allowed me to be your wife, your best friend and most importantly, that you allowed me to be the mother of our two beautiful children," she said, choking up.

Seaman, 30, was among six Marines killed in a helicopter crash last month on a rescue and relief mission he volunteered for. He joined the military instead of pursuing a dream of playing football, so it was fitting that Seaman would return to an athletic field in Lake Elsinore.

Samantha Seaman arrived at the field wearing her husband's letterman jacket from Elsinore High School, where he was a football star. She was accompanied by their children, Roman and Riley.

"He was as tough as nails, confident, he walked tall and commanded respect from all of his peers, even in high school," brother-in-law Brad Case said.

His death affected many in the community where he grow up, with some residents at the memorial offering thanks to him and his family, others saying his children would be watched over.

"I think he kind of symbolizes the good that we all think the military stands for," State Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez said.

The Storm created a permanent memorial for Seaman at the stadium's front entrance.
 

Two Jewett City residents were hospitalized late Thursday night after a large pit bull bit them in their home, state police said.

State police responded to 12 Ash Street in Jewett City just after 10 p.m. on Thursday after the dog bit resident Shea Cavacini multiple times on both of her forearms, according to Sgt. Shane Hassett, spokesman for the state police. Another resident named Harold Illingsworth was also bitten on thigh, according to state police.

Responding troopers put tourniquets around Cavacini's arms to stop the bleeding, according to state police

Both residents were transported to William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.

Cavacini was later flown by helicopter to Hartford Hospital to get further treatment.

Fairfield police are warning residents about people who may be impersonating water company employees.

There have been incidents in town involving men knocking on residents' doors, posing as employees of the water company and asking to come inside to check faucets and water pressure, police said. Those people create a diversion while another person enters the home to look for valuables to steal, police said.

Fairfield police advise residents to ask for identification before letting anyone into their homes, call Aquarian to confirm they sent an employee to their house and notify Fairfield police by calling 203-254-4800.

The funeral for two children found dead in their East Haven home last week will be held next Tuesday.

Police found the bodies of 6-year-old Aleisha and 7-year-old Daaron Moore in their home and discovered gas in the air. Their mother has been charged with their murders and is suspected of poisoning them.

Police charged LeRoya Moore, 36, of Strong Street in East Haven, with two counts of murder and three counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree in connection with the deaths of her children.

Services will be held for the children on June 16 at Varick Memorial AME Zion Church at 246 Dixwell Ave., New Haven and there will be visitation from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by a funeral service, according to B.C. Bailey Funeral and Cremation Services.

Police found the children's bodies when they responded to a 911 call reporting a medical emergency on Tuesday, June.

One of LeRoya's friends called police after receiving a letter sent from the mother, saying she planned on committing suicide, the caller told 911 dispatchers.

During a phone call with the friend, LeRoya said she'd cut herself and told the friend she couldn't come in the house because her children were lying down inside, according to the recorded calls. That's when the friend called 911.

Police were able to get LeRoya out of the house and noticed cuts on her wrists. Inside the home, police found an active gas leak before a disturbing scene. 

Both children, who were fully clothed and on top of a blanket on the floor, appeared to have been dead for "an extended period of time," according to police.

"Their bodies were bloated to the point the skin appeared to be split and an odor consistent with that of human decomposition filled the residence," police said in the affadavit.

Autopsies were performed on the children, but the exact cause of death is still pending toxicology results.

However, police found 46 bottles and boxes of medication, some of which were near the children, and believe the chidlren's death was the result of poisoning.

When police spoke with LeRoya Moore, she was despondent. When police asked where the children were located, she said, "I stabbed them, I released them" and nodded when asked if she hurt her children, according to the affidavit.

Police obtained a search and seizure warrant on June 2 to search the Moore home andfound a typed document on the ground near the children's feet.

"I don't know the reason why, but we were meant to die today," the letter signed by Moore said, "they should not be left to burden anyone because I am the only one who could love them like a mother. Not an institution or a social woker."

She added that she let them have fun right before the end, according to court documents.

"My older kids escaped the same fate because I was too depressed to move to make it happen," the letter went on to say.

The Department of Children and Families has been investigating Moore since 1997 and DCF had removed the three oldest of her five children from the home by DCF, according to the arrest warrant.

However, Aleisha and Daaron were left with their mother.

The children's father, Michael Moore, of Bridgeport, spoke with NBC Connecticut last Thursday and said his children were always smiling when they were with him.

"I always promised to do right by them and that 'Daddy wanted to make you smile one more time before you're home,' " Moore said, tearing up about the tragedy.

Moore was placed on a $2 million bond and was arraigned on Wednesday afternoon. She has been placed on mental health watch and her next court date is June 23.

Outside of the children's Strong Street home, neighbors have been stopping by and dropping off teddy bears and balloons as the community mourns.

More information on the services for Aleisha and Daaron is available on www.bcbailey.com.

The state's Department of Children and Families is investigating after a 5-year-old broke her arm during recess at a Bridgeport school and the mother claimed she wasn't promptly notified, according to Bridgeport Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz.

The incident happened June 4 at Jettie S. Tisdale School.

The girl came inside from the playground at 2:04 p.m., was in the school nurse's office by 2:31 p.m. and was picked up by her grandmother at 2:53 p.m., according to Rabinowitz.

The Connecticut Post reported that the girl waited in class with an ice pack after going to the nurse as she waited for her grandmother to pick her up and that it wasn't until she got home that the mother said she found out her daughter broke her arm.

No further information was immediately available.

A Virginia family of six took in a family of 13 after a fire made their home uninhabitable last week.

The Muhanyis’ Fairfax, Virginia, home was damaged by fire and smoke.

“I screamed a lot, ‘It’s a fire, fire, fire … get out, get out!’” said Alphonsine Bitorw.

Her quick actions woke her husband and their 11 kids. The electrical fire left their belongings charred but spared their lives. The family was renting the home and did not have renter’s insurance.

“I thank God everybody got out of the house and everybody’s safe,” said the couple’s eldest son, 19-year-old Raymond Muhanyi.

But it’s a struggle for their father, Pastory Muhanyi, to stay hopeful.

“I try to be positive, but I’m going through a very difficult time right now,” he said.

But that difficult time is being filled with the generosity of others.

“In the middle of their tragedy, there is joy …,” Mitzi Carlin said.

A Marine Corps family living in Annandale, Virginia, Mitzi and her husband, Curtis, are proud of their dedication to God and country.

The Carlins have four kids. Their youngest, Nick, goes to the same school as some of the Muhanyi kids, but that’s about all they knew of each other. St. Ambrose Catholic School principal Barbara Dalmut told the community about the Muhanyis’ struggles.

"Our real goal is for them to have a vehicle that the whole family can get together and be transported,” Dalmut said.

The Carlins offered more than that.

“I didn’t really talk to my wife at that point … and I just said, ‘We got room! Why don’t you come over and look? And if you feel comfortable, we’d love to have you in our house,’” Curtis Carlin said.

That means a bigger carpool and a much fuller house.

“I guess I wasn’t thinking with my head,” Mitzi said. “I was thinking with my heart.”

Pastory Muhanyi said he’s “really thankful, really thankful.”

Ad for Curtis life at home is not all that different from his many deployments with the Marines.

“The one thing that I do know is that we never leave anybody behind on the battlefield,” he said. “Marines take care of their own. What I’ve learned in those 22 years isn’t different when I’m here and in my community and in my church. We take care of our own.”

If you want to help the family out, friends have set up an online fund.