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Community comes together to remember the missing Virigina mother whose husband is accused of killing her | CNN

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Community comes together to remember the missing Virigina mother whose husband is accused of killing her | CNN




CNN
 — 

The Northern Virginia community that rallied to raise awareness and demand answers when a 28-year-old woman was reported missing earlier this month is now coming together to remember the young mother, while her husband faces charges in connection with her disappearance.

Narash Bhatt is expected in court Monday for a bond hearing as he faces accusations that he killed his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, inside of their home and dragged her body outside in late July. Bhatt is facing a felony charge of concealment of a body, according to Manassas Park Police.

A preliminary criminal complaint obtained by CNN affiliate WJLA states, “on or about July 30, 2024, the accused, Naresh Bhatt, murdered his wife, Mamta Bhatt.”

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Police escorted Bhatt from the couple’s home in handcuffs Thursday morning, according to video from WJLA, a day after police said a search warrant was served at the residence.

A makeshift memorial filled with pictures, flowers and candles has continued to grow in front of the house since that day, WJLA reported.

Hundreds of friends, fellow nurses and community members gathered at Signal Hill Park Saturday to honor Kafle Bhatt, CNN affiliate WTOP reported. The park’s pavilion was soon filled with droves of people who came out to show their support, so organizers had to shift participants to a hill in the park.

“Mamta has a big, emotional family. We care about her. She is loved. And, also, we have a big responsibility to take care of Mini Mamta,” event co-organizer and former co-worker Sunita Basnet Thapa told WTOP.

Video shows authorities carrying an infant out of Bhatt’s home after they took him away.

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Virginia State Sen. Danica Roem joined the community Saturday to show support and acknowledged the women who “knew something was wrong immediately and really, really raised their voices consistently and persistently.”

After Kafle Bhatt was initially reported missing, friends and community members took to social media to raise awareness about her disappearance and share updates in the investigation. The Nepali American Community Center in Manassas said it established a line of communication with police to stay on top of updates in the case.

Friends of Kafle Bhatt also helped launch a GoFundMe to support search efforts.

Kafle Bhatt was seen on July 27 at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, where she worked as a registered nurse in the medical surgical unit. The next day, she spoke with a friend and July 31 was the last day her husband claimed to have seen her, according to police.

The health system said it is cooperating with investigators.

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“UVA Health is heartbroken to learn the devastating news that Mamta Kafle Bhatt is presumed deceased,” UVA Health Prince William Medical Center spokesperson Eric Swensen said in a statement to CNN on Friday. “First and foremost, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Mamta’s loved ones, friends and colleagues, and we grieve together with our community and all who knew Mamta.”

Kafle Bhatt’s colleagues requested a welfare check when she didn’t report for work, CNN affiliate WUSA reported. Bhatt initially declined to declare his wife missing when police conducted the welfare check on August 2, but did report her missing three days later, authorities said in a news release.

Bhatt, a former US Army Reserve automated logistics specialist, is now being held without bail, according to WJLA.

Some members of the community said they weren’t surprised to see Bhatt charged in connection with his wife’s disappearance.

A neighbor, Ivy Freedman, told CNN affiliate WUSA9, “The mother wouldn’t leave her baby. Definitely wouldn’t miss her first birthday.”

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Community members are making sure Kafle Bhatt’s young daughter isn’t being forgotten in the tragedy.

“The baby is innocent in any circumstances,” a community member, Adrian Pokharel, told WUSA9. “We got to protect her. That’s our baby. That’s our community baby. That’s the way I look at it.”

A GoFundMe launched to support a trust account for the child – whose care is being overseen by the Department of Social Services – has reached nearly $200,000 in donations.

Members of Kafle Bhatt’s family, who live in Nepal, have obtained visas and are in the process of the traveling to the United States to try to get emergency custody of the baby, Bandita Sharma Dhal, an immigration attorney working with the family, told CNN Friday.

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Annandale teen and grandmother killed in Christmas day crash

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Annandale teen and grandmother killed in Christmas day crash


A Fairfax County family is demanding justice, saying the driver who caused a crash that killed a grandmother and a high school student is out free while they’re grieving an unimaginable loss.

The Vu family, from Annandale, was at a holiday dinner on Christmas day, but on their drive home, Virginia State police say another driver rear-ended the Vu family’s van on the Beltway in Fairfax County.

Duy Cao was driving the van — her 75-year-old mother, Su Nguyen, and her 15-year-old daughter, Annie Vu, were killed.

The family said according to Virginia State police, the driver who hit them was going more than 100 miles per hour.

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“I don’t know how to, how to live,” Cao said, sitting alongside her husband An Vu, as the couple
gasped through their grief and recover from their own injuries.

There were six people in their van, and everyone was rushed to the emergency room, including their son, Annie’s brother, 12-year-old Andy.

“When he came out of it, his first question was, you know, ‘Where is Annie?’” said Kathie Vu, Annie’s godmother.

She says Annie’s brother was just released from the hospital four days ago and is struggling to cope with losing his sister and grandmother.

“My mom, the best. My mom, she came here, 11-years-old. She takes care of my children,” Cao said.

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Nguyen was a devout catholic who helped raise the kids while their parents worked. Annie was a bright student at Annandale High School, where the principal says grief counselors have been made available for students.

At the beginning of this school year, Annie introduced herself to her classmates in her AP Seminar class at Annandale High School. Her principal shared with News4 what she wrote about herself. She told her classmates to count on her to always be hard-working, respectful and collaborative. She talked about her family and how her grandmother taught her to speak some Vietnamese. She hoped to major in biology at the University of Virginia saying, “although I don’t know what to do in the healthcare field, I’m sure I want to help others.”

“The other day, I heard my brother-in-law say, ‘There will be no more Christmas now.’ They’re always going to come into this time of year thinking about what happened,” Kathie Vu said.

The Vu family is demanding answers about the man who hit their car. Virginia State Police have not released his name nor any charges. The Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney says reckless driving charges were filed, but News4 hasn’t been able to confirm that via court records.

While News4 has not been able to confirm if reckless driving charges have actually been filed against the driver who allegedly caused this deadly crash, the prosecutor’s office says it is waiting for the results of a toxicology test. Once those results are back, it could determine what charges the driver might face.

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The family says that misdemeanor charge isn’t enough, they want him tried for involuntary manslaughter.

“I want everybody to pray for my mother-in-law and for my daughter so they can, you know, in heaven,” An Vu said.



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Former Oklahoma Sooners DB transferring to West Virginia

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Former Oklahoma Sooners DB transferring to West Virginia


The Oklahoma Sooners are fully in the swing of transfer portal season in early January, as they’re making additions to the roster and seeing former players land at their new schools. The portal officially opened on January 2nd, and it will be open until January 16th.

One of the latest players to find his new school is former OU defensive back Maliek Hawkins, who has committed to West Virginia. Hawkins is the son of former Oklahoma defensive back Mike Hawkins Sr., who played for the Sooners in 2002 and then played multiple years in the NFL. He’s the younger brother of former OU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., who started five games in Norman over the last two seasons. Both Hawkins brothers are now headed to Morgantown, with the older Hawkins hoping to win the starting QB job, and the younger Hawkins hoping to crack the rotation at cornerback.

Hawkins was a member of Oklahoma’s 2025 recruiting class, signing with the Sooners as a three-star recruit. He played in just one game during his true freshman season, and now arrives at WVU as a package deal with his older brother.

Despite the Sooners expecting to return starters Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory at the CB spots in 2026, the portal exits of Hawkins, Devon Jordan, Gentry Williams, and Kendel Dolby have thinned the depth at that position. With Jacobe Johnson also expected to return, Oklahoma will be looking to add a key rotational cornerback or two in the transfer portal ahead of next year.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.





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Virginia state trooper injured in Beltway crash following pursuit

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Virginia state trooper injured in Beltway crash following pursuit


A Virginia State Police trooper was injured in a crash during a pursuit on Interstate 495 Sunday afternoon, according to the Virginia State Police. 

At 3:47 p.m., a trooper attempted to stop a Honda Accord for reckless driving on Interstate 495 westbound. The vehicle refused to stop, leading to a pursuit, a press release says. 

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The pursuit ended when the suspect’s vehicle exited at Van Dorn Street. The trooper terminated the pursuit to avoid a collision with another vehicle, resulting in the police vehicle going off the road and striking a tree.

Trooper’s condition and ongoing investigation

What we know:

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The trooper involved in the crash suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, according to the release. The injuries are not considered life-threatening.

The incident is still under investigation by Virginia State Police to determine the exact circumstances and any potential charges against the driver of the Honda Accord.

What we don’t know:

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The identity of the driver of the Honda Accord and whether they have been apprehended remains unknown at this time.

The Source: Information from a Virginia State Police press release.  

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