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California parents convicted of stabbing, decapitating 2 children and forcing other kids to see bodies

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California parents convicted of stabbing, decapitating 2 children and forcing other kids to see bodies

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A California mother and father were convicted on Tuesday of stabbing and decapitating their 13-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son, then forcing their two younger children to look at the bodies, authorities said.

Natalie Sumiko Brothwell, 48, and Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr., 39, were found guilty of murdering their 13-year-old daughter, Maliaka, and 12-year-old son, Maurice, inside the family’s Lancaster home on Nov. 29, 2020, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.

“This was a monstrous act of cruelty that shattered an entire family,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a news release on Tuesday. “Two innocent children were brutally murdered, and their young brothers were left to live through unimaginable horror.”

Firefighters discovered the bodies five days later while responding to a possible gas leak, FOX11 Los Angeles reported. Brothwell, Taylor, and the couple’s other two sons, then aged 8 and 9, were also inside the home.

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SUSPECTED CULT CREEPS PLEAD NOT GUILTY AFTER MOMS FOUND IN BURIED FREEZER

Natalie Sumiko Brothwell, 48, was convicted of two felony counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and two felony counts of child abuse on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (Pima County Sheriff’s Office)

Prosecutors said that after Brothwell and Taylor committed the murders, they forced the younger boys to view their siblings’ decapitated bodies and then confined them to their bedrooms without food for days.

Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr., 39, was convicted of two felony counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and two felony counts of child abuse on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (Youtube/ Law&Crime Network)

Prosecutors have not shared an update on the status of the two surviving siblings.

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CHEERLEADER ANNA KEPNER’S GRANDPA BREAKS SILENCE ON ‘NIGHTMARE’ CRUISE SHIP DEATH

Brothwell and Taylor were each convicted of two felony counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and two felony counts of child abuse.

The two are facing life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with a consecutive sentence of six years and four months. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman called the murders of the two children “a monstrous act of cruelty.”  (Mario Tama/Getty Images, File)

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“The jury’s verdict delivers justice for these victims and sends a powerful message: Those who commit such evil acts will be held fully accountable,” Hochman said.

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Oregon

Liu makes two! 2nd red panda joins Oregon Zoo family

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Liu makes two! 2nd red panda joins Oregon Zoo family


The Oregon Zoo has welcomed a second red panda to their ranks this month, as 6-year-old Liu gets settled in to the habitat.

Liu comes to Portland from the Toledo Zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for red pandas.

He arrived just weeks after Enoki, a female red panda, and caregivers will soon introduce the duo in the hopes that they may eventually help add to the population of the endangered species.

PAST COVERAGE | Enoki the red panda joins Oregon Zoo, ‘exploring, snacking & napping’ in new habitat

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For those coming to see the pandas, they should be easy to tell apart. Liu has a blonde tail, and Enoki is much smaller with a darker coat.

“He’s very handsome,” said Dr. Carlos Sanchez, the zoo’s director of animal health, who stopped by Liu’s habitat to observe, a red panda plushy tucked under one arm. “His tail is so blond — surfer blond.”

Liu was born on June 28, 2019 at Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn. His name means “willow” in Mandarin Chinese, a nod to his mother, whose name is also Willow.

Enoki is nearly three years old, and is of the refulgens subspecies of red panda, known for having darker faces and more prominent tail rings.

“These two represent a species in trouble,” said Kelly Gomez, who oversees the zoo’s red panda area. “In the past 25 years, habitat loss, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade have wiped out nearly half the world’s red panda population. Hopefully, we can help inspire a new chapter in the conservation of this incredible species.”

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The duo joins the Oregon Zoo family more than a year after the death of Moshu, the zoo’s previous resident red panda who was dubbed “Sir Snacks-a-Lot.” Moshu was 14 years old.

More info from the Oregon Zoo.



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Utah

4 Prospects the Utah Jazz Could Trade Up to Draft in the Second Round

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4 Prospects the Utah Jazz Could Trade Up to Draft in the Second Round


After landing Darryn Peterson at the top of Tuesday night’s first round, the Utah Jazz are heading into day two of the 2026 NBA Draft without a second round at their disposal.

However, with a front office like the one that’s in Utah, it’d be hard to truly count out the Jazz from making a trade throughout the night to jump into the second round, in the event there was a prospect the Ainges had a certain appeal for.

While most of the big names of this class have already been scooped up in the first 30 picks, there’s certainly a few both interesting and potentially valuable names to keep an eye on through the next 30.

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And for the Jazz, a few of them could fit their current lineup or some specific needs well enough that would make sense to get back on the clock once again.

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Let’s take a look at four prospects still left up for grabs on day two of the draft that could be a worthwhile pickup for the Jazz to consider trading up for.

Dillon Mitchell | F, St. Johns

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Mar 14, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John’s Red Storm forward Dillon Mitchell (1) with head coach Rick Pitino as he checks out of the game during the second half of the men’s Big East Conference Tournament Championship against the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

An athletic forward fresh off of a season under Rick Pitino at St. John’s, trading up to add another D-Mitchell to Utah’s draft history might not be the worst idea here.

Offensively, he won’t bring a ton to the table, as he only averaged 8.3 points a night during his senior season and shot a rough 6.7% from three. What he does do is check a ton of boxes in terms of size at 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, as well as his abilities as a defender, rebounder, and energy guy enough to warrant a look at the top half of the second round.

For the Jazz, perhaps they’d like to land on a more dynamic fit on both ends than Mitchell. But he sure would bring a nice spark on the defensive end that Utah could utilize after multiple lackluster years of production on that end of the floor.

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Richie Saunders | G, BYU

Jan 31, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; BYU Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) shoots against BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) during the first half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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A local product who spent four years with Brigham Young, Saunders might not fit exactly the type of mold on the defensive end that Utah could really covet here in the second round.

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However, he does project to be a pretty seamless connecting wing with solid NBA size standing at 6-foot-5, has a strong outside shooting ability with a 38.7% clip from deep from his career, and should be able to at least hold his own on the other end.

He’d be a nice fit in Will Hardy’s system, and have a solid pro career as role player in the wing.

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Trevon Brazile | F, Arkansas

Jan 6, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazil (2) reacts after scoring in the first half against the Auburn Tigers at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

If you’re looking for a lengthy, two-way impact player that could fit with the current standout size in this Jazz frontcourt, Brazile would be a perfect fit to bring in that would do just that.

He’s got great length standing at 6-foot-10, can be an ample shot blocker, is a threat at the rim who can finish well, stretches the floor, and on paper, looks like the type of piece in the frontcourt that many front offices around the league would love to get their hands on.

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However, he has seen several questions regarding his lighter frame at 225 pounds, and has shown a lack of physicality and a real motor from his time at Arkansas. That same reason is why many GMs might turn away from taking a flier on him.

Jaden Bradley | G, Arizona

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Jan 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) reacts during the second half of the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

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For the guards that are up for grabs in this range, Bradley has some of the best traits in terms of size at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, and has the chance to be an impactful player on both ends of the floor as a solid playmaker and perimeter defender.

He wasn’t a high-volume scorer during his three years at Arizona, but he was efficient in his opportunities, shooting over 46% from the field and 39% from three on over nine shots a game. He could be a worthwhile dart throw to bring in for the back-end of the roster.

Another note that could make him a fun target for the Jazz: Bradley and Keyonte George are tight-knit from their days as teammates back at IMG Academy. So he’d be a pretty awesome fit into the locker room on top of the impact he offers on the floor.

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Washington

Inside Woodlawn Cemetery’s mission to preserve history

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Inside Woodlawn Cemetery’s mission to preserve history


The iron gate to Woodlawn Cemetery is almost always locked shut, but Toni White-Richardson was more than happy to let News4 inside.

As president of the Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association, she was excited to talk about what makes this resting place so special.

“It is major D.C. history, first. Then it’s also major Black history, second,” White-Richardson said.

More than 30,000 people, mostly African Americans, are buried among the 22 acres of Woodlawn Cemetery, which opened in Southeast D.C. in 1895. And like so many cemeteries that date back to the 1800s, particularly African American cemeteries, this one has fallen into disrepair, is overgrown and has headstones tumbled over, like those of Wilhelmina and her husband James, and Eliza Spencer, a mother who died in 1887.

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“Let me do a very upfront disclaimer,” White-Richardson said. “We have no idea where these stones go. And when we looked at the grid, it became even clear as mud, it became less clear as to where these stones should really go. Unfortunately, when we look back, we can tell there was a plan, but we could see we never got totally completed. Even back then, there are no markers saying this is Section H or this is Section G or this is 102 and this is, none of that.”

One of the most notable Washingtonians laid to rest here is John Mercer Langston, Virginia’s first Black congressman.

“Langston University came one year because they had a grand reunion in D.C., and we arranged for them to come to see […] John Mercer Langston, the university that was named after this man,” White-Richardson said.

And Blance Bruce, the first Black U.S. senator to serve a full term and register of the treasury, is also buried in the cemetery.

“He’s the signature on our dollar bill, you know, back in the late 1800s,” White-Richardson said. “So, oh, it’s history. It’s capital letters. No getting around it.”

Woodlawn is also the resting place of several of the original founders of two of the country’s most prominent Black sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta. Both organizations volunteer to help with clean ups.

The Perpetual Care Association recently received a grant from the D.C. Office of Planning to help with upkeep of the grounds and preserving the history here.

“These are important individuals who’ve made contributions to the District a century ago, but today still their history and their stories reverberate and really influence the trajectory of our city,” said Anita Cozart, director of the D.C. Office of Planning.

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The cemetery tucked away off Benning Road is only open to the public five days a year, but groups can request tours anytime. The next chance to visit Woodlawn when it will be open to the public is Labor Day.

They’re always looking for volunteers and donors to help with the upkeep of this sacred ground.



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