MILWAUKEE — A family is suing the City of Milwaukee after their son was left inside a car at a tow lot following a fatal crash.

The lawsuit says James Edward Stokes, Jr. was a passenger in the car involved in a crash on June 1, 2023, where the car hit a pole or tree near 9000 West Fond Du Lac Avenue. It suffered significant damage, including a shattered windshield, blown tires and more, the lawsuit says.

When police arrived on scene, the lawsuit claims that witnesses told police to check for a body in the car, but were ignored.

Instead, Milwaukee police took control and custody of the car, the lawsuit says, claiming it was evidence and contraband, since the car had been reported stolen.

The police had it towed to a city tow lot, located at 3811 West Lincoln Avenue, where it was locked up and left there.

The lawsuit claims officers and the tow lot workers failed to search the car to make sure there were no trapped occupants. In the lawsuit, the family called this an “act of shocking and deliberate indifference.”

As a result of lacking a search, the lawsuit says Stokes died a slow death, trapped inside the car for the next four days.

On June 5, 2023, the owner of the car came to get some of their belongings and noticed a foot hanging over the back seat. Upon seeing that, the owner called the police.

A Medical examiner’s report said Stokes, Jr. had advanced signs of decomposition, one of which was bloating, which the lawsuit says is consistent with being trapped in an unventilated car for days. The report also states that he had survived the initial impact of the crash.

The lawsuit is not only against the city but also against Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, manager of the city tow lot Peter Knox, and MPD officers Shate Doughty, Brett Stegerwald, Andrew Fuerte and Alex Bartoshevich.

Mattress maker Sleep Number Corp. announced Friday that it has filed bankruptcy, with an agreement to sell the firm to one-time retail partner Sleep Country Canada Inc. after years of weak demand, mounting financial pressure and unpredictable tariffs.

Minneapolis-based Sleep Number blamed its bankruptcy, in part, on “the unpredictable shifting of trade rules imposed by the current U.S. government on top of an already vulnerable global supply chain,” according to the Friday court filing.

Even after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, “the broader trade landscape remained complex and the company continued to manage ongoing regulatory uncertainties, particularly regarding potential alternative tariff frameworks that may be imposed” on U.S. imports, Chief Financial Officer Amy O’Keefe said in the filing.

Sleep Number filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in order to hold an auction, at which Sleep Country would be the so-called stalking horse bidder. Its all-cash opening offer for “substantially” all of the firm’s assets is $415 million, O’Keefe said.

Because the firm tried to sell itself in the months leading up to the Chapter 11 filing, O’Keefe said Sleep Number is seeking a 26-day sale process. Any competing bids would be due July 8 and the sale would close by July 31 under the company’s proposed timeline.

Sleep Number, which operates 572 stores and is known for its customizable beds, will continue operations while seeking a quicker-than-usual court-supervised sale process, according to the filing.

The company, whose shares have plunged more than 95% the past four months, has been hurt by declining store traffic amid broader industry pressures.

In response to mounting financial woes, O’Keefe said Sleep Number restructured its real estate portfolio and launched a number of cost-cutting initiatives in recent years. The firm had reported its operating costs fell by $136 million last year, but its net loss still widened as net sales dropped 16%.

Sleep Number said in a statement that will continue to review its footprint with the aim of retaining as many retail locations as possible. It added that as much of $65 million of new borrowing has been arranged to pay for the restructuring process. Sleep Number would also refinance $195 million of older debt should the loan package be approved by the judge overseeing the bankruptcy case.

The company listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion, with lenders owned about $672.5 million.

The Indianapolis Colts had an active offseason, trading away wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. while strengthening their defense. With training camp drawing closer, Indianapolis is reportedly considering a move to help out quarterback Daniel Jones.

According to ESPN‘s Stephen Holder, the Colts are “still mulling” a potential addition at wide receiver, with some options in NFL free agency like Keenan Allen and Deebo Samuel under consideration.

One NFL Free Agent Each Team Should Sign

Indianapolis doesn’t necessarily need to add another pass-catcher if everything is perfect. Alec Pierce is coming off a 1,000-yard campaign, Josh Downs has shown real promise when operating as the No. 2 receiver and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine provides solid depth.

However, Pierce underwent ankle surgery in late April and might not return until “late” in Colts training camp. While it’s believed that he is in no jeopardy of missing time this season, his absence this summer does highlight the room to upgrade at the No. 3 receiver spot.

Samuel might make the most sense for Indianapolis. In 16 games this past season, he recorded 72 receptions for 727 receiving yards, earning a first down on 44.4 percent of his catches. The veteran wideout’s ability to both work underneath and be used out of the backfield makes him a better fit for Shane Steichen’s offense than Allen.

Ideally, the team would sign someone like Samuel and then shift Westbrook-Ikhine into the No. 4 role that he’s better suited for. That would also allow for Ashton Dulin and Anthony Gould to primarily play special teams, with rookie Deion Burks simply working to earn a spot on the roster.