Midwest
Missing mom found alive in forest as officials investigate ‘suspicious’ house fire
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An Indiana mother who vanished more than a week ago has been found alive in a nearby forest, just days after flames broke out in her home in what authorities are calling a “suspicious” fire.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, around 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, dispatchers received a 911 call from 46-year-old Britney Gard, who said she was lost in the Hall Woods Nature Preserve, east of Bainbridge, Indiana. The location was about 2½ miles from her residence, officials said.
“Britney was quickly found by Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies with the assistance of Indiana Conservation Officers, an Indiana State Police detective, Bainbridge Fire Department personnel and excellent directions from our 911 dispatchers,” Sheriff Jerrod E. Baugh said in a statement.
Gard was evaluated by medical personnel before being taken to a hospital for further treatment. Authorities have not disclosed her current condition.
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Search crews found a missing mother alive in Hall Woods Nature Preserve days after a fire at her home. (Putnamparks.org; Find Britney Gard/Facebook)
“The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is not currently looking for any individuals of interest in this missing person investigation of Britney Gard,” the statement continued. “There is no current threat to the general public in this case.”
Baugh expressed gratitude for the coordinated search effort.
“It is with great relief that we were able to find Ms. Gard last evening and bring this missing person case to a close,” Baugh said. “We would like to thank her family and all of the organizations that worked with us around the clock.”
YOUTUBE SURVIVAL SHOW CONTESTANT RESCUED IN DENSELY WOODED MICHIGAN AREA
Authorities say Britney Gard was located in the wooded preserve more than a week after a “suspicious” house fire. (Find Britney Gard/Facebook)
Baugh added that detectives and staff “continued to work tirelessly with Ms. Gard’s family to bring her home” and emphasized that the case remains under investigation.
“We will not be releasing any further details in this case at this time,” he said.
Gard was reported missing after a fire broke out at her Putnam County home Oct. 1. Fire crews extinguished the blaze, which was contained to one portion of the residence, but could not locate Gard inside, according to the sheriff’s office.
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Authorities are investigating a “suspicious” fire after rescuers found the missing mother alive nearby. (Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Indiana)
Investigators said the fire appeared “suspicious in nature.” Family members and authorities were unable to reach Gard after the fire, prompting days of searches through fields, wooded areas and ponds near her home.
Gard’s daughter, who had been at a volleyball game that evening, returned home to find emergency crews and was told her mother was missing, according to WRTV.
The outlet also reported that Gard’s purse and ID were left behind.
Family members — including Gard’s four sisters — traveled from across the country to help with search efforts during the week she was missing, WRTV reported.
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Authorities have not released further details about how Gard ended up in the wooded preserve or the cause of the fire.
“Please continue to keep Ms. Gard’s family, our investigators and emergency personnel in your prayers,” Baugh said.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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Detroit, MI
Metro Detroit braces for Frost Advisory, Freeze Warning overnight before rain arrives
Metro Detroit is in for another cold night, with frost and near-freezing temperatures possible early Tuesday morning before a wetter pattern arrives Tuesday afternoon and evening.
Alerts
A Frost Advisory will blanket the remainder of Southeast Michigan, including Genesee, Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee, and Monroe counties during the same time span. (WDIV)
A Freeze Warning will go into effect at midnight and remain in effect until 8 a.m. Tuesday for Sanilac, Lapeer, St. Clair, and Macomb counties, where temperatures could drop to 27 degrees.
A Frost Advisory will blanket the remainder of Southeast Michigan, including Genesee, Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee, and Monroe counties during the same time span.
The coldest temperatures are expected north and west of Detroit.
Even if your thermometer reads 35 or 36 degrees, frost can still form on grass, rooftops, decks, and vehicles.
That is because surfaces cool more quickly than the air several feet above the ground.
Under clear skies and light winds, heat escapes rapidly from the ground overnight through a process called radiational cooling.
Cold air also sinks and settles into lower spots, allowing temperatures near the surface to briefly reach freezing while official air temperatures remain a few degrees warmer.
That means the temperature at ground level where plants are located can be colder than the temperature reported by a standard thermometer mounted several feet above the surface.
Sensitive plants and vegetation could be damaged or killed by the cold.
How to protect plants
Gardeners are encouraged to protect tender plants overnight by covering them with lightweight fabric sheets, blankets or frost cloths.
Bringing potted plants indoors or into a garage can also help prevent damage. Experts recommend avoiding plastic coverings directly on plants because plastic can trap moisture and transfer cold temperatures to leaves.
Flowers, vegetables, herbs and newly planted annuals are especially vulnerable this time of year.
Tomatoes, peppers, basil, petunias and other warm season plants are among those most sensitive to freezing temperatures.
The chilly pattern will not last long.
Clouds increase Tuesday morning, followed by scattered showers developing during the afternoon.
Temperatures rebound into the upper 50s and lower 60s with a gusty south breeze developing during the day.
Rain becomes more widespread Tuesday evening and Tuesday night. A few thunderstorms and rumbles of thunder are also possible overnight as a stronger weather system moves through the Great Lakes.
Severe weather is not expected, but brief downpours, gusty winds and small hail cannot be ruled out in a few stronger storms Tuesday night.
Behind the system, cooler air returns Wednesday with highs mainly in the 50s to around 60 degrees and gusty west winds.
Sunshine and milder weather return later in the week, with temperatures climbing into the 60s Thursday and around 70 degrees Friday.
This weekend
By the weekend, Southeast Michigan will get a taste of early summer.
Temperatures are expected to surge into the upper 70s and lower 80s Saturday through Monday, although there will be occasional chances for showers during the weekend.
That includes Flower Day on Sunday at Eastern Market in Detroit, one of the city’s most beloved spring traditions.
Thousands of people are expected to visit the market to shop for flowers, plants, herbs and garden supplies as growers from across the region fill the sheds with color.
Right now, the forecast calls for warm temperatures near 80 degrees Sunday with a chance of scattered showers.
While it may not be a completely dry weekend, it will feel dramatically different compared to the frosty start to the week.
For now, though, gardeners across Southeast Michigan will want to focus on protecting sensitive plants from one more cold Michigan night.
Remember to share your weather and garden photos with Local 4 at MIPics.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Milwaukee, WI
Same name keeps coming up in mock drafts as possible Bucks selection
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam talks greater involvement, Giannis future
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam says that he will have a greater involvement with the team and that includes the decision on if to re-sign Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks know their placement in the 2026 NBA Draft, slotted No. 10 for their first lottery pick in a decade. Who are some of the possible selections at that spot when June 23 rolls around?
Check out what the first post-lottery wave of mock drafts has to say, most of them pointing to same prospect, that being Nate Ament of Tennessee, a 6-10 freshman small forward.
Nate Ament, forward, Tennessee
From Spencer Woo of ESPN: “While Ament’s stock has slipped from an early top-five projection, he had productive stretches this season within a tricky team context and has room to help himself in workouts. Although scouts are split on whether he has star potential or projects better as a long-term supporting player, there is still plenty of intrigue around Ament in the lottery. As a tall skill player with shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on. As Milwaukee considers a post-Antetokounmpo future, a malleable upside swing such as Ament could be a fit.”
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports: “The Bucks should take a swing to jump-start their new era, whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo is part of it. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament. Bucks general manager Jon Horst has never been afraid to take risks though. If Ament pans out, it could look like a stroke of genius.”
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports: “Ament had an up-and-down freshman season for the Vols – but the upside isn’t hard to spot. Less than a year ago, the 2025 McDonald’s All-American was considered a possible top-five pick. So getting Ament here would be nice for a Bucks franchise that seems on the verge of rebuilding after presumably trading Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.”
The Ringer: “Barring some transactional magic, this could be Milwaukee’s best bite at the talent apple in the draft for a while. The Bucks don’t currently have control over a first-round pick until 2031. If Giannis Antetokounmpo decides it’s time to move on, this roster will be rudderless and talent-deprived. If Giannis decides not to move on, it’ll have a rudder but still won’t go anywhere. Less than ideal, but that makes this a ‘best player available’ scenario, or rather ‘best wager available.’ There are definitely more stable options in this range, but Ament’s higher possible outcomes justify this pick. Ament fell short of expectations this past season, and he slid from top-five consideration as a result, but the jumbo-sized, smooth-moving ball handler is still a worthy bet here. Handling the ball at 6-foot-10 is an intriguing enough skill to instill some belief that he could develop into a quality asset. And the Bucks can take the risk given their circumstances.
Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports: “Ament is a polarizing prospect with a wide range of outcomes on draft night. A late-blooming 6-foot-10 combo-forward who is fluid, has touch, and skill, he’s also inconsistent and needs to get stronger. While his freshman year was up and down, Ament’s overall arc has been linear, and there’s still glaring potential. That upside makes him a logical choice for a Milwaukee team that has a very uncertain future ahead of them.”
Brian Lewis of New York Post: “After the run on guards, taking an upside swing on a gifted developmental player here seems like a worthy gamble for a Bucks team that could be in full-on rebuild in a post-Giannis era.”
Two other names mentioned
From Eric Nehm of The Athletic: “This was an incredibly difficult pick to make without knowing what the Bucks are going to do with Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the 10-time All-Star forward remains in Milwaukee, it might make more sense to look at someone like Yaxel Lendeborg, who could make an impact right away and give the Bucks more size and skill. Instead, though, I went with Philon, who has a lot of offensive upside and could be protected on the defensive end by Ryan Rollins. Philon is an electrifying offensive player who shot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 while averaging 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and five assists per game last season.”
From Kurt Helin of NBC Sports: “The Bucks need all the backcourt help they can get, and Burries may not be flashy, but he does a lot of things well — he can play on and off the ball, can knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers but also attack closeouts, and he gets downhill off screens and has a midrange pull-up game.”
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis grocer charged in $1.1 million SNAP fraud scheme
Food insecurity in Minnesota: SNAP cuts and rising demand
Minnesota food shelves are facing growing pressure as potential federal SNAP cuts, rising grocery prices and increased demand strain already limited resources. Some providers also report impacts tied to recent immigration enforcement activity, with families hesitant to seek assistance. Wendy Behm of ACBC Food Shelf joins to discuss how organizations are responding, efforts to combat food insecurity across the state, and what’s at stake during the current legislative session. Learn more at acbcfoodshelf.com.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis grocery store owner is facing a felony charge after investigators say he trafficked more than $1.1 million in SNAP benefits using other people’s EBT cards.
SNAP benefits trafficking investigation leads to felony charge
What we know:
According to criminal charges filed in Hennepin County Court, Abdidwahid Mohamed, owner of Minnesota Food Grocery LLC, is accused of using EBT cards registered to other people to purchase items like energy drinks and baby formula at Sam’s Club and Costco between March 8, 2021 and August 10, 2021. The goods were then resold at his store.
The complaint states law enforcement says they watched Mohamed make the purchases and tracked him returning directly to his store with the items. Video surveillance and GPS data confirmed the trips, and investigators say many of the EBT cardholders were out of the country or denied shopping at the stores Mohamed visited.
The complaint states, “Mohamed received $1,141,082 in EBT payments” during the period in question. The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to help low-income households buy food, with benefits issued through EBT cards that work like debit cards.
Wal-Mart team sparks investigation
The backstory:
The investigation began when Wal-Mart’s Global Investigation Team flagged suspicious EBT transactions at Sam’s Club locations in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) was contacted in May 2021, and surveillance of Mohamed followed.
The complaint states on Aug. 10, 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants at Mohamed’s store and vehicles. He was arrested at a Sam’s Club in Bloomington with an EBT card and a handwritten note containing a PIN number. Interviews with more than two dozen EBT cardholders revealed that many claimed their cards were lost or had never been used at the stores in question.
One woman admitted she had not shopped at Minnesota Food Grocery for more than a year-and-a-half after agreeing to let Mohamed use her EBT card.
The complaint states the offense “involved a high degree of sophistication or planning or occurred over a lengthy period of time.”
What’s next:
If convicted, Mohamed faces up to 20 years in prison or a $100,000 fine.
The Source: Information from a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court.
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