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Terminally ill Connecticut woman ends her life in Vermont

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Terminally ill Connecticut woman ends her life in Vermont


A Connecticut woman who pushed for expanded access to Vermont’s law that allows people who are terminally ill to receive lethal medication to end their lives died in Vermont on Thursday, an event her husband called “comfortable and peaceful,” just like she wanted.

Lynda Bluestein, who had terminal cancer, ended her life by taking prescribed medication.

Her last words were ‘I’m so happy I don’t have to do this (suffer) anymore,’” her husband Paul wrote in an email on Thursday to the group Compassion & Choices, which was shared with The Associated Press.

The organization filed a lawsuit against Vermont in 2022 on behalf of Bluestein, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Diana Barnard, a physician from Middlebury. The suit claimed Vermont’s residency requirement in its so-called patient choice and control at end-of-life law violated the U.S. Constitution’s commerce, equal protection, and privileges and immunities clauses.

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The state agreed to a settlement last March that allowed Bluestein, who is not a Vermont resident, to use the law to die in Vermont. And two months later, Vermont made such accommodations available to anyone in similar circumstances, becoming the first state in the country to change its law to allow terminally ill people from out of state to take advantage of it to end their lives.

Ten states allow medically assisted suicide but before Vermont changed its law only one state – Oregon – allowed non-residents to do it, by not enforcing the residency requirement as part of a court settlement. Oregon went on to remove that requirement this past summer.

Vermont’s law, in effect since 2013, allows physicians to prescribe lethal medication to people with an incurable illness that is expected to kill them within six months.

Supporters say the law has stringent safeguards, including a requirement that those who seek to use it be capable of making and communicating their healthcare decision to a physician. Patients are required to make two requests orally to the physician over a certain timeframe and then submit a written request, signed in the presence of two or more witnesses who aren’t interested parties. The witnesses must sign and affirm that patients appeared to understand the nature of the document and were free from duress or undue influence at the time.

Others express moral opposition to assisted suicide and say there are no safeguards to protect vulnerable patients from coercion.

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Bluestein, a lifelong activist, who pushed for similar legislation to be passed in Connecticut and New York, which has not happened, wanted to make sure she didn’t die like her mother, in a hospital bed after a prolonged illness. She told The Associated Press last year that she wanted to die surrounded by her husband, children, grandchildren, wonderful neighbors, friends and dog.

“I wanted to have a death that was meaningful, but that it didn’t take forever … for me to die,” she said.

“I want to live the way I always have, and I want my death to be in keeping with the way I wanted my life to be always,” Bluestein said. “I wanted to have agency over when cancer had taken so much for me that I could no longer bear it. That’s my choice.”


If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here. 

For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), by texting “HelpLine” to 62640, or by emailing helpline@nami.org.

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Connecticut woman charged with sexual coercion of 13-year-old Long Island boy

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Connecticut woman charged with sexual coercion of 13-year-old Long Island boy


A Connecticut woman allegedly coerced a 13-year-old Long Island boy to send her a sexually explicit video of himself and later picked up the boy and brought him to her home where she attempted to engage in sexual activity, according federal prosecutors.

Amily Colon, 31, was arrested Friday on a federal criminal complaint for alleged sexual coercion of a minor she met online, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Connecticut announced. 

Colon, who identified herself as “Alice,” was ordered detained Friday after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, Connecticut.

The defendant allegedly communicated with the boy through the Discord app and prosecutors said the conversations became sexually explicit. Colon allegedly sent sexually explicit images and videos of herself to the victim.

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On June 26, Colon traveled to Long Island, picked up the boy and brought him to her Wethersfield, Connecticut, home. She brought him back to Long Island the next day and dropped him off a few blocks from his home, prosecutors said. Colon denied any sexual acts occurred, according to a motion for detention pending trial.

A criminal complaint outlining the allegations remained sealed as of Saturday morning, according to federal court records. Colon was represented at Friday’s court appearance by a public defender who could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday. The records did not indicate whether Colon entered a plea.

The FBI located social media posts and journal entries “that raise significant concerns regarding the danger she poses to the community and children in particular,” according to the motion.

Colon allegedly admitted owning the Discord account and communicating with the victim as well as picking him up in New York. She also allegedly admitted to prosecutors that she engaged with other minors online between 13 and 16 years old and that law enforcement would find child pornography on her cellphone, according to the motion.

Colon faces charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity. She faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life, according to federal prosecutors.

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Suffolk County police assisted in the investigation along with the FBI’s child exploitation task force’s in New Haven and Long Island as well as the Wethersfield Police Department.

Suffolk police deferred any questions on the case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and could not comment on whether the boy had been reported missing while in Connecticut.

Discord, a communications platform with video, voice and text capabilities, states it has “zero-tolerance policy for child sexual abuse material” and the company in 2023 announced it developed new software to detect illicit material.

It’s unclear whether the company alerted law enforcement in this case.

A probable cause hearing is scheduled for July 31.

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Cases of child exploitation can be reported to cybertipline.com. And for information on Project Safe Childhood, which aims to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, visit justice.gov/psc.



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CT Lottery Mega Millions, Lotto winning numbers for July 17, 2026

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CT Lottery Mega Millions, Lotto winning numbers for July 17, 2026


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The Connecticut Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

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Those who want to play in Connecticut can enter the CT Lotto, Millionaire for Life and Cash 5 games as well as play the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. There are also two drawings a day for the Play 3 with Wild Ball and Play 4 with Wild Ball games.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.

Here’s a look at Friday, July 17, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 17 drawing

22-34-45-48-55, Mega Ball: 14

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto numbers from July 17 drawing

04-07-08-14-26-35

Check Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from July 17 drawing

04-09-16-23-26

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play3 numbers from July 17 drawing

Day: 4-9-8, WB: 3

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Night: 4-4-7, WB: 9

Check Play3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play4 numbers from July 17 drawing

Day: 8-2-3-2, WB: 0

Night: 0-5-5-0, WB: 3

Check Play4 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 17 drawing

03-19-38-48-58, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Connecticut Lottery prizes up to $599 can be easily claimed at any authorized CT Lottery Retailer without additional forms or documentation or by mail. For prizes between $600 and $5,000, winners have the option to claim by mail or in person at any CT Lottery High-Tier Claim Center or CT Lottery Headquarters. For prizes between $5,001 and $49,999, winnings must be claimed in person at the Connecticut Lottery headquarters or by mail. All prizes over $50,000 must be claimed in person at CT Lottery Headquarters. Winners are required to bring a government-issued photo ID and their Social Security card.

CT Lottery Claims Dept.

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15 Sterling Drive

Wallingford, CT 06492

For additional details, including locations of High-Tier Claim Centers, visit the Connecticut Lottery’s claim information page.

When are the Connecticut Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. daily.
  • Lotto: 10:38 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Cash 5: 10:29 p.m. daily.
  • Play3 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
  • Play3 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.
  • Play4 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
  • Play4 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.
  • Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Connecticut editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Wethersfield woman accused of sexually coercing minor from New York after meeting him online

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Wethersfield woman accused of sexually coercing minor from New York after meeting him online


HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A Wethersfield woman was charged Friday after allegedly bringing a minor from New York to her home and attempting to sexually coerce him, according to the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

Amily Colon, 31, was charged on a federal criminal complaint with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and with transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

Court documents allege that Colon initiated an online relationship with a 13-year-old boy from New York.

Colon, who identified herself as “Alice,” allegedly had conversations with the victim through a messaging and communications app, according to court documents.

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The conversations became sexually explicit, documents state. Then, Colon allegedly coerced the victim to send her a sexually explicit video of himself, and Colon sent back explicit images and videos of herself in return.

On June 26, Colon traveled to an area of New York to pick up the victim and bring him to her residence in Wethersfield, court documents allege. Here, Colon allegedly attempted to engage in sexual activity.

The next day, Colon drove the victim back to New York and dropped him off a few blocks from his home, according to court documents.

Colon was ordered detained in Hartford on Friday.

Officials in Connecticut and New York are conducting the investigation.

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Watch News 8 on WTNH.com or the free WTNH News 8 streaming app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and select Samsung Smart TVs.



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