Atlanta, GA

Atlanta woman accused of trying to drown her own child before driving into Tennessee lake

Published

2 months ago

September 29, 2023

Atlanta woman accused of trying to drown her own child before driving into Tennessee lake

MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. — A woman is behind bars after officials say she tried to drown a child.

Officers responded to reports of a woman who refused to stop at the security gate at SeaRay Boat Company in Vonroe, Tennessee and was trying to drown a small child, according to an affidavit obtained by Channel 2 Action News.

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When officers arrived, employees at the boat factory had already intervened and had taken the child from the woman in the water.

After the child was taken away from her, the affidavit said the woman got into her car, drove into the Mastercraft Boat Company parking lot, and into Tellico Lake, where she exited her vehicle and swam to shore, where she was taken into custody.

Witnesses told police that when the driver, identified as Jessica Upton of Atlanta, was passing the security gate of SeaRay Boat Company, she rolled her car windows up and smoked marijuana while blowing smoke into the child’s face.

The affidavit added that employees saw Upton force the child to drink Twisted Tea before taking her into the water.

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According to the report, witnesses saw Upton enter the water with the child and hold her underwater. When they intervened, they had to forcefully get the child away from Upton, who was clinging to the child.

The child told police that Upton was her mother and that she had been acting weird for the past two days.

That same day, Upton told the child she was taking her to her grandmother’s in New York. The affidavit said Upton purchased Twisted Teas at a gas station where she threw the child’s belongings away, including an iPad, cell phone and clothing.

The child told police her mother then took her to the lake, where she had never been, and into the water.

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Witnesses told police they believed Upton was trying to drown the child.

Upton was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. She was booked into the Monroe County, Tenn. Jail.

Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers also determined that Upton was drunk at the time of the incident and charged her with driving under the influence.

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Atlanta, GA

Overnight fire forces residents out of Midtown Atlanta apartments

Published

16 mins ago

December 5, 2023

Press Room

Overnight fire forces residents out of Midtown Atlanta apartments

article

ATLANTA – Some Midtown Atlanta residents are being allowed back inside their homes after a fire forced them to evacuate overnight.

Officials tell FOX 5 that the HERE Atlanta apartment complex on the 600 block of Spring Street caught on fire around midnight.

The fire forced all residents out of their homes, but fire crews had everything under control by around 12:45 a.m., allowing residents to go back inside.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Atlanta, GA

Crooks burglarize historic Atlanta church second time in three weeks

Published

6 hours ago

December 5, 2023

Press Room

Crooks burglarize historic Atlanta church second time in three weeks

Historic church burglarized, ransacked again

Neighbors in the Old Fourth Ward are fed up with crooks breaking into and ransacking a historic church for the second time in less than a month. It happened at the Butler Street Baptist Church on Ralph McGill Boulevard. FOX 5 first reported on the burglary at the same house of worship last month.

ATLANTA – It happened again. Crooks broke in and ransacked the Historic Butler Street Baptist Church on Ralph McGill Boulevard in the Old Fourth Ward.

FOX 5 first reported on a burglary at the same house of worship in November. This past Friday’s break-in is the second time criminals hit the 120-year-old church in just three weeks. Members are now scrambling to pull together their resources to better protect their church.

“They ransacked the kitchen, and the office, and the pastor’s office, destroyed the windows on some of our doors and stole two big, expensive speakers,” said Yolanda Fitten, a trustee at the church that largely serves seniors on fixed incomes. “And they’re scared.”

Fitten remembers when crooks tore into her church home last month, grabbing food and clothes for people in need and stealing Christmas toys that members had been collecting to give out to kids in their community.

“It’s sad,” Fitten said.

She believes the problem is only escalating.

“About nine to 10 times within the year. And it’s growing, increasing, it’s increasing,” she said, feeling fed up. “[It’s] very, very frustrating, to the point of tears.”

The Historic Butler Street Baptist Church

The church has tried bolting boards over the windows and onto the doors. It’s no use. Criminals keep coming back for more.

“We’re not safe anymore,” Fitten said. “We’re increasing our alarm system, adding more cameras … the best we can do. We don’t have money readily like that.”

The Historic Butler Street Baptist Church

Police are investigating the thefts. The church says members are currently pooling together more money to pay for a more robust security system.

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Atlanta, GA

Atlanta children’s hospital previews new state-of-the-art emergency department

Published

13 hours ago

December 4, 2023

Press Room

Atlanta children’s hospital previews new state-of-the-art emergency department

ATLANTA — Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital is giving the public an inside look at its new state-of-the-art emergency department.

A video released by the hospital shows a tour of the nearly 70,000-square-foot facility.

It’s more than three times larger than the current Egleston emergency department and boasts six trauma rooms inside the unit.

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Some of the features of their new emergency department include accessibility and dedicated parking for the department, a large waiting room, and large exam rooms.

The emergency department will have quick access to the radiology department for X-rays and CT or MRI scans.

The 446-bed children’s hospital is slated to open in fall 2024.

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