Los Angeles, Ca
Homeless family of autistic boy slapped in Pacoima uplifted by community
Support for the homeless family of a boy with autism who was slapped by a man for touching his car has continued spreading across the community.
The incident happened on July 1 as Alfredo Morales, 10, and his older sister, Claudia Morales, were crossing the street in Pacoima.
That’s when Alfredo reached out and touched the emblem on the man’s Mercedes-Benz sedan.
The man made an immediate U-turn and followed the siblings to a bus stop. He stepped out, walked over to Alfredo who was sitting on a bench and slapped him.
His sister tried intervening and explained that Alfredo had autism, but the man still struck the boy.
Cell phone video of the confrontation went viral on social media, leaving community members outraged. A police report was also filed by the family.
Alfredo’s family is homeless and lives out of a broken truck at a Sun Valley park. The boy’s father, Miguel Morales, recently lost his job at a restaurant and is struggling to make ends meet.
Following a successful GoFundMe campaign and fundraising event, the Morales family said they were overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of strangers.
On July 12, their broken pickup truck was towed to a local dealership, Airport Marina Ford, for a complete makeover.
“It’s situations like this when you see it and if there’s something you can do, it’s imperative to step up and do what you can,” said Dan Theroux, General Manager of Airport Marina Ford.
Alfredo and his sister ride the bus daily to make a food and grocery run for the family. They were taking their usual bus route on July 1 when the confrontation happened. Many community members resonated with the story and wanted to support the Morales family in any way they could.
Oscar Garcia from Smack Auto Collision Center will be repainting the broken truck once a mechanical overhaul is done. He said he’s glad he can help turn an upsetting situation into a positive one.
“I’m shocked as to how many people have come out here to show their love and support,” Garcia said. “From the gentleman who came down so that Alfredo could enjoy the AC in his car, to the Ford Dealership assisting us with the truck and transmission. Our goal is that they become a stable family where they have somewhere safe to be at, sleep at night and they’re able to transport places without a problem.”
The Morales family is staying at a motel temporarily until local housing officials can help them transition into more permanent housing.
The family said they plan to give back in some way and show their appreciation to everyone who has helped them so far.
As for the driver who slapped Alfredo, many upset residents have shown up at the man’s home to demand answers.
KTLA has reached out to the driver involved but has not received a response. No charges have been filed yet by the Los Angeles Police Department.
A GoFundMe to help the Morales family can be found here.
Los Angeles, Ca
Loved ones search for missing 34-year-old Southern California woman
Loved ones are searching for a 34-year-old Southern California woman who has been missing for over a week.
Amy Lynn Edmonds, 34, was reported missing on June 28, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Edmonds, who is considered at-risk, was last seen walking away from Coast Plaza Hospital in Norwalk.
She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a blue jacket and was carrying a black backpack.
It’s unclear where she may have been heading when she disappeared.
Authorities said Edmonds has mental health and medical issues that require medication. Neither hospital staff nor loved ones have heard from her since and they are concerned for her well-being.
Anyone who may know Edmond’s whereabouts or has information on the case can call LASD’s Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Los Angeles, Ca
Waymo video could determine charges after teens’ bizarre California ride
Police are still waiting for video from Waymo before deciding whether two teenagers accused of drinking alcohol and firing an Orbeez gun from inside one of the company’s self-driving vehicles could face additional charges, a San Mateo police spokesperson told KTLA.
The incident unfolded around 2:10 p.m. Monday when a Waymo representative contacted the San Mateo Police Department to report suspicious behavior inside one of the company’s autonomous vehicles.
“The Waymo rep who contacted us told us they saw what they described as a firearm in the vehicle, described it black in color, and at some point believed that the passengers were firing it outside of the vehicle,” Community Relations Officer Janine Luna said. “Even at one point saying they believed they saw a recoil.”
The representative also reported that the passengers appeared to be intoxicated and had an open bottle of alcohol inside the vehicle, Luna said.
Believing they were responding to reports of a firearm being fired from a moving vehicle, officers coordinated with Waymo to conduct what police described as a high-risk traffic stop.
Luna said Waymo remotely disabled the vehicle in a location where officers could safely respond. The company then informed the passengers that the vehicle was experiencing mechanical problems while officers made their way to the scene.
Although the vehicle was disabled, its doors remained unlocked and the passengers could have exited if they wanted to, Luna said. Instead, they stayed inside until officers arrived, cleared the vehicle and detained the occupants.
Investigators later determined the suspected firearm was an Orbeez gun, a motorized toy that fires water-filled gel pellets.
While Orbeez guns are legal to possess, Luna said the one recovered by officers had been partially painted black, making it appear more like a real firearm.
“We’ve been seeing that a lot, where people are taking BB guns, water guns, toy guns, completely painting them over, and then in a lot of cases they actually do really look like real guns,” she said.
Police said no injuries or property damage have been reported, and no victims have come forward.
The two passengers, both 15 years old, were released to their parents and were not arrested, Luna said.
Authorities have already forwarded the underage drinking allegation to the juvenile district attorney for review. However, investigators are still waiting to receive Waymo video before deciding whether to recommend any additional charges.
“We’re still waiting to receive that video to determine what, if anything, they’ll be charged with,” Luna said. “Obviously it’s a water gun or toy gun. It’s not illegal to carry, but depending on shooting from a moving vehicle, there’s some of that that can come into play.”
Luna said this was the first time the San Mateo Police Department had handled an incident in which Waymo contacted officers in real time to report suspicious activity inside one of its vehicles.
The incident comes just weeks after another high-profile Waymo incident in Southern California. In late June, several teens were seen hanging out of the windows of a self-driving Waymo as it traveled through Santa Monica traffic. Waymo later told KTLA those riders’ accounts had been suspended for violating the company’s user agreement.
Luna also urged parents to keep an eye on their children during summer break and reminded the public not to alter the appearance of toy guns to make them resemble real firearms.
“We want to give our kids freedom to have fun and enjoy their time off from school,” Luna said. “But because they’re not in school, just keep an eye on them. Make sure you know where they’re at. Make sure you know who they’re hanging out with.”
Iman Palm and Aaron Tolentino contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Long Beach
An investigation is underway after a bicyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach.
On July 6, Long Beach police responded to a crash near Cowles Street and Santa Fe Avenue just after 2:30 a.m.
Officers found the victim, a man in his 50s, lying unresponsive on the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver who struck him fled the area before officers arrived.
A preliminary investigation indicated the bicyclist was riding westbound on Cowles Street when he was struck by an unknown vehicle that turned onto Cowles from Santa Fe Avenue.
The victim’s name is being withheld pending positive identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
No further details, including a suspect or vehicle description, were released.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is urged to call the Long Beach Police Department’s Collision Investigation Detail at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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