Los Angeles, Ca
Thief steals custom tricycle from Southern California girl with rare neurological disorder
A Southern California family is distraught after a thief stole an adaptive tricycle from a young girl with a rare neurological disorder.
Surveillance videos captured the theft outside of a Lawndale home on Thursday at around 7:30 a.m. A man is seen walking in the neighborhood when he spots the bike in the victim’s front yard.
He walks over and inspects the bike before rolling it across the neighborhood street and placing it into his black van parked around the corner.
The bike belongs to Alli, a 7-year-old girl who has a rare genetic mutation that causes neurological issues and limits her mobility.
The girl’s mother, Elisabeth Booth, said Alli’s condition causes epilepsy, dyskinesia, developmental delay, speech issues and motor issues. Alli is also on the autism spectrum and is nonverbal.
The adaptive bike was custom-made for the girl’s physical therapy and is vital to strengthening her legs while allowing her to keep up with other neighborhood children.
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Alli and Elisabeth Booth, 7, are seen together in a family photo. (Booth Family) -
The male suspect is seen walking up to the Booth Family’s home in Lawndale on May 30, 2024. (Booth Family) -
The male suspect is seen grabbing Alli’s tricycle from the front yard of the Booth Family’s Lawndale home on May 30, 2024. (Booth Family) -
The suspect’s black van was parked across the street from the victims’ Lawndale home. (Booth Family) -
Alli Booth, 7, is seen riding her custom adaptive tricycle. (Booth Family) -
Alli Booth, 7, is seen in a family photo. (Booth Family) -
Alli Booth, 7, is seen riding her custom adaptive tricycle. (Booth Family) -
The male suspect is seen walking up to the Booth Family’s home in Lawndale on May 30, 2024. (Booth Family) -
The male suspect is seen grabbing Alli’s tricycle from the front yard of the Booth Family’s Lawndale home on May 30, 2024. (Booth Family)
“She has a twin brother and we go out on bike rides,” Elisabeth said. “This allows her to ride with us and be a part of everyday activities with regular, typical kids.”
Elisabeth bought the bike several years ago secondhand and paid $1,700 for it. The bike is custom-fit to Alli and Elizabeth said she cannot afford to purchase a new one.
“It’s adjusted to exactly her leg length, so, the end seam measurements,” the mother explained. “Her seat is exactly where it needs to be so that her knee comes up at a 90-degree angle.”
Elisabeth said she didn’t understand why the thief would take the bike, especially knowing it looked unique and likely belonged to a child with special needs.
“I’m shocked that, at any point, he didn’t think to himself that this bike is needed for a child and that he just took off with it without a care in the world,” Elisabeth said. “This is a child’s trike who needs it to feel like a part of the kids and the community. She misses it and wants it back.”
By releasing surveillance video of the theft, Elisabeth hopes someone will recognize the suspect or his black van.
A GoFundMe page to help raise money to replace Alli’s tricycle can be found here.
Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call the Lawndale Sheriff’s Station at 310-219-2750
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
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