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Texas boy, 10, in NYC ICU in coma after dream birthday trip turns tragic: 'Shriek of pain'

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Texas boy, 10, in NYC ICU in coma after dream birthday trip turns tragic: 'Shriek of pain'

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A Texas family’s trip to the Big Apple for their 10-year-old son’s birthday turned into a nightmare, after their son became violently ill and was induced into a coma at a New York City ICU.

Riker Stippick’s family surprised him with a birthday vacation to New York City to experience the popular Broadway musical, Hamilton, and to eat his first slice of New York City pizza.

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“Bless his sweet little heart,” David Stippick, Riker’s dad, told FOX 7. 

“He wanted to go to the Weehawken dueling ground where Aaron Burr and Hamilton had their duel,” he said.

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10-year-old Riker Stippick is in a NYC ICU after he became violently ill on his birthday trip to the Big Apple. (FOX 7 Austin via David Stippick)

Stippick said that on his son’s tenth birthday, the last thing on his mind was that his son could become violently ill.

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“Your kid is happy and healthy and 10, you kind of assume they’re going to stay that way,” said Stippick.

On the way to the World Trade Center, Riker’s health took a turn, and he shared with his parents that he was experiencing the “worst headache” he had ever had.

“There’s a building over there that we walked through and as soon as we walked through that building he said, ‘Oh, I have a really bad headache. This is the worst headache I’ve ever had,’” Stippick told the local outlet.

Riker Stippick wanted to go to New York City for his 10th. birthday, his parents told FOX 7. (FOX 7 Austin via David Stippick)

Moments later, the birthday boy vomited and laid down near a bench to rest.

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“It was like a shriek of pain,” said Stippick.

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They took him to the hospital, where doctors put him in a medically induced coma.

“It’s as awful as it sounds, you know what I mean?” said Stippick.

Doctors said that they believe that Riker experienced an arteriovenous malformation, which is an abnormal connection between his arteries and veins. (FOX 7 Austin via David Stippick)

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New York City doctors told Riker’s parents that they believe that he may have experienced an arteriovenous malformation, which is an abnormal connection between his arteries and veins and can cause bleeding into the brain or spinal cord.

Doctors said that the 10-year-old experienced an aneurysm inside his arteries and veins– leading to his excruciating pain.

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Surgeons had to drill a hole into Riker’s skull to drain blood and fluid and to remove clotting.

“We don’t know the genuine hope of if and when he does come out of this, what kind of therapies or treatments are going to be needed down the line,” said Stippick.

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The Stippick’s told FOX 7 that they have been overwhelmed with support from their community in Texas after their son fell violently ill. (FOX 7 Austin via David Stippick)

Doctors still need to do an MRI on the boy before they can give his family an official diagnosis.

They told Riker’s parents that he must become stable and get off of his tubes and machines before they can fully diagnose him.

Now the Stippicks are praying that their son will wake up from the coma and that they will receive answers to their many questions about their son’s health.

“We never expected it to be our reality, but it is,” said Stippick.

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The family’s support system, including their church in Texas, has rallied around the family during their nightmare.

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Their church’s lead pastor at Peace of Christ Church opened a GoFundMe account that reached more than $78,000 in just a few days.

“I don’t have the words to say thank you to everybody outside the words thank you,” said Stippick.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman ambushed, violently attacked by robber in downtown Long Beach

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Woman ambushed, violently attacked by robber in downtown Long Beach

A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]

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Los Angeles, Ca

Jury says it is deadlocked in trial of man accused in Palisades Fire

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Jury says it is deadlocked in trial of man accused in Palisades Fire

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.

  • A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025.
  • Palisades Fire Suspect

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.”

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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

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Los Angeles, Ca

Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food

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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 […]

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