West
California ‘party mom’ accused of grooming victims for sex, drinking in ritzy mansion, teens testify at trial
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A jury is hearing from teenagers who have testified about being victims of a California mom facing dozens of charges after allegedly hosting secret “alcohol-soaked benders,” in which high school freshmen were encouraged to engage in sexual behavior at her family’s swanky mansion.
Shannon O’Connor is on trial after she was slapped with 63 criminal charges stemming from her alleged involvement in throwing alcohol- and sex-fueled parties for minors during the 2020-21 school year in Santa Clara, according to KRON.
Deputy District Attorney Joanna Lee alleged O’Connor, who has been dubbed the “Los Gatos Party Mom,” hosted “chaotic, alcohol-soaked benders,” adding that “for many freshmen at Los Gatos High in 2020, their first experience with alcohol ended in overconsumption, vomiting and blackouts,” the local outlet reported. “[O’Connor’s] house was a place for children to engage in sexual conduct. The defendant groomed the children, normalized sex, encouraged hookups and sexual behavior.”
Many of the attendees were 14-year-old freshmen, with O’Connor allegedly serving as the only adult supervising the parties hosted up to five times a week, the outlet reported.
CALIFORNIA ‘PARTY MOM’ ACCUSED OF THROWING DRUNKEN TEEN SEX PARTIES PLEADS NOT GUILTY
California “party mom” Shannon O’Connor pleaded not guilty to 63 counts alleging she threw booze-fueled teen sex parties at her Los Gatos home. (KUTV)
Prosecutors allege O’Connor used her son’s status on the school’s football team and “cool mom” reputation to communicate daily with the freshmen through Snapchat without their parents’ knowledge.
On Tuesday, one female minor, identified as Jane Doe 6, testified the social environment at the gatherings was “misogynistic,” while corroborating prior statements from victims alleging O’Connor pressured teens to sneak out of their homes to drink heavily and “hook-up.”
Jane Doe 6 reportedly went on to allege her best friend, a 14-year-old girl identified as Jane Doe 4, experienced symptoms of depression and alcoholism after being sexually and physically abused by boys at the parties.
“[John Doe 7] would touch her in front of everybody,” Jane Doe 6 told the court, according to KRON. “It was bad, it was weird.”
MOM ACCUSED OF HOLDING BOOZE-FUELED TEEN SEX PARTIES INDICTED ON SLEW OF FELONIES
Shannon O’Connor listens in a courtroom, Oct. 20, 2021, in San Jose, Calif. She’s been indicted on 63 counts, including plying minors with alcohol and aiding and abetting sexual assault. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group via AP, File)
The young girl reportedly went on to testify that when John Doe 7 drank alcohol, he would act violently toward the girls at the parties and “no one reacted to it.”
“On one occasion, Jane Doe 4 was sitting in [O’Connor’s] kitchen in her swimsuit when John Doe 7 began to punch Jane Doe 4 on her leg,” Lee wrote in court documents. [O’Connor] was drinking a glass of champagne and laughed as she watched. John Doe 7 stood over her and continued to kick her legs and stomach all while [O’Connor] was sitting in the kitchen.”
PARENTS REVEAL SORDID DETAILS OF HOW THEY HELPED NAB CALIFORNIA MOM THROWING TEEN SEX PARTIES
Shannon O’Connor’s Los Gatos home, where she is accused of throwing wild parties for minors. (Google Maps)
Jane Doe 6 told the prosecution that her friend “was totally alcohol dependent” and “had to take shots of alcohol before she could leave her house.”
The mother of Jane Doe 4 also took the stand this week, telling the court her daughter first visited O’Connor’s home in the fall of 2020 to work on a school science project with O’Connor’s son, KRON reported.
“It all seemed normal in the beginning. She was an innocent kid. She’d never dated,” the mother said, adding that when she dropped Jane Doe 4 off at the house, “It was a very fancy, beautiful home. [O’Connor’s] son seemed like a nice kid.”
CALIFORNIA MOM THREW TEENS SECRET DRINKING PARTIES, WATCHED SEX ABUSE: AUTHORITIES
After the child made several trips to O’Connor’s home, her behavior changed, the mother testified, adding her daughter acted “really tired” and “closed off,” according to KRON.
Jane Doe 4’s mother went on to add that she confronted her daughter after noticing bruises on her body, but her concerns were brushed off.
One night, the mother noticed Jane Doe 4’s breath smelled like alcohol and told her, “no matter what it is, I will help you,” KRON reported. The mother added that her child felt “a lot of shame” and “was trying to escape.”
O’Connor’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Another mother reportedly told the jury in previous testimony that she “100 percent trusted [O’Connor]. As a mom, I have guilt for not seeing the signs sooner.”
O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Read the full article from Here
Oregon
Razor clam harvesting set to close soon on north Oregon Coast
McMinnville man John Nelson rescued in Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Retired McMinnville doctor John Nelson was rescued from the Mount Jefferson Wilderness after going missing, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Beaches from Tillamook Head to the Columbia River will close to razor clam harvesting on July 15.
The closure happens annually on all Clatsop County beaches, an 18-mile stretch of Oregon’s northernmost coast, to allow juvenile razor clams a summer growth window.
The harvest is expected to resume on Oct. 1, “unless there is a closure for toxin levels,” the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife explained.
According to ODFW shellfish biologist Matt Hunter, 90% of Oregon razor clams are harvested along this stretch of coast. The closure, first established in the late 1960s, protects juvenile razor clams that utilize the summer months to feed on phytoplankton – a staple food source.
The closure doesn’t apply to razor clams below Clatsop beaches. Alternative harvesting spots include Agate Beach, Waldport Beach, Whiskey Run Beach and Meyers Creek Beach. Bay clams and muscles will remain open for harvesting.
A shellfish license is required to harvest clams and crab in Oregon. Clammers must have their own container and dig for their own clams. The daily limit is 15 clams, regardless of size or condition.
Before clamming, people should call the Shellfish Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check ODFW’s recreation report for biotoxin closures.
Riley Ellis is an outdoor intern at the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at rellis@statesmanjournal.com.
Utah
Voices: America at 250 could use a little more Utah
Not only the Utah that we are today, but the Utah that we can choose to become.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gabriel Meneses makes one of the limited edition flags for the United States 250th anniversary at Colonial Flag in Sandy on Monday, June 1, 2026.
Washington
Chisholm’s homer keys 3-run 9th as the Yankees rally past Washington 5-3 – WTOP News
Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the New York Yankees over the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the New York Yankees over the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.
The Yankees and Nationals rank 1-2 in the major leagues in home runs, and all but one run in this game came via the long ball. Ben Rice hit his 29th of the season for the Yankees, and Jasson Domínguez and Austin Wells also went deep for New York.
Keibert Ruiz and James Wood homered on consecutive pitches in the seventh to give Washington a 3-2 lead, but in the ninth, the Nationals brought in left-hander Matt Krook — who had allowed 22 earned runs in 12 2/3 big league innings dating to 2023. Krook (0-1) yielded a one-out single by Domínguez, and Chisholm followed with his 13th homer.
Wells added a solo shot off Justin Lawrence to make it 5-3.
David Bednar (3-3) won in relief, working the final two innings. The Yankees remained four games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
Rice homered in the first off Carson Palmquist, but the New York designated hitter fouled a pitch off his right leg in the fifth and was shaken up. He was able to stay in the game.
By that time, Domínguez had given the Yankees a 2-1 lead with a homer off Zack Littell (8-6) in the fourth.
The game was delayed two hours at the start, and a wet field might have prevented Washington from tying it in the sixth. New York starter Ryan Weathers allowed a one-out double to CJ Abrams. Then Jacob Young followed with a single. Abrams looked likely to score, but he slipped rounding third and had to stay there.
Fernando Cruz then replaced Weathers and struck out the next two hitters to strand both runners.
New York’s Paul Goldschmidt singled in the first to snap an 0-for-34 drought, and he also reached on an infield hit in the sixth.
Amed Rosario of the Yankees struck out in all three of his plate appearances and made two errors at third base before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.
Up next
Cam Schlittler (9-5) was scheduled to start for New York on Saturday against Miles Mikolas (3-7) of the Nationals.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Copyright
© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
-
Oklahoma48 seconds agoHow Will Oklahoma Softball Benefit From SEC Revenue Distribution?
-
Oregon6 minutes agoRazor clam harvesting set to close soon on north Oregon Coast
-
Pennsylvania13 minutes agoPennsylvania Wins “Best in Show” at The Great American State Fair – Tri-State Alert
-
Rhode Island16 minutes agoHow Federal Hill became Rhode Island’s iconic Little Italy food hub
-
South-Carolina21 minutes agoEditorial: SC Legislature left DUI and THC bills for dead; DUI restrictions can be revived
-
South Dakota28 minutes agoSouth Dakota GFP Commission Holds July Meeting
-
Tennessee31 minutes agoForward Chris Washington Talks First Month With Tennessee Basketball | Rocky Top Insider
-
Texas36 minutes agoTexas Man Finds Hidden GPS Tracker in His New Truck: “They Didn’t Want Me To Find This”