Mich. woman with 2 wombs delivers twins

Bithika Khargarhia

March 2, 2009

Mother has a condition known as uterus didelphyswomen.

New York, March 2: In a strange delivery case, a woman with two wombs has given birth to two healthy daughters - one from each uterus.

The northern Michigan woman, named Sarah Reinfelder, delivered the twins seven weeks premature via Caesarean section on Thursday at Marquette General Hospital in the Upper Peninsula.

The 21-year-old mother and her twin girls, Kaylin Joy and Valerie Marie, are doing fine, Dr. Connie Hedmark and Dr. Breanna Pond, who delivered the babies, said.

Doctors first delivered Kaylin, who weighed 3 pounds, 15 ounces, and then Valerie, who weighed 4 pounds, 15 ounces.

Although the babies are healthy and doing well, they still need to stay in hospital for several weeks until their lungs start working properly, Neonatologist Julie Frei said.

Sarah Reinfelder, born with a condition called uterus didelphys, which means she actually has two wombs, learned a few years ago after a miscarriage that she had two wombs.

Doctors have been calling Sarah Reinfelder’s delivery “miraculous”, and the baby girls “rare twins”, as the chance of conceiving twins, with one baby in each womb, is considered to be rare, happening to an estimated one in 25 million women.

Reinfelder already has a healthy 10-month-old son William with her husband Shane. Not very long after the birth of William, she came to know she was pregnant again - this time with twins.

"They told me your birth control isn't working, guess what, you're pregnant!" Sarah said. "I was like okay. And then they did the ultrasound and said guess what you're pregnant twice! And that's when I almost wet my pants."

Reinfelder and Shane, who are originally from Sault Ste. Marie, have been living in Marquette for about two months to be close to the hospital.

Uterus didelphys is a condition in which the womb develops in two parts, each with a single horn linked to the ipsilateral fallopian tube that faces its ovary. The condition occurs in one per 3,000 women. Women with the condition may be unaware of having a double uterus.

Although delivering twins in such a way is rare, there have been several documented cases of a woman having two wombs giving birth to a baby from each uterus.

In 2006, a British woman with a double uterus gave birth to triplets, a pair of identical twins from an egg that had implanted in one womb and then divided, and an infant from a single egg that implanted into the other womb.

In 1981, another triplet pregnancy in a woman with uterus didelphys was reported from Israel. In this case, one baby had died in utero, and of the remaining babies, one was delivered at 27 weeks gestation and the other more than two months later.

The incident happened about 7:45 a.m. Thursday, Feb., 26, near the intersection of Far Hills Avenue and Dorothy Lane, Burke said.

A male motorist called the police department's non-emergency number to report that he had seen the woman breastfeeding and talking on a cell phone while driving, Burke said. The man reported that he also witnessed the woman driving a Honda minivan into the parking lot of a local school and saw some children get out of the van. The man then got the van's license plate number and called police.

"I'm following right behind her right now on Far Hills Avenue," the caller said as he spoke to a Kettering dispatcher in a recording of his non-emergency call that was released by police on Friday, Feb. 27.

"I tried to say something to her. She literally has the little girl on the steering wheel and I said, 'I can't believe you have that kid in your lap and she said, 'You want to pop your titty out and breastfeed this kid?' That's what she said to me. I'm like, 'You can feed your kid when you stop.' It's like wet out here. It's full of traffic. It's ridiculous. She's got like three other kids in the car."

The police came to the area and tried to locate the van, but could not find it. So they used the license plate number to track down her contact information, Burke said.

When a police officer spoke to her, she admitted she breastfed her child and also told police that she does not deprive her child when the child is hungry, Burke said.

The officer took the information and presented it to the city prosecutor's office. That's when Genine Compton, 39, of Elm Grove in Harrison Twp., was charged with a first-degree misdemeanor of child endangering and minor misdemeanor for unlawfully restraining her child, which Burke believes was under 2.

When police were unsuccessful with serving Compton her ticket and a court summons at her home on Friday, Feb. 27, an officer went to the school where the witness saw her drop off the children on Thursday morning. The officer used the descriptions the witness gave to locate Compton at the school and serve the tickets and summons, Burke said. Compton was not arrested.

When asked why the tickets and summons couldn't be mailed, Burke said, "It's legal documents. We have to personally serve them to the defendant."

If convicted of the child endangering charge, Compton could face up to 180 days in jail and fined between $1,500 and $1,800, Burke said. If convicted of the unlawful restraint charge, Compton could be fined up to $150.

"Our issue is not the fact that this woman was breastfeeding in public," Burke said. He added that Compton would have been charged even if the child was just sitting on her lap. "Our issue is that she created the condition that placed her child's health and safety at risk."

Disgruntled ex posts ad for hit man online

Police: Man who wanted former girlfriend beaten put contact info in post

CHULA VISTA Romeo Montillano wanted to be a Chula Vista police officer.

The Police Department wanted Montillano in handcuffs.

Police spokesman Bernard Gonzales said investigators identified Montillano as the suspect in a robbery at the Kmart on East H Street last Dec. 8. Then they learned he was signed up to take the police department's entrance examination two months hence, Gonzales said.

Then, even knowing he was wanted, Montillano showed up to take the test. Eventually.

In the robbery, a man stole a television set, DVD player and telephone from the store, then beat up store employees who confronted him in the parking lot.

Detective Ruth Hinzman telephoned Montillano. He told her he was in Las Vegas, but would be back in about three weeks to take the police exam, Gonzales said.

A skeptical but thorough Hinzman checked with her colleagues to confirm Montillano was signed up for the exam.

He was.

In a second call to Montillano, police Agent Henry Martin asked if he was planning on attending an orientation for police applicants on Feb. 18. Montillano said he would, Gonzales said, but he was a no-show.

End of the story? Not even close.

Montillano called police to apologize for missing the orientation, Gonzales said. He said his vehicle had been impounded in Las Vegas and he was trying to raise the cash to get it back.

At that point, detectives were convinced Montillano would realize he'd be arrested if he showed his face anywhere near police headquarters, and that they were now looking for a fugitive, Gonzales said.

Wrong again.

Five days after the missed orientation, police say the city got an e-mail from Montillano, saying he planned to catch a bus from Las Vegas to San Diego so as not to miss the entrance exam, Gonzales said.

Detectives doubted Montillano would show up, but they made plans to arrest him just in case.

So Hinzman and Martin were waiting at the registration table when one of the police hopefuls walked up and signed in: Romeo Ogilve Montillano.

The officers, momentarily stunned, called Montillano out of the exam room and into a nearby office, where they arrested him, Gonzales said. While he was being busted, Montillano asked two questions.

The first: Would he still be able to take to take the test?

No, he was told, his name was being removed from the list of applicants.

The second: Could he re-apply and maybe take the test later?

Montillano was booked into jail on suspicion of robbery, making criminal threats and grand theft in connection with the Kmart episode, Gonzales said. They later found that Montillano had been arrested in November on suspicion of a misdemeanor theft from another Chula Vista business

Deputy Accused of Using Excessive Force on Teen Girl

Saturday, February 28, 2009

SEATTLE —  A King County sheriff's deputy kicks a 15-year-old girl, slams her to the floor of a jail cell, strikes her and pulls her hair in violence captured on videotape.

Prosecutors released the surveillance video in Friday in the assault case against Deputy Paul Schene, who is accused of using excessive force on the girl.

The footage shows the attack beginning after the girl enters the cell at suburban SeaTac City Hall and kicks off one of her shoes toward the deputy.

http://video.ap.org/?g=0227dv_wa_jail_video

Schene, 31, pleaded not guilty to fourth-degree assault in Superior Court on Thursday.

The incident last November began after the girl was brought in for an auto theft investigation, according to court documents.

"We believe this case is beyond just police misconduct, it's criminal misconduct," King County Prosecutor Daniel Satterberg said. "This is clearly excessive force."

Satterberg added the case is uncommon because cameras captured the entire incident.

Schene was investigated previously for shooting two people — killing one — in the line of duty in 2002 and 2006. Both times his actions were found to be justified, said Ian Goodhew, prosecutor's deputy chief of staff.

Calls by The Associated Press to Schene's lawyer Anne Bremner were not immediately returned Friday. Bremner, however, released a statement to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in which she said the video does not tell the whole story. Bremner had asked Judge Catherine Shaffer to not release the video to the media.

"As we argued to the judge, it will inflame public opinion and will severely impact the deputy's right to a fair trial," Bremner said.

In the video, a deputy kicks the girl, pushing her back toward the wall. The deputy then strongly backs the girl against the wall, and slams her to the floor by grabbing her hair. A second deputy enters the holding cell, while the first deputy holds the girl face down to the floor. The first deputy appears to hit the girl with his hands. The girl is then lifted up and led out of the cell while the first deputy holds her hair.

The second officer shown in the video was a trainee at the time and is not under investigation, Goodhew said.

According to court documents, the girl complained of breathing problems after the incident and medics were called to check her. A short time later, she was taken to a youth detention center and booked for investigation of auto theft and third-degree assault, the latter accusation dealing with her conduct toward the deputy. The girl has pleaded not guilty to taking a motor vehicle without permission, Goodhew said Friday, adding she was never formally charged with assault.

Schene told investigators through an e-mail conversation with his lawyer that once he was assaulted by the girl kicking her shoe at him, he entered the cell to "prevent another assault," according to court documents. Schene also said that the girl failed to comply with instructions in the holding area.

Prosecutors said Schene did not explain why he struck the girl after he had her in a holding position on the floor.

Firefighter Accused of Role in Marijuana-Growing Ring

JOHN ELIGON

New York Times

http://www.latimes.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3488048

       Body in car identified as Gainesville engineer

Megan Rolland

Karen Voylese 

Staff Writers

The Gainesville Sun

Man accused of putting toddler in dryer

by Nicole Ethier - Feb. 26, 2009 05:44 PM
The Arizona Republic

Man arrested in Fort Pierce claims Iraq service entitles him to free M&M's

Will Greenlee
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Eric T. Ambrose

 FORT PIERCE — Eric T. Ambrose claimed he served in the military in Iraq, so he could swipe all the M&Ms he wanted.

Police apparently disagreed and arrested him about 3:50 a.m. Monday after pulling packages of the candy known for melting in your mouth, not in your hands, from his pockets at the Pilot truck stop in the 7100 block of Okeechobee Road, according to a recently released arrest affidavit.

It wasn’t the first time Ambrose, 31, had been arrested this month — on Saturday he created a “spectacle” at a Super 8 Motel and was arrested and charged with disorderly intoxication and causing a public disturbance, police said.

In the most recent case, in addition to the three packs of peanut M&Ms, Ambrose reportedly absconded with two black T-shirts, a 20-ounce Bud Light and single packages each of Circus Peanuts candy, chewing tobacco, Wonka Nerds candy, Planters cashews, Reese’s Pieces and Sour Patch candy. Also allegedly taken were two each of large Snickers candy bars and beef jerky packages.

An officer approached Ambrose at the cashier counter, and initially he denied taking anything.

“This officer could clearly see the pocket on the right side of the defendant’s pants were bulging and M&Ms packages could be seen,” the affidavit states. “This officer started removing the candy from his pocket and (another officer) started removing more candy and a T-shirt from his left pockets.”

Ambrose said he bought everything but had no receipt. A clerk and a supervisor said they’d rung up no purchases for Ambrose, who appeared to have been drinking. Ambrose, listed as homeless in Fort Pierce, faces a retail theft charge.

“While in the patrol vehicle the defendant was screaming out the window that he had served in the military over in Iraq so he could steal all the M&M’s he wanted,” the affidavit states.

Ambrose’s claim of military service could not be immediately verified. He was held Wednesday in the St. Lucie County jail on $5,000 bail, a jail official said.

In the earlier case, Ambrose had “thrown himself onto the ground and was curled up to a black handbag,” at the motel when officers arrived, according to a police report.

Officers noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from Ambrose. He said “he had nowhere to go and he can’t go back to his home state because they have methamphetamine.” Ambrose then stated that Fort Pierce “only had crack,” which keeps him high for a little while and was “safer for him.”

Officers placed him under arrest for disorderly intoxication after a fifth warning. He was released Sunday on $250 bail. Ambrose also was arrested in April on charges including disorderly intoxication, simple assault and panhandling, a jail official said.

FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE

Driver flashes gun, arrested

A Hollywood man is accused of threatening a police officer with a gun while they drove on the Florida turnpike.

DAVID SMILEY

BREAKING NEWS: Local funeral home owner charged with abuse of corpse

Chris Brooke

Last updated at 3:46 PM on 24th February 2009

dailymail.co.uk

Jailed: Lisa Walker was sent to prison for the second time after failing to ensure her daughter went to school

A single mother has been jailed for the second time for continuously letting her 11-year-old daughter play truant, despite living just 100 yards from school.

Lisa Walker, 41, was given a 60-day sentence by magistrates after admitting her fourth offence in five years of failing to ensure her three children went to school.

Her tearaway daughter Danielle missed 90 per cent of her schooling last summer and more recently, with the threat of prison hanging over her mother, she still only attended lessons 60 per cent of the time.

Walker, a jobless mother-of-three living off benefits, failed to co-operate with attempts by the authorities to help her. Her main explanation for her daughter's truancy was 'some mornings she won't get up'.

She was given a 56-day jail sentence during the summer holidays in 2004 and yesterday Leeds Magistrates' Court heard the experience had done nothing to solve the problem.

Nigel Augustin, prosecuting, said council officials had been working with the single mother and her child to 'encourage' her back to Whingate Primary School in Leeds.

'The defendant failed to take an opportunity offered to her,' he said.

Walker was visited several times last July and August and a child protection conference had been called in which Walker agreed to make an effort to get Danielle to school.

'Unfortunately, of course, that didn't happen,' said Mr Augustin.

Between June 3 and September 12 last year Danielle failed to attend morning and afternoon registration on 81 of 90 occasions with her mother's knowledge.

That shocking record improved marginally when the decision was made to prosecute, although during this academic year she has still missed a majority of classes.

Shocking record: Danielle, 11, attended school just nine times out of 90 over a two month period, despite living just 100 yards away

Passing sentence, bench chairman Phyllis Caffoor said:'We have had to consider that she is an 11-year-old child whose life will be significantly disadvantaged if she does not receive the required education.

'You have not responded to previous orders. You have not co-operated with all the various agencies who, on numerous occasions, have endeavoured to assist you and facilitate Danielle's attendance at school.'

Walker was asked if she understood and replied: 'Yeah, course mate.'

Members of her family wept as she was led away in handcuffs, swearing at reporters in court.

Walker's other children are Dominic, 20, and Jade, 17. They were playing truant, along with six-year-old Danielle, when Walker was first jailed, for her second offence.

The mother was given a further suspended sentence in 2006 over Danielle missing school.

Today neighbours living near the family's rented terraced house in Armley, Leeds, slammed the wild child and offered sympathy to her mother.

One neighbour said: 'The little girl is not very nice and I feel sorry for her mum. She causes trouble with everyone on the street.

'She is mouthy and she throws sticks at people's houses and runs away.'

Another, who also asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said: 'I've seen her take the girl to school some mornings but there are some days you don't see them at all.

'It's like she just gave up trying because there was nothing she could do.

'I don't see her causing trouble when she's supposed to be in school because we are so close to the school here that she would probably get spotted.

'But she is allowed to roam about at night doing what she wants. She doesn't seem to care about anything or anyone.

'She doesn't have a male figure in her life and I think the mum has given up trying to give her some discipline.'

Ros Vahey, deputy chief executive of Education Leeds, said: 'Parents and carers have a legal responsibility to ensure their children go to school.

'Attendance is something we take very seriously and legal action is very much a last resort, but in exceptional cases we have to use the full force of the law.

'We will now continue in our efforts to bring this child back into full-time education so she can get the most out of her time at school.'