BREAKING NEWS Pair of childcare workers accused of assaulting a toddler at daycare centre in Sydney's west
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The Guardian
3 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Four dead after two-car crash in remote central Queensland
Four people have been killed in a two-car crash on a remote highway in Queensland's central highlands. Police remained at the scene on the Capricorn Highway, between the historical coal mining towns of Comet and Blackwater, on Sunday afternoon. The highway was cut between the towns and was likely to be closed for some time. Two people involved in the crash, which occurred at about 10.50am on Sunday, were taken to the Emerald hospital with serious injuries. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The highway, which runs from Rockhampton in central Queensland to Barcaldine, is a single-lane road in each direction for most of the journey. It has long straight sections, particularly around Blackwater. 'Four people died at the scene and two people were transported to Emerald hospital with serious injuries,' the Queensland police service said in a statement. 'Due to the complexity of the incident, there is no further information available at this time.' It has been a horror weekend on Queensland roads, with at least eight fatalities since Friday evening. Police were investigating how a 26-year-old man died after apparently falling from a car at Tamborine in the Scenic Rim. Three teenagers died near Mackay when their car crashed into a dual-cab ute while attempting to overtake a truck at Glenella, near Mackay, on Friday night. Two men and a woman – all aged 19 – died at the scene.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I lived fast and hard dealing drugs while hooked on meth… then came the sliding doors moment that completely turned my life around
A reformed drug dealer has recalled the horrific moment he found his brother trying to save his friend after he choked on his own vomit and died from an overdose. Braiden Tonks, 32, has lived through a decade of addiction, violence and crime that ultimately left him scarred, alone and hanging on to life by a thread. Mr Tonks managed to turn his life around and is now a father of three, partner and activist who is trying to help other addicts by sharing his own life experiences. The young father said he was the son of a pub brawler who had a reputation among locals and that he leaned into his violent legacy. Six-foot-five, covered in tattoos, and sporting stretched earlobes, he began smuggling methamphetamine into the Apple Isle in his 20s. His exploits afforded him nice cars, Harley-Davidsons, and enough cash to use meth on the side. But his addiction took it all away, leaving him with a stolen mountain bike and no roof over his head. 'I went from that guy with all the money, all the assets, and dealing drugs, to the absolute bottom of the spectrum,' he told Daily Mail Australia. When he thought he'd lost everything, he sought solace in other users. One introduced him to heroin – the worst drug he ever tried – and soon he was on the brink of death. In a hotel with his brother, Mr Tonks tried some, felt dizzy, and collapsed. CPR from his brother saved him, but the next morning he had to watch as his new friend wouldn't wake up. His brother tried CPR again, then turned to Mr Tonks, bile in his mouth, and said: 'This is exactly what I was doing to you'. The incident rattled Mr Tonks. The turning point came when he was caught in a hailstorm, wearing a T-shirt with nothing but a suitcase of drug paraphernalia behind an electrical box. He weighed just 68kg at the time. 'I remember sitting down behind this thing and bawling my eyes out,' Mr Tonks said. 'I wasn't born a Christian or anything, but I just remember sitting there and all of a sudden looking up, saying, "God, if you are real, help me, or kill me". 'I literally had nowhere to go. Nobody. My family had given up on me, my mum was in jail, my dad is completely anti-drugs.' It was a moment he's now grateful for. Soon after, he was nabbed at Hobart Airport following a failed trip to purchase $20,000 of meth. Detectives hauled him from the tarmac. 'They fully strip searched me, they found the cash, a couple of satchels with residue from drugs in the bag. That was enough to take me back to the station,' Mr Tonks said. He copped a 12-month suspended sentence with two years on good behaviour before a variety of minor offences landed him inside Risdon Prison Complex for six months. After leaving prison, he knew he couldn't stay in Tasmania. He feared he'd be pulled back into old habits. His mother, just out of jail herself, and his ex-partner – who is the mother of his two kids – gave him a chance to stay in their lives if he cleaned up. He said his current partner, Bec, and their daughter was a 'big factor' to his recovery. Mr Tonks said surrounding yourself with people who want the best for you is key to overcoming addiction. While working in construction and raising his kids, he started talking about his previous experiences on a podcast and trying to become that helping hand for others. His content joins a growing group of 'underworld' podcasters - like Sydney phenom Spanian - speaking to forgotten Australians and those curious about life on the edge. An estimated 10.2million Australians aged 14 and over have used an illicit drug in their lifetime. Drug use has declined in most age groups since 2019, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. But street drugs are growing more dangerous due to synthetic ingredients and powerful cutting agents. Mr Tonks also shares stories from others on the path to recovery. He has received dozens of messages a week from young people wanting to turn their lives around. Not everyone likes what he has to say – and that's fine with him. 'There's 100 per cent way more positivity than negativity on social media for me through the message I carry, but once upon a time I wouldn't have been able to handle it,' Mr Tonks said. 'My father was a very violent man... I sort of copped that reputation of him myself.' He admits he used to threaten those who criticised him, a habit shaped by his upbringing. 'Since I went to jail, I wouldn't say I found the Lord, but I found something,' Mr Tonks said. 'I believe in a higher power, whatever it is. I definitely believe in something higher than me. It's helped me, man, to switch off, grow more and not deal with a negative s***.' His podcast is available on Tonksy Media Podcast via social media, YouTube and Spotify. Lifeline: 13 11 14
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Memphis guard Sincere Parker arrested after allegedly choking his girlfriend during attack
Memphis guard Sincere Parker was arrested Saturday on an aggravated assault charge for an attack on his girlfriend. The woman told police that he choked her and hit her, according to court documents. She also told police that the attack occurred on May 27 at the Memphis apartment the couple shared. She reported that Parker pushed her, slapped her in the face and choked her, leaving her bruised and bloodied, according to a police report. The woman also told police that Parker broke her cellphone because he didn't want her to have the digital key to the apartment. A warrant for Parker's arrest was issued Friday and the 22-year-old was booked into Shelby County Jail in Tennessee on Saturday. An arraignment was scheduled for Monday on charges of felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor vandalism. It was not immediately clear whether Parker had an attorney. The 6-foot-3 Parker transferred to Memphis after averaging 12.2 points last season for McNeese, helping the Cowboys and coach Will Wade reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He played his first two seasons for Saint Louis.
