13-year-old dies in a house fire two weeks after beating cancer
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The incident took place in the early hours of July 4 and, investigation suggests, appears to be related to fireworks. 'Division of Fire Safety is currently investigating five fires in which fireworks are suspected and in which three people have died,' the authorities said, confirming 'a 13-year-old girl died in the fire' in Buckner, Jackson County.
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'A second person later succumbed to his injuries. At least one other remains hospitalized,' the statement reads.
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Multiple news outlets in the U.S. identified the 13-year-old victim as Jerilynn Brown. The teen had been battling osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, for two years and was reportedly discharged from Children's Mercy Hospital late last month.
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'She just rang the bell,' Jerilynn's father Jerry Brown told KMBC. 'And a month later, here we are, and I'm talking about my baby girl.' Jerilynn's mother, Liz Stephens, is in the hospital and fighting for her life due to injuries sustained in the house fire, Jerilynn's stepfather Stephen Miller said.
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'Jerrilynn was a bright, brave, and beautiful soul who had just overcome a long battle with cancer only two weeks prior,' reads a GoFundMe set up for the family. 'Her strength and spirit touched everyone who knew her. To have her taken so suddenly after all she had endured is beyond heartbreaking.' The campaign, with a goal of US$11,000, aims to raise funds for the family to cover funeral and medical expenses.
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'To see a young girl who just beat cancer to have to have it end like this. I'm speaking on all of our folks our heart goes out and we are all very upset about this as well,' Independence Fire Chief Jimmy Walker told Fox 4.
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Authorities said the fire originated on the covered back deck at the residence. Walker also said the smoke alarms inside the home weren't working. 'While they don't extinguish fires they do alert you in early stages of fires to let you get out and stay out and they do save lives,' Walker said, Fox 4 reports.
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Toronto Sun
5 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
MANDEL: Eight swarming girls, not one sentenced to further jail time in slaying of Ken Lee
With the final teen sentenced, all received different periods of probation for the heinous 2022 killing of a homeless man Get the latest from Michele Mandel straight to your inbox Ken Lee, centre, seen here with his family, was stabbed to death during a swarming in downtown Toronto on Dec. 18, 2022. Photo by Handout / GoFundMe Rowdy, drunk and high, the wild pack of troubled young girls met up at Yorkdale before hopping on the subway to head downtown. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account By the end of the night, after what a judge would call 'brazen, feral and immature' attacks on other commuters, being thrown out of TTC stations, and shoplifting, the vicious girls savagely swarmed a defenceless homeless man across from Union Station, leaving him with a fatal stab wound to the heart and 19 injuries from blunt-force trauma. And for that, not one would be sentenced to more time in custody than what they had already spent before being released on bail. It was around midnight – five days before Christmas 2022 – when Kenneth Lee, 59, arrived at the narrow parkette at the corner of Front and York Sts. with his partner Erika Tong, who was staying at the nearby shelter in the Strathcona Hotel. When he left her alone for a few minutes, the teens harassed Tong and stole her bottle of booze. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When Lee returned, he told the girls to leave her alone. They pounced on him seconds later – three minutes and 20 seconds of senseless mob violence that unfolded in three waves that killed the man and shocked the city. None of these girls, aged 13 to 16 at the time, can be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. All were arrested for second-degree murder, seven would plead guilty to lesser charges, and the eighth would be acquitted of murder at her judge-alone trial and convicted instead of manslaughter. All spent time in custody before sentencing – but none would get further jail time after both Ontario Court Justice David Rose and Superior Court Justice Philip Campbell found their rights were violated by unwarranted strip searches while in youth detention. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Six of the girls had the gall to argue that their charges should be thrown out because of the Charter violations – which both judges rejected, saying a sentence reduction was the more appropriate remedy. These teens, though, were never going to be locked up for as long as some in the outraged public would demand. The YCJA requires judges to recognize the diminished moral culpability of kids under 18 to reflect uncontradicted evidence that their brains are not fully developed and they're more susceptible to peer pressure – and more susceptible to positive change with the right counselling. In the end, the longest any of the girls spent in custody for the horrific beating and stabbing of a vulnerable homeless man was credited at 20 months. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ken Lee, who died after being stabbed in downtown Toronto, allegedly by a group of teenaged girls. Photo by Handout / Toronto Police Just after 9:30 pm on Dec. 17, 2022, the 13-year-old was seen with the other girls on the Yorkdale Subway platform running with a blue-handled knife. After play fighting, she handed the knife off to another in the group as they all boarded the southbound train to St. George. She admitted lunging and yelling at two male passengers and chasing them down the platform. She and her friends got kicked out of the station – only to re-enter and harass another passenger before catching the subway to St. Andrew. At the downtown station, she admitted trying to assault two women, but she was restrained by some of her friends – though she doesn't recall that part of the night. By 11:53 pm, the group arrived in the parkette at the foot of University Ave. A security video camera mounted on an office building captured the entire attack. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The judge found she was a 'very active participant in the swarming. She was aggressive throughout, landing multiple punches on Mr. Lee,' but she didn't have a weapon or deliver the fatal stab to the heart. Diagnosed with a Persistent Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Eating Disorder, Cannabis Use Disorder (which is in early remission), and Conduct Disorder, her parents split when she was five years old. At 12, she began smoking marijuana daily. She also seriously abused alcohol: She was hospitalized after attempting suicide by alcohol poisoning and in the months before the swarming, she blacked out five to six times. According to her pre-sentence report, she regretted the incident but also believed Lee put his hand on one of the girls and deserved to be beaten. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While initially in custody, she was strip searched six times, and briefly left totally naked on four occasions. To comply with a judicial order banning the strip searches, she was then placed in segregation for 24 hours. After her release on bail, she was rearrested in February 2024 on charges she stabbed a TTC commuter at Wilson station – to which she later pleaded guilty. She was the first to plead guilty to manslaughter in the OCJ on May 30, 2024. Rose credited her with 15 months in custody for the 218 days she actually spent in open custody and 53 days in closed, and sentenced her to 21 months probation in the Intensive Support and Supervision Program (ISSP). 'I find (she) is at a real risk to re-offend violently if she is not given the benefit of extensive treatment and counselling in the next few years,' Rose said at the time. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More The teen with the long ponytail and fake eyelashes admitted that at the tender age of 13, she kicked Lee, threw a plastic water bottle at him and ' forcefully ' hit him twice in the head area with a green bag as he lay ' crumpled on the ground having just collapsed after being swarmed and attacked ' and ' was trying to protect his head from the onslaught of kicks, stomps and punches ' still being rained down on him by the others. She pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm i n the OCJ on June 4, 2024, ahead of her trial. Taking her three strip searches into account, Rose sentenced her to 12 months probation on Sept. 24, 2024. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She was 14 and one of the ringleaders when she joined up with the marauding teens creating mayhem on the subway and hit a woman outside the TTC's St. Andrews subway station. She stole a swig of booze from Tong and c ontinually hit Lee with her white shopping bag of ice. ' And even after he's on the ground and adults are breaking it off, she's still stomping on his head, ' Crown attorney Sarah De Filippis would say. ' She was one of the most violent in the group. She was dedicated to this attack and she was relentless, even to the last minutes when he was crumpled on the ground. ' Still frighteningly clueless, t he pigtailed teen had no remorse and minimized her role to an almost ' ludicrous degree,' the prosecutor said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Apprehended at nine months by child protection and raised by her loving grandmother, she was physically assaulted and sexually abused by her peers, with both incidents uploaded to social media, and she's been diagnosed with PTSD, ADHD and marijuana abuse and ' normalized stealing,' Rose said in his judgment. More concerning, he said, is her ' disturbing complete lack of acceptance of responsibility ' in comments she made in a court report: she called Lee ' a piece of s—, ' said ' I don't care ' about what happened, and it was ' not that serious ' to warrant a plea to manslaughter. Yet, she wrote an apology letter to the court and told her probation officer she feels bad for what she did. She ' tells different versions about this event depending on who she is speaking to, ' the judge concluded. ' Her acceptance of responsibility is nowhere near complete. ' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She pleaded guilty on June 24, 2024 to manslaughter and was sentenced Jan 28, 2025 to two years probation under the ISSP. She was credited with 15 months in pre-sentence custody after being strip searched seven times. RECOMMENDED VIDEO GIRL 4 (vise grips girl) The 13-year-old who met up with the other girls at Yorkdale subway station around 9 p.m. was smoking marijuana daily and was 'blackout drunk.' On the subway she was seen brandishing a pair of vise grip pliers and was part of an assault on two women at St. Andrews station. At the parkette, she w ielded the vise grips during her assault on Lee, hitting him from above about the head and upper torso area while he was pinned against a concrete wall. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the OCJ on June 17, 2024. She was sentenced by Rose to a 15-month ISSP probation order on Sept. 16, 2024, after serving 243 days of pre-sentence custody, being strip searched seven times and flown in the middle of the night 1,900 km away to Kenora when the sprinklers malfunctioned at Marjorie Amos detention centre in Brampton. The 16-year-old had been consuming Crown Royal and marijuana that night and was seen trying to stop some of the girls from assaulting strangers as they headed downtown. She was only involved in the last 23 seconds of the assault on Lee by raising a pylon over her head and hitting him with it three times. She went on trial for second-degree murder in the Superior Court of Justice earlier this year. Just as lawyers were scheduled to present closing arguments, she was allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter on Feb. 18 after the Crown made the surprising acknowledgment that prosecutors couldn't prove murder. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. ' No words can undo what happened, ' she told the court in her apology letter. ' My actions took away something sacred, something irreplaceable. ' Campbell sentenced her on May 16 to 15 months probation after she spent 288 days in custody and underwent six strip searches. RECOMMENDED VIDEO GIRL 6 (the bottle stealer) The 16-year-old pulled the hair of two Asian women on the subway ride downtown that night and unwittingly set the swarming in motion when she stole the bottle of booze from Tong. She admitted throwing a cup at Lee during the attack and filming his bloodied face before leaving the parkette. When she returned after the deadliest part of the assault, a shelter worker asked her to flag down an ambulance, which she did. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Her lawyer told the court she's finally on track to graduate from high school with hopes of attending college. Her trial for manslaughter was to begin May 5, 2025, in Superior Court but she pleaded guilty to assault on April 4 and was sentenced by Campbell to nine months probation after finding she'd been strip searched and her role in the swarming was 'relatively low.' GIRL 7 The teen, 14 at the time, was high on alcohol and marijuana, and was one of the least responsible in the violent attack : she wasn't armed, she had earlier tried to calm her co- accused and only became involved in the final phase of the swarming when she mistakenly believed Lee had initiated an assault on her friend, when he was really trying to defend himself. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The agreed statement said she 'hit, punched, kicked and filmed' Lee. The girl, diagnosed with PTSD, ADHD, conduct disorder and oppositional disorder, pleaded guilty to manslaughter before Campbell on May 5, 2025, the day her trial was set to begin in Superior Court. She was sentenced on June 26 to 12 months probation. Of the eight accused , she spent the most time in custody – 345 days – which Campbell credited to 18 months. GIRL 8 (the stabber) The alleged stabber, 14 at the time, tried to plead to manslaughter before her judge-alone trial earlier this year on second-degree murder charges but it was rejected by the Crown. On May 30, Campbell convicted her of manslaughter, finding she stabbed Lee shallowly under the armpit with eyebrow scissors and was lunging toward him again, but he couldn't conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that she inflicted the deep, fatal blow. Following a heartfelt apology and demonstrated progress, she was credited on Aug. 1 with 20 months for her 240 days in custody and four illegal strip searches. Campbell sentenced her to 16 months probation – with up to 12 months in the ISSP. mmandel@ Toronto Blue Jays Canada World Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA
Toronto Sun
7 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
3 escaped Grenadian prisoners sentenced in killing of U.S. yachting couple
Published Aug 01, 2025 • 1 minute read The families of Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry fear the yachting couple were murdered by escaped convicts in the Caribbean. GOFUNDME Photo by GoFundMe SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Three escaped prisoners from the eastern Caribbean island of Grenada who were accused of killing an elderly U.S. couple last year after hijacking their catamaran have been sentenced. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ron Mitchell, a sailor in his 30s who was accused of being the ringleader, received two life sentences late Wednesday in the killings of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel. Atiba Stanislaus, a farmer in his late 20s, received 60 years for manslaughter and nearly 18 years for the rape of Brandel, among other sentences, for a variety of crimes including kidnapping. Trevon Robertson, an unemployed man in his early 20s, received 56 years for manslaughter and other sentences for different crimes, according to local media reports. The New Today , a local newspaper, reported that prosecutors said the men bound and gagged the couple before throwing them overboard, with Mitchell accused of steering the yacht over Hendry. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The two bodies were never found. Police at the time said the men had escaped in late February 2024 from the South Saint George Police Station. They hijacked the catamaran Simplicity on the following day and then headed to nearby St. Vincent, where they were arrested, according to authorities. The nonprofit Salty Dawg Sailing Association had said that Hendry and Brandel were 'veteran cruisers' and longtime members of the association, calling them 'warm-hearted and capable.' It said the couple was spending the winter cruising in the eastern Caribbean. Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Columnists Celebrity Canada
Ottawa Citizen
a day ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Cyclist struck by vehicle in Ottawa awaiting surgery, no time frame for recovery
Journaling, meditating and cycling have all been steps on Ghost Padron's daily routine. Article content According to their mother, Leslie-Anne Barrett, Padron is a talented painter and poet who has put their art skills to use by helping Barrett with her freelance hair and makeup work. Article content Article content 'They're a very, very brainy person,' Barrett said of Padron. 'In our family we go, 'How's the big brain doing?' because it's hard to keep up with them.' Article content Article content On July 22, while cycling on Sweetnam Drive, south of Hazeldean Road and east of the Amberwood Village Golf and Country Club, Padron was struck by a vehicle before being transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Article content Article content An Ottawa Police Services investigation is ongoing. Article content Padron has been unconscious with brain and bone injuries at the Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital since the collision. As of the afternoon of July 31, they were getting slowly taken off sedatives and being prepared for orthopedic surgery, which Barrett said was expected within the next 48 hours. Article content Doctors could not provide the family with an estimated time frame for recovery, Barrett said. 'It's a waiting game now … We're just praying that there is a time frame.' Article content 'We can see a little light through the clouds,' Barrett added, 'but by no means are we out of the woods.' Article content Article content Barrett is the primary caregiver of her elderly mother, and Padron moved in with Barrett in April. A GoFundMe to support Barrett and Padron's family has raised more than $47,000 so far. Article content Before the accident, Padron was preparing to head back to work as an outreach worker with the Somerset West Community Health Centre, supporting people experiencing homelessness and substance addiction. 'Going back to this type of work was a big decision for them,' Barrett said. Article content 'But that's one thing I can say about my kid … They've never, ever made it about themselves,' she continued, adding that Padron didn't often let others take their photo. Article content The 'devastation' of the accident has had a 'significant' impact on Padron's family, with Barrett saying they've been unable to return to work since the incident. Article content One day after Padron's collision, one child on a bicycle and another child on a scooter were both struck by vehicles on Ottawa roadways. On July 26, a woman cyclist in her 70s was killed in a collision with a motor vehicle on Mitch Owens Road in the city's south end. Article content Barrett wants drivers to be mindful of the others sharing the road. Article content 'When you're driving a car or you're in a hurry and you want to cut through because your time is so important, remember that there could be an elderly person with a dog, there could be someone with a baby carriage, there could be children coming home from school, or there could be someone on a bicycle,' she said.
