An L.A. Family Horror: Children Pushed Out Of Moving Car On 405, Mother Dead, Partner Fatally Stabbed

The first sign of a tragedy that led investigators on a bizarre trail of violence across Los Angeles County began with an infant and her sister abandoned and injured on the 405 Freeway before sunrise. Around 4:30 a.m. Monday near the Sepulveda Boulevard/Howard Hughes Parkway exit, officers found an 8-month old girl in the middle of the roadway. She had major injuries and died at the scene. A 9-year-old girl, who had moderate injuries, had made it to the side of the freeway after the pair were pushed out of a moving car, authorities said. Roughly half an hour later, police in Redondo Beach responded to reports that a black Porsche Cayenne crashed into a tree while driving in excess of 100 mph on Pacific Coast Highway near Vincent Street. The driver, identified by police as Danielle Cherakiyah Johnson, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene. At first, it wasn’t clear that the two incidents were related. But about two hours later, police arrived at Johnson’s home, an upscale fourth-floor unit in the Montecito Apartments complex in Woodland Hills, where the full scope of the tragedy came into focus. A trail of blood led from the complex’s elevator to the apartment. Inside, police found 29-year-old Jaelen Allen Chaney stabbed to death. Investigators believe Johnson killed her partner inside their home before fleeing, pushed her two small daughters out of the car on the 405 and then deliberately rammed her SUV into the tree in Redondo Beach in an apparent suicide.

Los Angeles Times

Shooting Near Exposition Park Leaves At Least One Person Dead

A man was reported dead following a shooting in the Exposition Park area Tuesday afternoon. The shooting occurred at around 5 p.m. off of Vermont Avenue and W. Martin Luther King Boulevard. Shots rang out in the area just south of USC and the LA Coliseum, leaving one person dead. Vermont Avenue will be shut down between W. Martin Luther King Boulevard and Exposition Boulevard as authorities investigate the motive for the shooting. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the location a short time later and pronounced the victim dead at the scene, LAFD spokesman Nicholas Prange reported. Detectives described the suspect as a man between 18 and 20 wearing a black hat, a white shirt, tan or brown colored pants. The Los Angeles Police Department established a perimeter to find the suspect, presumed close to the location.

NBC 4

LAPD Investigating Two Shootings That Left One Dog Dead, One Wounded In South LA

Police are investigating a pair of shootings that have left one dog dead and one wounded in South Los Angeles in recent weeks. The first incident was reported at around 11 p.m. on March 29, just near 23rd Street and Santa Fe Avenue, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department. "Officers located a dog that had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and located evidence of a shooting," the statement said. "The officers transported the animal to a local veterinarian for treatment and the animal survived." The second shooting is reported to have happened on Sunday at around 3:30 a.m. near 52nd Street and Avalon Boulevard, the statement continued. "Officers located another dog that had suffered a gunshot wound and located evidence of a shooting," according to LAPD's statement. "The animal succumbed to its injuries." There was no information on a suspect or motive in the shootings. Anyone with further information is asked to contact LAPD detectives at (323) 846-6566.

CBS 2

LAPD Searching For Suspect After 2 Women Viciously Attacked In Venice

Los Angeles police continue to search for a suspect after two women were brutally attacked near the Venice Canals over the weekend. The two attacks were carried out Saturday, with both victims suffering significant injuries, according to the LAPD. The first attack occurred around 10:30 p.m. in the 2700 block of Strongs Drive. Police said a woman was walking when a man approached her from behind and struck her with a hard object. She was knocked unconscious. The same suspect is believed to have attacked another woman in a similar fashion about an hour later as she was walking near the Sherman Canal. The suspect was described as a man between 5-foot-10 and 6 feet, weighing about 180 to 200 pounds, with short hair trimmed around the ears. It was unclear what the suspect was last seen wearing. Police said the suspect left evidence behind after fleeing the scene, but no further details were provided.

ABC 7

Amber Alert Canceled After 2 Children Missing From L.A. Elementary School Located

An Amber Alert was issued Tuesday evening after two young children were reported missing from their elementary school in Los Angeles. By 6:40 p.m., that alert was canceled shortly after it was issued by the California Highway Patrol. At the time, the two children, 6-year-old Ali Kelly and 5-year-old Cairo Kelly, were last seen Tuesday around 9 a.m. at Lovelia P. Flournoy Elementary in Watts. The Los Angeles Police Department said it believed the two children were with Donald Kelly, a 41-year-old man who was considered by law enforcement to be armed and dangerous. Kelly was believed to be driving a black 2009 Lincoln MKZ sedan with license plate 9LFM954. The CHP, which issues statewide Amber Alerts, urged anyone who may have additional information to immediately call 911.

KTLA 5

Encino Break-In: Woman Escapes Thieves To Call 911

Police are searching for masked men who broke into an Encino home Tuesday night, shoving one of the residents to the ground before she was able to get free and call 911. It happened around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday at the home in the 4200 block of N. Sepulveda Boulevard. Police said two masked men entered the gated home, and came face-to-face to a woman who lives there. The men allegedly tried to pin her to the ground, but she was able to get away, get to a neighbor's house, and call police. When officers got there, the men were gone. It's not clear whether the men took anything from the home, and the woman's condition is not yet known. Anyone with information about this break-in was asked to contact police.

FOX 11

Reality Star Says Masked Men Attempted To Break Into Hollywood Hills Home

Home security camera footage shows the moments when three masked intruders attempted to break into the Hollywood Hills home of influencer Joey Zauzig. The break-in happened early Monday morning, and the reality star, known for his role in MTV’s ‘The Real Friends of WEHO,’ has been detailing his experience to his followers. It was a disturbing and frightening ordeal for Zauzig, who you may know from his social media pages and show on MTV. He said he is sharing details of his experience so he can find the men responsible for taking his sense of safety away. “Last night, we were awoken to three armed masked men walking around our property at our door,” Zauzig said. Zauzig said it happened around midnight on Monday. When the masked intruders used a device to shatter his sliding glass door. This triggered the alarm, and then he said he immediately called 911. “We didn't know if they were still in the house. We were so freaked out we were screaming help from the balcony,” Zauzig said. Zauzig detailed the LAPD’s response and their arrival within six minutes with two helicopters overhead. But by the time they arrived, according to Zauzig and the LAPD, the three masked men had already left.

NBC 4

LAPD Seizes $140K In Counterfeit Lakers Merchandise

You may want to think twice before buying or selling counterfeit Los Angeles Lakers merchandise on the street. Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Police Department announced they seized over $140,000 in counterfeit jerseys outside the Crypto.com Arena. "We love sports, but don’t like counterfeiting…today Central Vice seized over $140k in counterfeit Lakers jerseys from an unlawful vendor outside Crypto.com Arena. Buyers beware of these poor quality FAKES and buy from licensed retailers!" the department wrote on the Central Division’s X account on Sunday, April 7. Lakers merchandise is a hot commodity and it's been that way for decades. Data from NBAStore.com from the first half of the 2023-24 season showed the Lakers have the top-selling merchandise in the NBA and when it comes to individual players, LeBron James had the third-highest-selling jersey. 

FOX 11

Man, 12-Year-Old Girl Arrested In String Of Armed Robberies Across L.A. County

An 18-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl have been arrested in connection with a series of armed robberies across Los Angeles County. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the two were arrested Saturday after leading police on a pursuit following an armed robbery at a convenience store on the 3200 block of South Central Avenue. Officers responded to the scene and located the suspect vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver sped off and led police on a chase. At one point, one of the occupants threw a firearm out of the vehicle, police said, which was later recovered by officers. The pursuit eventually ended and both the driver and passenger were arrested. The man has been identified as Nathen Sanchez, an 18-year-old resident of Los Angeles. Because the girl is underage, her name has not been released. During their arrest, a large amount of cash that was stolen in the earlier robbery was recovered from inside the vehicle.

KTLA 5

BWC: Woman Shoots Son, Points Gun At California Officers Before Fatal OIS

The Pacifica Police Department has released incomplete body-worn camera footage of an encounter where two officers shot and killed an armed woman last week, as well as the names of the officers. In a statement Thursday, police identified the officers as Cpl. Hayden Fry and Officer Kevin Contreras. Fry is an eight-year veteran of the department. Contreras joined the department in 2023 after serving six years with another law enforcement agency. The woman who died in the shooting was also identified as 50-year-old Michelle Arrais. The episode began just before 8 a.m. on March 27, when a 23-year-old man called 911 to report he had been shot by Arrais, his mother, inside their apartment at 2562 Francisco Blvd., according to police. He said he was awakened by the sound of gunfire and then shot twice by his mother. Moments after they arrived at the apartment, Fry and Contreras saw Arrais driving out of the parking lot. Police said the officers ordered Arrais to stop and she pointed a firearm at both of them, “at which time they fired their service weapons at her.” A portion of the body-worn camera footage released by police appears to show Arrais pointing a handgun at Contreras, who was on one side of the driveway, and then at Fry, who was on the other side. The officers then fire what appear to be 10 rounds at Arrais.

Bay Area News Group

Michigan School Shooter’s Mother And Father Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

One by one, the teary-eyed or angry parents — mothers, fathers, siblings — approached the podium to share their loss. They scolded the parents whose son committed the murders that forever changed their lives and shared memories of the ones they lost. “She was the best thing to happen to me,” said Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of 17-year-old victim Madisyn Baldwin. “I grew up because of her. We grew together. I learned from her. I mattered because of her ... “When you texted, ‘Ethan, don’t do it,’ I was texting Madisyn, ‘I love you, please call mom’ ... Not only did your son kill my daughter, but you did as well ... You failed as parents.” Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl A. Matthews on Tuesday, April 9, sentenced 46-year-old Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley, 47, to a minimum of 10 years in prison. They were convicted in separate jury trials of four counts each of involuntary manslaughter, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. “These convictions are not about poor parenting,” Matthews said. These convictions “are about repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.” Matthews said James Crumbley allowed his son “unfettered access” to guns and ammunition and called Jennifer Crumbley’s behavior “dispassionate and apathetic.”

PoliceOne

LA Approves Temporary Ban On Dog Breeding Permits With City Shelters Overpopulated

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved a temporary moratorium on dog breeding permits in an attempt to address overpopulation at the six city-run animal shelters. Council members voted 13-0 to pass an ordinance needed to enact the moratorium. Council members Monica Rodriguez and Katy Yaroslavsky were absent during the vote. According to city documents, the moratorium would be lifted once shelters are at or below 75% capacity for three consecutive months, and could be automatically reinstated if shelter capacity rises above 75%. City officials emphasized the moratorium is only temporary until the shelters' can get control of the situation. It will affect dogs specifically, not cats or rabbits, because the shelters are reporting an influx of purebred dogs being dropped off. Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, who chairs the council's Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee and introduced the motion, said the action was necessary to address the "crises" at city animal shelters.

ABC 7

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.