Illinois Teen Shot Deaf Mom, Burned House

Teen allegedly shoots her Deaf mom in the head and later posts to her Facebook: ‘You were my best friend’, Police say.

MORRISON, Illinois -- Authorities investigating the homicide of a 53-year-old woman whose body was found Saturday inside her burning house in Morrison, Illinois, have arrested her 15-year-old daughter, whom they suspect is the killer, PEOPLE confirms.

A spokesman for the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois confirms that law enforcement has arrested the teenage daughter of Peggy Schroeder, who was Deaf.

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The girl is charged as a juvenile with two counts of first-degree murder, concealment of homicidal death and arson. Though authorities reportedly said Schroeder was shot in the head, her cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

PEOPLE does not identify juveniles accused of crimes unless they are tried as adults.

The girl did not enter a plea during a court hearing Tuesday in juvenile court. Prosecutors have yet to decide whether they plan to try her as an adult. If she is tried and convicted as a minor, she would be imprisoned until she turns 21.

Her lawyer, Jim Mertes, declined to discuss the allegations against his client.

The sheriff’s spokesman would only discuss the girl’s arrest and not the allegations against her, which were reportedly outlined by investigators during Tuesday’s hearing.

According to SaukValley.com, citing that testimony, authorities believe the teen was waiting for her mother to return from work last Thursday.

When Schroeder walked into the house around 5:30 p.m., the girl allegedly met her in the living room and had her place a towel over her face and then fired a single shot from a .38-caliber revolver into her forehead, authorities said, SaukValley.com reports.

According to court testimony, authorities claim the teen then texted a photo of Schroeder’s body to a friend to prove she had been killed. The other girl, also 15, then allegedly came over to help try to clean blood from the carpeting.

The next morning, the juveniles awoke and moved Peggy’s body from the living room to her bedroom, a sheriff’s detective claimed in court, the site reports.

The girls allegedly then spent the next two days trying to cover up the killing, according to local TV station KWQC.

SOURCE - PEOPLE

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Parents Allegedly Murdered Adopted Deaf Son

Hearing parents accused of killing adopted Deaf son and covering it up: New York police.

GUILFORD, NY -- CBS News: A mother and father are accused of killing their teenage son and setting fire to their home to cover up the crime.

Ernest Franklin II, 35, and Heather Franklin, 33, are charged with second-degree murder, arson and tampering with physical evidence.

According to CBS affiliate WBNG, officials say a fire was reported around 1:15 a.m. March 1 at the family’s home in Guilford. The couple’s son, 16-year-old Jeffrey Franklin, was found dead inside. Sheriff Ernest Cutting says an autopsy determined the fire didn’t cause the teen’s death and that he was dead before the fire started.

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According to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, Jeffrey was adopted about seven years ago. He was Deaf and had special needs.

WBNG reports that when asked his plea by the judge, Ernest Franklin said “guilty,” but his public defender quickly corrected him, and changed the plea. Both Ernest and Heather pleaded “not guilty” and were sent to the Chenango County Jail without bail.

Authorities haven’t said how the boy was killed.

WBNG reports that a GoFundMe page was created shortly after the fire to help the parents with expenses. More than $11,000 was reportedly raised, but the page has been taken down.

In a statement, GoFundMe said:

“It’s important to remember that the platform is backed by the GoFundMe Guarantee, which means that in the rare case that GoFundMe, law enforcement or a user finds campaigns are misused, donors will get their money back. In this case, due to recent information released, GoFundMe will honor refunds to all donors.”

SOURCE - CBS News

Deaf Man's 911 Text Saves House From Fire

Deaf News: Deaf man's 911 text went to operators at Oakland County Dispatch Center to saves house from fire.

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI -- WDIV Detroit: It seems as if people text more than they talk in modern days. That's why some communities have started allowing people to text 911.

Residents in Oakland County are allowed to text 911 and a message will appear on a screen for a dispatcher to read. A Deaf Rochester Hills man said the texting system saved his house from burning down.

The fire started when the man's mother, Mary Powers, tried to clean the oven.

"I smelled something and I came out here and the oven was on fire," Powers said.

She ran back in the room to tell her son, Scott Powers, to get help.

"I told him to call 911," she said.

Her son pulled out his cellphone but didn't dial.

"That means text because he's Deaf," Powers said.

"I'm Deaf, I can't talk on the phone, need fire department immediately," the text read.

The text went right through to operators at the Oakland County Dispatch Center.

Oakland County has been equipped with the 911 text messaging for just over a year. They average around 12 emergency text messages a day. Scott Powers owns his house and is thankful the county can accommodate his needs.

"I like to be independent without depending on other people," he said. "I used to think, 'What would I do if my house was on fire?' The first thing I used to think was, 'Run to my neighbor.'"

He's fortunate to live in an area where he can get emergency help. He hopes other communities will get on board with the technology.

"When I'm on the road visiting a friend, sometimes it doesn't work," Powers said. "I'll text 911. I'd get a response back saying it's not available."

This was the first time the Rochester Hills Fire Department benefited from the 911 text. But they realize this will likely not be the last time.

SOURCE - ClickonDetroit

Deaf Man Dies In North Carolina House Fire

WATCH [CC] - Deaf News: Family tried to save Deaf man from fatal Smithfield house fire in North Carolina.

SMITHFIELD, NC -- One man died on Saturday morning in a house fire in Smithfield, North Carolina, officials said.

The fire at the home on 5th Street near the Smithfield Police Department was reported at 5 a.m., according to the Smithfield Fire Department. Fire Chief John Blanton said crews received a call for a fire with someone trapped inside the home and arrived on scene at 5:05 a.m.

Search and rescue crews found one victim dead inside.

Mamie Stewart lived in the home that caught fire. Stewart said her nephew Michael Caroll Davis, 43, who was Deaf, died in the fire.

“He made me feel good all the time,” said Stewart of her nephew. “He loved to make sure I had my coffee in the morning when I got up.”

Stewart said she was up very early Saturday morning, reading her Bible, while Davis was asleep upstairs. Her grandson came home and said he smelled something burning, so Stewart said she walked toward the kitchen.

“I heard something and there was nothing but smoke and stuff. It just engulfed the house,” she said. Stewart said she and others tried to go back upstairs to get Davis, but couldn't reach him.

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“I’m running upstairs, trying to get upstairs and the smoke engulfed me. I couldn’t see nothing and I know he couldn’t hear me,” she said. “We couldn’t save him.”

Davis had lived with his aunt since his mother died when he was ten-years-old.

“He wasn’t my child, but I raised him as mine and I loved him just as much as my own child that I gave birth to,” said Stewart."I just thank God for all the good things that I remember him by."

The other seven people in the home, who were all relatives of Stewart, were able to escape. The smoke detector in the home wasn't working, she said.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Johnston County Fire Marshal.

SOURCE - WRAL

CODA Tried To Kill Deaf Parents In House Fire

South Carolina Sheriff: Gaffney man tried to kill Deaf parents in house fire.

GAFFNEY, South Carolina -- A Gaffney man was arrested after investigators said he tried to kill his Deaf parents in a house fire Monday morning after stealing from them. A Gaffney man who is a Child of a Deaf Adult, often known by the acronym "CODA", is a person who was raised by Deaf parents.

Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller said 22-year-old Fletcher Edward Blanton removed a lighted fire alarm system in the home before setting the Ford Road house ablaze.

Deputies said Blanton reported the fire after he awoke to smoke inside the home, then woke up his parents, who were able to get out of the home safely.

Following their investigation, deputies said Blanton intentionally caused a fire that damaged the home and also stole $4,850 of tools and electronics from his dad the same day as the fire. Blanton was charged with third-degree arson, grand larceny and two counts of attempted murder.

SOURCE

Gaffney Man Charged with Arson, Attempted Murder of Parents:

A Gaffney man has been charged with attempted murder after deputies say he set fire to the home he shared with his hearing-impaired parents.

Fletcher Edward Blanton, 22, of 1333 Ford Road has been charged by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office with grand larceny, third-degree arson and two counts of attempted murder, arrest warrants state.

Sheriff Steve Mueller said firefighters and deputies responded to a fire about 1:30 a.m. Monday. An incident report states that Blanton told investigators that he awoke to find smoke inside the home, got his parents out of the house and called 911.

Firefighters, however, found evidence that the fire had been intentionally set, Mueller said. Investigators found that Blanton had disconnected a special fire alarm with a flashing light designed for the hearing impaired and thrown it outside... Read The Full Story.

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Deaf Community Mourns Mother & Daughter Killed in House Fire

The Gallaudet University and Deaf community mourns Deaf mother and daughter killed in Falls Church house fire.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Hot pink and yellow not black were the colors of choice for Laura Snyder-Gardner and Mary Ann Gardner’s memorial service Sunday.

The colors were bright and positive and radiated energy, exactly how those who loved them remembered the mother and daughter, who died last week in a Falls Church house fire.

Witnesses Say Falls Church Fire Moved Through House Quickly:

Friends, family members and faculty turned into a sea of pink and yellow Mary Ann’s favorite colors as they gathered at Gallaudet University in Northeast Washington.

They fondly recalled Snyder-Gardner’s generous and nurturing spirit, with many students calling the Gallaudet math professor a “second mom.” And they mourned the loss of Mary Ann’s “radiant smile,” which friends and classmates said was infectious even from afar... Read The Full Story.

Two people are confirmed dead after a raging inferno destroyed a Falls Church home Wednesday:

Capt. William Moreland, a spokesman with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, said firefighters were called to the home in the 3100 block of Manor Rd. The entire single-level ranch-style home was completely engulfed when crews arrived.

Moreland said they will release the identities of the victims once family has been notified.

Steve Klass, who lives next door to the destroyed home, said he was awakened by a loud roaring sound at about 3:30 a.m. He said a woman who lived at the home, who was Deaf, could be heard screaming... Read The Full Story.

Laura Snyder-Gardner and Mary Ann Gardner Scholarship Fund:

Thank you for considering a gift in memory of Laura Snyder-Gardner & Mary Ann Gardner. Laura and Mary Ann were cherished members of the Gallaudet community and their legacy shall continue through the generosity of their family and friends. The family has established the Laura Snyder-Gardner & Mary Ann Gardner Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance for undergraduate students attending Gallaudet who graduated from the Model Secondary School for the Deaf... Read More at https://giving.gallaudet.edu/gardnerfund.

Dog Saves Deaf Man From Fire

Service dog saves Deaf man from fire in Pennsylvania.

SALEM TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania -- A fire with large flames and black smoke destroyed Valley Billiards in Salem Township, Westmoreland County.

“Wood-frame construction is basically like building a matchbox and lighting it on fire. Your enemy is the building. You're fighting the building,” said Forbes Road VFD Chief Bob Rosatti.

Burley Hartin, the owner, said his Deaf son was inside at the time and escaped unharmed after being alerted by a service dog.

“The dog alerted him. The black Lab is his buddy and he doesn't leave his side. When this fire started, the dog just carried on something terrible, alerted him and he got out,” said Hartin.

Hartin thinks the fire was electrical in nature, caused by rain and wind from Superstorm Sandy this week... Read The Full Story.

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