Metro Detroit storm damage • Skelton brothers update • Prosecutor mulls charges for mom of splash pad shooter
THURSDAY NEWS HIT - Strong thunderstorms brought down trees and power lines around Metro Detroit.
Several communities in Oakland County were hit hard, including Berkley, Royal Oak, Farmington Hills, and Beverly Hills.
On Fairfax near 13 Mile and Greenfield in Beverly Hills, a large tree is blocking the road. Off Greenfield, north of 11 Mile in Berkley, police blocked roads on Wednesday night due to an arcing wire that flames have been sparking out of. Just south of 12 Mile, a downed tree caused damage to the roof of an apartment building.
Roseville also had some downed wires and branches.
"It didn't seem like much. I was standing on my porch. It started raining pretty heavy, and then we got some hail. And then I saw lightning actually hit that transformer over there," Roseville resident Josh Collins said.
He saw a power line fall onto a house and called 911.
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Thunderstorms cause widespread damage across Metro Detroit
Thunderstorms on Wednesday night caused widespread damage in Metro Detroit, especially in lower Oakland County, where trees and power lines were brought down.
Mother seeks to declare Skelton brothers dead
A request to declare the missing Skelton brothers dead is scheduled to go to court today.
Tanya Zuvers, the mother of Andrew, Alexander, and Tanner, is seeking to have the boys declared dead. In Michigan, a person is typically considered to be dead after they have been missing for five years.
"This decision came after much thought and discussion with my family and friends. It did not come lightly and was definitely a difficult decision to make. No parent wants to lose a child, but to have to have the courts step in and declare them deceased is just unfathomable," Zuvers wrote in a statement last week.
The three children were last seen nearly 14 years ago, on Thanksgiving 2010. They spent the holiday with their father, John Skelton, in Morenci, Mich. Zuvers was supposed to pick them up from her ex-husband the next day.
However, she stopped hearing from John Skelton, so she went to his house. He wasn't home because he was at a hospital after he broke his ankle. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, he told hospital workers that he injured his ankle while trying to commit suicide.
John Skelton is currently in prison for unlawful imprisonment of the boys. He is scheduled to be released next year after numerous attempts to be paroled were denied.
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Missing Skelton brothers: Mother seeks to declare 3 boys dead
The mother of the Skelton brothers, who have been missing since 2010, is asking the court to declare them legally dead. Andrew, Alexander, and Tanner were last seen on Thanksgiving in 2010.
Prosecutor considers charging mother of splash pad shooter
Should the mother of the 42-year-old Rochester Hills splash pad shooter face charges? That's a question Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido is mulling.
Though the shooting happened in Oakland County, the suspect lives with his mother in Macomb County. Lucido is considering using Michigan's new red flag law to charge the shooter's mother, whom he lived with.
"That’s the exact reason the legislature put the red flags laws in," Lucido said.
The red flag law – legally known as the ‘extreme risk protection act’ – allows for relatives to ask the police to remove weapons if they believe that relative is suffering from mental illness. The shooter's mother never reported possible mental illness.
Though a motive is unknown, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard noted that evidence shows that the shooter had made claims about thinking that someone was listening to him via electronic devices.
The challenge is that people are not required to report.
"The fact is, the statute does not provide a ‘shall report’. It is ‘should report’. Maybe the legislator needs to take another crack at this," Lucido said.
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Prosecutor mulls charges for mother of Rochester Hills splash pad shooter
The Macomb County Prosecutor is considering possible charges against the mom of the Rochester Hills splash pad shooting -- but says the law may need addressing.
3 splash pad shooting victims remain hospitalized
Three people wounded in the Brooklands Splash Pad shooting remain hospitalized.
Nine people were shot Saturday at the park. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that six victims have been released from area hospitals. An 8-year-old boy and his 39-year-old mother are still hospitalized in critical condition, while a 30-year-old woman whose condition is unknown remains hospitalized.
Victims who were recently released from hospitals include a 4-year-old boy, a 42-year-old man, and a 31-year-old man. The 4-year-old is the brother of the 8-year-old who is critical.
"The young child that had a head wound - he's made amazing progress," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said earlier this week. "I saw him yesterday with his father…reeling would be an understatement. That poor family went through things that no family should ever have to face."
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Rochester splash pad shooting: Six survivors released, three remain critical
Three more survivors from the Rochester Hills splash pad shooting have been released from the hospital as investigators continue to try to find a motive for the tragedy.
Keeping safe in dangerous heat
The heat this week will be dangerous, especially for those who work outside or don't have access to air and hydration.
Cooling centers are open around Metro Detroit. Find one here.
With the heat a few days out, the National Weather Service recommends preparing now.
Make sure you have food, water, and medication, so you can avoid spending too much time outside. Also, find out where cooling centers are near you in case you lose power or cannot keep your home cool. The NWS also suggests rescheduling outdoor events.
Also, know the signs of dehydration and heat injuries, and monitor yourself and loved ones once the heat arrives.
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Metro Detroit cooling centers: Where to stay cool during heat wave
With a stretch of 90-degree days coming, cooling centers are open around Metro Detroit.
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Daily Forecast
The temperatures will be down a bit today, but they'll still be in the 90s.
What else we're watching
- After a pause for Juneteenth yesterday, Samantha Woll's trial resumes Thursday. A jury is deciding if Michael Jackson-Bolanos murdered her.
- Republicans want to get those least likely to cast a ballot in Michigan to vote in the upcoming general election through absentee and early voting. Millions of dollars are being invested to promote this.
- Spots are still open for some free swimming classes this summer in Southeast Michigan. Learn more.
- Dearborn residents can swim at the city's pools for free today and tomorrow amid the heat wave.
- The Red Cross said it is in need of blood donations to help fight sickle cell disease.
Riley Strain autopsy: Cause of death for college student released
Tennessee's chief medical examiner released a full toxicology report Tuesday for 22-year-old University of Missouri senior Riley Strain, whose body was found in the Cumberland River in March after a fraternity outing in Nashville.
Strain's blood alcohol level was .228 – more than twice the legal limit – when he died, and he also had Delta 9 in his system, per the toxicology report reviewed by Fox News Digital.
Evidence of pleural effusion, or water on the lungs, and pulmonary edema were also reported in the autopsy. In addition to the high alcohol content, evidence of caffeine, nicotine and marijuana was found in Strain's blood.
Strain's causes of death were listed as drowning and ethanol intoxication, and his manner of death was deemed accidental.