Video shows moment police find boy in stolen SUV after mother killed in carjacking

Police shared body-camera video when officers found a boy inside his mother's SUV after it was stolen. (Columbus police)

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus police released body camera video showing the moment they found a boy inside his mother’s SUV after it was stolen.

WSYX reports it obtained the video on Friday, a day after the 6-year-old’s mother died in the carjacking.

Authorities said the situation started when the child’s mother, 29-year-old Alexa Stakely, was picking him up from his babysitter’s apartment early Thursday morning.

Police said she put her son, who was sleeping, into her Honda CR-V and returned to the apartment to retrieve something from the sitter.

But that’s when a thief reportedly jumped into the vehicle, which was running, and began to drive away.

Columbus police said Stakely tried to stop the carjacker by jumping onto the hood of the vehicle and yelling for that person to stop.

However, she ended up falling off the hood and suffered critical injuries.

The 29-year-old mother suffered a serious head injury and was rushed to an area hospital where she later died, WSYX reported.

The car thief ultimately ditched the vehicle nearby and took off before police located it.

When police arrived, they found the vehicle with the child unharmed and still sleeping inside the car.

An officer can be heard talking to the boy in the bodycam video and asking him if he is OK while the child appears to just be waking up.

In a tribute on Facebook, Canal Winchester Schools said Stakely was a dedicated speech-language therapist in the preschool program at Winchester Trail Elementary.

She had been with the district for five years and was affectionately known to her students as “Ms. Alexa.”

“Alexa was passionate about children and speech-language therapy. She was smart and compassionate, and she cared so much about helping children develop their ability to communicate,” the district shared. “She was a great mom who was incredibly dedicated to her son. Ms. Stakely made a difference in the lives of the students and families she worked with and will be missed by so many in our community and beyond.”

Stakely was reportedly picking up her son that early morning after working her second job.

Police said they have not yet made any arrests in the case and are urging anyone with information or surveillance video to come forward as they continue to look for the suspect.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Lemmon at 614-645-2558 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614- 461-8477.

Couple loses everything in apartment fire weeks before welcoming their first child

Family members say Sophia and Phillip Pacheco lost everything in an apartment fire weeks ahead of welcoming their first child. (GoFundMe)

San Antonio, Texas

A young couple in Texas is forced to start over after they reportedly lost everything in a large apartment fire this week.

KENS reports that Sophia and Phillip Pacheco’s San Antonio apartment caught fire on Wednesday night after a barbecue grill ignited in an apartment next door.

Family members say the couple lost all of their belongings in the fire just weeks before the birth of their first child.

“My daughter is eight months pregnant, and they lost everything. All they have is the clothes on their back,” Sophia Pacheco’s mother, Susan Castaneda, wrote on a GoFundMe account.

The couple shared that they have been unable to return their building as it is now condemned.

They said some of the sentimental items they lost in the fire included photo albums and a hand-knitted blanket for their baby boy.

“One minute, we are fine. The next minute, all of our stuff is gone,” Sophia Pacheco told KENS. “Baby items, personal items, family heirlooms, our wedding rings.”

Sophia Pacheco’s mother said she started the online fundraiser to help her daughter and son-in-law get back on their feet and has thanked everyone who has already helped them.

Phillip Pacheco shared that their faith is also helping them in the rebuilding process.

Biden mistakenly calls Ukraine’s Zelenskyy ‘President Putin’ at NATO summit

President Joe Biden mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” at a NATO conference Thursday. (White House pool)

Washington

President Joe Biden mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin,” at the end of this week’s NATO summit on Thursday.

In announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, Biden referred to Ukraine’s leader as the Russian president.

Biden quickly returned to the microphone saying, “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy.”

Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” to explain the gaffe.

Zelenskyy handled the flubbed introduction, replying with “I’m better.”

“You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.

President Biden’s ability to run for reelection continues to face crucial tests following his recent debate performance against former President Donald Trump.

Biden’s team reportedly met privately with skeptical senators on Capitol Hill on Thursday as more House Democrats called for him to exit the race.

The 81-year-old’s recent miscues and moments of possible confusion seen on camera have raised questions about his mental health ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Some retailers are increasing interest rates on their credit cards, including Macy’s

FILE — Data shows people in their 20s and 30s are impacted the most by credit card debt. (Pixabay via MGN)

Store credit cards can be tempting regarding certain benefits, but they also carry some of the higher interest rates for credit.

According to multiple reports, Macy’s recently sent a notification to some of their credit card holders regarding an APR increase.

Some card holders for Macy’s are seeing their rate increase to 34.49%, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The retailer’s card holders were reportedly told about the increase in letters sent out this month.

Personal finance website Bankrate reported earlier this year that retail credit cards were charging an average of 28.93% APR in 2023. However, some retailers were charging even higher interest rates.

“Just remember that any balance you carry on a retail credit card is likely to be more expensive than you realize, so do your best to pay off your purchases as quickly as possible,” Nicole Dieker and Aja McClanahan, personal finance writers, shared.

KFMB reports other retailers with APRs over 30% include Petco and Exxon Mobil, according to Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate.

Owning a home is the least affordable it has been in nearly 2 decades, report says

FILE — Home prices continue to rise in the U.S. and a new report says home ownership is becoming the least affordable for many Americans in nearly 20 years. (WHSV)

Home prices continue to rise in the U.S. and a new report says home ownership is becoming the least affordable for many Americans in nearly 20 years.

ATTOM, a curator of land, property and real estate data, released its second-quarter 2024 U.S. Home Affordability Report earlier this month.

The report showed that median-priced single-family homes and condos remained less affordable in the second quarter of 2024 compared to historical averages in 99% of counties around the nation.

ATTOM reports that major expenses on median-priced homes consumed 35.1% of the average national wage in the second quarter, marking the highest percentage seen since 2007.

“The latest affordability data presents a clear challenge for home buyers. While home prices are increasing and mortgage rates remain relatively high, these factors are making homes less affordable,” said Rob Barber, CEO for ATTOM.

According to the report, the national median home price spiked to a new high of $360,000 during this year’s spring buying season, leading to increases in the cost of owning a home outpacing wage increases, with mortgage rates remaining around 7%.

“It’s common for these trends to intensify during the Spring buying season when buyer demand increases. However, the trends this year are particularly challenging for house hunters, more so than at any point since the housing market boom began in 2012,” Barber said.

Last month, CNN reported that the price of owning a home has been rising sharply over the last few years for expenses more than just mortgage payments.

U.S. homeowners are paying an average of $18,118 a year for property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, maintenance, energy and various other expenses, according to a June Bankrate study.

That number represents a reported 26% increase from four years ago when it cost $14,428 annually to own and maintain a home.

Counties with the largest populations that were considered unaffordable according to ATTOM were Los Angeles County, Cook County (Chicago), Maricopa County (Phoenix), San Diego County and Orange County (outside Los Angeles).

According to the report, the most populous of the 115 counties that were considered to be affordable were Harris County (Houston), Wayne County (Detroit), Philadelphia County, Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), and Allegheny County (Pittsburgh).