Elderly couple dropped off at East Texas hotel, left with no money or clothes
The Chandler Police Department said they received a call of an elderly couple who seemed to be lost wandering around a hotel. Following an investigation, authorities learned that the couple had arrived the previous day and had a room at the hotel.
'Officers quickly discovered the couple appeared to be suffering from conative deficiencies and clearly seemed lost,' the police department said. 'Although the couple had a room reserved for two nights the couple had no luggage, food, money or their needed medication with them.'
Dog found with collar embedded to flesh, arrests made in East Texas
Officers determined that due to their age, the couple could not care for themselves. Police later identified the man as Pastor William McCann and his wife Mary McCann from Fort Myers, Fla.
'Due to an unknown reason, the family members decided the couple could not stay with them which resulted in the couple being placed and abandoned at the hotel without supervision or their needed personal items,' the police department said.
Los Hermanos in Chandler provided food to the couple until other arrangements could be made. Texas Adult Protective Services was contacted alongside a mental health professional and Joy Neal, a local volunteer.
According to a hotel worker, Rylee Taylor, authorities dropped the couple off at the hotel after they found them wandering the streets on Tuesday night. The duo reportedly told officials they had a room reserved at the hotel.
Gun Barrel City PD arrests man for threatening to shoot up Walmart
When they were dropped off, Taylor said Mary was wearing a nightgown, a hospital band and no shoes. The hotel staff found that a room was reserved but under a third party person, they believe was a family member.
A social worker confirmed that both have dementia and have since been taken to a hospital. Officials are now searching for a nursing home the couple can stay at.
'They're super sweet, very loving. Her husband sings gospel to me and they did Bible study last night, it just warms my heart. I don't understand who would've done that to them.' Taylor said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
3 days ago
- The Hill
Todd Chrisley on 28-month jail stay: ‘They called me Teflon Todd'
Former reality star Todd Chrisley recently opened up on what was going through his mind during his 28-month jail stay. Speaking on his daughter Savannah Chrisley's 'Unlocked' podcast, Chrisley admitted he wasn't himself at all. 'I feel like I did a podcast for 28 months with all the people that were around me,' he said. 'They called me 'Teflon Todd.'' Todd and wife Julie Chrisley, who was alongside him for the interview, were both pardoned by President Trump back in May after being convicted on federal charges of tax evasion, bank and wire fraud, and conspiracy in June 2022. Savannah Chrisley had advocated for her parents' release while also publicly supporting Trump. In a press conference, she blamed the judge — who was appointed by former President Obama — for allowing what she called 'illegal' evidence. 'In my head, I was still free,' Chrisley acknowledged. 'I did not take up residence there. I was in prison; prison was not in me.' He added that during his time behind bars he prayed and read his Bible most of the time. In addition, Chrisley admitted he made friendships during his time to help him get through. The reality star was also in the same prison as Rick Singer, the mastermind behind the 2019 college admissions scandal. The Chrisleys were among a flurry of pardons issued by Trump. Both had been rejected by the typical lengthy pardon process that includes review from the Justice Department. Chrisley maintains that the trial and conviction were unfair and that he and his wife should never have been convicted. The Chrisleys are set to return to television on Lifetime soon, with the new program revolving around the family's challenge of carrying on their name and legacy on their own.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
Church Doubles Down After Preacher Encouraged Prayers for LGBTQ Deaths
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An independent Baptist church in Indianapolis has defended a sermon in which church members called for the deaths of people in the LGBTQ+ community. On July 3, preacher Justin Zhong said in a post on the Sure Foundation Baptist Church's Facebook page that the church would not apologize for the sermon. "The Bible is crystal clear that sodomites (homosexuals) deserve the death penalty carried out by a government that actually cares about the law of God," Zhong wrote. In an emailed statement to Newsweek, the Sure Foundation Baptist Church said: "The Bible puts the death penalty on the LGBTQ people. We as Christians must believe and preach what the Bible says. The reason people are so shocked about all this is not many 'Christians' and even 'pastors' actually believe the Bible. To be clear, we only called for the government to execute those people. We are against vigilantes." Why It Matters The church's unapologetic endorsement of violent anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric reflects a worrying rise of open homophobia in the United States. According to the Human Rights Campaign, citing FBI data, there were 2,402 reported hate crime incidents targeting individuals based on their sexual orientation in 2023—up 23 percent from the previous year. What To Know On June 29, the Sure Foundation Baptist Church held "Men's Preaching Night," where multiple church members used homophobic slurs and called for violence against the LGBTQ+ community while speaking from the pulpit. In a sermon titled "Pray the Gay Away," Stephen Falco addressed the LGBTQ+ community, saying: "You ought to blow yourself in the back of the head. You're so disgusting." "How shall we then properly pray for gay people?" he continued. "We should pray for their deaths, plain and simple." A photo showing a Progress Pride flag on a flagpole in Taylor Square, Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney. A photo showing a Progress Pride flag on a flagpole in Taylor Square, Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney. After Falco spoke, another church member repeated similar violent and homophobic rhetoric. "You got another Pride Month here. I mean, obviously, I think they should be put to death," Wade Rawley said. "These people should be beaten and stomped in the mud, and then they should take a gun and blow the back of their heads off," he continued. After the sermon, which was broadcast live on Facebook, gained widespread criticism, the church took to its Facebook page to double down on the message. Zhong, who signed the message, wrote: "I will not apologize for preaching the Word of God. I will not apologize for stating facts. I will not negotiate with terrorists, among whom the LGBTHIV crowd is full of domestic terrorists." The church is no stranger to courting controversy. Zhong said in a sermon last year that he would like to see then-President Joe Biden and presidential candidate Donald Trump put to death. What People Are Saying The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, a community activist group, condemned the sermon in a statement: "The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis stands firmly against the harmful rhetoric recently preached that condemned all LGBTQ individuals to hell and instructed people to stay away from them. Such messages are not only theologically irresponsible but pastorally dangerous." What Happens Next Sure Foundation Baptist Church appears to be unfazed by criticisms of its homophobic rhetoric and is likely to continue with its inflammatory sermons.
Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis church doubles down on Pride sermon advocating for harm to LGBTQ people
An independent fundamentalist church in Indianapolis is doubling down on a sermon in which a lay preacher encouraged congregants to pray for the deaths of those who identify as LGBTQ+. The sermon — a mashup of Bible verses dotted with homophobic slurs and tied to Pride Month — was delivered June 29 at Sure Foundation Baptist Church, located in a small storefront near Lafayette Road and West 30th Street. More: Antisemitic incidents spiking in Indiana. North Central student tells her story "Why do I hate sodomites, why do I hate (slur)? Because they attack children, they're coming after your children, they are attacking them in schools today, and not only schools in public places, and they're proud about it!" church member Stephen Falco said during a Men's Preaching Night service. Falco called people who identify as LGBTQ+ "evil" and "disgusting." "There's nothing good to be proud about being a (slur). You ought to blow yourself in the head in the back of the head. You're so disgusting," he said in the sermon the church posted on YouTube. The video-sharing platform has since removed the video for violating its terms of service. Advocates for LGBTQ+ Hoosiers and other religious leaders were quick to denounce what they saw as harmful rhetoric in the sermon first reported by WISH-TV. "Such messages are not only theologically irresponsible but pastorally dangerous," the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, a faith-based civil rights organization, said in a statement. "The pulpit must never be used as a weapon to dehumanize, isolate, or incite fear." But the church, in a statement shared July 3 on its Facebook page, leaned into the criticism and proclaimed it would not apologize for the sermon. Instead, the message celebrated the attention the controversy has generated for the church. "The Bible is crystal clear that sodomites — homosexuals — deserve the death penalty carried out by a government that actually cares about the law of God," said the message signed by Evangelist Justin Zhong. G. David Caudill, founder and executive director of Equality Indiana, called the message inflammatory and extremist, saying it could inspire violence against the community. Sure Foundation Baptist Church, in response to questions from IndyStar, said it has about 35 people attend services on an average Sunday. Followers are called "soulwinners" and urged to spread the Gospel. The church website asserts its beliefs are based exclusively on the King James Bible. The Lafayette Road congregation is a branch of the Sure Foundation Baptist Church in Vancouver, Washington, which grew out of Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento, California. The Indy church is the only branch in the Midwest, according to the website, and had its first service Feb. 3, 2024. Zhong is identified as the local leader and is responsible for its day-to-day operations. Beyond its doors, the church has a presence on YouTube, Facebook, X and Rumble, a video-sharing platform that has become a right-wing alternative to YouTube because of its opposition to so-called cancel culture. More: As Trump support merges with Christian nationalism, experts warn of extremist risks "My job as a preacher is to preach the Word of God without compromise. If that means people would be pushed away, then so be it," said the response to IndyStar attributed to Zhong, Falco and the church. "My job is not to please men, but to please God. So many churches tone down the Bible in order to gain a crowd and that is wrong." The church statement said Falco's sermon was delivered as part of a Men's Preaching Night hosted every three months. Any man who is a faithful member can preach, but women are not allowed in the pulpit or any other type of leadership position, the statement said "because it's simply not biblical." Falco's comments on LGBTQ+ Hoosiers weren't his only extreme comments. Nor is he the only one from the men's programs to espouse hateful rhetoric and call for violence against people they see as an abomination or evil — including immigrants, protestors, graffiti taggers, and even those accused of minor crimes such as loitering. In the June sermon, Falco also attacked former President Joe Biden. "I have prayed for death of former President Biden many times for the wickedness he has done when he was in office, you know?" Falco said, mentioning Biden's recent cancer diagnosis. "And I believe many other Christians were also praying for his death, because he's a wicked reprobate." Another man identified in the video as "Brother Wayne" followed Falco at the pulpit that evening with a message titled "Worthy of Being Beaten." He blamed many societal problems on a lack of discipline and physical punishment, calling beatings a deterrent that has been lost in American culture. "I mean, is it really justice to put someone in jail and just let them sit there and get out with a fine or get a slap on the wrist, just to watch them turn around and do it all over again, become a repeat offender. ... If we had public beatings, it'd be much more swift," he said in a video posted on YouTube. His list of those "worthy" of a beating included protesters and those who commit even minor crimes. Some of his harshest words were aimed at immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. "I don't even understand why we're deporting these illegal criminals who are murderers, who are doing drug trafficking, sex trafficking, human trafficking. They're putting them on a plane, and they're sending them over to a prison in another country," he said. "I say we put them to death right here. I say we beat them right here." As for those who identify as LGBTQ+, he said: "I think they should be put to death. You know what, I'll go further. I think they should be beaten in public first for all their sick and demented, just (slur) and the things they're doing to our schools, to our government, to our institutions, to our churches. These people should be beaten and stomped in the mud, and then they should take a gun and blow the back of their heads off." In another Men's Preaching Night sermon from March, titled "Donald Trump: A Modern Herod," Falco again took the pulpit and called the president a pervert, and accused him of appearing religious to secure political support while having a life of pride, perversion, blasphemy and mockery of Jesus Christ. "This is what Donald Trump, our president of the United States of America, has said about his own flesh-and-blood daughter, and it is disgusting ... 'If Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her,'" Falco said in the sermon. "It's sick. You know, at least Herod had the decency to say that about his stepdaughter." Falco concluded: "Unless Donald Trump gets saved, which I hope he does ... God will judge him for it and he will go to hell." The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis countered Sure Foundation Baptist Church's message with a Bible verse, saying in its statement the Gospel is for everyone and should not be used a tool of condemnation. The clergy group said the Black Church, born in the crucible of oppression, must never mimic the very spirit of exclusion that once rejected its community. "We are called to be a sanctuary for the marginalized, not a platform for prejudice," the statement said. In standing for the dignity, inclusion and justice for all people, the group said it rejects the notion LGBTQ+ individuals are outside of God's reach, grace or redemption. "True holiness is not about who we hate; it is about how we love," the statement said. "We affirm that sin exists in all of us, we also affirm that God's grace extends to all of us. Our mission is not to decide who is beyond salvation, but to embody the inclusive love of Christ." Caudill, of Equality Indiana, said he is encouraged to see other Indianapolis faith leaders condemn the church's sermon. He's heard similar rhetoric at Pride festivals across the state — it's usually from small groups carrying signs and staging protests near festivities. "It does put my radar up to let those people who are supporters and followers of our organization, on social media and even those that are donors, to let them know we have to be more vigilant and protect ourselves," he said. "When you have that type of hateful and violent language, it could lead to someone taking those words and feeling protected to be able to go and commit violent acts against our community."
