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Indianapolis Star
20 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
'She was brave': Zara's grieving mother hopes girl's killing prompts change
Editor's note: This article contains descriptions of child abuse. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Indiana Department of Child Services' Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All adults are mandated reporters in Indiana. Zara Arnold was a "radiant little soul" whose brown eyes beamed with the wonder and curiosity of a 5-year-old. Her warmth was felt through the way she would sign, "I love you," in American Sign Language (ASL) to her mother, Tiara Finch, who is deaf. The vibration of Zara's laughter is what her mother remembers most. "Her giggle was the kind that stuck with you," Finch told IndyStar. "She was hearing, but I taught her ASL. It was the only language we used to communicate." Zara loved going to school, socializing with her friends, and dressing up as a princess. Although her life was cut short, Finch wants people to know that she made an impact. While the city struggles to understand how so many opportunities to keep Zara safe were missed, Finch wants people to also remember her daughter's smile and pureness. "She was brave in ways small and big and endlessly loved," Finch said. Her pure heart was displayed in the last words she said to her accused killer. Zara Arnold: Prosecutor looking into 'everybody' tied to 5-year-old's brutal killing, abuse Just before 11 a.m. on May 19, 2025, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called to a home in the 200 block of North Lasalle Street for an unresponsive 5-year-old girl. The only person in the home was Zara's father, 41-year-old Zachary Arnold. Cold to the touch and her body rigid, Zara was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives noticed she had multiple bruises and abrasions on her arms and face. There was bruising on the side of her neck. She appeared to have dried blood on her face, and nearby in a kitchen sink was a small tank top with blood. According to a probable cause for his arrest, Arnold later admitted to choking Zara two to three times the night before and has choked her on numerous occasions before. He claimed he wasn't trying to hurt Zara, but he was fighting with his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Lopez-Figueroa, and said she made him "go crazy." Later, police found videos on Lopez-Figueroa's phone of Arnold choking Zara and using a noose around her neck. 'Why'd you hurt me? Why'd you hurt me? I love you, Dad," were the last words the 5-year-old said, according to Arnold. He was arrested and formally charged with murder. Lopez-Figueroa was charged with assisting a criminal and failure to make a report for not calling 911. Finch has been facing homelessness and is working with groups and resources to help her get back on her feet and deal with the loss of her daughter. According to court documents, the mother had not seen Zara since September of 2024. Finch left Arnold when Zara was about 10 months old after claims of abuse, and between then and now, there was a long history of court orders, custody battles, and Finch not feeling like her concerns were heard. Despite a spate of subsequent concerns about other possible abuse, a Marion County judge ordered Finch to stop contacting police and the Department of Child Services with concerns about her daughter's safety. Alongside justice in her daughter's death, Finch wants people to take note of how a system tasked with keeping her safe failed. Tiara Finch: 5-year-old Zara was tortured and killed after Indiana judge silenced mom's pleas for help Finch declined to speak to the ongoing case and is instead focusing her attention on funeral arrangements and attaining resources. She has a GoFundMe set up for funeral costs for Zara and MealTrain representatives are collecting donations for the mother. Zara Arnold will be laid to rest on June 7, 2025.
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Laguna Beach to keep Be Well OC mobile mental health services, will scale back hours
Laguna Beach will continue to contract mobile mental health services from Be Well OC, as the City Council approved an amended agreement that city officials say will allow the service to continue to be provided without dipping into the general fund. Be Well OC began working in the community in August 2023. The deployment of the big, blue van and crisis intervention specialists ran 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The amendment, passed unanimously on May 20, will scale back the hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for two crisis intervention specialists, as the city looks to maintain daily coverage at a reduced rate. 'There was less happening at 7 in the morning, obviously, and less happening at 6 in the evening, so I don't have concerns about the overwork,' said Jeff Tennen, executive director of mobile operations for Be Well OC. They plan to tell police and fire departments about the new hours in case any dispatch calls come in before 10 a.m., he said. Implementing the new schedule will contribute to bringing the anticipated costs down from approximately $850,000 to $493,000, city staff said. 'The price is right for us at this particular time,' Councilwoman Sue Kempf said. 'I'm hoping that we can continue with the program because we need the help.' A staff report noted the funding sources that will cover the cost of the program through June 2026. The city had $406,812 remaining in state appropriated funds. Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris also approved the allocation of an additional $100,000, and a private donation was made in the amount of $85,000 to support the program. Assistant City Manager Jeremy Frimond said the city would also like to explore placing a small break area and report writing station in the Laguna Beach Community and Recreation Center, saying it would save 'tens of thousands a year.' The city plans to terminate a lease for a downtown field office. Other cost-saving measures include plans to consolidate organizational roles by eliminating the separate program manager and case manager positions. City officials referred to the mobile mental health services as 'not just a homeless program.' Among the 1,144 people who accessed services through the program, about 57.6% were unhoused. From its launch date to January of this year, Be Well OC made 7,301 contacts and accrued 3,187 service hours. Frimond said the Be Well OC program has supported the efforts of the alternative sleeping location in the canyon by 'allowing for the ASL to focus on housing navigation.' Be Well OC has stepped in on matters related to mental health, substance abuse and crisis intervention, he said. 'A large opportunity … is emergency room discharges and how this program can be there to support,' Frimond added. 'We know that that's a port of entry for certain people in this community, that we have a dumping issue there, and perhaps we can better manage this issue in the community through a compassionate program like Be Well.' Blair Contratto, chief strategy officer of Be Well OC, said the city is 'gifting to our community an incredible resource for mental health and substance use management,' adding that increased visibility among the residents was important. Councilman Bob Whalen asked if a percentage increase in residents' utilization of the services could be forecasted. 'I'd like that to be our goal because we have to find permanent funding for this program if we want to keep it going, and we're not going to get it from the state of California,' Contratto said.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Deaf Americans sue Trump over loss of ASL translators at briefings
The lawsuit says Trump stopped using sign language interpreters upon taking office a second time, violating the 2020 ruling by Judge James Boasberg, who at the time said providing closed captioning or written transcripts is insufficient. Boasberg is the chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and has been repeatedly criticized by Trump over unrelated immigration rulings. "Federal law unequivocally prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and requires them to have meaningful access to the federal government's programs and services," the lawsuit alleges. "Failing to provide ASL interpreters deprives deaf people of meaningful access to the White House's press briefings." The lawsuit includes two Deaf people - Derrick Ford and Matthew Bonn - as plaintiffs, and notes that hundreds of thousands of deaf Americans speak only ASL, and may not communicate at all in English. Trump in March declared English to be the official language of the United States, and rescinded a 2000 executive order that encouraged the executive branch to make services available to people of limited English proficiency, including ASL speakers. The NAD asked the White House to reinstate ASL translation but received no response, the group said in its lawsuit. Members of the Deaf community have long worried about lack of access to ASL interpreters, especially during times of crisis. The 2020 lawsuit from the NAD specifically cited the ongoing pandemic as a reason for having real-time translations instead of providing closed captioning or transcripts. ASL translators have also become an increasingly common sight at concerts, with Taylor Swift, among others, using them to bring lyrics to life for deaf people.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Great Smoky Mountains National Park to hold monthly ASL-Interpreted programs
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — Beginning in June, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is hosting programs once a month featuring American Sign Language interpreters. The programs will run through November and include a range of activities, from taking a hike with a ranger, learning about mountain life to meeting some of the creatures that call the Smokies home. Park staff is working with ASL interpreters and students from the University of Tennessee and Maryville College to present the events. Zoo Knoxville welcomes new litter of bat-eared fox kits Saturday, June 28 Portraits from the Past (9 a.m. at John Oliver parking area in Cades Cove) Drop-In History (10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Cable Mill Historic Area) Sunday, July 20 Kuwohi Guided Hike (9 a.m. at Kuwohi parking area) Mingus Mill program (2 p.m. at Mingus Mill) Sunday, August 17 Walker Sisters Hike (11 a.m. at Little Greenbrier School) Stream Splashers (2 p.m. at Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area) Friday, September 12 Bear Aware Drop In (1-3 p.m. at Cades Cove Orientation Shelter) Cove After Dark Walk (8 p.m. at the Cades Cove Orientation Shelter) Tuesday, October 7 History of Daisytown (11 a.m. at Jakes Creek parking area) Hiking 101 (1 p.m. at Little River Trailhead) Friday, November 7 Down on the Farm drop-in (10 a.m.-noon at the Mountain Farm Museum, Oconaluftee) Wild About the Smokies (3 p.m. at Oconaluftee Visitor Center) The programs are open to all visitors and do not require reservations. Funding was provided by the National Park Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. Inspector finds off temperatures, no sanitizer at Chinese restaurant in Morristown To find more events taking place on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visit the park's online event calendar. Details about locations, topics, and how prepare will be listed on the calendar. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
'She was brave': Zara's grieving mother hopes girl's killing prompts change
Zara Arnold was a "radiant little soul" whose brown eyes beamed with the wonder and curiosity of a 5-year-old. Her warmth was felt through the way she would sign, "I love you," in American Sign Language (ASL) to her mother, Tiara Finch, who is deaf. The vibration of Zara's laughter is what her mother remembers most. "Her giggle was the kind that stuck with you," Finch told IndyStar. "She was hearing, but I taught her ASL. It was the only language we used to communicate." Zara loved going to school, socializing with her friends, and dressing up as a princess. Although her life was cut short, Finch wants people to know that she made an impact. While the city struggles to understand how so many opportunities to keep Zara safe were missed, Finch wants people to also remember her daughter's smile and pureness. "She was brave in ways small and big and endlessly loved," Finch said. Her pure heart was displayed in the last words she said to her accused killer. Zara Arnold: Prosecutor looking into 'everybody' tied to 5-year-old's brutal killing, abuse Just before 11 a.m. on May 19, 2025, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called to a home in the 200 block of North Lasalle Street for an unresponsive 5-year-old girl. The only person in the home was Zara's father, 41-year-old Zachary Arnold. Cold to the touch and her body rigid, Zara was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives noticed she had multiple bruises and abrasions on her arms and face. There was bruising on the side of her neck. She appeared to have dried blood on her face, and nearby in a kitchen sink was a small tank top with blood. According to a probable cause for his arrest, Arnold later admitted to choking Zara two to three times the night before and has choked her on numerous occasions before. He claimed he wasn't trying to hurt Zara, but he was fighting with his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Lopez-Figueroa, and said she made him "go crazy." Later, police found videos on Lopez-Figueroa's phone of Arnold choking Zara and using a noose around her neck. 'Why'd you hurt me? Why'd you hurt me? I love you, Dad," were the last words the 5-year-old said, according to Arnold. He was arrested and formally charged with murder. Lopez-Figueroa was charged with assisting a criminal and failure to make a report for not calling 911. Finch has been facing homelessness and is working with groups and resources to help her get back on her feet and deal with the loss of her daughter. According to court documents, the mother had not seen Zara since September of 2024. Finch left Arnold when Zara was about 10 months old after claims of abuse, and between then and now, there was a long history of court orders, custody battles, and Finch not feeling like her concerns were heard. Despite a spate of subsequent concerns about other possible abuse, a Marion County judge ordered Finch to stop contacting police and the Department of Child Services with concerns about her daughter's safety. Alongside justice in her daughter's death, Finch wants people to take note of how a system tasked with keeping her safe failed. Tiara Finch: 5-year-old Zara was tortured and killed after Indiana judge silenced mom's pleas for help Finch declined to speak to the ongoing case and is instead focusing her attention on funeral arrangements and attaining resources. She has a GoFundMe set up for funeral costs for Zara and MealTrain representatives are collecting donations for the mother. Zara Arnold will be laid to rest on June 7, 2025.
