Latest news with #Garza
Chicago Tribune
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
All business as Purdue recruit Jaelynn Anthony opens playoffs with 17 strikeouts for Oswego. ‘I'm here to compete.'
Oswego's Jaelynn Anthony timed her varsity breakout last season just about perfectly. Anthony helped the Panthers make an historic run to taking third place in the state. But now, with the postseason beginning anew, the Purdue-bound junior pitcher is an established commodity. It's a big difference. 'Everybody knows I'm a good pitcher, so they're here to beat me and it's not going to happen,' Anthony said. 'I do what I need to do. I'm here to compete and they know I'm here to compete.' As far as competition goes, Anthony delivered a dominant performance Tuesday as top-seeded Oswego cruised to an 8-0 win over Metea Valley in a Class 4A Oswego East Regional semifinal. Anthony was brilliant, striking out 17 and walking one in a three-hit gem for Oswego (32-2). She also hit a two-run homer, tying her with Aubriella Garza for the team lead with 13. Adalynn Fugitt added two hits and two steals and scored twice for the Panthers, who extended their program record for wins and will play for a second straight regional title at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Garza and Sabrina Zamora each tallied two hits and drove in a run for the Panthers, while Zamora scored twice. Sydney Eakin, Maielle Ernser and Elena Gonzalez had hits for Metea (8-21). Iowa recruit Kiyah Chavez, Anthony's catcher and one of her best friends, has seen the subtle ways that Anthony has improved and taken steps forward this season. And they're not all related to her electric stuff. 'I think she just feels more confident, more comfortable,' Chavez said. 'There are so many things I could say about Jaelynn. She's obviously a fantastic pitcher and we're very lucky to have her. 'The strongest part of her development is definitely getting more comfortable with who she is and what role she plays. I think before she was a solid pitcher but she wasn't sure where she fit in with leadership roles, that kind of stuff.' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi echoed those sentiments, acknowledging that Anthony has made the jump from breakout pitcher last spring to savvy veteran this season. 'She just has the confidence this year to attack those hitters, which I think has been the difference-maker with her this year,' Scaramuzzi said. Anthony puts fear into opponents with her bat, too. The Panthers were up only 1-0 after a sluggish start when Anthony came to the plate in the bottom of the third with one out and Garza on second. 'I was expecting a change-up,' Anthony said. 'All of our good hitters got first pitch change-ups. I'm not going to swing at a first pitch change-up. 'I saw an inside pitch and it was the best pitch I was going to get, so I took advantage of it and hit it hard.' Anthony took care of the rest in the circle, striking out the side in the seventh to put the finishing touches on her win. A year ago, Scaramuzzi would have been happy with advancing. After finishing third in the state and returning a ton of talent, though, the mindset has shifted. 'Last year, every win after we had our first win in the postseason was a surprise,' Scaramuzzi said. 'We didn't really have any expectations. This year, we said from the beginning the biggest challenge is managing expectations because we know we're that good.' Anthony, meanwhile, has been embracing that challenge. 'We just know we're capable of getting there and we're not playing down to any team,' Anthony said. 'We're here to win and to make a state run again. We're excited. It makes it way better. 'They're trying to beat us and we're like, no, that's not going to happen.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man accused of pistol-whipping victim, ramming 2 GA patrol vehicles during chase
A Rome man is facing a laundry list of charges after deputies said he led them on a chase last week. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Floyd County officials said it all happened on May 21 near a home on Tumlin Drive in Rome. Authorities said Marco Garza began shooting at a woman and hitting her in the head with a pistol. Deputies said he then pistol-whipped the victim. When deputies arrived, Garza intentionally rammed his truck into two deputies' patrol vehicles during a chase. He began speeding through the neighborhood before deputies could stop his truck. TRENDING STORIES: Mother, daughter murdered in middle GA Man accused of gunning down Georgia Tech student in targeted shooting has turned himself in Alabama college mourns 3 killed in crash in metro Atlanta Officials said a deputy was also injured while trying to bust the window out of the vehicle due to Garza not complying while being arrested. According to Floyd County authorities, Garza admitted to drinking alcohol and using cocaine before driving. He told deputies he used a gun against the victim and stole her phone before driving away, authorities said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Garza is charged with the following: Two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer Battery on a police officer Two counts of aggravated assault Armed robbery Two counts of battery Fleeing and eluding Two counts of obstruction DUI Open container Speeding Possession of a firearm He was booked into the Floyd County Detention Center.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Man accused of stomping on boy's head for throwing Play-Doh arrested, FL cops say
A man accused of stomping on a 13-year-old boy's head and punching another for throwing Play-Doh in the streets has now been identified and arrested, Florida authorities said. Jorge Garza, 19, was taken into custody on two counts of child abuse May 22, the Lee County Sheriff's Office announced. The search for Garza had been ongoing for nearly a month, when deputies received a report of an unknown man beating up two 13-year-old boys near a Fort Myers apartment complex, McClatchy News reported in April. One teen told WBBH he and his friends were tossing the Play-Doh in the road April 26 when one of his friends threw it and it made contact with a car driving by. The blue Honda made a U-turn and started coming back toward the boys, so they took off running, deputies wrote in an incident report. The person in the car, now identified as Garza, caught up to one teen and punched him in the face, and the boy went down, deputies said. He recounted Garza continued punching him on the ground, then stood up and stomped on his face, according to the report. 'He was asking me like, why did you throw rocks at my car and this and that,' the teen told WBBH. 'I was trying to explain to him but I was getting punched in the face while he was asking me all these questions.' Another 13-year-old told investigators he ran back when he saw his friend was getting attacked. He said the man accused them of throwing rocks and punched him in the face as well before walking away, according to deputies. The second teen said he ran to a clubhouse nearby to get help, the report says. Part of the attack was caught on video and shared by authorities asking for help identifying the man. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno thanked the community for coming forward with tips. 'Physically battering a child out of pure anger is unacceptable behavior and it will NEVER be tolerated,' Marceno said in a news release. 'I am proud of my (detectives') dedicated efforts that led to an arrest and justice for the victims.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Unintended outcomes for teen in Travis Co. diversion program
If you need help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 800-799-7233 AUSTIN (KXAN) — A program meant to rehabilitate certain teens who get arrested in Travis County did not work as intended for one of the participants. We are not identifying the teen because he is a minor, but he has given both KXAN and his attorneys with the Juvenile Public Defender's Office permission to share his story. PREVIOUS: 'Invaluable': Giving Travis County teens accused of family violence an alternative to jail The Travis County Transformation Project (TCTP) launched in 2023 as a pilot program. Teens eligible for the program and 15 and 16-year-olds who prompt a 911 call by threatening some kind of physical or emotional abuse towards another family member. If the teen meets the proper criteria, they have the option to enter a diversion program outside of the criminal justice system instead of going into juvenile detention. Teens suspected of using firearms are not eligible. District Attorney Jose Garza launched the program after reviewing statistics showing that between 2010 and 2020, assault family violence was the most common crime teens got arrested for in Travis County. 'What the impact is of juveniles entering criminal justice system, it sharply increases the likelihood they'll commit new crimes in the future,' Garza said, when KXAN reported on the program in October of last year. The purpose of the initiative is to address the holistic needs of the teen and their family. 'These are kids who are living in very challenging situations, often with parents who have unmet mental health needs, unmet substance abuse needs and sometimes food and job insecurity,' Garza said. While the program has diverted dozens of teens from the juvenile justice system, KXAN learned details about one of the teens who feels like he was 'failed' by the program. In our October story, we referenced a letter the District Attorney's Office provided us from the teen's aunt. The letter touted the program's effectiveness, painting it as a success story. The very next day, the teen's attorneys reached out to us. 'The child who you did your story on about the letter from the aunt, he was actually our client,' said Ruben Castaneda, the Travis County Juvenile Public Defender. 'He was arrested after having participated in the transformation project. He's given us his permission to share his story.' According to Castaneda's office, the teen's journey – beginning with the initial 911 call that sparked his involvement with the TCTP – went as follows: Entered TCTP January 2024 Spent 30 days in diversion center Mother – who made the initial 911 family violence call – still did not want teen back home CPS got involved since teen had nowhere to be released to Teen arrested when CPS steps in Courts found no probable cause for said arrest, teen released Teen spent two months in state custody, before returning home in May 2024 January 2025: Police arrested him for assault family violence against mom Teen detained at Gardner Betts Juvenile Center Once released, teen reenters CPS custody, where he remains at the writing of the article KXAN got the chance to speak with the teen at Gardner Betts earlier this year with his attorneys present. During that conversation, he said he didn't feel like the TCTP's resources helped with any of his family's struggles. He also said connecting with the Juvenile Public Defender's Office is 'probably the only reason I'm getting better,' and 'if they didn't come, I'd be doomed.' 'The concept of keeping kids out of the juvenile legal system – I'm all for it, my office is all for it,' Castaneda said. 'I believe the way the concept has been executed is flawed.' Castaneda said a primary concern is that the TCTP doesn't have a specific person assigned to represent each teen's legal interests. 'Then the child needs a voice, needs an advocate, to both guide counsel and fight for the child if the child is being treated unfairly,' he said. 'There is no such advocate for the child in the transformation project system.' He addressed how this speaks to the greater complexities of the juvenile justice system and finding the right balance between public safety and rehabilitating minors whose brains aren't fully developed who often don't know how to seek out the resources they need. 'Nobody is the worst thing that they've ever done, and I want to make sure these children have voices,' he said. KXAN has been asking the DA's Office for an interview about the teen's case since February, hoping to inquire about any changes the teen's experience could prompt. Garza initially said he would interview with us about this, however, his office ultimately sent us a statement that spoke generically about the program. It is below. The Travis County Transformation Project's goal is to keep kids involved with family violence in the home out of the system and give them and their families the support they need. The program, which is voluntary, was launched with the support of our local law enforcement, the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department, and community partners. We take immense pride in the children and their caregivers who have made the empowering choice to engage in this program, which is truly guiding their journey toward healing and growth. Our office extends heartfelt gratitude to our community partners. Their profound impact on these families showcases the strength of community support and the incredible strength of the human spirit. Travis County District Attorney's Office In February, the mental health and community advocacy partners that run the TCTP alongside the DA's Office held a graduation ceremony to 'honor the trailblazing families of the Travis County Transformation Project.' According to a news release about this event, the program has diverted 56 teens from the juvenile justice system as of February, and in 35 of those cases, the teens' families qualified for and received group therapy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Deported family of U.S. citizen girl recovering from rare brain tumor is determined to return
A girl recovering from a rare brain tumor celebrated her 11th birthday Sunday, hundreds of miles away from everything she's known — her friends at school, her community at church, her home. She's one of four U.S. citizen children who were sent to Mexico from Texas three months ago when immigration authorities deported their undocumented parents. Fearing for their safety after the mixed-immigration-status family was taken to an area in Mexico that's been known for kidnapping U.S. citizens, they haven't given up on being able to return to the U.S. — primarily to continue the girl's medical treatment. On Friday morning, the family is traveling to Monterrey to meet with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. They hope that sharing their immigration plight motivates legislators to advocate for their return under humanitarian parole, according to a family representative. 'Pressure from the public about the deportation of vulnerable United States citizen children really is effective, and members of Congress are answering that call,' Rochelle Garza, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, the legal advocacy and litigation organization representing the family, told NBC News on Thursday. Democratic Reps. Adriano Espaillat of New York and Sylvia Garcia and Joaquin Castro of Texas are set to meet with the family, according to a spokesperson from the Texas Civil Rights Project. 'It's important that the public continue paying attention to this but also continue engaging and encouraging members of Congress to take action,' Garza said. The girl's mother first told NBC News about the family's ordeal in March. The case got the attention of several other congressional lawmakers, including Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Alex Padilla of California as well as Rep. Al Green, D-Texas. Since then, five other similar cases, including a mother who was deported to Honduras last month with her two U.S. citizen children, one of which is a 4-year-old boy with Stage 4 cancer, have become public. 'It would not surprise me if this were much more systemic than what we are currently seeing,' Garza said. The mother previously told NBC News that on Feb. 3 the family was driving from the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, area where they lived to Houston, where their daughter's specialist doctors are based, for an emergency medical checkup. On the way there, they stopped at a stateside immigration checkpoint, one they have passed through multiple times. The parents were equipped with letters from their doctors and lawyers to show the officers at the checkpoint. But immigration authorities arrested the parents after they were unable to show legal immigration documentation. According to their attorney, Daniel Woodward, other than lacking 'valid immigration status in the U.S.,' the parents have 'no criminal history.' He added the parents were in the process of obtaining T visas, a temporary immigration benefit for victims of human trafficking. Five of their children, ages 15, 13, 11, 8 and 6 — four of whom are U.S. citizens — were with them when they were arrested. The parents and the children were taken to a detention facility, where they spent 24 hours before they were placed in a van and dropped on the Mexico side of a Texas bridge on Feb. 4. NBC News is not publishing the family members' names for safety reasons. Attorneys for the family filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in March requesting a probe into abuses they say the family faced in U.S. detention. In the filing, they also requested immigration authorities grant humanitarian parole to the undocumented parents, the girl and one of her siblings. But that DHS office, which protected the civil rights of both immigrants and U.S. citizens, was dismantled shortly after the attorneys filed the complaint — forcing them to refile it with the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services. They have not yet received a response. A DHS spokesperson previously told NBC News that reports of the family's situation are 'inaccurate' and declined to speak on the specifics of the case, citing privacy reasons. They said in a statement that when 'someone is given expedited removal orders and chooses to disregard them, they will face the consequences.' In response to a similar but separate case involving the removal of U.S. citizen children in connection with their mother's deportation, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Thursday: 'The narrative that DHS is deporting American children is false and irresponsible reporting,' adding that immigration authorities ask mothers if they wish to be removed with their children or if they want the children to be placed in the safe custody of someone the parent designates. McLaughlin added that undocumented parents can 'take control of their departure' by using the CBP Home app, the Trump administration's self-deportation app. Speaking from Mexico in March, the mother of the 11-year-old said in a video message in Spanish provided to NBC News that she and her husband, when they were detained, 'faced the worst decision, an impossible one, to be permanently separated from our children or to be deported together.' When undocumented parents of U.S.-born children are picked up by immigration authorities, they face the risk of losing custody of their children. Without power-of-attorney documents or guardianships outlining who will take care of the children left behind, the children can go into the U.S. foster care system, making it harder for parents to regain custody of their children in the future. Just after her birthday, the girl had her first medical checkup in Monterrey this week. Denisse Molina, a humanitarian outreach coordinator at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said it took her 'two exhausting days, countless phone calls, and being bounced between hospital departments' to secure a medical appointment and schedule an MRI for the girl. 'No one—especially a child in need — should have to fight this hard just to access essential care,' Molina told NBC News in a statement Thursday. While this temporary solution is bringing the family some relief, regular medical checkups are critical, according to the child's mother and the family's advocates. The child was diagnosed with the brain tumor last year and underwent surgery to remove it, the mother said after learning of the diagnosis through translators. But Woodward said that since contacting the girl's doctors and obtaining her medical records in the family's pursuit to obtain humanitarian parole, she found out the cause of the tumor was an 'unnamed 'novel' condition.' Few medical specialists can effectively monitor these kinds of cases; the girl's U.S. doctors are among those with the necessary expertise. The girl needs scans and checkups every three months, her doctors told the Texas Civil Rights Project. The surgery that saved the girl's life last year left her with some lasting side effects. The swelling on her brain is still not fully gone, her mother said in March, causing difficulties with speech and mobility of the right side of her body. Before the family was removed from the U.S., the girl was routinely checking in with doctors monitoring her recovery, attending rehabilitation therapy sessions and taking medication to prevent convulsions. In Mexico, the family has been able to enroll four of their children in school while they get ready to apply for humanitarian parole later this month at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. According to the USCIS website, applicants may demonstrate urgency by establishing a reason to be in the U.S. that calls for immediate action, including critical medical treatment, or the need to visit, assist or support a relative who is ill. 'Our hope is that members of Congress will learn about this particular case and support our request for humanitarian parole for the family,' Garza said. This article was originally published on
