Latest news with #Prayer
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mom, Who Was Accused of Murdering Her 3-Year-Old Daughter, Dies After Being Found Unresponsive in Jail Cell
Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, the Australian woman accused of fatally stabbing her 3-year-old daughter on May 26, has died The 32-year-old was found unresponsive in her jail cell on Friday, May 30, and died in a local hospital on Sunday, June 1 An investigation into the incident is currently underwayLauren Ingrid Flanigan, the Australian woman accused of killing her 3-year-old daughter, has died. Flanigan, 32, was found unresponsive in her cell at the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre on Friday, May 30, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Officers provided "immediate assistance" before she was transported to the intensive care unit at a local hospital, according to ABC, which cited Queensland police. Flanigan died on the evening of Sunday, June 1, per the outlet. In a statement to PEOPLE, Queensland Correctional Service confirmed that an investigation into Flanigan's death is underway. The organization said they will assist authorities in preparing a report for the coroner, as 'is standard practice for all deaths in custody.' 'Support is being offered to the responding officers and their colleagues,' the Queensland Correctional Service added. Flanigan, a mother of three, was accused of fatally stabbing her eldest daughter, Sophia Rose, in the front yard of their Moore Park Beach home in Central Queensland on Monday, May 26. Queensland Police Chief Inspector Grant Marcus said authorities received several calls from neighbors, but the child was dead when emergency services found her just before 5 p.m. local time, per 7 News and 9 News. Flanigan was taken into custody and charged, while a knife that police allege was the murder weapon was also seized, the outlets reported. 'There were two other children at the address at the time, both younger — aged 1 and 2,' Superintendent Brad Inskip said, per 'Neither of them was injured in the incident yesterday, and they're currently being cared for by family members.' Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Inskip told 7 News that there were 'multiple attempts' to revive Sophia before she succumbed to her injuries. 'No doubt it was a horrific scene, it's a terrible, terrible incident for everybody, including the witnesses and the neighbors, including the emergency services police and ambulances who attended and investigators who are doing the ongoing investigation,' Inskip said, per 7 News. According to Sky News Australia, Flanigan had allegedly posted a number of eerie messages on social media in the days leading up to the fatal stabbing. She allegedly shared a video of a woman with bruises on her arm, captioned, 'Remember your pain as it fuels your purpose.' She allegedly included lyrics from the heavy metal group Disturbed's song 'Prayer,' which say, 'Another nightmare about to come true. Will manifest tomorrow. Another love that I've taken from you.' In other posts, Flanigan allegedly referenced training 'like it's war' and being a 'warrior of light,' according to She captioned a photo of her children 'my divine babies,' while other posts allegedly referenced past trauma. Read the original article on People
Asharq Al-Awsat
5 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia Declares June 6 First Day of Eid Al-Adha
The Saudi Supreme Court declared on Tuesday that June 5 marks the Day of Arafat, meaning Eid al-Adha will begin on June 6. The court made the announcement after confirming the citing of the crescent moon of the month of Dhul Hijjah during which the annual Hajj pilgrimage takes place. The Hajj will therefore begin on June 4. The rituals on Mount Arafat are seen as the holiest of the pilgrimage when pilgrims spend the day in prayer.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mom's Bizarre Social Media Posts Revealed as She's Charged with the Death of Her 3-Year-Old Daughter
Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, allegedly stabbed her three-year-old daughter, Sophia Rose, in the front yard of their home in Queensland, Australia, on Monday, May 26 The case was briefly mentioned at Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Tuesday, after Flanigan was arrested and charged with murder The incident came a day after Flanigan shared a series of disturbing posts on social media, according to multiple news outletsA mother's eerie social media posts have been revealed after she was charged with the death of her three-year-old daughter. Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, has been accused of fatally stabbing her daughter, Sophia Rose, in the front yard of their Moore Park Beach home in Central Queensland, Australia, on Monday, May 26. Chief Inspector Grant Marcus said police received several calls from neighbors, but the toddler was dead when emergency services found her just before 5 p.m. local time, per 7 News and 9 News. Flanigan was arrested at the scene and charged in custody with killing Sophia, while a knife that police allege was the murder weapon was also seized, the outlets reported. 'There were two other children at the address at the time, both younger – aged one and two,' Superintendent Brad Inskip said, per 'Neither of them were injured in the incident yesterday, and they're currently being cared for by family members.' Inskip told 7 News that there were 'multiple attempts' to revive Sophia before she succumbed to her injuries. 'No doubt it was a horrific scene, it's a terrible, terrible incident for everybody, including the witnesses and the neighbors, including the emergency services police and ambulances who attended and investigators who are doing the ongoing investigation,' Inskip said, per 7 News. 'This is not something that we or one of us wanna attend, but we're one of the people who have to deal with [it],' he continued. 'We have reached out to council to support the community as well, and there are welfare options available on the QPS website as well.' Inskip didn't specify if there were any concerns about Flanigan's mental health before the incident. However, he confirmed to that her mental health 'will play a part in our inquiries' amid their investigation. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Flanigan had shared several photos on social media of her children and a blossoming baby bump in 2021. She appeared to be an advocate for taking action against domestic violence and digital work for moms, according to However, recent Instagram posts appeared to have a darker tone, Sky News Australia reported. On Sunday, she allegedly shared a video of a woman with bruises on her arm that was captioned, 'Remember your pain as it fuels your purpose.' The mom allegedly included lyrics from the heavy metal group Disturbed's song 'Prayer,' which say, 'Another nightmare about to come true. Will manifest tomorrow. Another love that I've taken from you.' In other posts, Flanigan allegedly referenced training 'like it's war' and being a 'warrior of light,' according to She captioned a photo of her children 'my divine babies,' while other posts allegedly referenced trauma, with one saying that people are 'shaped by the rocks we've been broken against.' 'This is how our Creator sees us. Not defined by the damage, but deeply loved for the story we carry,' Flanigan added. Following Monday's incident, the family home has been declared a crime scene, with specialist police from Brisbane traveling to the area to assist with the investigation. Jai Ruane, an MMA fighter and father of the three children, was away for work at the time of the murder. He and Flanigan are believed to be separated, ABC News Australia reported. Inskip said Ruane has since returned and is 'no doubt absolutely devastated,' per 9 News. Speaking of his daughter, according to 9 News, Ruane said, 'Always smiling, always wanting to help. Just full of life and love.' He then added, 'She just had such a huge heart.' Social media photos throughout the years show Ruane celebrating his daughter's birthday and wishing Flaning a Happy Valentine's Day in 2022, reported. 'Sophia and I both love you very much,' he wrote at the time. Flanigan's case was briefly mentioned on Tuesday, May 27, at Bundaberg Magistrates Court, before being adjourned until July, ABC News Australia reported. Bundaberg Magistrates Court and Queensland Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mom's Bizarre Social Media Posts Revealed as She's Charged with the Death of Her 3-Year-Old Daughter
Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, allegedly stabbed her three-year-old daughter, Sophia Rose, in the front yard of their home in Queensland, Australia, on Monday, May 26 The case was briefly mentioned at Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Tuesday, after Flanigan was arrested and charged with murder The incident came a day after Flanigan shared a series of disturbing posts on social media, according to multiple news outletsA mother's eerie social media posts have been revealed after she was charged with the death of her three-year-old daughter. Lauren Ingrid Flanigan, 32, has been accused of fatally stabbing her daughter, Sophia Rose, in the front yard of their Moore Park Beach home in Central Queensland, Australia, on Monday, May 26. Chief Inspector Grant Marcus said police received several calls from neighbors, but the toddler was dead when emergency services found her just before 5 p.m. local time, per 7 News and 9 News. Flanigan was arrested at the scene and charged in custody with killing Sophia, while a knife that police allege was the murder weapon was also seized, the outlets reported. 'There were two other children at the address at the time, both younger – aged one and two,' Superintendent Brad Inskip said, per 'Neither of them were injured in the incident yesterday, and they're currently being cared for by family members.' Inskip told 7 News that there were 'multiple attempts' to revive Sophia before she succumbed to her injuries. 'No doubt it was a horrific scene, it's a terrible, terrible incident for everybody, including the witnesses and the neighbors, including the emergency services police and ambulances who attended and investigators who are doing the ongoing investigation,' Inskip said, per 7 News. 'This is not something that we or one of us wanna attend, but we're one of the people who have to deal with [it],' he continued. 'We have reached out to council to support the community as well, and there are welfare options available on the QPS website as well.' Inskip didn't specify if there were any concerns about Flanigan's mental health before the incident. However, he confirmed to that her mental health 'will play a part in our inquiries' amid their investigation. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Flanigan had shared several photos on social media of her children and a blossoming baby bump in 2021. She appeared to be an advocate for taking action against domestic violence and digital work for moms, according to However, recent Instagram posts appeared to have a darker tone, Sky News Australia reported. On Sunday, she allegedly shared a video of a woman with bruises on her arm that was captioned, 'Remember your pain as it fuels your purpose.' The mom allegedly included lyrics from the heavy metal group Disturbed's song 'Prayer,' which say, 'Another nightmare about to come true. Will manifest tomorrow. Another love that I've taken from you.' In other posts, Flanigan allegedly referenced training 'like it's war' and being a 'warrior of light,' according to She captioned a photo of her children 'my divine babies,' while other posts allegedly referenced trauma, with one saying that people are 'shaped by the rocks we've been broken against.' 'This is how our Creator sees us. Not defined by the damage, but deeply loved for the story we carry,' Flanigan added. Following Monday's incident, the family home has been declared a crime scene, with specialist police from Brisbane traveling to the area to assist with the investigation. Jai Ruane, an MMA fighter and father of the three children, was away for work at the time of the murder. He and Flanigan are believed to be separated, ABC News Australia reported. Inskip said Ruane has since returned and is 'no doubt absolutely devastated,' per 9 News. Speaking of his daughter, according to 9 News, Ruane said, 'Always smiling, always wanting to help. Just full of life and love.' He then added, 'She just had such a huge heart.' Social media photos throughout the years show Ruane celebrating his daughter's birthday and wishing Flaning a Happy Valentine's Day in 2022, reported. 'Sophia and I both love you very much,' he wrote at the time. Flanigan's case was briefly mentioned on Tuesday, May 27, at Bundaberg Magistrates Court, before being adjourned until July, ABC News Australia reported. Bundaberg Magistrates Court and Queensland Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A prayer, the pope and a mother-in-law hack
Dolly Vilsack, center, shares a big laugh with her daughter Alice, left, and sister Marney. (Photo courtesy of Christie Vilsack) Iowa Writers 'Collaborative. Linking Iowa readers and writers. I only knew my mother-in-law for a short time, but she gave me three gifts: a husband, a prayer and a mother-in-law hack. Dolly Vilsack loved and accepted me for loving her son, whom she'd brought home from a Catholic orphanage when he was six months old. She and Tom's dad, who she called Buddy, said they chose him like they would the Thanksgiving turkey, the plump one. I'm glad they did. Dolly also loved God and trusted her Catholic faith to help her defeat her dependence on alcohol, save herself and reunite her family. For that I am also grateful. The Serenity Prayer 'God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.' It was the prayer she learned when she joined Alcoholics Anonymous in 1964 after leaving her family and committing herself to rehabilitation. Before taking me home to meet his parents in the spring of 1969, our freshman year in college, Tom told me about his mother's struggles with alcohol. Westerns on TV and the movies provided me with plenty of stereotypes of drunks, but I'd never known an alcoholic. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I got to Pittsburgh, but it wasn't the chic woman in a simple sheath dress, spectator pumps and chunky gold earrings. She worked at Mellon Bank, a job she had taken after sobriety. She was a small person with a big laugh. And she had a faith that gave meaning to the word for me. She and Tom's dad had separated when he was in junior high, but they were back together when I met them, and they accepted me immediately. In small towns where we don't have much ethnic diversity, we often identify by church affiliation. In my hometown most people were Protestants, including a few of us Episcopalians. Next to Saint Alphonsus was the Catholic grade school complete with nuns in habits. Even though we didn't go to school together, I knew all the Catholic girls, because they were part of my Girl Scout troop, and they would later join us in public high school. In confirmation class at the Episcopal Church, I learned how King Henry defied the Pope and started his own church so he could divorce or behead his wives with impunity. It was also that year I got involved in politics campaigning for John Kennedy, not because he was a Catholic but because he was a Democrat. The boyfriend When I met Tom Vilsack in college, he seemed different, because he'd grown up in a city and attended a private boarding school for boys, not because he was a Catholic. Ironically, when we met, he had gotten his mother back just as I had lost mine to cancer. Their illnesses had a lasting effect on both of us. Dolly and Tom Vilsack with Christie at his Hamilton College graduation. (Photo courtesy of Christie Vilsack) What triggered Dolly's alcoholism isn't as important as what transformed it into something she could live with. At her lowest point, on Christmas Eve 1963, she left her family and committed to recovery. She took her sobriety seriously, joined AA, and for the rest of her life attended meetings becoming a sponsor to others who needed her help. When she asked me to go with her to an AA meeting one evening, I knew that I was family. I learned about the importance of her Catholic faith to her recovery, about the importance of AA's 12 steps that lead to sobriety, and the necessity of asking forgiveness. I learned the Serenity Prayer, the only prayer I've ever really needed. The mother-in-law hack Tom and I married at Saint Michael's Episcopal Church in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. I asked the Catholic priest to help officiate, but he told me he'd rather go fishing. You can imagine my mother-in-law wasn't happy that her son hadn't landed the priest. Then Tom got the time wrong for mass, so his extended family arrived at the church just as mass ended. Not an auspicious start. As far as his mother was concerned, it was his fault, not mine. I didn't convert, and she never once said anything to me about it. Now that I'm a mother-in-law myself, I have come to appreciate how she lived the Serenity Prayer, how she accepted me and my decisions without judgment. In the four years she was my mother-in-law, we only came to Pittsburgh once for Christmas. It was then I learned that Christmas was her time to celebrate renewal, resilience, and reconciliation. Every Christmas she wrote a letter to someone who had made a difference in her life that year, a tradition I've tried to continue. She experienced the joy of grandchildren, Tom's niece and nephew. She loved going to the Jersey Shore, something they did as a family before her illness. She made great brownies that I'll never be able to reproduce. She managed to snag an autograph for Tom of Steeler star, Franco Harris, when he came to her desk at Mellon bank one day. But I regret that she never got to know our children. Soon after I got pregnant, we learned that she had brain cancer. We came to Pittsburgh to pack her possessions in a U-Haul which Tom drove to his sister's home near Philadelphia. I drove behind him with Dolly in her little blue VW Bug. As we crossed the state, she experienced a series of small seizures, but we were able to talk. She asked me if I'd be willing to raise our children Catholic. The answer was an easy yes. I valued my own religious education, and I wanted that for our children. It made sense for Tom to lead the effort. Only now do I understand how hard it must have been for her to ask. She died a few months later just before our first son was born, but she is with me every day as I say her prayer. I often say jokingly that the Serenity Prayer got me through 25 years of politics. It did. But it's also gotten me through the personal and professional highs and lows of everyday life. Serenity is elusive. It comes and goes, stays for a moment, a day, sometimes longer, but finding serenity is a constant search and it requires faith, and faith is sometimes hard to come by in troubling times. And wisdom, that's even harder. I'm still practicing. The pope I came to like Pope Francis. I'm glad he lived long enough to affect real change in the Catholic Church. He brought a different culture and perspective to the job. I liked that he tried to be open to ideas and people who are different, that he opened his heart to those the church had previously rejected or turned away. We were invited to the Obama White House in his honor, and Tom got to meet him. Oh Dolly, you would have loved it. You know Tom would have prepped for the moment, a Catholic boy who knows his catechism and wants to impress. He had it all planned out, what he would say to Pope Francis, quoting the Beatitudes, blessings that talk about the poor in spirit, the peacemakers, the mournful, meek and hungry. But he became tongue-tied and sputtered. The president, standing beside him, had his back. 'Your holiness, Tom feeds the children,' he said. The pope beamed; the president smiled; Tom looked humbled. The photographer snapped the photo. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, right, meets Pope Francis at the White House with President Barack Obama. (Official White House photo by Adam Schultz) If there's a heaven, as you understand it, Dolly, I hope you were looking down that day. You did something good bringing that baby home, loving him and helping him to understand the concept of redemption. You taught him never to give up on himself or others, including you. If you're looking in our window this morning, you'll see him talking with our grandson about the purpose of confession and contrition as he helps prepare him for confirmation. We both kept our promise to you. As for being a mother-in-law, I know that how-to books have been written about the subject, but I don't need them. I had you. This column was originally published by Christie Vilsack's blog 'Common Ground.' It is shared here through the Iowa Writers' Collaborative. Editor's note: Please consider subscribing to the Iowa Writers' Collaborative and member authors' blogs to support their work.
