Jaycee Dugard was held captive by a paroled rapist for 18 years

PLACERVILLE, Calif. — A grand jury has indicted the couple accused of kidnapping and raping Jaycee Dugard and holding her captive in a backyard for 18 years. Phillip and Nancy Garrido were each indicted on 18 counts plus multiple special allegations which could lead to tougher sentences if the Garridos are convicted. The indictment eliminates the need for a preliminary hearing, sparing Dugard and her family from having to take the witness stand.

Author, CEO and Founder of Dreamcatchers for Abused Children Sandra Dawn Potter has been nominated for the Rare Life Award 2011.

The Rare Life Award is sponsored by Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, who has won its share of honors and awards, and now is honoring those who share a passion for excellence with The Rare Life Award.

Some nominees are heroic, show courage, leadership, dedication, devotion, character, survival skills and inspire others to make a difference. Some nominees make an impact globally and others in their own little corner of the world, but all nominees have one thing in common. They lead rare lives.

COLLIER COUNTY: A 46-year-old man is facing felony abuse charges after detectives say he used plastic zip ties to tie up a child. They say he also threatened her with a stun gun as a punishment. Jon Douglas Parrish, of Golden Gate, was arrested Wednesday on a warrant charging him with aggravated child abuse-malicious punishment and false imprisonment. Detectives say Parrish used the plastic ties to bind the child’s wrists and ankles as a way of punishing her.

A judge has sentenced a Newton mother to serve more than 3 years in prison for charges stemming from the death of her 19-month-old son. Twenty-year-old Kathyrn Dale was sentenced to 31-months of jail time for child abuse and 7 months of jail time on additional charges of child endangerment. The charges are to be served consecutively with no parole. Prosecutors said the child’s death was one of the worst cases of child abuse they had ever seen.

SANTA FE — A father dozed off while in his idling car with his 1-year-old daughter waiting to pick up another child from Cesar Chavez Elementary School. He was awakened by another parent who was frantically banging on his window to inform him that his daughter was currently being choked to death. The little girl had been unrestrained in the backseat when she put her head outside the car’s open window before it was somehow rolled up, wedging her neck between the window and the door frame.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA — Authorities are searching for a 13-year-old Rancho Cucamonga girl missing since Friday who friends say wanted to run away from home. San Bernardino County sheriff?s officials said Wednesday that Nancy Melena never showed up for soccer practice after leaving a friend?s house.

Sheriff Lee Baca is asking the public for help in finding the killer

COMPTON — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is asking the public for help in solving a murder that left a high school senior dead. 19-year-old Michael Owens was caught in the crossfire during a fight between two gangs in Compton in January 2009.

AMHERST — A 21-year-old Amherst man and an 18-year-old Lorain man are accused of streaming video over the Internet of sexual activity with an underage girl, according to Amherst police Lt. Joseph Kucirek. Investigators believe other juveniles might have also been involved in sex acts that were streamed online. Max Torgerson, 21, of Amherst, and Darrin Karnik, 18, of Lorain, were both charged with two counts each of sexual imposition, importuning, compelling prostitution, pandering obscenity involving a minor and pandering obscenity. They were taken to Lorain County Jail and are being held on $60,500 bond.

THE extent of Cullen’s abuse came to light thanks to a breakthrough thousands of miles away in Iowa, in the United States. Officers had arrested part-time police officer Donald Rager for sex offences against children and possession of indecent images in 2007. The then 39-year-old had a photo of Cullen raping a young boy, which officers seized. The pair had met on the Internet with Rager purporting to be an 11-year-old called Billy.

The former wife of a man accused of raping and impregnating his daughters described their relationship on as a “first love” that descended into insults, beatings and a grip that prevented her from leaving the house to give birth or send the children to school.

Although their first two children were born in hospitals, the husband became increasingly paranoid about doctors and vaccinations, eventually prohibiting her from any pre- or postnatal care, the wife testified as the first witness in his sexual assault trial.

Fisher-Price, the toy maker, is recalling more than 10 million tricycles, toys and high chairs over safety concerns.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday that two of the products had caused injuries.

In the recall of about seven million Fisher-Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles, the agency is aware of 10 reports of children being hurt. Six of them required medical attention.

DALLAS – A young man faces charges in the beating death of a toddler.

According to investigators, 22-year-old Jonathan Peterson beat the boy on Tuesday at a residence on Pratt Street in Oak Cliff, while the baby’s mother was not at home. They said someone called 911 from the apartment and that responding rescuer workers found 21-month-old Bronson Franklin badly beaten.

DALLAS – A young man faces charges in the beating death of a toddler.

According to investigators, 22-year-old Jonathan Peterson beat the boy on Tuesday at a residence on Pratt Street in Oak Cliff, while the baby’s mother was not at home. They said someone called 911 from the apartment and that responding rescuer workers found 21-month-old Bronson Franklin badly beaten.

Boston’s grisliest mass murder in nearly two decades – made all the more horrific by the senseless execution of a baby in his young mother’s final embrace – sent horror rippling yesterday throughout the city, from the most powerful seats of government to the child’s devastated family.

The slain woman, who died cradling her fatally wounded baby boy, was Eyanna Louise Flonory, 21, of Dorchester, a criminal law student at Bunker Hill Community College, according to her mother, Delorise Flonory, 67, of Brockton.Her murdered grandson, 2-year-old Armani Smith, “was everything” to Eyanna, she said.

KENNEWICK, Wash. — A Benton County judge has sentenced Robert Trainor to over 20 years in prison. Last month a jury found Trainor guilty on five counts of child rape and molestation for sexually abusing five girls over a seven year span. The 46 year old was a Hanford employee and a volunteer Benton County fire captain.