Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Crime Alert 02.20.24

Episode Date: February 20, 2024

Mom tortures 4 young children with kitchen knives. Disgruntled boater digs new diversion into Lake Michigan.  For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. Crime Alert, I'm Nancy Grace. Breaking crime news now. Texas cops surround a Dallas home after getting reports of serious child abuse. Five children say their mom, Lul Top, cuts them with knives. They all have scars to prove it. The oldest child recounts an incident where Topp tried to put their three-year-old sibling in a hot oven. Nancy, the children are three, six, nine, and ten years old. They told

investigators Topp threatened and tortured them if they did not provide her with alcohol. The oldest child said he physically fought Topp to keep her from putting the three-year-old in the oven, then hid the child from her. The children said they resorted to hiding kitchen knives from their mother to avoid being cut. Top hides in the attic, surrendering an hour later. Lul Top, 36, busted on six counts felony ag assault with deadly weapon. When he can't get his boat into Lake Michigan and from the Platte River, Andrew Howard takes matters into his own hands. A park ranger stumbles on Howard, digging a new channel the Platte River, Andrew Howard takes matters into his own hands. A park ranger stumbles on Howard, digging a new channel from Platte into the lake. The natural force of the water makes the task a little easier, and soon Howard has created a 200-feet wide diversion of the river into the lake, 200 feet.

While fishermen may enjoy the new diversion, Howard's charged with tampering and vandalism. Now facing six months behind bars and a $5,000 fine. More crime and justice news after this. Now with the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Limley. Police have confirmed that a homicide investigation is being conducted into the deaths of the two people shot in a dorm room at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. With the latest, here's Sydney Sumner with Crime Online. When police arrived receiving a report of gunfire around six in the morning,

they discovered the victims, who were not immediately identified, to be dead. Each victim was shot at least once in what seemed to be an isolated incident, police spokesperson Ira Cronin said during a briefing. The coroner's office will establish their exact cause of death. According to school spokesman Chris Valentine, a 90-minute lockdown that initially included the entire campus was eventually restricted simply to the student housing complex. The college, which is located 69 miles south of Denver, was shut down for the day after the lockdown. The university said that although walk-in counseling was available at the wellness

center over the weekend, the campus was closed on Saturday and Sunday as well. The university also announced that although classes were postponed on Monday, walk-in therapy would still be available. Additionally, there will be a planned walk across campus, food and support stations accessible throughout the day, and walk-in counseling available. In addition to almost 2,000 teachers and staff at the Colorado Springs campus of the university. The school has over 11,000 students currently enrolled. Now to Tennessee, as a man suspected of killing a deputy and injuring another during a traffic stop has appeared in court for the first time. Various news sources have stated that 42-year-old Kenneth Wayne DeHart Jr. was charged with first-degree murder, attempted

first-degree murder, and being a felon in possession of a weapon. He was arraigned but has not yet entered a plea. Judge William K. Brewer of the Blunt Sessions Court appointed the Public Defender's Office to represent DeHart after he stated he did not have an attorney. Now to Louisiana, as a shortage of police officers has prompted the state's governor, Jeff Landry, to proclaim a state of emergency. Once again, Crime Online's Sydney Sumner. The executive order signed by Landry eliminates restrictions on the number of new hires and payroll increases that Louisiana sheriffs are permitted to make for their departments. A former law enforcement officer himself, Landry claimed that record low employment levels in the state's police

agencies are, quote, resulting in increased crime and less public safety. According to Landry, 1,800 fewer deputies worked in sheriff's offices around the state as of July. Under Landry's order, hiring and payroll restrictions put in place by state law are lifted for a set amount of time after a gubernatorial election. Landry was elected in 2023 and began serving in January. In recent years, law enforcement agencies across the United States have faced a scarcity of police officers, which many attribute to a decline in morale brought on by the coronavirus outbreak and public outrage following the Minneapolis

police death of George Floyd. Small towns have dissolved their police forces and given their law enforcement responsibilities to county sheriffs, state police, or nearby towns, including in Maine, Texas, and Ohio. The order issued by Landry is valid until March 15. On Monday, lawmakers convened at the Louisiana Capitol in a special session to discuss crime in the state. Thanks, John. Jason Washington moves his family to Columbia, Missouri, so their eight children can have a better education.

Around the time of the move, Jason starts experiencing seizures that affect his short-term memory and then takes daily medication to manage the new symptoms. Around 9 a.m., Jason has a seizure. He doesn't feel well. He takes his children to a relative's while he rests. At 1.30, he has a second seizure, and when he regains consciousness, he doesn't recognize relatives or his own children. Confused and upset, he leaves the home on foot and never returns. Jason Washington now missing over a year. If you have info on Jason Washington, call Columbia, Missouri PD, 573-874-7652.

For the latest crime and justice news, go to crimeonline.com. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. You're listening to an iHeart Podcast.