Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, July 10, 2023

Episode Date: July 11, 2023

Catastrophic flash flooding devastates parts of New York and New England. The intensifying humanitarian crisis in Haiti sparks international calls for action. Northwestern University’s football team is hit with allegations of sexually abusive hazing rituals, leading to the dismissal of the team’s head coach. The FBI asks to exhume the body of a 20-year-old woman tied to the 1969 death of a Baltimore nun whose murder has never been solved. And two Michigan boys are captured on camera saving a 7-year-old from drowning.

Tonight, a deadly flash flood emergency unfolding across the northeast. Heavy downpourge triggering catastrophic flooding from Pennsylvania up through Maine. Roads completely washed away. Drivers stranded in wastey, rushing water. Dozens of rescues reported in the threat is not over yet. Even more rain expected through the night, Bill Cairns here to time it all out. President Biden making headlines on the world stage, rejecting Ukraine's bid to join NATO at this time. reaction coming in from Zelensky tonight. This, as we're learning for the first time about a

high-stakes meeting between Vladimir Putin and the man who launched a failed mutiny against him, the new details emerging from the Kremlin. Back here at home, Larry Nasser stabbed multiple times inside of Florida prison, where he's serving decades for sexually assaulting gymnasts, including Olympians. We'll have an update on his condition tonight. A major update in the case at the heart of Netflix's hit docu series, The Keepers, why the FBI is now planning to exhume a body more than 40 years after a Baltimore nun disappeared. Plus a warning tonight about a wildly popular energy drink owned by controversial YouTuber Logan Paul, while lawmakers are calling the drink dangerous for children and asking the FDA to step in. And Summer Save surveillance video

capturing the moment a 12-year-old jumped in to save another boy who was struggling to swim, how his hometown is honoring his heroic actions and what we're hearing from the family tonight. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. We begin top story tonight with that catastrophic flash flood emergency. Parts of New England still underwater at this hour and there is more torrential rain on the way. Upstate New York getting hit first and hardest water gushing on the highways, leaving drivers stranded in perilous conditions. entire chunks of road washed away.

This, the scene outside of West Point, the middle of a highway, just gone. Police carrying out dozens of rescues over the last several days. New York state troopers using rope to help drivers get out of that rushing flow of water. But even people's backyards becoming dangerous. This one in Highland Falls turning into a waterfall. In the same county, a 35-year-old woman was killed as she tried to escape the water rushing into her home. The monster storm slowly moving north, almost all of Vermont, under flash flood warnings tonight. You can see the roads there as well, completely overtaken.

Bill Cairns is here to time out the night ahead, but first here's NBC's Emily Aketa from a waterlogged upstate New York. Tonight, a brutal bout of storms inches north, washing out roads and kicking swift water rescue teams into high gear. States of emergency declared in parts of New York, Connecticut, and Vermont. Dahlgren here in Vermont where the rain just isn't letting up. Some towns have already seen over seven and a half inches. Flash flooding has cut off entire communities. Dozens of roads are close and now some rivers are approaching major flood states. Almost the entire state still on high alert as we head into the overnight hours. Watch as floodwaters pour over this dam. The governor there comparing the relentless rain to tropical storm Irene in 2011. This is an all hands-on-deck

response. We are closely coordinating with federal partners. The dangerous downpour comes as residents in New York's Hudson Valley today are digging out. Everything's destroyed. A summer's worth of rain falling in just a day, collapsing roadways and stranding cars in dangerous flash flooding. I've been here 16 years. I've never seen flooding like this at all. New York State troopers used rope Sunday to rescue drivers. And authorities had to save 700 passengers stuck aboard Amtrak in Putnam County. They're calling this a 1,000-year event. Authorities say 43-year-old Pamela Nugent died while trying to evacuate her home that had been overtaken by water.

It looked like a raging ocean with a hurricane. Nearby, Savannah Pitcher waited through treacherous floodwaters to reach her grandmother and help guide her to higher ground. If you had not gotten to your grandmother, what do you think would have happened? I don't think everybody would be okay, honestly. I just watch my car and swim away. Tonight in Pennsylvania, residents are facing the aftermath of Redding's wettest day in three years. While back in Vermont, first responders are bracing for a potentially long night. Emily Aketa joins us now from Highland Falls, New York.

Emily, I can see that bridge behind you, incredibly damaged there. Give us the big picture. How significant has this. storm been in terms of damaging infrastructure and just wrecking people's travel plans. Well, Alison, if you take a look at that damaged bridge behind me, you can get a sense for just how high we saw those racing club waters play out. You'll actually see debris kind of lodged into the fencing there. And you can also see why some major roadways in the area are expected to be closed for the foreseeable future. Officials estimating here in Orange County, New York alone, that repairs could be in the

area of tens of millions of dollars. The sweeping storms also impacting Amtrak service and disrupting thousands of flights today, Ellison. Emily Aketa, thank you for that. As 11 million people remain under floodwatches across the northeast, severe storms are also expected in parts of the plains and Midwest, in addition to crippling heat from California to Florida. For the latest forecast, I want to bring in NBC meteorologist Bill Karens. Bill, walk us through the risks at this hour. Yeah, we're getting towards the end of our flash flooding threat.

We have a couple areas, northern Vermont, a few spots in the Adirondex, but other areas are starting to dry out that were hit very hard this morning, including Connecticut and southern Vermont, where there's still numerous roads that have been washed out and bridges, too. Only one flash flood warning now in north-central portions of Vermont. Other areas are starting to clear out of these flood watches. Additional rainfall, it looks like the heaviest it will be up around Burlington, still another one to two inches as we go throughout this evening.

So we're not completely done with the storm, but we're heading in the right direction. And how about the heat? Right now at this hour, it feels like 111 degrees in the shade in Dallas. Earlier today, it felt like 110 in Miami, only one degree away from the warmest heat industry they've ever recorded. So even by South Florida standards, this has been exceptional. Now all our attention is going to shift to the west. We've had expanded heat advisories and warnings and watches all the way up through Sacramento now.

We have a chance to approach all-time record highs like ever recorded. especially in the Las Vegas area. 117 is the hottest it's ever been in Las Vegas. This upcoming weekend, 114 and 115. So we're in the ballpark. Phoenix, it's 116 and 116. Ridiculous. And we also have some isolated severe storms we're watching today,

especially Kansas and areas of Nebraska. We'll keep our eye on Omaha this evening, too. So a lot of weather coast to coast. All right. Bill Cairns, thank you for that. Now to a high-stakes NATO summit as the war in Ukraine wages on. The alliance set to expand with Sweden

getting one step closer to becoming the newest member. This as Ukrainian President Zelensky asked for his country to be admitted. President Biden is voicing skepticism about doing that, at least at this time. NBC's Chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander is in Vilnius, Lithuania, with more. Tonight, a stunning reversal ahead of Tuesday's NATO summit,

Turkey agreeing to support Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance after a year of opposition. Turkish President Erdogan making the decision after talks with the NATO Secretary General. President Biden also speaking with Erdogan agreeing to meet in person tomorrow. After beginning his day in the United Kingdom, President Biden today enjoyed his first visit with King Charles.

The two at Windsor Castle appearing relaxed, laughing and smiling together. The king seemingly unfazed as the president broke royal protocol, placing his hand on the king's back. Before discussing climate initiatives, a personal passion for the king. It followed President Biden's face-to-face with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of this week's NATO summit in Lithuania, the president landing there tonight, just a few hundred miles from the fighting in Ukraine. With last month's rebellion exposing new cracks in Vladimir Putin's leadership,

President Biden will look to fortify NATO. Even as he dismissed, Ukraine's push to join the alliance, raising concerns about how that would impact the Joint Defense Agreement. It's a commitment that we've all made no matter what. If the war is going on, then we're all in the war. You know, we're in war with Russia, if that were the case. And Peter Alexander joins us now from Vilnius, Lithuania. Peter, we're hearing tonight that there will likely be a meeting between President Biden

and President Zelensky. What more can you tell us? Yeah, Alison, that's right, a White House official tonight. telling me that President Biden is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky here in Lithuania at the NATO summit on Wednesday. This is going to be the third meeting between the two leaders of this year alone. And for Zelensky, it's really an opportunity to push the president face-to-face on his desire that Ukraine be added to the NATO military alliance, Zelensky, today's saying he doesn't expect that to happen immediately,

given the fact they are in the middle of a war with Russia, but really wants to get a clear signal that NATO will have real plans, a real commitment to add them in the not-too-distant future. Alison. Peter Alexander, thanks for that. Now to a major update in that attempted revolt in Russia last month, the Kremlin spokesperson confirming today that President Vladimir Putin met with Wagner Group leader Yvgeny Prokosin, just five days after his march to Moscow. A surprising revelation in the saga with some in Russia questioning Putin's motives and his control. over the warlord. NBC's chief international correspondent, Keir Simmons, joins me now. Kier, what do we know about that meeting between Putin and Progoshin?

Well, I mean, it's bizarre, isn't it? Hard to fathom, Alison, choose your description. What we're told by the Kremlin is that five days after that mutiny that President Putin himself said could have caused a civil war in Russia. He sat down with the very people who he said had stabbed him in the back, had a conversation for almost three hours, heard them out, and told them that there were roles for them on the front line in Ukraine. Now, I think one of the things that's happening is last week, you'll remember on the show, we showed you the President Lukashenko of Belarus telling us that he was not going to come to Belarus, though he'd been offered exile there, was very unlikely to.

And we were also shown, Ellison, empty tents where his Wagner fighters were supposed to be, but they weren't. I suspect this is the Kremlin trying to get the narrative back, trying to say President Putin is still in charge here. Yeah, Kira was going to say we very vividly remember you in Belarus after when this meeting would have, in theory, taken place talking to people, where are they? Because that's what we'd heard from Russia, right? That Progogian and his fighters were going to be able to go to

Belarus. Your reporting showed that that was not the case. Do we have any sense of where they are now? Yeah, by the way, it's surreal for me, too. I was in Moscow on the day, on the 29th, that the Kremlin now says President Putin was sitting down with Yvgeny Pugosin, and we had no idea that that was taking place. Those are good questions. Where is progosian? Where are his magnate fighters? I think another question for President Putin, these are probably the crucial ones, is what does it mean for him if he isn't seen to have crushed this rebellion and crushed the people behind it? Are there concerns in the Kremlin that that would actually itself cause a backlash. I mean, I think one of the conclusions we can draw from this, and this is Kremlinology. I mean, the Soviet era, they used to call this Kremlinology, and it is almost as mysterious as it ever was. But I think one of the things we can draw from this is that the ramifications of that rebellion in Russia are still playing out for President Putin. Important context. Kier Simmons, thank you for your reporting.

Well, Russia still seems to be in a state of political confusion after that failed mutiny. NATO is weighing Ukraine's fate in the alliance, 18 months into the full-scale war. I want to bring in former U.S. ambassador to NATO for the Obama administration. Evo Dahlder. Ambassador Daulder, thank you so much for being with us tonight. Let's start with what we heard from President Biden, his remarks this morning. Do you think there is support for full NATO membership for Ukraine, or do you think other leaders share his concerns? There's no support for, at least no consensus within NATO.

for full membership now. NATO has said for 15 years that Ukraine will become a member. That was a compromise at the time. It avoided any decision on when and how that would happen. And I'm afraid we're still in a world in which there is no agreement among the 31 through 32 NATO members

on when and how to bring in Ukraine into NATO. And the reason is what President Biden said. Ukraine is at war to bring Ukraine into NATO now means NATO becoming a party to the war, which is the one thing NATO has tried to avoid and the one thing that President Biden has said he doesn't want to happen, even as we do everything that we can to help Ukraine win this war. Ambassador, I've spent months reporting in Ukraine and consistently we have heard President Zelensky, other Ukrainian officials saying, hey, we want a path. Show us what this path should look like. The idea of Ukraine joining NATO is part of what spurred this war, right? In

addition to their closeness to the West, EU, other aspects. But that is a key part of what President Putin does not want Ukraine to do. If Ukraine has been asking, saying, hey, we know it's not right now, but we just want you to lay out for us the specifics on what that path would look like. Two questions for you on that. One, should NATO already have presented that plan, if you will, for Ukraine to join NATO? And from your perspective, should Ukraine have that path? And what is the best path in terms of step by step, what should that look like? So I think part of the path is going to be laid out in the important decision that NATO will announce that Ukraine has made sufficient progress on the path to membership, that it no longer

needs what is called a membership action plan, a map. Most members, certainly all Central and East European members, who joined NATO did so after going through the process laid out in this membership action plan. NATO will make clear that Ukraine doesn't need to do that, just like Sweden and Finland, when they joined, did not have to go through that path. So that's clearly sends the signal that when the time comes and when there is an agreement with the NATO, it can be very rapidly moved forward and have Ukraine within it. The tricky part is that as long as you have a country with contested borders and even worse, actively fighting, it is hard to see how you bring that country into NATO. NATO. So I think at the best that Zelensky can help for, and I think important signal is to say, number one, Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO. Number two, it can move forward in that direction

now that it doesn't need a membership action plan. And number three, we need to make sure that the fighting ends in a way that is favorable to Ukraine so that once that happens, once there are no longer any hostilities, we can move forward with membership for NATO. I'm not sure we're going to get there in terms of those statements in Vilnius, but that's the kind of thing that I would like to see. And Ambassador, quickly, while we still have you, we heard from Peter Alexander that we do expect President Zelensky to meet with President Biden on Wednesday. How significant is it that they will meet on the outskirts of this summit? You know, it's very significant. First, it's all Mr. President Zelensky had said he might not come if he didn't get an invitation.

He's not going to get an invitation for NATO membership. Secondly, I think it's a way for President Biden to reaffirm the very important thing, which is that the United States will support, has supported, will continue to support Ukraine's ability to defend itself, not just today, not just tomorrow, but even if and when the war ends, to do so at a level and with a determination that is sufficient to make sure that Ukraine can defend itself and that it can deter any resumption of fighting. And I think the president will lay that out to President Zelensky, and I expect them to have an agreement on the importance of that kind of support, not just for today, not just for tomorrow, but for the long term years, if not decades into the future. All right, Evo Dahlter, former U.S. ambassador to NATO for the Obama administration. Thank you for your time tonight.

Turning now to the Americas and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti across the. world, demonstrators now calling for action as the country continues to face political turmoil, ongoing gang violence now pushing organizations like doctors without borders to pull their workers out. Priscilla Thompson has more. Thousands taking to the streets across the Americas. From Miami to Port-A-Prince, in the same streets that for months have been ravaged by gang violence, political instability, and corruption.

demand for change. The uproar comes amid escalating violence in the impoverished nation. As in recent years, some 200 gangs have effectively taken over parts of the country per a U.S. Government Commission report. The United Nations estimating gangs control up to 80 percent of the capital city, Port-A-Pr-Prince, where Marie Brunesh lives and runs the nonprofit. together for Haiti, focused on providing resources and support to residents. How would you describe what it's like in Port-au-Prince right now?

It's very sad, especially for the young people, because we are the first victim of the insecurity, kidnapping, gang violence. Jean-Marc Bacquette is the head of mission in Haiti for Doctors Without Borders. Last week, the group shut down a trauma facility in the nation's capital. 20 mass gunmen stormed the hospital and kidnapped a patient. They immediately asked all the staff to lay down on the floor, saying, we are going to shoot you. We are looking for that specific person who you are treating. We want to take the person out of here.

The Caribbean country has been in free fall since the assassination of the president, Jovanel Moise, two years ago, which left the country without an effective government. The UN calling the current situation one of the worst human rights crises in decades, adding that violent crimes, including homicide, rape, kidnapping and lynching more than doubled in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2022. I've heard appalling accounts of women and girls being gang raped and of people being burned alive. The world must act now to stem the violence and instability. Gangs have burned houses and buildings, displacing more than 165,000 residents, according to the Migration Policy Institute, and taking control of major ports and roads, forcing thousands of businesses and markets to close, leaving half the population with limited access

to food. Tens of thousands of Haitians have fled the country, some making the perilous journey across the dairy and jungle. between South and Central America or crowding onto shabby boats bound for the U.S. or other Caribbean destinations. I stay here to fighting for

the people who don't have any voice. Priscilla Thompson joins us now from Houston, Texas. Priscilla, that was such an important and thorough report. But look, Haiti, they have been asking for these anti-gang police for quite a while, right? Since October, I believe.

What's taking so long here? Yeah, Ellison, so this would be an international anti-gang police force that would be sent into the country. It's estimated that there would need to be 2,000 officers sent in in order to have an impact. And the U.N. says the reason that has not happened is because they are still looking for a country to lead that deployment. Ellison. All right, Priscilla Thompson. Thank you again. We appreciate your reporting.

Next tonight to Pennsylvania in the urgent search for an escaped murder suspect. Authorities saying he is a survivalist with military training and that someone may be helping him hide. NBC's Ron Allen is there with the story. Day four of a massive manhunt for a fugitive police say should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. This man, Michael Burram, 34, a suspect wanted in cases involving murder, rape, and other violent felonies. Who authorities say escape from this county jail late Thursday night, using bed sheets to lower himself from the roof of a recreation area. The drama playing out in small, heavily wooded communities along the New York, Pennsylvania border, the search extending into a national forest half a million acres deep. Do you feel like you've been close to getting him at all?

I believe that we are actively and aggressively pushing him. I don't want to say any more than that. Police say Burham is a survivalist with military training and that they found supplies and campsites. he's likely used and suspect someone may be helping him. Authorities warning residents to secure homes, businesses, and property the suspect might find useful, leaving many here on edge. I just think it's scary, like not knowing what's going to happen, not knowing where he is. We're going out to our cars.

We're checking our camper, which has been popped up for the summer season, checking our garages. The second time in recent months, police say Burham has eluded capture. That's a concern for us from the standpoint that he has. has experience in running from law enforcement. After he was accused of allegedly kidnapping an elderly couple, as police investigating the murder of a woman Burham allegedly raped closed in on him in May. Police captured Burham 13 days later in South Carolina. Court documents show he left behind and note apparently apologizing for all the problems he caused his family.

It's when authorities brought him back here to Pennsylvania to face charges. He's once again on the run. Ron joins us tonight from the jail where the fugitive escaped. And Ron, officials are saying that because of this Sussex background, I mean, it was in your report there, that those woods could make this tough for investigators. Tell us more. Right. Authorities say that the suspect has a lot of experience surviving in the Great Outdoors. He's from this area, knows the community very well. And for reasons that they won't detail publicly, authorities continue to say that they think that he is not.

gone very far, but no confirmed sightings, no hard evidence, no idea when they'll catch up with them. Alison? Ron Allen in Pennsylvania. Thank you. Another shocking story we're following tonight convicted sex offender and former USA Gymnastics Dr. Larry Nassar was stabbed multiple times in federal prison. Nassar is currently serving decades behind bars for sexually abusing hundreds of young athletes. Stephanie Gosk has the latest. Former USA Gymnastics doctor and confessed child sex abuser Larry Nassar was stabbed nearly a dozen times, including twice in the neck in this Florida federal prison. The president of the union representing prison employees telling NBC news Nassar has a collapsed lung and is in stable condition. The one-time head doctor for USA

gymnastics is serving what amounts to a life sentence for sexually abusing minors and possessing child pornography. Olympic gold medal winners, including the entire 2012 team among the abused. Violence wasn't what any of us were looking for. Sarah Klein is an attorney for Nassar's victims and a victim herself. We were perfectly satisfied with the lawful and painful sentence of life in prison that Nassar was given in a proper court of law. In 2018, hundreds of victims told their stories in Michigan State Court. He betrayed my trust, took advantage of my youth, and sexually abused me hundreds of times.

Nassar's crimes led to massive settlements with victims. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee agreed to pay $380 million, and the FBI faces a more than billion dollar lawsuit after a DOJ report highlighted the agency's investigative failures. The FBI made me feel like my abuse didn't count and it wasn't a big deal. Olympic stars Allie Razman and Simone Biles testified on Capitol Hill. I don't want another young gymnast, Olympic athlete, or any individual. individual to experience the horror that I and hundreds of others have endured. The prison where Larry Nassar is being held is a high security prison. There are 1,200 other male inmates.

This is not the first federal prison where he has been held. He started in a prison in Arizona, and reports there indicated that his attorneys in court filings had said that he was assaulted in that prison in Arizona as well within hours of being released in general population, and that he was moved eventually. to this prison in Florida for his safety, Allison. Stephanie Goss, thank you. Still ahead tonight, outrage at Northwestern University. Former football players alleging they were subjected to, quote,

inhumane hazing rituals and that their head coach likely knew about it. We'll talk to the student journalist who helped break that story. Plus, the cold case featured on Netflix back in the headlines, how the FBI is now getting involved with the case covered on the keepers. And an update tonight from Madonna, what she's saying in her first public message since she was admitted to the ICU. Stay with us. We're back with an alarming story involving Northwestern University's football team. Former players coming forward with allegations of sexually abusive hazing rituals within the organization.

Now head coach Pat Fitzgerald suspended for two weeks without pay. NBC's Valerie Castro has the details. Tonight, a college football hazing scandal rocking the Northwestern community. The allegations locker room behavior targeting freshman players subjected to a practice called running. The punishment for making mistakes on the field described as a coerced sexual act. A former player who says he reported the behavior to the school in November of 2022, now speaking anonymously to the school's campus newspaper, the Daily Northwestern, calling the practice, quote, egregious and vile.

and inhumane behavior. What did that former player claim was happening in that locker room? A group of 8 to 10 upperclassmen would restrain another member of the football team that remember often being a freshman and forcibly dry hump them. The former player alleges clapping was used to single out the freshman who would be hazed next. A second former player corroborating the allegations to the school paper. Reporting both believe head coach Pat Fitzgerald may have known about the behavior. Let's over communicate. Over communicate. Over communicate. The players that we spoke to, their assertion was that Cusha Scheld had used the signal a couple times in practice, various practices. The outcome of a six-month-long investigation led by an independent law firm

appointed by the school found participation in or knowledge of the hazing activities was widespread across football players, but did not discover sufficient evidence to believe that coaching staff knew about the ongoing hazing conduct. It was noted there had been significant opportunities to discover the conduct and issued an immediate two-week unpaid suspension for Coach Fitzgerald. In a statement to NBC Chicago, Fitzgerald saying he was not aware of the alleged incidents. The current football team writing a letter to the Northwestern community addressing the allegations as, quote, exaggerated and twisted. We stand by our reporting and what our sources have been telling us. There could be more fallout coming.

University President Michael Schill saying in a statement, quote, upon reflection, I believe I may have erred in weighing the appropriate sanction for coach Fitzgerald. Schill went on to say that Fitzgerald failed to uphold the school's commitment to allow students to thrive. And quote, I fail to sufficiently consider that failure in levying a sanction. To go from a two-week suspension in the middle of the summer to an outright firing is quite a step. And certainly in covering the sport, it's very difficult to fire any coach for cause. that that would certainly lead to legal ramifications for Northwestern. Valerie Castro joins us now. Valerie, let's get right into this because there's some breaking

news you have just developing the last few minutes. Alison, we just learned that the president of the university announced that the coach, coach Fitzgerald, has now been relieved of his duties. We were waiting to see if there would be any other consequences, and it seems as though there is. The school also made some other changes. They say they will now require that someone monitor the football locker room, and that person, that monitor will be someone who does not report to coaching staff. There's also a new

online reporting tool that will be created so students can report hazing concerns anonymously. But again, just a few minutes ago learning that Coach Fitzgerald has now been relieved of his coaching duties. All right. Valerie Castro, thank you for that. Now to a new, new details tonight in a 54-year-old cold case turned Netflix documentary series. It's called The Keepers following the murder of a Baltimore nun. The FBI asking to exhume the body of a 20-year-old woman found dead just days after the nun went missing. Stephen Romo has more on this mystery. She was murdered our senior year.

Tonight, a major development in the decades-old cold case that captivated the country. The mysterious 1969 death of a Baltimore nun and teacher, sister Catherine Sessnick, featured in the Netflix documentary, The Keepers. All we know is that she never came home from that trip. Officials now seeking to exhume the body of Joyce Mellecki, a 20-year-old woman who was found stabbed and strangled in a stream on Fort Mead just days after Cessnick went missing. Jimah Hoskins has spent much of her adult life trying to solve Cessnick's murder. I think the two are connected. Joyce was from the same neighborhood as the church in which Joseph Maskell was assigned. A report about that priest, father Joseph Maskell, by the Maryland attorney.

General earlier this year, alleged that he sexually abused dozens of people and helped cover up the abuse he and other priests inflicted on their victims in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The priests were the authority. Whatever they told you to do, you did. The report says Maskell had a fascination with the sexual fantasies and behavior of Boy Scouts and had young girls in the rectory under suspicious circumstances. He was removed from two different parishes due to reports of his conduct and was taken out of priestly ministry in Baltimore in 1994. Maskell was named chaplain of Seton Keough High School, where Cessnick taught. The report says one of Maskell's victims, who says he raped her in 1992, alleges that he

took her to see Cessnick's body. Maskell was never charged with either of the murders, and he died in 2001. But before Cessnick's disappearance, the victim says Cessnick asked her if she was experiencing abuse. The family is hoping that there will be answers. Maliki went to a church where Maskell said mass and lived near that church's rectory when she died. But now the FBI is asking permission from the family to exhume Maliki in the hopes of finding answers. The first goal is to, you know, see if they're, you know, if there's shared biological material that suggested these two people came into contact. Well, the timeline of when that body will actually be exhumed is,

not clear right now, but these developments are bringing hope to the families of those involved who still very much want this case to be solved. Ellison? Stephen Romo, thank you. When we come back and update on that cracked roller coaster in North Carolina, the riot shut down earlier this month after a video showing damage to one of the support beams went viral online. We'll tell you how long investigators say that crack was likely there before anyone noticed. That's next. Back now with top stories news feed, and we began with a Georgia mayor arrested on burglary and trespassing charges. According to jail record, South Fulton mayor Khalid Kamu was taken to jail and ordered to stay away from a home he allegedly burglarized.

Officials did not provide further details of the incident, but he was released on an $11,000 bond and has been ordered. ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. City Council member will take over his duties for now. An update into a damaged roller coaster in North Carolina, the state's labor commissioner saying the large crack in a key support beam of a roller coaster in Charlotte had likely been visible for six to ten days before the ride was shut down.

The investigation began after a park patron took a video of the damaged support column, posted it online, and it went viral. Park officials saying they're expecting a new column to be installed, sometime this week, but they say the ride will undergo extensive testing before it's reopened. Madonna breaking her silence after a hospitalization late last month. In a social media post, the pop star sharing she is, quote, on the road to recovery and thanking her fans for their support. The 64-year-old says she will be postponing the upcoming North American leg of her tour to focus on her health,

but she says she does plan to begin the tour in November in Europe. In June, Madonna spent several days in the ICU. with a bacterial infection. And Sarah Silverman is suing meta and open AI for copyright infringement. The comedian, along with two authors, alleging the companies used their content without permission to train AI. She says her content was used to develop, quote, large language models, which allows AI to replicate human conversation. Neither Facebook parent meta or chat GPT developer OpenAI has responded to the allegations.

Next, a new warning for parents tonight. social media superstars Logan Paul and KSI are pushing their energy drink, prime energy, to millions of their young followers. But the amount of caffeine it contains could potentially be dangerous. Now, one of the most powerful senators in Washington, D.C., wants the FDA to get involved and investigate. NBC's Ann Thompson has more. It is the drink with buzz among kids. They are prime boys. Today we'll be drinking prime energy. Prime Energy, the newest edition to.

influencers Logan Paul and KSI's prime drink line. The pair has almost 64 million YouTube subscribers. The drink now in the crosshairs of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Buyer and parents beware because it's a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets. Schumer wants the FDA to investigate Prime Energy's marketing and caffeine content. It has lots of it, 200 milligrams per 12 ounces. That's almost as much as six cans of Coke or two Red Bulls. Though the label says the drink is not recommended for children under 18, its cans are similar to the wildly popular caffeine-free prime hydration sport drink.

Is there any circumstance which a teenager should have 200 milligrams of caffeine? A normal teenager should not need that much. much caffeine ever. Dr. Minnick says the risks are anxiety, sleep disruption, and cardiac issues. Caffeine can cause heart palpitations. It can cause chest pain. If a patient perhaps has an undiagnosed cardiac issue, it can exacerbate that. In a statement, the company says it complied with all FDA guidelines and welcomes discussions with the FDA or any other organization to protect consumers. Making sure the buzz is just popularity. Dr. Minnick, a mother for herself, suggests that parents read labels, talk to their kids about what they are consuming and be aware of just what

kids really are putting into their bodies. She points out that there are other drinks that look cool too, but don't have nearly as much caffeine. And if the goal is just to keep the kids hydrated, She says there is nothing better than water. Ellison. And now we want to take a closer look at the medical risks of the prime energy drink. And here at Top Story, we were able to pick some up to take a closer look at them. But let's bring in NBC News senior medical correspondent Dr. John Torres. Dr. John, just to put it in perspective, as Anne mentioned in her piece there,

one can of this equals the caffeine in two cans of Red Bull and six cans of Coca-Cola. What is the amount of caffeine one person should actually be consuming, and how does this compare to other products we've seen? And Allison, that's the concerning thing right here, because if you look at the different age groups, there's different recommendations for adults. We're talking 18 and above. The recommendation maximum is 400 milligrams per day. So we're talking two of those prime drinks. Four cups of coffee is what we normally talk about, but in this case those prime drinks, each one of those is a little more than two cups of coffee. like you mentioned, the other, you know, two energy drinks or all the six Coca-Cola's.

With children, though, under the age of 18, the American Academy of Pediatrics says no level is a safe level for them. Other experts are saying, you know, if you look around, especially teenagers, about 100 milligrams a day should be the maximum. That's a half of one of those drinks there. And the concern is the health implications that could come with that, especially for those young, smaller bodies that could have more issues, Alison. Okay, Dr. John, I have two examples here. This is one of the things that Anne mentioned in her piece, right? This product is packaged very similar. This is the energy drink.

It's packaged quite similar to the other product prime cells that's called prime hydration. You kind of have to look closely to see which is hydration, which is an energy drink. On the can, they have a small warning saying that this is not recommended for children under the age of 18 or people who are sensitive to caffeine. They also say it's not recommended for women who are pregnant or could be nursing. But when you look at these two labels, do you think they need to be more distinctive, if you will? I mean, if you're a parent and your kid is going for these, would you be forgiven for thinking the can is the same as the hydration? There it is. Oh, definitely, Ellison.

And I think not only should they have different labeling, should have different colors, even different names, because it's easy to confuse the two. And if you look at some of the social media stuff they're putting out there, it uses prime. And all uses is prime and drink prime. It's great. And that's what kids are going for, is that drinking of prime. And when you talk to those kids, and I've talked to some of them, they just want that prime drink. They don't mention prime hydrate or anything else. They just want that prime dream.

And a lot of them go for it because of that energy aspect, that caffeine aspect behind it. Now, it's interesting because even in schools and the CDC came out with statistics saying that right now, around 11.6% of schools have energy drinks, not just prime, but other energy drinks in their schools, vending machines, cafeterias, snack bars, those types of situations. So it's ubiquitous. It is out there. And as we mentioned years ago when it came to vaping, you know, the vaping companies were saying we're not marketing to kids. We're only adults only, but at the same time information came out over the years that that marketing was affecting kids and was aimed at kids. I think we might see a similar thing here, Alison. Yeah, you know, Dr. John, we hear a top story myself, our other producers, Aaron Kutche, who did this segment and others. We took a little sip of this to just see what it was like to see if we could

field of caffeine. And I was surprised by how sweet it is. So sweet. I mean, it was like a jolly rancher. And I did think, oh, as an adult, I wouldn't drink this because it's too sweet for me. What's your advice for parents who are trying to see, are their kids having too much caffeine? How do they go about navigating something like this? And the main thing I would talk to them about is not just this drink, but other energy drinks as well, because they're very popular right now. And they have been, you know, for a decade or so, is talk to them about energy drink. Number one, why are you drinking energy drinks? You're drinking it because everybody else is drinking it?

Are you drinking it because you need more energy? And if that's the case, let's look at why. On top of that, do you understand what's in there? Caffeine. And caffeine can cause heart palpitations, heart failure, insomnia, irritability, gastrointestinal issues, all these other things, especially for teenagers whose bodies are smaller. And if you are drinking these and you do know there's caffeine in there, let's see about pulling back on that, how we can minimize the amount you drink and not necessarily eliminate it, but get to those levels

that people consider more safe and that you can tolerate more over time until you become an adult and then the decision's up to you. All right, Dr. John Torres, thank you so much. Coming up next, toxic danger of foam covering a river in Brazil, causing a danger to residents in that area

why officials say this is the result of pollution. Now to top stories, Global Watch and the deadly building fire in southwest China. New video shows flames and smoke engulfing the structure. People standing on the roof and using sheets to try and escape the blaze. Officials saying at least two people died and six were hurt. Several surrounding buildings were also damaged. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Spanish authorities rescued dozens of migrants off the Canary Islands while searching for a missing migrant vessel. Officials say 86 people were found in a dinghy

about 80 miles from the coast. The boat was spotted from the air as authorities in the area continue to search for at least three vessels with up to three migrants that went missing after leaving Senegal two weeks ago. And a river in southern Brazil now a health hazard due to pollution. Toxic white foam covering the surface of a river in Sao Paulo because detergent and chemical waste was dumped into it without treatment. Officials say the foam contains hydrogen, sulfide, which can hold bacteria and other substances that are harmful to people as well as the environment. The foam polluting a critical water source for that entire region. And back here at home and to Oklahoma, where a judge threw out a lawsuit seeking reparations for the last three

survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The 1921 massacre took the lives of 300 African Americans and left thousands more homeless. All of it at the hands of a white mob that attacked and destroyed Tulsa's affluent Greenwood District, which was also known as Black Wall Street. Lawyers for the survivors say they will appeal that decision. And joining me now is one of those attorneys, Michael Schwartz. Michael, thank you so much for joining us tonight. Your clients, they survived this rampage more than 100 years ago. That is a trauma that can never leave a person, right? Walk us through how they're doing tonight. What was their reaction to the judge's latest decision? They are obviously very upset.

These are three individuals who have lived through the Tulsa Race Massacre, as you mentioned. They have been denied justice over and over again. And about a year ago, the judge said the contrary, that this case would go forward only to reverse herself on Friday night. So they have been through a lot. This is a setback, but they have vowed to continue to fight, and we are fighting for them. The city had argued at one point that simply being connected to a historical event, and these are their words, does not provide a person with unlimited rights to seek compensation from any project in any way related to the historical events. I mean, the judge in this case seemed to agree with them. She dismissed it with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be filed again. Where do your clients go from here? Is there some sort of legal recourse where you can try to have another judge address this?

Yeah, that's what appellate courts are for. So now that the trial court has dismissed the case of prejudice, the next step is to go to an appellate court and explain the judge's clear legal error. We feel very confident that the judge erred. And again, what the city is not saying what they leave out of their statements is that we're not seeking a complete remedy for every wrong. We're seeking to repair the damage. And the technical term is abate the harm that was committed by the massacre when they

burned down Greenwood, never to rebuild it. So we do have a remedy. The remedy is the appellate court, and we are continuing towards that end. How soon do you think you can file that? We need the judge's final official order, which is coming soon. So within 30 days, we'll file. We plan to file within days, but we need the judge's formal docket entry to do that, but very soon. All right. Michael Schwartz, please stay in touch with us. We appreciate you speaking with us tonight. Thank you. When we come back, life-saving rescue, a pair of brothers just 12 and 8 years old, jumping into action to prevent a 7-year-old boy from drowning,

what they told me about the moment they realized that child was in trouble. Plus, we will tell you how they are being honored by local first responders. Finally, tonight, the heroic feat from two Michigan boys. Surveillance video showing the moment they saved a 7-year-old from drowning and the town sheriff recognizing their bravery in a very special ceremony. Two boys from Michigan hailed as heroes after saving a young boy from drowning. The bathroom at the pool, we need help, we need help. Surveillance video capturing the moment seven-year-old Griffin, who was playing at the shallow end of his apartment pool, begins to drift to the deeper end, struggling to keep his head above water.

I think I started like his arms floating around in the water, so I looked at him for like maybe five more seconds and I was like, he's not moving at all. For almost a minute, no one notices until 12-year-old Noah seen on that float tells his younger brother Weston what's going on. Eight-year-old Weston then quickly jumps in and pulls Griffin above water. I dived in. I saw that his eyes were shut and when I went to grab him, his head started like going up and down. So I got him quickly. Then with the help of an adult brings him to the side of the pool, where Griffin's mother begins giving her son CPR.

Weston and Noah's mother immediately calling 911. She's seven, okay. And is he outside of the pool, correct? Yep, yep. He's not like they're giving CPR because he's not breathing and he's blue. Griffin finally starts breathing and coughing up pool water. He was rushed to the hospital and was released less than two days later, making a full recovery. And these two young men right here saved them.

The local sheriff's department honored. honoring Noah and Weston in a special ceremony nine days later. There you go, Griffin, Noah, there you go. Griffin, reuniting with his young rescuers and first responders. Water safety is like a huge thing for me. Me watching like all of them do this is actually proving that like what I've taught them is really come into play. I just feel like happy that I save someone.

Now the three hoping to spend the rest of the summer in the pool, together safely. What are your plans for the summer? Any good stuff you're looking forward to? Maybe teach Griffin and a little brother how to swim, probably. Thank you so much for watching Top Story. For Tom Yamis, I'm Ellison Barber in New York. Stay right there.

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