1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,280 Speaker 1: Crime Alert hourly update, breaking crime news. 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 2: Now. 3 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 3: I'm Drew Nelson. Now an update on the case of 4 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 3: Madison Bergman, a former teacher charged with sexual misconduct with 5 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 3: an eleven year old boy. She's asking to have charges 6 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 3: against her dismissed, arguing that the text messages between her 7 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 3: and a student were not explicit enough to warrant charges 8 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 3: of sexual assault. Madison Bergman is twenty four years old. 9 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 3: She faces ten charges, including first degree child sexual assault 10 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 3: in multiple counts of sexual misconduct. Her lawyer argues that 11 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 3: the messages from the eleven year old boy did not 12 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 3: specifically mention touching intimate parts of the body. Here's Bergman's attorney, 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 3: Joseph Tamborino in court. 14 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 4: What are those parts the breast but anus? Growing wrote 15 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 4: on the penis, vagina, or cubic amount of a human being. 16 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 4: The statue does not say that it's the chest or 17 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 4: the chess area or the breast area. He doesn't say 18 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 4: any of that, or the surnom or the claudical It's 19 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 4: very specific. The Wisconsin legislature said that in order for 20 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 4: there to be sexual contact, it has to fall in 21 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 4: one of the specific areas of the mind. 22 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 3: The defense is trying to get the charges dismissed on 23 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 3: the grounds that the boy had referred to his chest 24 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 3: rather than an intimate part, but the judge rejected this argument, saying, quote, 25 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 3: it would be absurd to require a child to use 26 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 3: the same language that the state legislature has chosen for 27 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 3: our statutes. Bergmann is a former teacher at Rivercrest Elementary 28 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 3: School in Hudson, Wisconsin. She was arrested after the victim's 29 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 3: parents discovered the inappropriate messages between her and their son. 30 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 3: According to the criminal complaint, the boy's mother overheard a 31 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 3: conversation between him and Bergmann, which led to her checking 32 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 3: his phone. She found messages describing physical contact and making 33 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 3: out between the teacher and student. The parents reported the 34 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,919 Speaker 3: incident to the school, and Bergmann was arrested. The text 35 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 3: messages read aloud in court included one from Bergmann that 36 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 3: said quote, I love having my hand on your chest. 37 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 3: I could feel your heart beating so much haha. In another, 38 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 3: she writes, quote, when I grabbed your shirt and I 39 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 3: pulled you into me, oh my goodness, I want to 40 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 3: lick your abs haha. The boy responded by saying, quote, 41 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 3: I loved it because you just kept kissing me. Bergmann 42 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 3: was originally charged with first degree child sexual assault, but 43 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 3: since her arrests, nine additional charges have been added, five 44 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 3: counts of sexual misconduct by school staff, two counts of 45 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 3: child enticement and exposing a child to harmful descriptions. Investigators 46 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 3: found over fifty handwritten notes between Bergmann and the boy, 47 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 3: with many discussing their romantic encounters. The two allegedly exchanged 48 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 3: more than thirty five thousand text messages over several months. 49 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 3: The alleged misconduct took place in Bergmann's classroom during lunch 50 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 3: or after school hours. When police searched her classroom, they 51 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 3: found a folder with the boy's name on it, containing 52 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 3: letters that referenced kissing and other inappropriate interactions. Bergmann's social 53 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 3: media indicated her arrest came less than three months before 54 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 3: her planned wedding. 55 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: I'm Nicole Parton. In Fort Lauderdale police have announced the 56 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: arrest and charging of three family members along with two others, 57 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 2: in connection to the tragic death of a seven year 58 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 2: old boy, Deonta Atwell. Authorities revealed that the young boy 59 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 2: passed away due to severe malnutrition, weighing only seven pounds 60 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 2: at his death. The individuals facing charges include the boy's 61 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: thirty seven year old mother, Michelle Doe, who has been 62 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 2: charged with first degree murder, among other things. Also arrested 63 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 2: the boy's twenty one year old brother, Tyreek Irvin. He 64 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: faces first degree murder charges and failure to report child abuse. Additionally, 65 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 2: the child's seventy year old grandfather, James Grown, charged with 66 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 2: aggravated manslaughter and failure to report child abuse. Furthermore, a 67 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 2: forty seven year old home health provider, Merland Amita, is 68 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 2: facing charges of third degree manslaughter and medicaid fraud. Lastly, 69 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: the boy's home health nurse, thirty three year old Cassandra 70 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: l Si, has been charged with third degree murder and 71 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: medicaid fraud. The authorities were alerted to a medical emergency 72 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 2: involving a young boy at a residence in Fort Lauderdale. 73 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 2: Despite being rushed to the Broward Medical Center, the boy 74 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: was pronounced dead. Medical professionals noted that Atwell was likely 75 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: de ceased for an extended period of time. Subsequent investigations 76 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 2: uncovered that Atwell had underlying medical conditions, including spinal biffida 77 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 2: and hydrocephalus, necessitating the need for around the clock home 78 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 2: health medical care. Deontae had both a feeding tube and 79 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 2: a breathing tube. An autopsy revealed that the cause of 80 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 2: death was severe malnutrition, with a distressing detail that his 81 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 2: bones were visible through openings in his skin. Police say 82 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 2: they found two hundred and sixty four unopened bottles of 83 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 2: his feeding formula, suggesting a potential medicaid fraud scheme and 84 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 2: the fact that they didn't feed the young boy. Detective 85 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 2: Jacqueline Sanchez fought back emotions as she spoke about the 86 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 2: boy's tragic death. 87 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 5: That was very disturbing. I can tell you I lost 88 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 5: sleep more than once. He had gaping holes from bed 89 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 5: sores where he had his bones were protruding, joined the autopsy. 90 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 5: It's sad to say that deonte Was had suffered all 91 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 5: the way through his death. 92 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 2: The individuals facing charges appeared in court on Wednesday. All 93 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 2: are being held without bond, except the boy's grandfather, who 94 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: was released on a fifty thousand dollars bond. The investigation 95 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 2: is ongoing, with the Fort Lauderdale Police collaborating with the 96 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: Office of the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud and Control Unit, 97 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 2: as well as Broward State Attorney's Office. Anyone with information 98 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 2: relevant to the case is urged to contact the authorities. 99 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: I'm Jennifer Gould. Court documents have revealed chilling new details 100 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:09,239 Speaker 1: about the brutal murders of two Kansas moms, Veronica Butler 101 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: and Jillian Kelly, who were killed by members of a 102 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: radical anti government cult. The women were last seen alive 103 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: on March thirtieth, twenty twenty four, as they embarked on 104 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 1: a road trip to Oklahoma to pick up Butler's children. 105 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: Their car, though, was found abandoned close to the state border. 106 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: The women's bodies then were later discovered in a chest 107 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: freezer that had been dumped in a cow pasture. They 108 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,559 Speaker 1: found it on April fourteenth. Five members of the cult, 109 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: known as Quote God's Misfits, were arrested in connection with 110 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: the killings. They are Tiffany Adams fifty four, the grandmother 111 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: of Butler's children, her boyfriend Tad Cullum forty three, Cole 112 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: and Cora Toombley fifty and fifty four, and Paul Grice 113 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: thirty one years old. LaDonna Thompson, Veronica Butler's aunt, spoke 114 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: to news for how can you hate. 115 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 4: If your't grandchildren so much that. 116 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: You would iner life. According to court documents, the murders 117 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: were the culmination of a plot hatched by the group 118 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: due to a bitter custody dispute between Butler and Adams. 119 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: The group allegedly believed that Butler was unfit to care 120 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: for her children and sought to eliminate her wrangler, Rickman, 121 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: Adams's son, who had custody of the children, was confirmed 122 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: to be in an Oklahoma rehabilitation facility at the time 123 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: of the women's disappearance. But Butler was still allowed supervised 124 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: visitation with her children every Saturday, and was likely to 125 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: be granted unsupervised visitation during an upcoming hearing, according to 126 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: the court documents. The documents also paint a gruesome picture 127 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: of the killings. Butler, it is alleged, was stabbed to 128 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: death by Gryce, who sustained a deep cut to his 129 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: hand during the attack. Kelly, on the other hand, was 130 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: allegedly suffocated after using a stun gun by Column. The 131 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: bodies were then placed in a freezer and transported to 132 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: the burial site. To cover their tracks, the group allegedly 133 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 1: disposed of evidence, including clothing stained with the victim's blood 134 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: and the murder weapon. The Tomblee couple, according to court records, 135 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: acted as lookouts during the killings. Adams meanwhile, is accused 136 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: of purchasing burner phones, stun guns, and other items used 137 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:34,079 Speaker 1: in the crime. The state is arguing that all five 138 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: defendants face a joint preliminary hearing, as all of them 139 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: conspired and participated in the murders of Butler and Kelly. 140 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: The suspects face a slew of charges, including first degree murder, kidnapping, 141 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: and conspiracy to commit murder. If convicted, they could face 142 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: life in prison or the death penalty. For the latest 143 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: crime and justice news, follow the Crime Alert hourly update 144 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: on your favorite podcast app with this crime Alert, I'm 145 00:08:59,559 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: Jennifer