Police: Woman arrested after son escapes home

Police: Woman arrested after son escapes home

OKLAHOMA CITY — A woman was arrested after her 14-year-son told authorities he escaped from a home where he’d been kept for 41‚Ñ2 years, spending most of his time locked in a bedroom closet, police said Monday.

A security guard at a National Guard facility in Oklahoma City called police on Friday after the teen showed up malnourished and with numerous scars and other signs of abuse, police Sgt. Gary Knight said.

The boy was taken to a hospital to be examined and then turned over to the custody of the Department of Human Services, Knight said.

After police interviews, officers on Saturday arrested the boy’s mother, 37-year-old LaRhonda Marie McCall, and a friend, 38-year-old Steve Vern Hamilton, on 20 complaints each of child abuse and child neglect. Formal charges have not been filed, and both were being held on $400,000 bond, according to jail records.

Heating-oil prices cool as winter approaches

PORTLAND, Maine — Home-owners who heat with oil were feeling sticker shock just over a year ago as prices soared close to $5 a gallon, but they’re breathing easier now.

Heating oil prices are barely half what they were in summer 2008 — and while prices might go up and exceed last winter’s, nothing indicates any severe spike this winter.

Those who heat with natural gas and propane can expect dramatic drops, while electric heat is projected to cost slightly less.

In Turkey, crash scene is overwhelmed by bees

ANKARA, Turkey — A van carrying beehives crashed into a truck Monday, and huge swarms of bees broke free and stung the injured and rescue workers at the scene.

In the end, about 20 people were taken to hospitals, six of them injured in the crash and the rest rescue workers who were stung by the bees, said the state-run Anatolia news agency.

One of the crash victims later died, but it was not known if he had been killed by the impact of the accident or the insect attacks, said local Gov. Ahmet Altiparmak.

The rescue workers — including local beekeepers summoned to the scene — used hoses, blankets and rags to try to ward off the bees. But it took about an hour for them to remove the crash victims from the chaotic scene, Anatolia said.

Officials: Philly teenager wrapped cat in duct tape

PHILADELPHIA — Investigators say a Philadelphia teenager wrapped a cat in duct tape, put it in a shopping bag and left it in a neighbor’s back yard.

The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says 19-year-old James Davis was arrested Saturday on animal cruelty charges.

Official George Bengal says Davis admitted taping up the cat from neck to tail after he spotted it in his yard Sept. 21.

The gray tabby was nicknamed Sticky by animal welfare workers. It was dehydrated and had to be sedated while the tape was cut off its fur. Sticky’s owner hasn’t been found. The cat is doing well.

Munich police detain 2 with extremist ties

MUNICH — Two men with suspected links to Islamic extremists were taken into custody by Munich police, and security at the Oktoberfest beer festival has been increased as videos threatening Germany continued to surface on the Internet, officials said Monday.

Two men from Arab countries were arrested Saturday, the same day authorities banned flights over Oktoberfest, said Munich police chief Wilhelm Schmidbauer.

Such bans are usually imposed only during visits by high-ranking state visits. Traffic was also restricted around the Theresienwiese, the 77-acre festival grounds where Oktoberfest is held for 16 days each year. This year’s event began Sept. 19.

At least five videos by Islamic terrorist groups such as al-Qaida and the Taliban have threatened Germany in recent weeks.

Facing trial in texting case

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — A Southern California man accused of killing a pedestrian while driving and text messaging has been ordered to stand trial for gross vehicular manslaughter.

Superior Court Commissioner James Odriozola denied a defense motion Monday to lessen the charge to a misdemeanor after determining there was evidence the crash was caused by more than ordinary carelessness.

Authorities say Martin Kuehl struck and killed nanny Martha Ovalle as she walked in an Orange County crosswalk Aug. 29, 2008.

Associated Press