New face of Gerber is baby from Ohio

New face of Gerber is baby from Ohio

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

A 7-month-old boy from Ohio is the new face of Gerber baby products.

Though he probably won’t be saying much anytime soon, the spokesbaby named Riley has an “infectious laugh and big, gummy smile,” according to his mom, Kristen Shines.

Gerber announced that Riley beat out more than 110,000 other entries. He now has the chance to star in a future ad.

Riley’s parents will receive $50,000 plus $1,500 in Gerber clothing. Shines says the money will help start a college fund for her son.

Family slayings probe leads to an unrelated drug case

PEEBLES, Ohio

Ohio authorities say the investigation into the fatal shootings of eight people from one family led to unrelated drug charges against two people, including a distant cousin of the victims.

Ohio’s attorney general and Pike County’s sheriff said Friday that evidence in the drug case was found during an investigation of the Rhoden slayings from last April, but the case isn’t related to the homicides.

They say a 38-year-old Rhoden relative was arrested Thursday. He’s charged with felony drug trafficking.

Authorities say they searched those defendants’ homes in Peebles and seized guns, prescription pills, more than $8,000 in cash and a small amount of marijuana.

Woman accused of taping her toddler son to wall indicted

COLUMBUS

A woman accused of taping her 2-year-old son to a wall so she could get housework done and streaming it live on social media has been indicted on abduction and endangering children charges.

A Franklin County grand jury indicted 18-year-old Shayla Rudolph on Friday. The county prosecutor’s statement says the video shows the woman’s son with his arms, head and ankles taped to the wall of their Reynoldsburg home in suburban Columbus. Prosecutor Ron O’Brien says tape is covering the mouth of the boy, who is crying for most of the video.

Rudolph can be heard apparently explaining that what she is doing allows housework to be done.

Court records don’t list an attorney for Rudolph, who remained jailed Friday.

The toddler was turned over to Franklin County Children Services.

Israelis seek to comfort Holocaust’s loneliest survivors

RAMAT HASHARON, Israel

Surrounded by more than 100 fellow Holocaust survivors and young volunteers, a blind Ernest Weiner sat in his wheelchair with a puffy crown on his head as the crowd sang happy birthday and showered him with hugs and greetings.

The widowed and childless 92-year-old Weiner lives on his own and the cheerful gathering offered him one of life’s most valuable commodities – company.

As home to the world’s largest survivor community, Israel is grappling to serve the needs of thousands of people such as Weiner who are living out their final days alone. Various government bodies and private organizations chip in to offer material, psychological and medical support to the survivors, still scarred by the horrors they experienced 70 years ago. But all agree that the greatest burden late in their lives is loneliness.

Some 160,000 elderly survivors remain in Israel, with a similar number worldwide.

Associated Press