Relief in Newtown over plan to replace school at site of massacre

By Richard Weizel

NEWTOWN, Connecticut (Reuters) - The day after a task force unanimously recommended razing and rebuilding Sandy Hook Elementary School, residents expressed relief tinged with sadness on Saturday in the small New England town that became a focal point of the national debate on gun control.

No one seemed more relieved by the decision than Dina Latimer, who lives near the road that leads to the school where a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six educators on December 14 in one of the worst mass murders in U.S. history.

"It was a nightmare when it happened and it's been once for us ever since," said Latimer, the mother of a 14-year-old boy who once attended the school and a 2-year-old daughter who will be enrolled there in a few years.

Latimer said the international media coverage of the killings has led a daily onslaught of onlookers drawn to the school, which is now blocked off with orange police cones.

"There's constant noise and we even had to put up no-parking signs to keep people off our property," she said.

A 28-member task force of elected town officials decided late Friday night to demolish the 56-year-old school and build a new one on the same site.

Latimer said people come to pray, take photos, or just see the intersection of River Road and Dickenson Drive that is also the site of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company, which played a major role in responding to the shooting rampage.

Nearby, where a large Sandy Hook School sign once stood directing people to the school, a makeshift memorial continues to be replenished. People place flowers, teddy bears and paper angels under what remains of the sign - just a white pole surrounded by overgrown bushes.

"Tour buses even come and all the people get off and take pictures," Latimer said.

"I'm very happy they're going build a new school," she said. "I would never consider sending my daughter to the old school where such a horrible thing happened. But it would have been even better if they rebuilt it somewhere else.

"We're still thinking about moving because this tragedy will never be forgotten," she said.

Some residents do not want people to forget the day that Adam Lanza, 20, a former Sandy Hook student, killed his mother in their home and then opened fire at the school and not stopping until he killed himself.

Lanza's spree set off calls for tighter gun laws but legislation requiring expanded background checks for gun purchases died in the Senate this spring.

Emma Canfield, 22, a lifelong Newtown resident, said she was so upset by the mass murder that she wanted to do something "so people would remember the victims."

Canfield, who also supports the school being rebuilt, painted a memorial of slogans, such as "20 Angels, 6 Heroes," and "Love Is Louder than Violence" on a vacant storefront below her apartment at 26 Botsford Hill Road that includes 26 stars for each of the victims.

"The day it happened knew I had to do something," Canfield said. "I wanted people driving by to see something to keep our community united."

The school, which has been closed since the killings, would be reconstructed at an estimated cost of $57 million over 17 to 21 months.

Meanwhile, Sandy Hook's 450 students in kindergarten through fourth grade will remain at Chalk Hill School in the neighboring town of Monroe, where classes were relocated following the massacre.

In other school shootings in recent U.S. history, including after the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, towns decided to demolish parts of the school rather than build new facilities.

(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Bill Trott)

Woman rescued from Bangladesh rubble recovering

Woman rescued from collapsed Bangladesh factory recovering, as death toll surpasses 1,100

Associated Press -

SAVAR, Bangladesh (AP) -- A seamstress who survived 17 days before being rescued from a collapsed garment factory building outside of Bangladesh's capital was panicked, dehydrated and suffering from insomnia as she recovered in a hospital Saturday, but was in generally good condition, according to her doctors.

The rescue Friday of 19-year-old Reshma Begum brought a boost to the workers who had spent more than two weeks pulling decaying bodies from the rubble. By Saturday, they had resumed their grim recovery task, as the death toll surpassed 1,100 in the world's worst garment industry disaster.

"We will not leave the operation until the last dead body and living person is found," said Maj. Gen.Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardy, the head of the local military units in charge of rescue operations.

Lt. Col. Azizur Rahman, a doctor at the military hospital where Begum is being treated, said she was exhausted and badly stressed when she was brought in an ambulance Friday afternoon. She suffered scratches, but no major injuries, he said. Her kidneys were functioning at less than 45 percent and she suffered insomnia.

"She is panicked, sometimes she holds nurses' hands tight," he said.

Doctors were giving her semi-solid food and saline for her dehydration. They advised complete rest, and barred reporters from speaking with her for fear their questions would worsen her fragile psychological state.

"We don't want those memories to haunt her now, so we are not allowing anybody to ask her anything," Rahman said, adding that a team of psychiatrists would examine her.

Nevertheless, Suhrawardy said Begum told him she was fine.

Several photographers and cameramen were allowed to take pictures of Begum on Saturday afternoon as she lay on her hospital bed. Her head was covered in a neon green scarf, and she looked tired but alert. A white sheet covered her up to her neck. She was hooked to a monitor and had an intravenous drip in her left arm.

Begum had spent 17 days in a room-like area under the rubble high enough for her to stand, surviving on dried food, bottled water and rainwater, Suhrawardy said. She got fresh air from some of the 27 air holes that rescuers had dug in the rubble. She even found cartons of dresses inside and was able to change her clothes, Suhrawardy said.

"Her return is amazing, miraculous," he said.

Begum's family said they — like many other families of workers still missing — had been losing hope of finding her alive. Her brother Zayed Islam said her relatives initially camped out at the collapse site and then moved to the hospital in the first days after the disaster, hoping to find her among the injured. Eventually, they moved to the school ground that had been turned into a makeshift morgue, so they could try to find her among the dead bodies.

Then, on Friday, they were told to come back to the hospital: She was alive.

"I just could not believe it when I saw her in the hospital," her mother, Zobeda Begum, said through tears. "My daughter has come back to me. God, you are merciful and I don't have anything else to ask for from you."

Islam said he fainted when he saw her.

"When I regained my senses, Reshma told me, 'Brother, I'm fine. Don't worry about me,'" he said.

Begum moved to Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, 2 1/2 years ago to get a job in the garment industry and help her poor family, Islam said. She married a year ago, but her husband left her three months ago, he said.

Baby Moudud, a member of Parliament who rushed to the hospital Friday with Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, said Begum appeared traumatized but mentally strong. Hasina promised that the government would take care of her and make sure she gets another job, Moudud said. Hasina's government has come under criticism for its lax oversight over the powerful garment industry.

More than 2,500 people were rescued in the immediate aftermath of the April 24 disaster, but until Friday crews had gone nearly two weeks without discovering anyone alive before they heard Begum banging and saw a pipe shaking. They immediately stopped the heavy machinery clearing the rubble and used hacksaws and other small tools to free her.

Before Friday, the last survivor was found April 28, and even her story ended tragically. As workers tried to free Shahina Akter, a fire broke out and she died of smoke inhalation.

Officials said Saturday that 1,115 bodies had been recovered from the ruins of the fallen Rana Plaza building, which housed five garment factories employing thousands of workers. They said 780 bodies had been handed over to families.

The disaster has raised alarm about the often deadly working conditions in Bangladesh's $20 billion garment industry, which provides clothing for major retailers around the globe.

Officials say the owner of Rana Plaza illegally added three floors and allowed five garment factories in the building to install heavy machines and generators, even though the structure was not designed to support such equipment.

The owner and eight other people, including the owners of the garment factories, have been detained.

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Sheriff: Body found, believed to be missing girl

Officers escort murder suspect Kyle Flack to the Franklin County Courthouse from the Franklin Detention Center, Friday, May 10, 2013, in Ottawa, Kan. Flack was charged Friday in the deaths of a woman and two men whose bodies were found at an eastern Kansas farm home earlier this week, according to a criminal complaint. (AP Photo/The Kansas City Star, Allison Long)

OTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — A body recovered amid an intensive search is believed to be that of a missing 18-month-old girl whose mother was found dead along with two men on a Kansas farm days ago, authorities said Sunday.

Franklin County Sheriff Jeff Richards said in a statement that remains recovered in eastern Kansas on Saturday are believed to those of Lana Leigh Bailey, a child that authorities previously said they presumed dead.

"I want the family of Lana, and all the victims, to know that thisinvestigation will continue until we are confident we have collected as much evidence as we can to ensure justice is served on behalf of all four victims," Richards said in a statement.

Richards said the body was discovered by an Osage County sheriff's deputy who was searching an area for items that could be connected to the deaths reported May 6 at a farm home in nearby Franklin County.

Kyle Flack was charged Friday with capital murder in the deaths of Lana's 21-year-old mother, Kaylie Bailey, and 30-year-old Andrew Stout. The 27-year-old convicted felon also was charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder in those deaths as well as that of 31-year-old Steven White, authorities have said.

The evidence collected Saturday when the child's body was recovered led investigators to believe it was Lana, his statement said without elaboration.

"We hope that a forensic examination will make a final identification," Richards added. "Until the identity is confirmed investigators will continue following up on all tips, leads and information connected to this crime."

The statement did not provide any details of where the body was discovered or how the infant had died.

Richards told the Associated Press by telephone early Sunday that he would not have any further details beyond the statement. The Franklin County sheriff's office said its next scheduled statement on the investigation would be Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday, search crews had deployed using boats and sonar equipment in search of the child. Earlier authorities had said investigators were scouring ponds and other waterways in the area looking for the child's body.

The investigation had included searching the farm and other rural areas in the 50-mile stretch between Ottawa and Emporia, where Kaylie Bailey's car was found Tuesday.

Franklin County Attorney Stephen Hunting said Friday that a firearm was used against the victims at the farm, but didn't elaborate on whether that meant they were fatally shot. Authorities have not commented on a motive.

Richards said earlier that the extensive investigation of what he called a "horrific crime" had taken a toll and that members of the investigative team have required medical attention after searching in difficult areas. Others sought counsel from a chaplain.

Brother arrested in fatal Calif. stabbing of girl

VALLEY SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — Authorities have arrested the 12-year-old brother of an 8-year-old girl who was mysteriously stabbed to death at her home in a rural Northern California community last month.

The boy, who was not identified, will be charged with homicide, according to Calaveras County Sheriff Gary Kuntz.

The April 27 attack on Leila Fowler shook the tightknit Valley Springs community of about 7,400 people and set off a massive manhunt.

The boy had told police he found his sister's body and encountered an intruder in the home while their parents were at a Little League game. He described the man as being tall with long gray hair. Afterward, however, police said there was no sign of a burglary or robbery at the house.

Local officials began to pledge support Sunday. The Calaveras Unified School District "stands ready to provide whatever level of support and assistance is necessary to the Fowler family" and the community, Superintendent Mark Campbell said in a statement. The district will make counselors available at all schools, he said.

Following the child's death, investigators did a door-to-door sweep of homes, storage sheds and horse stables scattered across the oak-studded hills foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Divers also searched two nearby reservoirs in search of clues.

As part of the investigation, authorities seized several knives from the Fowler home — where Leila lived with her father, stepmother and siblings. A neighbor who told detectives she saw a man flee the home later recanted the story and was discredited by police.

Leila's brother was taken into custody at 5:10 p.m. Saturday, and police hastily called a news conference to announce the arrest.

"Citizens of Calaveras County, you can sleep a little better tonight," Kuntz said.

Authorities spent over 2,000 hours on the investigation "to provide Leila Fowler's family answers to her death," the sheriff said.

Kuntz said the investigation was ongoing. He declined to provide further details.

Several days after the killing, hundreds of people gathered at Jenny Lind Elementary School where Leila was a popular third grader. Her mother, Krystal Walters, tearfully thanked the crowd for the support.

"I just want to thank the entire community and all of our family and friends for all the overwhelming amount of support you've given our family," Walters said at the time. "It will never be forgotten. Thank you."

Second French coronavirus case confirmed

PARIS (Reuters) - A second diagnosis of the new SARS-likecoronavirus has been confirmed in France, the Health Ministry said on Sunday, in what appeared to be a case of human-to-human transmission.

The new infection was found in a 50-year-old man who had shared a hospital room with France's only other known sufferer, the ministry said in a statement.

Health experts are concerned about clusters of the new coronavirus strain, nCoV, which was first spotted in the Gulf and has spread to France, Britain and Germany.

There has so far been little evidence of direct and sustained human-to-human transmission of nCoV - in contrast to the pattern seen in the related Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus, which killed 775 people in 2003.

The first nCoV case in France, confirmed on May 8, is a 65-year-old man who fell ill after returning from Dubai late last month.

Both French patients are in hospital in the northern city of Lille, where the younger man was transferred to intensive care on Sunday as his breathing deteriorated.

His case suggests that airborne transmission of the virus is possible, though still unusual, saidProfessor Benoit Guery, head of the Lille hospital's infectious diseases unit.

"Fortunately, this remains a virus that is not easily transmitted," Guery told the BFMTV channel. "I don't think the public should be concerned - it has been out there for a year and we have 34 cases globally."

He said the second French case had occurred because the first patient presented "quite atypical" symptoms and had not been isolated immediately.

Health officials screened 124 people who had come into contact with him and carried out laboratory tests on at least five, including three medical staff.

All came back negative except the fellow patient, who had been in "close and prolonged contact" when they shared a hospital room in nearby Valenciennes between April 27 and 29, the ministry said.

French authorities are now broadening the screening effort to include anyone who has been in contact with the second confirmed case.

(Reporting by Nicolas Delame; writing by Laurence Frost; Editing by Kevin Liffey)