Hiker Snaps Picture of Bear - Bear Kills Him

WEST MILFORD — The hiker who was killed by a bear in September took pictures of the animal just before the attack.

The pictures show the 300-pound black bear approaching the group of hikers in West Milford’s Apshawa Preserve on Sept. 21, according to authorities, who released the series of five photographs in response to an Open Public Records Act request filed by NJ Advance Media.

The photographs are from the phone of Darsh Patel, the 22-year-old Rutgers University student who was killed by the same bear just a short while later, said Lt. Keith Ricciardi, of the West Milford Police.

The phone was later recovered with a puncture mark from the animal’s teeth, according to investigatory records.

Chief Timothy Storbeck said in previous interviews that Patel and four of his friends had begun walking into the preserve that afternoon when they were met by a man and a woman coming the other way. The pair warned the larger group about a bear following them. The couple walked away, leaving the group of five to talk about what they were going to do. They eventually walked farther into the woods.

The five stopped when the bear was 300 feet away, Storbeck had said.

The five pictures taken from Patel’s phone show the bear from approximately 100 feet, looking toward the hikers but still behind a fallen log, authorities said.

A sixth photo, taken by a friend of Patel’s who was apparently standing next to him, is virtually identical to the five from Patel’s phone. Those were the only six pictures taken by the group, said Ricciardi.

The hikers turned around when the bear kept approaching, authorities said. But the bear caught up with them, eventually closing to within 15 feet, investigators said. When the bear reached that proximity, the group split up running in different directions, they later told police investigators.

Patel at one point lost his shoe, and was last seen climbing a rock formation as he hollered for his friends to continue, with the bear right behind him. The group of four fled the woods and called 911, according to police records.

Emergency responders came upon Patel’s body about four hours later. The bear was in the area, authorities said. Eventually, a police officer shot and killed the bear.

An autopsy showed that Patel was mauled by the bear. Human remains were found in the bear’s stomach and esophagus, and human blood and tissue were found underneath its claws, authorities said.

The death of Patel was the first confirmed instance of a person being killed by a bear in New Jersey. Some 60 such fatal attacks have occurred in North America over the last century, experts said. However, the attacks on Patel can still be considered "one in a million," they added.

Black bears were virtually eradicated from New Jersey by the 1960s, but have since rebounded to a population of about 2,500.

New Jersey’s fifth consecutive bear hunt begins Dec. 8.

 Here are some tips of what to do (and what not to do) if you encounter a bear while on a hike.

Via: http://www.nj.com/passaic-county/index.ssf/2014/11/hiker_snapped_pictures_of_bear_before_fatal_attack_in_west_milford.html#incart_most-read

Man Wanted in Robbery Accidentally Shots Himself Dead

A Brooklyn man wanted in January’s brazen robbery of the Midtown Cartier store freaked out and grabbed a gun when a FedEx man rang his buzzer — then accidentally blew his own brains out trying to hide under a couch, sources said Thursday.Modal TriggerModal Trigger

Ralik Hansen, 28, believed that the driver, who rang every bell at 360 Snediker Ave. in Brownsville to deliver a package on Oct. 31, was a cop, authorities said.

“In his paranoia, he ran to the bathroom and grabbed a .357 and was trying to shimmy under his couch to hide in his apartment when the gun went off,” a law-enforcement source said.

“Hansen erroneously thought it was the police coming to get him,” added Leon Krolikowski, the police chief in New Canaan, Conn., where Hansen and his crew allegedly hit a jewelry store a year ago.

Hansen had faced possible life behind bars on robbery and weapons charges, authorities said.

He was part of a crew that entered the crowded Fifth Avenue store at 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 and used hammers to smash open display cases, police say. They stole 16 watches worth a total $709,000.

Hansen was indicted in April. Four other suspects are in custody, and the FBI on Thursday identified two more — Courtney Hardin and Jamal Dehoyos.

They are wanted in heists at Litan Jewelers in Brooklyn, the Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino, and jewelry shops in Richmond, Va., and Cranford, NJ.

Via: http://nypost.com/2014/11/14/man-wanted-in-cartier-robbery-accidentally-shoots-himself-dead/

Garbage Man Killed By Falling Trash Bin

The NYPD says a sanitation worker was killed when a 10-foot trash bin fell on top of him.

Police say the 40-year-old man was found in the rear of the Richmond County Country Club on Staten Island Wednesday night.

Police say the victim was an employee of the Flag Container Service Company. He was killed when the trash bin fell off the back of the truck he was unloading.

The man suffered severe trauma to the head and torso.

He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Via: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Dumpster-Bin-Trash-Falls-Sanitation-Worker-Staten-Island-Richmond-NYC-282537411.html

Man Electrocuted by His Wedding Ring

The man who died after he was electrocuted by his wedding ring has been identified as 33-year-old Jason Ferguson of Port Orange, Fla. As reported by News-Journal Online on Nov. 10 via testimony from police, Ferguson was electrocuted after his wedding ring caught on an unknown object behind a dishwasher he was installing.

CBS News Orlando, Fla., affiliate WKMG, reports that Ferguson was at his in-laws' home on Thursday when the tragic accident occurred. Police said the family was getting ready to eat around 7 p.m. when they noticed that Ferguson was kneeling in front of the appliance with his left arm extended behind the dishwasher.

To their shock and horror, family members noticed that Ferguson began turning red and became unresponsive. They grabbed him by his clothes and began CPR on the kitchen floor, investigators said.

Ferguson was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time after he arrived, Lt. Dan Dietrich said. According to an incident report, the cause of death was listed as “unknown” until the medical examiner’s office did an autopsy and it was ruled that he had died of electrocution.

It is unclear what caused the freak wedding ring electrocution, but police believe Ferguson, who often installs and repairs items at the home, could possibly have touched a copper wire. The man's family is devastated by his sudden death and The Examiner's attempt to reach them for comment was not answered.

via: http://www.examiner.com/article/man-electrocuted-by-wedding-ring-33-year-old-man-dies-tragic-accident?cid=PROG-NewsBlock2-Article-ElectrocutedWeddingRing

Man Killed By Pin Setting Machine

FAIRFIELD, Ohio — A federal workplace safety agency is looking into the death of a 53-year-old man southwest Ohio who was killed while doing maintenance at a bowling alley.

Authorities say the man was trapped in the pin-setting machinery and died at Northwest Bowling Alley in Fairfield.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration had an investigator at the bowling alley Friday. WCPO-TV in Cincinnati says the full investigation could take up to six weeks.

Authorities say David Geiger died Thursday after his clothes became tangled in the machinery while he was trying to repair it.

Police say there were customers and other employees at the bowling alley at the time, but no one saw what happened.


via: http://nypost.com/2014/11/09/man-killed-in-bowling-alley-pin-setting-machine/

Tourist Plunges To Death Taking Selfie on Bridge

A Polish woman on a dream vacation in Spain plunged to her death while attempting to snap the perfect selfie.

Teetering on the ledge of the Puente de Triana bridge in the city of Seville, medical student Sylwia Rajchel, 23, tried her best to take a photo of herself before the unthinkable happened — she slipped and fell 15 feet onto the concrete footings of the structure.

“This was a tragic accident and we are looking to make that stretch of boulevard along the river safer,” a city spokesman told Central European News.

Shortly after the crash landing, Rajchel went into cardiac arrest, but despite medics’ attempts to save her, she later died from her injuries, according to CEN.

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Rajchel tragically fell 15 ft., onto the concrete footings of the structure.Photo: Europics

“She was a beautiful, smiling girl who had her whole life ahead of her,” said Rajchel’s mother, Bernadeta, 44. “It’s hard to believe what’s happened, that I will never see Sylwia again.”

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Rajchel had been studying to become a nurse at the University of Medicine in Posada.Photo: Europics

Rajchel had been studying to become a nurse at the University of Medicine in Posada, a village in southern Poland, CEN reports.

“Going to Spain was a dream come true for my daughter,” Bernadeta said. “She had taught herself the language and was hoping to work there in the future after finishing her studies.”

“It breaks my heart,” she added. “I feel this is [a] nightmare that is not happening.”

The Triana bridge was built in the middle of the 19th century and has become a popular spot for tourists looking to take scenic pictures alongside the Guadalquivir river. It is one of the most photographed landmarks in the region.

Via: http://nypost.com/2014/11/05/tourist-plunges-to-her-death-while-taking-selfie/

Man Killed by Falling Tape Measure

A worker in his 50s died after being hit in the head by a tape measure that fell 50 stories from a construction site in Jersey City Monday, authorities say.

The man delivered sheetrock to a 50-story apartment building under construction on Christopher Columbus Drive near Marin Boulevard shortly before 9 a.m. He parked his truck near the Christopher Columbus Drive entrance, got out -- with no safety helmet -- and headed toward the building, police said.

As he walked over, a 1-pound tape measure fell off the belt of a contractor working on the 50th floor, bounced off a piece of metal construction equipment about 10 feet off the ground and hit him in the head, police said. He was knocked unconscious and later died at the hospital.

It wasn't clear what company he worked for.  

Via: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Construction-Worker-Death-Jersey-City-Hit-Tape-Measure-50-Stories-281332231.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_NYBrand

Winemaker Dies After Falling Into Wine Vat

A woman in Spain fell into a massive vat of wine and drowned when she lost her balance from the pungent fumes given off during the fermenting process.

Winemaker Nerea Perez, 25, was stirring the batch when she caught a whiff of the overwhelming odor and lost her balance — resulting in a tipsy tumble into the giant barrel, Central European News reports.

Workers were concerned when she suddenly disappeared and started searching the village of Salas de los Barrios in northern Spain.

Perez’s wine-making uncle Raul Perez eventually found her floating face down in the container.
Intoxication from the fermentation process is a notorious cause of accidents among vintners because it’s almost impossible to avoid breathing in the extremely powerful gases. The vapors are released when the “lees” or sediment — dead yeast and bits of grapes — are mixed together, according to CEN.

“Now is the time for harvesting grapes so a lot of villages around here have people working on stirring the wine in the barrels,” said Perez’s colleague Ginebra Peralta Colunga. “This is the first time this has happened, though.”

Via: http://nypost.com/2014/10/01/winemaker-dies-after-falling-into-a-vat-of-vino/

Murderer Finishes 30-Year Term, Kills Mother after Welcome Home Party

A 45-year-old man who on Friday finished serving 30 years in prison is charged with killing his mother two days after being released, authorities said.

Steven Pratt was arrested Sunday morning, less than 48 hours after he was freed from Bayside State Prison for killing his neighbor in 1984.

Gwendolyn Pratt, 64, was found dead in her McKinley Avenue home around 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Atlantic City Prosecutor Jim McClain said. She died of massive blunt injuries to her head.

A welcome-home party for Steven Pratt had just been held, PressofAC.com reported.

Pratt was tried as an adult after shooting Michael Anderson in a Carver Hall apartment building in Atlantic City 30 years ago, according to the website.

According to court records, Pratt and Anderson argued after Pratt and some of his friends refused to leave an apartment hallway where they were noisily hanging out. Pratt returned to Anderson's apartment with a lead pipe, but Anderson took the weapon away and bloodied Pratt's face.

Pratt then returned with a borrowed handgun and shot Anderson.

He is now being held in lieu of $1 million bail, the prosecutor said.

Via: http://www.nj.com/atlantic/index.ssf/2014/10/man_kills_mother_less_than_2_days_after_getting_out_of_prison_after_serving_30_years_for_murder.html#incart_m-rpt-1

'Hunger Games' Stuntman Falls To Death Attempting Off-Duty Leap

A Hollywood stuntman who worked on the latest "Hunger Games" movie has died after falling five stories while on vacation in Portugal, officials said Friday. Carlos Lopez, 25, was originally from Concord, North Carolina. His screen credits included "22 Jump Street," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Olympus Has Fallen." Lopez plunged from the fifth floor of the Goodnight Hostel in downtown Lisbon at 4 a.m. Thursday (11 p.m. ET Wednesday), two local police sources told NBC News. He was travelling with his girlfriend.

A hostel employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NBC News that Lopez was a guest and often spoke of his love of parkour — the practice of using the urban environment as an obstacle course. Lopez's girlfriend heard the fall and alerted staff who in turn contacted police. Dale Girard, director of the North Carolina Stuntmen's Association where Lopez trained, descried him as "a great friend…a formidable role model with great respect, discipline and personality. He was very caring, giving, and dedicated." A local police source confirmed that his death appeared to be accidental.

Man Shot 15 Minutes After Finishing a 15 Year Prison Term

A Manhattan man was sprung from an upstate prison Thursday after serving 15 years — only to be shot 15 minutes later by a thug he snitched on, law enforcement sources told The Post.

The 33-year-old man was released from Otisville State Prison at 9:45 a.m. with a train ticket for a trip to a halfway house in Manhattan.

But when he got outside, someone in a white Hyundai offered him a ride — an offer he quickly accepted.

After about two miles, the car pulled over and a second person hopped out of the trunk, pulled out a gun and fired two shots at the newly freed man, police sources said.

The victim stumbled to the Metro-North station in Otisville, where workers called for help, sources said.

He was taken to West­chester Medical Center and is in stable condition.

The victim — who served time for criminal sale of a controlled substance, weapons and assault — identified the shooter.

The guman had a beef with the victim for snitching on him, sources said.

Cops tracked the two suspects —  Jerome A. Mack and Edgar Wilson, both 35 — to the Upper East Side and arrested them Thursday evening.

Via: http://nypost.com/2014/10/09/man-released-from-prison-shot-by-guy-he-snitched-on/

Man Struck by Train While Attempting to Retrieve His Phone

A man was struck and killed by a train in Brooklyn early Sunday when he jumped onto the tracks to retrieve what authorities believe was a cell phone.

The southbound Q-train operator, rolling into the Prospect Park station on Flatbush Avenue shortly after 3 a.m., saw the victim hop onto the tracks to pick something up, law enforcement sources said.

But the operator wasn’t able to stop the train in time and the man, whose identity was not immediately known, was crushed between the platform and train, authorities said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Via: http://nypost.com/2014/10/12/man-killed-by-train-after-trying-to-retrieve-cell-phone-from-tracks/

Man Killed by Train While Urinating on the Platform

Police are investigating the leak of a gruesome subway-surveillance video showing a train dragging a man to his death, a transit official said.

The shocking images, captured by a MTA security camera in Penn Station Saturday morning, apparently were copied and then posted on the Internet, according to a source who watched the video.

“It’s the most disturbing thing you’ve ever seen,” the source said.

The 23-year-old was struck at about 1 a.m. while walking back to the northbound A-train platform from a narrow tunnel walkway where he went to urinate, police said over the weekend.

In the video, the man appears to lose his footing while pushing through a “Do Not Enter” swing gate separating the walkway and platform.

Via: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/police-investigate-gory-subway-video-leaked-article-1.1966589

Bank of America Intern Worked to Death

Moritz Erhardt, 21, was a week away from finishing his summer internship at Bank of America when he was found dead in student housing in East London on Thursday night.

Erhardt, from Germany, was an undergraduate exchange student at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

Claims have been made he died after working long hours. An anonymous person on wallstreetoasis.com said, “He was found dead in the shower by his flatmate. Intern… went home at 6am three days in a row.”

Paid interns at Merrill Lynch normally earn at least £30,000 a year pro-rata, but can earn even more. Although Erhardt’s death has highlighted the internship program’s allegedly brutal work hours.

John McIvor, a Bank of America spokesman, declined to comment on the claim that Erhardt had been overworked, but said the firm’s thoughts were with his family.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of Moritz Erhardt’s death,”McIvor said in a statement. “He was popular amongst his peers and was a highly diligent intern at our company with a promising future.”

Via: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/19/moritz-erhardt-investment-banking-dies_n_3781016.html

Chinese Student Dies Making Fourth Donation to Sperm Bank In A Week

A Chinese medical student died of a heart attack while looking at a 'sexy magazine' in a sperm bank - on his fourth visit to the centre in just over a week.

Zheng Gang, 23, was found dead in a private booth of a fertility clinic at Wuhan University after nurses noticed he was spending longer than usual producing his sample.

Two hours after he first entered the cubicle, medics broke in to find him lying unconscious on the floor.Despite frantic efforts to resuscitate him where he lay, doctors pronounced him dead at the scene.

The tragic death - which happened in February 2012 -  only came to light after the young man's family took the sperm bank, in Wuhan city, Hubei province, eastern China, to court saying that they were responsible for his death.

But the court has now ruled that Zheng, who had started studying at the University to become a doctor in 2010, was entirely capable of making his own decisions about his life, including whether he wanted to take part in the sperm bank programme.

The court heard that the young trainee doctor signed up for the programme in January 2011 and in ten days had made four visits to donate sperm for the universities sperm bank program.

His family had demanded almost half £1 million in compensation, saying that they had pressurised him into agreeing to take part and had not handled the situation properly when he was found unconscious.

A lower court had only awarded the family £19,000 plus £8,000 in funeral costs, and the family had appealed. 

But the High Court has now upheld the lower court decision.

Via: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2753346/Chinese-medical-student-died-heart-attack-looked-sexy-magazine-fourth-donation-sperm-bank-week.html#ixzz3DInMcg4X

Founder of Elephant Refuge Crushed to Death

HOPE, Maine — The man who established a sanctuary for retired circus elephants in Maine was found dead Tuesday. The state Medical said the injuries were consistent with an elephant stepping on him.

Dr. James Laurita, 56, who founded Hope Elephants, apparently died while caring for the elephants. The medical examiner said it was an accident.

Laurita apparently fell and was on the ground when the elephant stepped on him, according to Knox County sheriff's investigators. He suffered multiple chest fractures and died of asphyxiation.

Tending to the animals was part of Laurita's daily routine at the facility he founded with his brother Tom in 2011. Hope Foundation's two Asian elephants, Rosie and Opal, arrived in 2012.

"The elephant was not aggressive in any way. It was clearly an accident," said Mark Belserene, administrator for the state medical examiner's office.

Hope Elephants wrote on their website: "Hope Elephants is deeply saddened by the death of our founder, Dr. Jim Laurita. Jim's passion for all animals, especially elephants, was boundless."

Laurita began his love affair with elephants in the late 1970s when he worked for a regional circus. In fact, the two elephants at the sanctuary were those he took care of while working for the circus.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Teenager Dies After Being Electrocuted While Urinating On Lamppost

An 18-year-old has died after he was electrocuted while urinating on a lamp post in Mallorca, Spain.

The tragedy took place in the small town of Bunyola during a festival.

The reveller relieved himself on a faulty post when he leaned against it and was electrocuted, report 20minutos.

Un joven de 18 años muere tras electrocutarse mientras orinaba en una farola en Bunyola goo.gl/27Vn5Jhttp://t.co/3jxpqFcEVw—
Subversivos_ (@subversivos_) August 31, 2014

Emergency services arrived on the scene in the early hours of this morning.

The Mayor, Jaume Isern, expressed his condolences to the teenager’s family.

The fiesta celebrations were abandoned following the teenager’s death.

"De la teva família i amics que t'estimen". Un ram recorda el jove mort en electrocutar-se a un fanal a #Bunyolahttp://t.co/rOIvv39Iv0—
Es Castellet (@escastellet) August 31, 2014

Via: http://metro.co.uk/2014/08/31/teenager-dies-after-being-electrocuted-while-urinating-on-lamp-post-4852375/

Cops Kill 'Cops' Cameraman Filming Cops

A crew member with the “Cops” television show was fatally struck by police gunfire as Omaha officers confronted a robber — who also was fatally wounded — at a midtown restaurant, law enforcement sources said Wednesday.

The World-Herald has learned that at least 30 shots were fired at the Wendy’s near 43rd and Dodge Streets. Officials said it appears the only shots fired came from police.

The robbery suspect apparently had an air gun, a type of BB gun that looks like an actual firearm. He apparently was a prison parolee from Kansas, law enforcement sources said.

The crew member has been identified as Bryce Dion. Dion, 38 was from Lawrence, Massachusetts, but lived in Santa Monica, California. He worked on numerous TV series as a sound mixer and assistant cameraman.

In a statement, Langley Productions, which produces "Cops," said: "We are deeply saddened and shocked by this tragedy and our main concern is helping his family in any way we can. Bryce Dion was a long term member of the Cops team and a very talented and dedicated person. We mourn his passing. An investigation is ongoing and we are cooperating with local authorities."

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer identified the robbery suspect as Cortez Washington, 32, during a press conference that began at 2:30 p.m.

Via: http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/officials-cops-crewman-robbery-suspect-killed-by-police-in-wendy/article_a919c242-2d98-11e4-9cee-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

Chef Dies After Being Bitten By A Dead Cobra Head

A chef preparing a dish from cobra flesh died when the snake's head bit him - 20 minutes AFTER it was cut off.

Victim Peng Fan had been preparing a special dish made from the Indochinese spitting cobra, a rare delicacy in Asia where eating snakes is commonplace.

But when he went to throw the serpent's severed head into the waste bin, it bit him - injecting him with its fast acting venom.

Police say Mr Peng died before he could be given life saving anti-venom in hospital.

Diners who were eating in the restaurant at the time have described screams coming from the kitchen as the tragedy unfolded.

Restaurant guest Lin Sun, 44, who was in the restaurant with his wife Su at the time said: "We were in the restaurant having a meal for my wife's birthday when suddenly there was a lot of commotion.

"We did not know what was happening but could hear screams coming from the kitchen.

"There were calls for a doctor in the restaurant but unfortunately by the time medical assistance arrived the man had already died. After we heard that we did not continue with our meal."

A police spokesman said: "It is a highly unusual case but it appears to be just an accident. He prepared the snake himself and was just unlucky.

"There was nothing that could be done to save the man. Only the anti-venom could have helped but this was not given in time. It was just a tragic accident."

The snake was being diced up to be made into snake soup, which is a delicacy in the area and a much sought after dish in high-end restaurants. China has seen a rising demand for snake products, not only in restaurants but also for use in traditional medicine.

Snake expert Yang Hong-Chang - who has spent 40 years studying cobras - says all reptiles can function for up to an hour after losing body parts, or even their entire body.

The video above shows another chef removing the head of a similar snake as he prepares to cook it, removing the head first. Both the head and the body can clearly be seen to move after they are severed.

Mr Yang said: "It is perfectly possible that the head remained alive and bit Peng's hand. By the time a snake has lost its head, it’s effectively dead as basic body functions have ceased, but there is still some reflexive action.

"It means snakes have the capability of biting and injecting venom even after the head has been severed."

The Indochinese spitting cobra - or Naja siamensis - is also known as the Thai or black and white spitting cobra.

It's found in south east Asian countries including Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam.

Adults average 3ft to 3.9ft long but can reach a maximum of 5ft, and are found in lowlands, hills, plains, woodland and jungle. It mainly feeds on rodents, toads, and other snakes.

Primarily nocturnal, it is more likely to flee when threatened during daylight. At night it becomes more aggressive, display its hood and spit out venom.

Death is caused by paralysis and consequent asphyxiation, but even if the snake only spits venom in a victim's eyes they can be permanently blinded.

The fearsome reptiles require careful handling to avoid tragedies like this. The video below shows the same species of cobra having its venom extracted at a zoo.


Mr Peng was from Shunde, a district in the city of Foshan in southern China's Guangdong province. Residents of the province have a long history of enjoying snake meats of all sorts in local culinary dishes.

For many centuries it has been commonly served up in a soup, and is also taken as part of Chinese medicine, for it is believed that snake meat can cure ailments.

It's part of a 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' concept - the more poisonous the delicacy, the more beneficial it is seen as being to the body.

One local said: "Snake meat is really good for us. It is not so easy to get and is expensive but it has spectacular health benefits.

"I have never heard any cases of a dead snake killing anyone, especially not in the kitchen.


Via: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/chef-cooking-snake-dies-after-4088634#ixzz3BLyofQBE

Couple plunges to death while taking photo at cliff edge

A couple taking a photo on the edge of a cliff died when they fell hundreds of feet, according to news reports.

The Polish couple died after falling from the rocky edge in Cabo da Roca in west Portugal. They were apparently taking a 'selfie' photo of themselves, according to NBC and others, though details of the events leading up to the fall were still hazy.

A local English language news site, the Portugal Resident, said the parents had given the children the camera to take a picture.

Their children, ages 5 and 6, were turned over to Polish diplomats and are undergoing psychiatric care.

The parents may have crossed a safety barrier in order to reach the cliff edge, the Daily Mail reported.

It happened Saturday but the rising tide prevent emergency crews from recovering the bodies until Sunday.

Monika Dulian, Poland's consul in Lisbon, said the family had lived in Portugal for several years, the Daily Mail reported.

The U.K.'s The Independent has some video of the Portuguese rescue operation.

The cliff edge at Portugal's most westerly point is a popular spot for tourists looking to photograph themselves "at the edge of Europe."

Via: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/08/11/selfie-death-fall-portugal/13922025/

Chinese Billionaire Killed By Champagne Bottle Cork

Hong Kong| 49-year old Dingxiang Loeng, a well-known and very flamboyant Chinese businessman, died this morning in his suite of the Island Shangri-La hotel during a reception he was holding for his birthday. According to some of the 217 witnesses of the tragedy, it is while opening a champagne bottle that the billionaire was hit violently in the temple by the cork, an accident that caused a fatal brain hemorrhage.

The accident took place during a sumptuous party that was being held to celebrate Mr. Loeng’s 50th birthday, that would have taken place on August 2nd. Nearly 200 guests were present, including most of Hong Kong’s political and economic elite, when the celebrated, after a brief speech, opened a bottle of champagne and was hit violently in the head by the cork. Many witnesses actually laughed at first, greatly underestimating the severity of the injury,  but an eerie silence rapidly overcame the crowd as Mr. Loeng remained unconscious and the medical staff was urged on the site. Despite all the efforts of the paramedics, his death was confirmed less than twenty minutes later while he was being carried to the hospital.

Rated the 51st richest in Hong Kong according to the Forbes business magazine, Mr. Loeng was an eccentric real estate tycoon who made a fortune in some very controversial deals in the years preceding the transfer of sovereignty of the former British colony to China. Even if his fortune is estimated at more than 1 billion dollars, the Hong Kong businessman was always better known for his various antics  and legal problems than for his economic activities.

He was notorious for his drinking habit, drug problems and bad temper, having been arrested more than thirty times over the years for various charges, including public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, driving under the influence of alcohol and assault on a hotel doorman.

According to the police, the champagne bottle could have been a Chinese counterfeit, an explanation that seems more than plausible for the exceptionally high level of carbon dioxide contained in it. The problem of counterfeit alcohol has become a major concern for the Chinese authorities over the last few years, as the quantity of forged liquors and wines has been soaring. Many experts estimate that as much as 80 per cent of the alcohol in most Chinese cities is fake, mostly using counterfeit branding, where spoiled, low grade bottles of wine are sold as the real deal, yielding unreal margins.

The owners and staff of the hotel,  refused to comment the event or the accusation of selling couterfeit alcohol.

Via:  http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/china-billionaire-killed-by-champagne-bottle-cork/#sthash.pCLXU1LA.dpuf

Grandmother dies after being licked by dog

An animal-loving mother-of-two died after being licked on the hand by her pet dog.

Sheena Kavanagh died after the saliva from her pet terrier entered her bloodstream.

The lick proved fatal as Kavanagh had previously had her spleen - which helps prevent infection - removed.

It may have entered her bloodstream through a small cut on her hand.

Her spleen had been removed after being assaulted by a previous partner, although at the time she claimed she sustained the injuries in a car crash.

The infection that killed her was so rare it at first baffled medics in the UK, where the 53-year-old lived.

Doctors thought she had contracted meningitis when she was initially taken to hospital.

Dr. Hiam Ali, a pathologist, said that an organism found in dog saliva doesn't usually cause damage, "but in people without a spleen it can cause death due to septic shock," he told The Telegraph.

Via: NY Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/woman-dies-licked-dog-article-1.1890314

Drunk man accidentally shoots himself in head while posing for selfie

Oscar Otero Aguilar, 21, was reportedly out with friends in Mexico City when he pointed a loaded pistol at his head for the photo. One friend was detained for questioning and another went on the run after the incident.

A Mexican veterinarian accidentally shot himself dead as he posed for a Facebook selfie with a pistol, police said.

Oscar Otero Aguilar, 21, had reportedly been drinking with pals in Mexico City last weekend when he pointed the loaded gun at his face for the snap.

But the 0.45 caliber weapon discharged - and he was hit in the temple by the bullet.

Neighbors heard the gunshot and called cops.Officers arrived to find him still alive, but they lost a battle to save him - and he was declared dead at the scene soon after.

A Ministry of Public Security spokesman told Excelsior that Aguilar's death appeared to be an accident.

An autopsy will take place this week.

Via: NY Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/mexican-man-accidentally-shoots-head-posing-selfie-article-1.1890938

Woman Trying to Take Photo Plunges to Death From Cliff in Catskills

Authorities say a 23-year-old woman trying to take a picture by the edge of a cliff in the Catskill Mountains lost her footing and died after falling more than 150 feet.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the unidentified woman from Dutchess fell from a cliff on top of Kaaterskill Falls at about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Forest rangers were able to recover her body Wednesday morning from the attraction about 40 miles south of Albany.

Tannersville Fire Department Assistant Chief Stephen Toumey told the Daily Freeman of Kingston that the woman was wearing flip flops on an unmarked section of the trail with a male companion.

Toumey said witnesses told rescuers the woman didn't appear to be paying attention while attempting to take a photograph.

Via: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Woman-Taking-Photo-Plunges-Death-Cliff-Catskills-269264301.html

Horder Dies Beneath Her Own Clutter

Published: June 14, 2014 | Last Modified: June 16, 2014 10:24AM

By Mary Ellen Godin and Jeff Gebeau Record-Journal staff

CHESHIRE — A 66-year-old woman who lived alone in her 22 Winslow Road home was found dead Saturday in the basement under a pile of debris after a day-long search.

Police responded to a call for a welfare check on Beverly Mitchell Friday after a postal carrier found mail had piled up at the home for about a week and a half. The investigation is ongoing and being treated as a hazmat situation.

Police determined that there was a structural collapse of the first floor based on the weight of the content of the house.

“The floor gave way and collapsed into the basement. The contents of that room caved in on top of her,” said Sgt. Kevin O’Donnell.

“We did a well being and we determined it wasn’t safe to continue searching and asked for assistance when we saw the first floor collapsed,” O’Donnell said. “We contacted Connecticut Homeland, who brought special equipment for search and rescue.”

The fire department went with special equipment, the state assisted with cadaver dogs and the Connecticut Urban Search and Rescue Unit, Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protect and state police dogs.

Searchers didn’t find her until Saturday.

They were eventually able to make entry by cutting into the side of the home, O’Donnell said.

Police found stacks of debris piled to the ceiling.

“She was a hoarder,” O’Donnell said. “This was an accidental death caused by disrepair.”

No next of kin were identified. The state medical examiner will release the body to a funeral home.

Police and social service agencies had tried for years to help Mitchell, O’Donnell said.

She had a long history of reclusive behavior, and didn’t want contact with the outside world other than a rare trip to the store or senior services. The house has been boarded up.

“She was a recluse,” he said. “We weren’t sure she was in the building. She has a history of leaving and not telling anyone.”