De'Marquise Elkins guilty in Brunswick baby murder case

MARIETTA, Ga. -- After less than 2 hours deliberations Friday afternoon, a Cobb County jury found Brunswick teenager De'Marquise Elkins guilty on all counts in the murder of a toddler in his stroller while robbing the baby's mother on March 21.

Eighteen-year-old Elkins was charged in the shooting death of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago. He was also charged with shooting the baby's mother in the leg, as well as with shooting a pastor during a similar robbery attempt 10 days earlier.

The murder trial was moved from Brunswick to Marietta due pre-trial publicity in the case.

The counts against Elkins were as follows:

Count #1: Malice murder - Guilty
Count #2: Felony murder - Guilty
Count #3: Felony murder - Guilty
Count #4: Aggravated assault - Guilty
Count #5: Attempted armed robbery - Guilty
Count #6: Aggravated assault - Guilty
Count #7: Aggravated assault - Guilty
Count #8: Cruelty to children, 1st degree - Guilty
Count #9: Possession of a firearm while committing a felony - Guilty
Count #14: Criminal attempted armed robbery - Guilty
Count #15: Aggravated assault - Guilty

Elkins' 36-year-old mother, Karimah Elkins, was found guilty by the same jury of tampering with evidence in connection with getting rid of the pistol used in the shooting. The jury found Karimah not guilty of making false statements during questioning by police.

After the verdict, defense attorney Kevin Gough said no one won in this tragic case, but he said he would appeal what he called an unfair trial since much of the evidence he tried to present was blocked.

Prosecutor Jackie Johnson declined to comment.

The victim's mother, Sherry West, did not attend the final day of the ten day trial. 

Elkins and his mother will both be sentenced later back in Brunswick.

He could get multiple life sentences plus several more years and she faces up to ten years.

Elkins was not eligible for the death penalty because he was only 17 at the time of the crime.

During the defense's closing argument earlier in the day, attorney Jonathan Lockwood, representing De'Marquise Elkins, said the prosecution's case was a rush to judgment that was full of full of holes.

"In this case the government, law enforcement, made no effort to look beyond the person they arrested," argued Lockwood.

He claimed Brunswick Police were pressured to find a killer almost as soon as 13-month-old Antonio Santiago was shot between the eyes and his mother, Sherry West, was wounded in a robbery as they traveled to and from a post office.

MORE | Complete coverage of Brunswick baby death trial
PHOTOS | Trial of De'Marquise Elkins

Lockwood called most of the state's witnesses "thieves and liars".

He said Sherry West's memory was faulty and called her identification of potential suspects "inconsistent".

He also noted that she acted strangely during her police interrogation only hours after the shooting, occasionally laughing and joking and that she had a history of mental problems.

But prosecutor Jackie Johnson came to West's defense about her identification of Elkins and her emotional state the day of the crime.

"Does anybody know what the protocol is for how you're supposed to act when you watch your child get shot in the face?" she asked the jury.

Jackson admitted that many witnesses in the case were not the best citizens, but she insisted the evidence points to only one killer, De'Marquise Elkins.

She called him a heartless killer who preyed on the weak.

"I don't know of any other case when the killing of another person, a child, doesn't cry out for malice; that's what you have here, an abandoned heart," she said.

Karimah Elkins, De'Marquise's 36-year-old mother, is also on trial, charged with tampering with evidence for throwing the murder weapon into a salt water pond.

But her attorney argued she, too, was the victim of shoddy and abusive police work.

"You might not like my client; you may think that, well, if my son was charged with murder I wouldn't be hiding his gun, but just because it was his gun doesn't make it the murder weapon," Wrix McIlvaine claimed.

Prosecutor Jackson argued Karimah is just as guilty as her son.

"He and his mom hid the evidence; you lie; you hide; you run; you lie and hide and run 'cause you're guilty," she said.

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Child dies after being struck by car

ATLANTA -- A child, who was struck by a vehicle Friday afternoon, has died.

The accident occurred on the 3000 block of Campbellton Road in southwest Atlanta. The child is believed to be about 3 years old. 

Authorities say the child was hit by a small SUV while it was backing out of a parking spot. According to the driver, they were unable to see the child before hitting him. 

The child was transported to Grady in critical condition where he later died. 

No charges have been filed, at this time. No further details were immediately released. 

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High School Football Scores - August 30

Atlanta -- Here are the scores for week two of high school football:

MORE | Complete High School Sports Coverage: Scores, Highlights and more

PHOTO | High School Football Aug. 30, 2013

Send us pictures of your team's game.  Email them tophotos@11alive.com.

Milton High School 31 Alpharetta High School 24
FINAL

Dacula High School 28 Mill Creek High School 41
FINAL

Clarkston High School 13 Druid Hills High School 47
FINAL

Chattahoochee High School 48 Forest Park High School 6
FINAL

Central Gwinnett High School 0 Collins Hill High School 22
FINAL

Lambert High School 7 Etowah High School 27
FINAL

Peachtree Ridge 28 Parkview High School 14
FINAL

Southwest Dekalb High School 10 Pebblebrook High School 17
FINAL

Shiloh High School 48 Meadowcreek High School 7
FINAL

West Forsyth High School 28 Gainesville High School 58
FINAL

Northview 17 South Forsyth High School 21
FINAL

Mountain View High School 0 Archer High School 37
FINAL

Duluth High School 3 Berkmar High School 9
FINAL

Loganville High School 21 Monroe Area High School 48
FINAL

Osborne High School 7 Mc Nair High School 28
FINAL

Marietta High School 63 Pope High School 13
FINAL

Sprayberry High School 27 Kennesaw Mountain High School 48
FINAL

Centennial High School 30 Roswell High School 39
FINAL

Fellowship Christian School 14 Lakeview Academy 41
FINAL

Blessed Trinity High School 3 Lovett School, The 14
FINAL

North Atlanta High School 13 Stone Mountain High School 26
FINAL

Savannah High School 6 Greater Atlanta Christian School 41
FINAL

Wesleyan School 14 Holy Innocents' Episcopal 17
FINAL

Northgate High School 7 Heritage High School- Conyers 14
FINAL

Allatoona High School 50 Woodland High Shool 0
FINAL

Westlake High School 18 South Cobb High School 10
FINAL

Creekview High School 34 Cherokee High School 53
FINAL

Sequoyah High School 56 River Ridge HS 7
FINAL

Oxford HS 14 Carrollton High School 35
FINAL

Darlington School 0 Cartersville High School 36
FINAL

Whitefield Academy 23 Pace Academy 38
FINAL

East Paulding High School 13 North Paulding High School 27
FINAL

Paulding County High School 23 Hiram H.S. 6
FINAL

North Cobb High School 48 Starrs Mill High School 7
FINAL

Harrison High School 23 Woodstock High School 13
FINAL

North Cobb Christian 7 Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy 42
FINAL

Mt. Paran Christian 36 Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School 7
FINAL

Coosa High School 33 Gordon Central High School 6
FINAL

Haralson County High School 21 Temple High School 0
FINAL

Creekside High School 16 Langston Hughes HS 14
FINAL

Athens Christian School 7 Landmark Christian School 26
FINAL

Fayette County High School 6 Woodward Academy 25
FINAL

Griffin High School 59 Dutchtown HS/MS 35
FINAL

Lovejoy High School 41 Mundy's Mill 12
FINAL

La Grange High School 10 Newnan High School 42
FINAL

Lowndes HS 42 Luella HS/MS 2
FINAL

East Coweta High School 49 Henry County HS 8
FINAL

Riverdale High School 27 North Clayton High School 0
FINAL

Maynard Jackson High School 40 Therrell High School 6
FINAL

Cross Keys High School 0 Best Academy 48
FINAL

Marist School 29 Clarke Central High School 18
FINAL

St. Pius X Catholic High School 27 Westminster School 13
FINAL

St. Francis High School 47 Mount Vernon Presbyterian 14
FINAL

North Hall High School 23 Chestatee High School 15
FINAL

Buford High School 46 Elbert County Comp High School 7
FINAL

Jefferson High School 40 Commerce High School 0
FINAL

Dawson County High School 27 Lumpkin County High School 13
FINAL

Winder-Barrow High School 26 Jackson County High School 21
FINAL

Prince Avenue Christian School 44 Hapeville Charter Career Academy 20
FINAL

Calhoun Falls High School 0 Washington-Wilkes High School 58
FINAL

Apalachee High School 14 Lanier HS 42
FINAL

Ridgeland High School 0 Calhoun High School 37
FINAL

Turner County High School 12 Crisp County High School 14
FINAL

Screven County HS 34 Groves 8
FINAL

Benedictine Military School 41 Effingham County High School 7
FINAL

Wayne County High School 40 Appling County High School 14
FINAL

Walton High School 35 Hillgrove High School 47
FINAL

North Gwinnett High School 35 Grayson High School 0
FINAL

Mc Eachern High School 14 Lassiter High School 7
FINAL

Christ School 21 Rabun Gap Nacoochee School 20
FINAL

Jones County High School 17 Alcovy High School 14
FINAL

Lamar County High School 44 Spalding High School 14
FINAL

Mary Persons High School 31 Jackson High School 9
FINAL

Eagles Landing Christian 27 Briarwood Christian School 7
FINAL

Woodland HS/MS 40 Walnut Grove 16
FINAL

Northside High School- Warner 28 Flowery Branch High School 6
FINAL

Washington County HS 56 Grovetown High School 7
FINAL

Dooly County High School 18 Macon County High School 33
FINAL

Rutland High School 41 Southwest High School 7
FINAL

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Your guide to Labor Day weekend events in Atlanta

Spider-Man (Courtesy Dena Adams)

ATLANTA - Traditionally, Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest in metro Atlanta with sporting events, concerts, conventions and gatherings of all types bringing people from all corners of the nation together.

This year is no exception.

What event do you think the best event is this Labor Day weekend in Atlanta? Scroll down to the bottom of this article and VOTE in our POLL. 

PHOTOS | Busy weekend for Atlanta
PHOTOS | 2012 Dragon*Con Parade

INTERACTIVE MAP| Labor Day 2013 Event Map

RELATED | 11Alive.com Events Calendar

Dragon*Con, the annual science fiction and fantasy convention is one of the largest gatherings of its type around the world. Each year, the biggest artists, authors, actors, directors and fans come together over Labor Day weekend. This year's featured guests include Richard Dean Anderson, Ed Asner, John Barrowman, Avery Brooks, Peter Davison, John de Lancie, Michael Dorn, Lou Ferrigno, Lee Majors, Malcolm McDowell, Edward James Olmos, CCH Pounder, Jamie Hyneman, Adam Savage, William Shatner, George Takei, Billy Dee Williams, David Warner, and many, many others.

The convention features gaming, workshops, screenings, an art show, multiple contests, autograph sessions, lots of costumes, other special sessions and the Dragon*Con parade down Peachtree Street. Dragon*Con runs from Friday through Monday, and is spread across five hotels in downtown Atlanta.

The Decatur Book Festival is one of the largest book festivals in the nation featuring dozens of authors crowding the historic Decatur Square with book signings, workshops, author readings, live music, cooking demonstrations and much more. Dozens of authors will be on hand to discuss their books and projects, along with signing copies of their books.

This year's festival will feature 13 new novelists, and the launches of nearly 50 new book titles. The festival is free for the public to attend, and runs Saturday and Sunday.

The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is traditionally noted as one of the biggest college football games of opening weekend, and this year looks to be no exception. This year, the game features national champion and number one-ranked Alabama taking on Virginia Tech in a nationally televised contest at the Georgia Dome Saturday at 5:30.

Before the game, the AT&T Kickoff Concert features Uncle Kracker and Sheryl Crow in a free concert at Centennial Olympic Park downtown. The gates to the park open at noon. Uncle Kracker takes the stage at 2:30, followed by headliner Sheryl Crow.

College football kicks off for most schools this weekend. The Georgia State Panthers open their football season Friday night against the Samford Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome at 7:00. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets host the Elon Phoenix at Bobby Dodd Stadium Saturday at noon to open their 2013 football season.

The Atlanta Falcons close out the NFL pre-season Thursday night with a battle against their regional rivals the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Georgia Dome at 7:30 p.m.

Two concerts at the Chastain Park Amphitheatre will draw music fans this weekend - singer Toni Braxton headlines at Chastain on Saturday night. The Bounce TV Summer Music Festival comes to Chastain Park on Sunday, with the classic soul sounds of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, along with the Isley Brothers.

The Mythbusters Behind the Myths Tour features the hosts of the popular Discovery Channel series, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, on stage debunking some of your favorite myths - with audience participation, even. The show is set for the Fox Theatre Friday night at 8 p.m.

The Atlanta Braves are in town this weekend, first against the Cleveland Indians Thursday night at 7:10. Then the Braves face the Miami Marlins Friday night at 7:30, Saturday night at 7:10 and Sunday afternoon at 5. Then the New York Mets come to town for a day game Monday at 1:10. Metro Atlanta's other two professional baseball teams - the class AAA Gwinnett Braves and the class A Rome Braves have games this weekend to close out their seasons. Rome ends their year at State Mutual Stadium Thursday night at 7:00 against the Savannah Sand Gnats before ending their 2013 season with a weekend series at the Charleston River Dogs. The G-Braves close out their home season with games Thursday night and Friday night against the Durham Bulls at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville. Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the G-Braves head to Charlotte for their season ender against the Knights.

The Atlanta Silverbacks host the Tampa Bay Rowdies in North American Soccer League action Saturday night. The Silverbacks have already won the first half of the 2013 season, and as such, will host the NASL's 2013 championship in November. Saturday night's match will be held at Atlanta Silverbacks Park in Chamblee at 7:30.

The Publix Atlanta Cup will be played at 20 venues across metro Atlanta from Saturday through Monday, featuring youth soccer players from across the Southeast. More than 650 teams are expected to participate in the round-robin tournament in more than 40 classifications.

The fastest cars this weekend will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton for Sunday night's Advocare 500 Sprint Cup race. On Saturday night, the NASCAR Nationwide Series Great Clips-Grit Chips 300 will speed around the track at AMS. There are still tickets available for both races.

After a Saturday night game in Chicago against the Sky, the Atlanta Dream come back home for a Monday evening game at Philips Arena against the Los Angeles Sparks. Tip off on Monday is at 6 pm.

The 16th annual Black Gay Pride celebration runs through the weekend in Midtown Atlanta. The host hotels are the Midtown Hilton Garden Inn & Homewood Suites, the Loews Atlanta Hotel and the Melia Hotel Atlanta.

The Celebrate Freedom concert series is sponsored by 104.7 The Fish. It's touted as the largest outdoor FREE concert in America. It features Christian music artists including Third Day, Switchfoot, and Kingsdown. The concert is at the Jim R Miller park in Marietta on Saturday. 

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Closing arguments set Friday in Brunswick baby murder trial

MARIETTA, Ga. -- The defense rested its side of the Brunswick baby murder case Thursday evening, which means closing arguments will begin Friday morning.

Neither defendant, De'Marquise Elkins, 18, nor his mother, Karimah Elkins, 36, took the witness stand.

The teen is accused of wounding Sherry West and shooting her 13-month-old son, Antonio Santiago, between the eyes while he was sleeping in his stroller during a robbery last March.

His mother is accused of tampering with evidence for trying to throw away the pistol used in the shooting.

Defense attorneys spent most of the day trying to destroy the credibility of the child's mother.

MORE | Complete coverage of Brunswick baby death trial

They claim Sherry West mistakenly identified 18-year-old Elkins as the gunman who shot her twice and killed her 13-month-old son last March.

PHOTOS | Trial of De'Marquise Elkins

The defense played a police video of the mother's interrogation hours after the shooting.

At one point in the video, a police detective tried to double-check West's story about the attack by suggesting there might be surveillance video that didn't show any young black males anywhere near the crime.

Even though the surveillance video didn't really exist, the detective was trying to find out if West was in any way involved herself.

"Look, I'm not afraid so, you know, nobody's gonna tell me I did something I didn't do," she replied to the detective.

The defense then called Georgia State University Psychology Professor Dr. Heather Kleider to suggest West may have identified the wrong gunman.

Kleider said victims of such trauma usually focus on the weapon pointed at them more than on the face of their attacker.

She said in her opinion, the video of the police interrogation showed detectives trying to influence West's identification of Elkins.

"She never at any point in time, during what I saw, said, 'this is the person; I'm absolutely sure'," Kleider testified.

The defense also called Argie Brooks to the stand to try and attack his credibility as the person who first led police to suspect Elkins.

Facing unrelated armed robbery charges himself, Brooks admitted receiving $2,000 in reward money from Brunswick police, who still owe him $8,000 more, assuming Elkins is convicted.

The defense accused Brooks of making a deal with the state, but he denied it saying he only came forward to "do the right thing".

He called the reward "help money", not "snitch money".

"It would be help money if it was done to you," Brooks said to defense attorney Kevin Gough.

"I would be please help me; it'd be helping it, but now that it's on the other end, it's snitch money; that's not right," Brooks added.

One of the last witnesses was the child's father, Louis Santiago.

The defense tried to suggest Santiago may have been involved and tried to frame Elkins for a similar robbery and shooting of a minister ten days before his son's murder.

"Did you or did you not call (pastor) Wilfredo Calix Flores for the purpose of making sure he identified Markey Elkins?" defense attorney Gough asked.

"No, sir; no, sir!" the father replied.

The defense did get Santiago to admit he is doing jail time for unrelated stalking and fraud charges.

The trial was moved to Cobb County because of extensive publicity in the Brunswick area. 

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Fatal wreck closes I-20 at Fulton Industrial Blvd.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- A single vehicle wreck on Interstate 20 at Fulton Industrial Blvd. has claimed the lives of two people, according to police.

The incident happened at around 1 a.m. Friday in the westbound lanes of the interstate. In addition to those killed, two others may be injured.

Fulton County Police have closed all westbound lanes of I-20 before the F.I.B. exit and are routing traffic off at I-285. Eastbound lanes are not closed.

There is no estimate when the westbound lanes will open.

For the latest traffic conditions in metro Atlanta, visit 11Alive.com/Traffic.

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Man arrested for murder at Dunwoody apartment building

DUNWOODY, Ga. -- Authorities have made an arrest in the murder of a man at the Axis Perimeter Apartments on Wednesday.

According to authorities, they received a call regarding a person down near 8 Perimeter Center East around 7 a.m. 

Dunwoody Police Detectives arrested 24-year-old Barrett Ricks. He has been charged with murder. 

Police have not released the name and identity of the victim pending notification of next-of-kin. 

No further information has been released. 

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Two arrests made in south Fulton murder, shooting

UNION CITY, Ga. -- The Union City Police Department arrested two people for a murder and shooting that happened in south Fulton County on Friday, August 23.

Early Wednesday morning, officers arrested 32-year-old Otis Lee Hill, Jr. of Jonesboro. The arrest was made at a house in south Fulton County. Hill faces murder and aggravated assault charges.

At a home in Riverdale, officers arrested 31-year-old Aviance Chabliss Marshall. Like Hill, she was charged with murder and aggravated assault.

A Fulton County Public Works employee found the body of a female and an injured male in Fairburn. The worker found them that Friday around 9 a.m. on McClure Road, just off Highway 92. 

Detective Gloria Hudson of the Union City Police Department said on Friday that the female, Christina Wellington was dead from gunshot wounds. Her body was lying in the middle of McClure Road. 

Not far from Wellington's body was her husband Marshall Wellington, who was hurt by gunshot wounds. Hudson said he was immediately taken to a nearby hospital to be treated. His condition was not released. 

Investigators gave no further information.  

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Two killed in car, tractor trailer collision in Gwinnett

Two people were killed when a tractor trailer and car collided on Satellite Blvd and Shawnee Industrial Way Wednesday night, according to Gwinnett County Police.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Two people were killed when a tractor trailer and car collided on Satellite Blvd and Shawnee Industrial Way Wednesday night, according to Gwinnett County Police.

One other person, who was reported to be in critical condition, was transported to a local hospital.

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Dunwoody police release sketch of sex assault suspect

Suspect may have scratches to his face

DUNWOODY, Ga -- Police have released a sketch of a man who sexually assaulted a woman walking home Sunday evening. They said the woman was bruised and scratched after the attack but may have left her mark on the suspect. "We believe the suspect probably had more intention to cause further harm to the victim," said Dunwoody Police Officer Tim Fecht

It happened on Barclay Drive, just off of North Peachtree Road in Dunwoody. You might not want to walk the road alone at night. There are woods on either side of Barclay Drive, but police said the assault happened in broad daylight at about 5:30PM.

Ofc. Fecht said the woman was well aware of what was going on. She saw the man walking on the other side of the road and after he passed her he crossed the street, according to police.

"By the time he got up on her she turned around and he grabbed at her, started pulling on her clothing which led to a physical altercation," Ofc. Fecht said. "They wound up on the ground fighting."

Fecht said the man ran when a couple of cars passed by. "The suspect caused some bruising to (the victim's) face and gave her a couple of black eyes," he said. "She also had scrapes on her arms and on her legs."

The woman described the suspect as in his late 20's, 5'5"-5'8" tall, weighing 170-180 pounds. He wore a black hat, black shirt and black shorts. She also helped a GBI sketch artist draw the suspect's face.

Police said the suspect may have some distinguishing marks on his face from the fight the woman put up. "We believe that during the struggle the victim caused some lacerations or cuts, scratches to the suspect's face," he said.

Witnesses told police they saw a man with a bloodied face shortly after the attack, according to Fecht.

If you recognize the man in the sketch call Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477).

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @krowson11alive

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'Burglar to the Stars' arrested in Fla. on Atlanta warrants

Blaine David Nordahl (First Coast News)

ATLANTA (WXIA) -- Blaine David Nordahl, the so-called "Burglar to the Stars," was arrested in Nassau County, Fla., on Monday and will soon be returned to Atlanta on seven warrants here.

Nordahl is believed to have stolen more than $6 million nationally, taking expensive silver items from upscale homes, including the homes of Ivana Trump, broadcaster Curt Gowdy and Bruce Springsteen.

Police said Nordahl, 51, was arrested along with his girlfriend, Elizabeth Music. They said he was arrested after he showed up at an apartment complex in Hilliard, Fla., when he came to meet his girlfriend's daughter.

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MUG SHOTS| See 'em to believe 'em

Nordahl is facing charges in connection with seven burglaries in Metro Atlanta which netted about $1.5 million in stolen silver. He's also suspected in connection with more than 50 other crimes across the nation.

Atlanta Police Detective Drew Behry said Nordahl's girlfriend was arrested on two counts of burglary. Behry said Music would help Nordahl set up the heists.

Police said Nordahl made his living stealing from homes up and down the East Coast. Deputies in Nassau County said they were notified by authorities in several other states that he might be in the Jacksonville area.

According to Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper, a typical Nordahl burglary goes like this: 

The professional thief would approach a target house at night while the owners were asleep and carefully remove panes of glass from a French door, avoiding alarms that may be triggered by picking the lock, sometimes sneaking past sleeping dogs in the process. When all alarms were disabled, he would remove entire drawers full of silver items and take them outside to test them with his own silver test kit. Plate silver would be thrown away at the scene and he would leave with only the finest and most expensive items. 

Nordahl would steal an average of around $20,000 worth of silver in a single burglary. 

"The Silver Thief" has been caught numerous times and served an 8-year sentence after being convicted of stealing $50,000 worth of silver cutlery from the home of Ivana Trump. 

"Nordahl mainly stole silver because it is usually kept in the kitchen and dining areas, which made it easier to take and not disturb anyone in the home" said Leeper.

Behry said Nordahl's specialty when it came to the burglaries was that he knew which silver was the "good stuff," and how to stay away from the lesser expensive, silver-plated pieces. Behry noted that Nordahl knew how to get in and out of homes without tripping the burglar alarm.

Behry said Nordahl is being returned to Fulton County, but it was not immediately known which agency would get first crack at him.
Nordahl was also being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the time of his arrest.

(First Coast News contributed to this report.)

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One driver comes forward in deadly hit-n-run; a second on the loose

MONROE, Ga. -- The Georgia State Patrol has confirmed that one of two drivers believed responsible for a deadly hit-n-run crash in Walton County has come forward and is cooperating with their investigation.

The State Patrol says the unidentified driver claims he initially thought he ran over an animal but came forward as soon as he learned 16-year-old Jacob Little was killed in the crash.

Investigators are still looking for the first car -- a silver Honda Civic or Accord -- to strike the teen.

Troopers said they were called out to the 1200 block of North Broad Street near Double Springs Church Road early Tuesday.

The victim was 16-year-old Jacob Little, a student who police said was hit by three vehicles. Troopers said Little was riding his skateboard to school when it went out from under him. When he went into the street to retrieve it, they said he was first struck by a silver Honda, followed by a Ford Ranger, and finally by a dark colored Chevrolet Tahoe or Suburban.

The Ranger, police said, stopped at the scene, but they are looking for a silver Honda Civic or Accord and a dark colored Chevy Tahoe or Suburban. The Honda may have damage on its front end.

Jacob's friend, 14-year-old Dennis Harrison was there. He watched as the three cars hit his friend. With his parents' permission, he described how two of the drivers kept going.

"I was yelling at the cars to stop; Call 911," he said. "But nobody stopped."

RELATED | Cobb school bus cameras catching hundreds running stop signs

RELATED | Drivers who pass stopped school buses to face fines

MORE | Pedestrian killed on I-75 in Clayton Co.

"They hit my baby brother," said Jacob's older brother Jeremy Little. "They didn't stop, and I want to know why."

Jeremy has a message for hit-and-run drivers.

"Y'all have to live with that, as we have to live with y'all killing him," he said.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact the Walton County Sheriff's Office or the Georgia State Patrol in Monroe.  You can leave your messages of condolences below: 

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Marines to open infantry training to enlisted women

Pfc. Schevlle Woodard of Grand Prairie, Texas, prepares to head out on a 9-mile night march with male and female Marines during Marine Combat Training at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The Marine Corps will allow enlisted women to participate in basic infantry training beginning this fall as part of ongoing research to determine what additional ground combat jobs may open to female personnel. (Photo: Scott Olson, Getty Images)

(USA Today) -- The Marine Corps will allow enlisted women to participate in basic infantry training beginning this fall as part of ongoing research to determine what additional ground combat jobs may open to female personnel.

New enlisted female Marines will volunteer for spots in the service's Infantry Training Battalion, mirroring a related effort allowing new female lieutenants to enroll in the Corps' Infantry Officer Course, according to an official planning document obtained by Marine Corps Times. Titled "Assignment of Women in Combat Units," the document is dated Aug. 16.

"Female Marines will have the opportunity to go through the same infantry training course as their male counterparts," the document states. However, as with the research involving female officers, "female enlisted Marines who successfully complete infantry training as part of this research process will not be assigned infantry as a military occupational specialty and will not be assigned to infantry units."

It's unclear whether any enlisted women have volunteered yet. Marine Corps officials were not immediately available to discuss the plan.

Infantry Training Battalion is part of the Marine Corps' School of Infantry, the first stop for all new Marines once they've graduated from boot camp. The service operates two such schools, one at Camp Geiger along the North Carolina coast and one at Camp Pendleton in Southern California.

Enlisted infantry school lasts eight weeks and includes a mix of physical training, classroom work and overnight field exercises that involve live-fire events, according to the Marine Corps' website. Future grunts learn a host of skills while there, including weapons handling and marksmanship, patrolling and land navigation, and how to spot and react to improvised explosives. They live in tents through some of the program and at times sleep outside in fighting positions.

The inclusion of women in infantry training is part of the Marine Corps' extensive research process stemming from the Defense Department's historic decision earlier this year to repeal its Direct Combat Exclusion Rule, enacted in 1994. The move opened about 237,000 jobs to women across all of the services, including nearly 54,000 jobs in the Marine Corps. While some troops see it as a step toward equal rights, others contend it will weaken the military's combat units.

The Corps' research is expected to last years, and Marine officials have said no women will join infantry units before 2015. Even then, the services will be allowed to ask for exceptions that, if granted by the Pentagon, could keep some jobs closed to women.

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Woman reported missing in Canton

CANTON, Ga. -- The Canton Police Department is looking for Deborah Lee Crawford, of Marietta, who was last seen at the K-mart on 1750 Marietta Hwy at 4 pm on Monday, August, 19. 

On Thursday, Crawford was reported missing. She was reported to have been dropped off by a friend at K-mart and picked up by a male, named Travis. 

The family advised Crawford has several mental disorders including depression. Crawford has not been reported missing before.

The City of Canton Police Department is looking for assistance in gathering further information to help locate Crawford.

Please call Canton Police with any information by contacting the Cherokee County 911 Center at 678-493-4080 or the Canton Police Department at 770-720-4883 attention Detective R.V. Campbell.

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High School Football Scores - August 24

Atlanta -- Here are the scores for week one of high school football:

MORE | Complete High School Sports Coverage: Scores, Highlights and more

Send us pictures of your team's game.  Email them tophotos@11alive.com.

Carlton J. Kell High School 26 Chattahoochee High School 16
FINAL

Peachtree Ridge 23 Walton High School 17
FINAL

Mt Vernon Christian 14 Mt. Pisgah Christian School 48
FINAL

Colquitt County HS 21 Grayson High School 6
FINAL  

South Gwinnett High School 21   Lincoln High School 34
Final  

North Gwinnett High School 34 Camden County High School 14 
In Progress

Washington (Fla.) 27 Norcross 0 
In Progress 

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High School Football Scores - August 23

Atlanta -- Here are the scores for week one of high school football:

MORE | Complete High School Sports Coverage: Scores, Highlights and more

Send us pictures of your team's game.  Email them to photos@11alive.com.

Clarkston High School 7 Arabia Mountain High School 40
FINAL

Holy Innocents' Episcopal 28 Lakeside High School 14
FINAL

Johns Creek HS 6 Woodstock High School 34
FINAL

Maynard Jackson High School 0 Towers High School 13
FINAL

Osborne High School 25 Chapel Hill 14
FINAL

Temple High School 0 Walker School, The 21
FINAL

Newnan High School 21 Marietta High School 52
FINAL

Sprayberry High School 14 Wheeler High School 44
FINAL

Westminster School 0 Blessed Trinity High School 18
FINAL

Campbell High School 36 Morrow High School 6
FINAL

Cedar Grove High School 12 Tucker High School 51
FINAL

Hillgrove High School 26 Westlake High School 6
FINAL

New Manchester High School 21 Paulding County High School 13
FINAL

Darlington School 50 Murphy High School 6
FINAL

Villa Rica High School 27 Woodland High Shool 3
FINAL

Calvary Baptist Day School 22 Landmark Christian School 30
FINAL

Coffee High School 20 Whitewater H.S. 7
FINAL

Heard County High School 0 Callaway High School 34
FINAL

Lovett School, The 21 Woodward Academy 14
FINAL

East Hall High School 27 Dawson County High School 29
FINAL

West Hall High School 35 Johnson High School 0
FINAL

St. Francis High School 7 Prince Avenue Christian School 54
FINAL

Athens Academy 41 Glascock County High School 8
FINAL

Dalton High School 27 Ringgold High School 33
FINAL

Dodge High School 38 Southwest High School 0
FINAL

Mc Intosh County Academy 3 Glynn Academy 14
FINAL

H. V. Jenkins High School 6 Savannah Christian Prep School 6
FINAL

Clinch County HS 14 Brooks County High School 26
FINAL

Fitzgerald High School 14 Jefferson County High School 28
FINAL

Swainsboro High School 7 Worth County High School 26
FINAL

Stone Mountain High School 26 Greater Atlanta Christian School 48
FINAL

Thomas County Central High School 38 Thomasville High School 0
FINAL

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12-year-old abducted in Forest Park has been located

FORREST PARK, Ga. -- Telia Moena Battle, 12-years-old, has been located, according to the Forest Park Police Department. 

Battle was found walking less than a half a mile from the location she was reported abducted at. 

Earlier Friday night, Battle was walking south on Hendrix Dr. with her five-year-old brother when a light in color, four door passenger vehicle approached her.

A heavy set black female reportedly grabbed Telia by her shirt and pulled her in to the back seat of the vehicle. The vehicle was occupied by approximately four to five black male and female passengers.

The vehicle reportedly fled North bound on Hendrix Dr.

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1 week old baby and 8 other kids removed from filthy home

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga -- In a neighborhood of single family ranch homes in Lawrenceville, one stood out because it was surrounded by police. From the outside the home looked dilapidated. There were several cars parked on the property and piles of garbage. But police said it was even worse on the inside.

Neighbors watched as the police removed nine children from the home. The youngest was born one week ago; the oldest is nine years old. "It was very upsetting to hear kids screaming and hollering because they were being taken away from their parents," said a neighbor who told us her name was Jennifer. "I'm a mother and I'm a grandmother, and it broke my heart."

Gwinnett County Police said they had no choice. The home was unfit for children or any human being. "The inside of the home was in very poor condition," said Cpl. Jake Smith.

Police were called to the home by DFACS who received an anonymous tip that children were living in a filthy home where there was drug use going on.

Three adults in the home were arrested. Jerry Towler, 29, and his wife Jessica Towler, 31 were each charged with four counts of Cruelty to Children and Reckless Conduct. Rebecca Black was charged with five counts of the same two charges.

The Towler's are parents of four children and Black is the mother of five children, including a one-week old baby, according to Cpl. Smith.

"They found mold. They found trash everywhere, fecal matter from animals and this was spread throughout the entire home," Smith said. "There was also a very serious infestation of insects."

Cpl. Smith said the first officer who went to the home could smell a stench before she even walked inside. "The smell was the first thing she reported noticing, just an overwhelming odor of things rotting, fecal matter, it just smelled really awful," he said.

The officer found bugs in food cupboards and in a refrigerator, according to police. "The insect infestation was bad enough that when the officers walked back outside they noticed that they were covered in insects as well from walking through (the house)," Cpl. Smith said.

Police also found evidence of drug use in the home and the three adults could be facing more charges.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @krowson11alive

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Boil water advisory issued in Tucker

TUCKER, Ga. (AP) -- DeKalb County officials have issued a boil water advisory for the Tucker area.

County officials said a temporary fluctuation in water pressure left a portion of the county's water system below Georgia Environmental Protection Division regulations on Wednesday.

Officials say the water has been sampled and test results should be available Thursday afternoon.

DeKalb County officials plan to update residents on the water's status once the test results are available.

Associated Press

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Man faces murder charges for shooting and killing his 23-month-old grandson

LILBURN, Ga. -- Authorities are investigating a shooting that left a 23-month-old boy dead on Tuesday evening. 

According to Gwinnett County Police, the shooting happened just before 10:00 on the 5200 block of Stafford Drive in unincorporated Lilburn. 

Witnesses say the suspect, 39-year-old Luis Efran Torres, was arguing with a family member and then fired shots in the home's driveway. 

One of the shots hit the child, Deandre Vega of Norcross. He was taken to a nearby medical center in critical condition where he later died. 

Investigators found that Vega's father, Rochell McCoy had taken the toddler to Torres' home. As the argument stirred, Torres fired shots toward McCoy when one hit young Vega. McCoy was unharmed.

Cpl. Jake Smith said Wednesday that Torres was Vega's grandfather. Vega was less then three weeks away from his second birthday. 

Torres was arrested on the scene and charged with murder and aggravated assault. He is being held at the Gwinnett County Detention Center without bond. 

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Listen to 911 call of McNair Learning Center shooting

DECATUR, Ga. -- Police said the "potential was there to have another Sandy Hook" at McNair Learning Academy. 

The public defender for Michael Brandon Hill,  the man accused of firing shots at McNair Discovery Learning Academy in DeKalb County on Tuesday, waived his first appearance in DeKalb Magistrate Court.

LISTEN | 911 calls from McNair learning center during shooting

During a police press conference Wednesday, investigators said Hill got the gun from an acquaintance's home, and had nearly 500 rounds of ammo.

Tyrone Mitchell Sr. lives up the street from the school. He caught the scene on his phone and posted a video to his FB page.

VIDEO | Cell phone video of shooting at McNair Academy

GALLERY | Shooting at McNair Learning Academy 

Officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms have the weapon and are trying to learn more about how Hill got it.

Police say Hill fired shots in the school before stepping outside and firing at police.  Police did return fire.

Police are talking to Hill's friends and family to learn more about the suspect.  They are also still trying to determine a motive.

Police did show a picture that Hill took on his cell phone holding the gun he used.

Twenty-year-old Hill, was arrested earlier this year for threatening to kill his brother.

A police report from Henry County Police shows that Hill was taken into custody on March 13 and charged with terroristic threats.

Hill's brother, Timothy Hill, who lives in McDonough, told police in late December 2012 that the suspect sent him a Facebook message saying "that he would shoot him in the head and not think twice about it," according to the police report.

Michael Hill was tracked down and then arrested by Henry County Police more than two months after making the Facebook threat.

READ | March Henry Co. police report on Hill
READ | December Henry Co. family violence incident report

Timothy Hill told police that Michael Hill suffers from mental issues. Timothy Hill also said he was in fear for his life, and that he did not know his brother's address.

11Alive's Center for Investigative Action talked to a Michael Brandon Hill's sister-in-law who told us that he had lived with her family a few years ago. 

"I made sure he took his meds," Julie King said, adding, "he got angry every now and again but mostly kept to himself and liked to play board games." 

A long time family friend Ben Haworth of McDonough wasn't surprised about Hill's arrest. 

"It doesn't surprise me much. I knew he was going to snap. He set his family's house on few a few years back while they were all asleep in their house. They tried to get help. He was just always slapped on the wrist when he went to court because of his mental problems. He was never really punished by the judicial system for what he did," Haworth said. 

We have not confirmed that Michael Brandon Hill was ever formally accused of setting fire to the family home but Haworth said his older brothers, Timothy and Dean, put it out. 

Natasha Knotts, who helped lead the church Hill attended, Prophetical Word Church, says he was like a son to her. She says he called her "Mom". Knotts says her sister received a call from Michael Brandon Hill before the shooting and described what he said.

"I love you, tell ma that I love her. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and I don't make it out of this, I'll always love you,"Knotts told 11Alive.

There was a history of mental illness in the family. Hill's mother, 44 year old Rita Hill, died two years ago. The autopsy report said she had a history of depression and schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts.

She had Thanksgiving dinner with one of her son's in 2010 and on December 4th she was reported missing.  21 days later on Christmas day she was found in one of her son's backyards the same place where she was last seen. 

Hill now faces charges of terroristic threats, firearm possession and aggravated assault on a police officer in Tuesday's shooting.

Hill's public defender waived his first appearance at DeKalb County Magistrate Court Wednesday afternoon. In a statement, Claudia Saari with the Office of the Public Defender said Hill is being represented by members of the office's Mental Health Division.

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Programming Note: Days of Our Lives and Dr. Phil

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Andrea Sneiderman gets 5 years in prison

Andrea Sneiderman (Courtesy of DeKalb County)

DECATUR, Ga. -- Andrea Sneiderman was sentenced Tuesday morning to a total of 5 years in prison with credit for time served. 

Before she was sentenced by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams, Sneiderman took the stand on her own behalf. With shackles on her feet, she shuffled to the stand.

PHOTO GALLERY | Inside the Sneiderman trial & Photos of Andrea reacting to sentence

WATCH | Andrea Sneiderman takes the stand during sentencing

She asked for mercy and to be able to be with her children instead of going to prison. She said she was wrong for trusting her boss, Hemy Neuman, who killed her husband, Rusty Sneiderman outside a Dunwoody daycare center in November 2010.

FULL COVERAGE | Gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Andrea Sneiderman trial coverage

Sneiderman says she should have quit her job, and that she should have told her husband of Neuman's advances.

Before she spoke, a litany of other friends came to the stand to beg the court's mercy, and to ask that Sneiderman be allowed to stay at home. They spoke of her as a mother who should be there for her children. 

Sneiderman attorney Tom Clegg spoke passionately, comparing her to Sam Sheppard, a man convicted and later exonerated, and whose life was the basis for the television series "The Fugitive." 

In the beginning of the hearing,  Rusty Sneiderman's brother, Steve Sneiderman spoke emotionally, expressing the feelings of the Sneiderman family, and asking that Andrea receive the maximum possible sentence for her crimes.

After Andrea Sneiderman's testimony, Judge Gregory Adams called a brief recess, and said that upon his return, he would render his decision.

Judge Adams sentenced her to five years each on a total of 6 combined counts.  But since they will be served at the same time, Andrea will spend 5 years in prison, minus time already served.

The prosecution asked for 20 years prison time, the defense asked for five years probation.

DeKalb District Attorney Robert James said Sneiderman had not taken responsibility for her actions to this point.

"Sad, terrible situation," he said. "In America, you cannot lie to police, cannot lie to a jury. The jury has held her accountable."

WATCH | The Sneiderman jury reads the verdict in court
READ | Jury verdict form, laying out decision on each charge

Snedierman was found guilty of one count of hindering the apprehension of a criminal, one count of concealment of material facts, three counts of false statements and four counts of perjury. She was found not guilty on three perjury counts and one count of false statements. 

The charges were in connection with the shooting death of her husband, Rusty Sneiderman, in November 2010 outside a daycare center in Dunwoody. 

Sneiderman's supervisor at GE Energy, Hemy Neuman, was convicted in March 2012 for Rusty Sneiderman's death.

READ| Judge Adam's funny sayings in the courtroom

The jury deliberated all day Friday before breaking for the weekend. They resumed deliberation Monday morning before coming to a verdict Monday afternoon at about 1:30 p.m.

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Shooting at McNair Learning Academy in DeKalb County

DECATUR, Ga. - Authorities have identified 20-year-old Michael Brandon Hill as the suspect in the shooting at the Ronald McNair Discovery Learning Academy Tuesday afternoon.

According to DeKalb County Police, Hill will be charged with Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, Terroristic Threats and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

DeKalb School spokesperson Quinn Hudson says all students were accounted for, and that no one was injuried.

Superintendent Michael Thurmond says classes will be held Wednesday for McNair Academy students, at McNair High School.  But he added, absences will not be counted.

Late Tuesday afternoon SWAT members went into the home of the suspect.

PHOTOS | Gunman reported at DeKalb elementary school
VIDEO | Students evacuated after shooting at DeKalb school
WATCH | Police press conference on school shooting

DeKalb County Police said they responded to a call of shots fired at the Ronald McNair Discovery Learning Academy on 2nd Avenue in unincorporated DeKalb County.

In a news conference, DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander said the suspect was a 19 years old white male, dressed in all black, and carrying an AK-47 assault rifle and other weapons. DeKalb County police said the suspect lives near the school. 

Alexander said the suspect was holding school staff members captive in the school's office.

Police Chief Alexander says the suspect stepped outside the school and fired multiple shots at officers.  Officers fired back and the suspect dropped to the ground and surrendered.

A team from the US Marshal's Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, along with officers from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, the DeKalb County Police Department, DeKalb County School Resource Officers and US Marshals from the Northern District of Georgia were all on scene.

After he was arrested, the suspect was turned over to the DeKalb County Police Department.  According to SERFTF supervisory inspector Jim Joyner, personnel from the task force joined in searching and securing the school.

Chief Alexander said that once the suspect's car was located near the front of the school, a K-9 unit "hit" on the car, noting the possible presence of explosives in the vehicle.  A search of the car later found no explosives.

Police officers took the students from the field in the rear of the school away from the school building. They cut a hole in the fence surrounding the field to keep the students away from the vehicle and investigation at the front of the school.

County officials said there was no indication of any motive.

Students were bussed to a Walmart store at the corner of Gresham and Flat Shoals roads, near Interstate 20, to be reunited with their parents. 

Thurmond was working with crews from the Walmart to hand out water to parents waiting for buses there.

Buses began to arrive at the Walmart shortly after 4 p.m.

DeKalb School spokesperson Quinn Hudson says when the suspect entered the school, he had demands to speak to a local television station.  Once reports of the suspect came in, the students were taken out of the rear of the building into a field behind the school.

VIDEO | Congressman John Lewis comments about school shooting

US Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga. 5th) came to the Walmart where families were being reunited, and later issued a statement.

"I am deeply disturbed by the shooting at McNair Learning Academy. As a society, we must find a way to deal with the fact that there is too much violence on our city streets. Somehow and some way we must convey the message to young and old that violence is not an effective way to solve human problems. And when we come to that understanding as a nation, this nightmare will end.

"Until that time, my thoughts and prayers are with those who have been terrorized by this incident, even some children attending school for the first time this August. The law enforcement officers of Dekalb County, McNair Academy school personnel, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia state troopers and all officials involved deserve our thanks and highest praise for securing a very dangerous situation so that no child or adult was physically injured. Their primary concern was for the safety of the children, and they successfully protected them from greater harm."

On Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Michael Thurmond released a statement saying: 

"All children are safe as well as the employees and staff of Ronald McNair Discovery Learning Academy. I want to thank law enforcement (FBI, GBI, DeKalb County Police, DeKalb County School System Police, and the DeKalb Sheriff's Department) for their professional and timely response to this crisis. Due to their efforts, a potentially tragic outcome was avoided. I want to thank the parents who supported the District and waited at Wal-Mart through this collaborative effort as we worked to ensure that the safety of our students was paramount.

The District has taken measures to allow for Ronald McNair Discovery Learning Academy to maintain its core business of teaching and learning, and all classes for the students will continue at McNair High School on Wednesday, August 21, 2013. Student transportation will continue as normal to McNair High School located at 1804 Bouldercrest Road, SE Atlanta 30316; however, any student unable to attend school tomorrow will receive an excused absence. A crisis intervention team and counselors will be on site to assist students and staff as needed."

The school is an elementary school in the Candler-McAfee area of unincorporated DeKalb County and part of the public school system in DeKalb County.

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Andrea Sneiderman Guilty of 9 of 13 counts

Andrea Sneiderman (Courtesy of DeKalb County)

DECATUR, Ga. -- The jury in the Andrea Sneiderman perjury trial has found Sneiderman guilty of 9 of 13 counts.

FULL COVERAGE | Gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Andrea Sneiderman trial coverage

PHOTO GALLERY| Inside the Sneiderman trial & Photos of Andrea reacting to verdict

WATCH | The Sneiderman jury reads the verdict in court
READ | Jury verdict form, laying out decision on each charge

Snedierman was found guilty of one count of hindering the apprehension of a criminal, one count of concealment of material facts, three counts of false statements and four counts of perjury. She was found not guilty on three perjury counts and one count of false statements.

The charges were in connection with the shooting death of her husband, Rusty Sneiderman, in November 2010 outside a daycare center in Dunwoody.

Sneiderman's supervisor at GE Energy, Hemy Neuman, was convicted in March 2012 for Rusty Sneiderman's death.

READ| Judge Adam's funny sayings in the courtroom

Sneiderman will spend the night in jail Monday night before the sentencing phase of the trial begins at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

The jury deliberated all day Friday before breaking for the weekend. They resumed deliberation Monday morning before coming to a verdict Monday afternoon at about 1:30 p.m.

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Some restaurants consider dropping tips, raising menu prices

ATLANTA -- It's just a normal part of dining out. After enjoying the meal, most of us don't leave the table without leaving a tip.

But according to The Wall Street Journal, some restaurants in New York and Chicago are considering taking the tip off the table altogether, making theirs a tip-free establishment. 

Those restaurants would instead bump menu prices by as much as 15 percent. So rather than working for tips, waiters and waitresses would earn higher hourly pay.

So far, it seems the trend hasn't spread to the south. But would Atlanta restaurants get behind the practice?

Restaurant owner Doug Caylor says it depends on the establishment.

"I think for higher-end restaurants, it's a good idea. For middle to lower-end establishments, I don't think it will work as well."

Caylor's restaurant, Drafting Table Pub, is less than a year old. He fears raising prices for such a practice would drive away his customer base.

"For lower-end restaurants, I believe it will stand out more because your prices will raise more."

Caitlin Bradley only works a six-hour shift at Drafting Pub, but says on an average to good night, she will pull $100 to $150.

"On a great night, a little over $200," she said. 

She says doing away with tips could be a gamble and might be difficult for small businesses.

"I know people who've worked at restaurants where you're leaving with close to $400 a night. And I don't know if you can pay someone enough hourly for a six-hour shift [to match that]."

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Emergency Deals: $5 first aid kits, generators, lights

ATLANTA -- Today's deal is not by viewer request! As you know by now, I try to center all the deals I hunt down around your wants and needs.

When it comes to emergency preparation deals, I receive the majority of your requests in the cooler months and throughout winter. The problem is that by this point, items are at their highest demand and highest price point.

The key is to stack on the coupons and shop early... like today.

Below you can find four of the biggest deals I've seen this year on the most in-demand products. Whether you're preparing your home or a vehicle for an emergency, the savings are superb today. Want more deals? Follow @MattGranite on Twitter.

74% off 42-piece compact first aid kit for car & travel + free shipping

[http://www.offers.com/tanga/1119987/]

Was: $19.95

Now: $4.99

44% off DuroMax 4,000-watt gas-powered portable generator + free shipping

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Was: $500

Now: $280

71% off Nu-Flare aluminum LED flashlight + free shipping

[http://www.offers.com/amazon/1178208/]

Was: $89.95

Now: $25.95

30% off K-Light lantern emergency kit + free shipping

[http://www.offers.com/top-deals/1520047/]

Was: $109.95

Now: $76.96

Use code: OFFERS30OFF

**Select the lantern + carrying case option otherwise code will not work

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Pepsi-flavored Cheetos not too wacky to sell

(AP) -- Q: What's bright orange and fizzes? A: Pepsi-flavored Cheetos, of course.

Huh? No, you can't buy them in the USA - at least, not yet - but the weirdly flavored combo snack is now being sold in Japan, where almost no flavors are too wacky to mix and match.

The snacks, which hit shelves in Japan last month, will be sold there only for a limited time, says Frito-Lay spokesman Jeff Dahncke. For the moment, at least, there are no plans to bring the chips to the U.S., he says. But clearly, the world's biggest snack food giant is hip to the international food trend that's spread across supermarket shelves: flavor-mashing.

Mixing flavors like Cheetos and Pepsi "speaks to consumers' short attention spans," says Lynn Dornblaser, new products guru at the research firm Mintel. "Consumers all want something absolutely new that's never been seen before." That, after all, may be about the best way to stand out from the estimated 20,000 food and drink products introduced each year in the U.S. alone.

There's a food-industry term for how consumers respond to product mashes like Pepsi and Cheetos: mouth surprise. "The mouth doesn't anticipate the combo, which actually makes it more pleasurable to the brain," says food scientist Steven Witherly, author of Why Humans Like Junk Food: The Inside Story on Why You Like Your Favorite Foods. "If something looks like a Cheeto but tastes like a Pepsi, it wakes up the brain."

A product review for Pepsi-flavored Cheetos was posted Thursday on The Impulsive Buy blog. It says that these Cheetos actually fizz in the mouth.

"The first sensation, which I did not expect, was a very acidic bite," says the reviewer. "It tries to capture the citrus notes of Pepsi, but it's over the top. Too lemony. The sweeter cola flavor is there, but it's subtler and overpowered by the intense citrus."

But you don't need to go to Japan for weird flavor combos. Over the past 18 months or so, Taco Bell has mashed three different flavored Doritos into its Taco shells. And Oreo keeps spinning out all kinds of odd Oreo flavor combos, including the most recent, Rainbow Sherbet Ice Cream Oreos - plopped, mercifully, into vanilla (not chocolate) Oreos. (In Japan, it sells Green Tea Oreos.)

In the evolving world of social media posts, tweets and snaps, it's all about products finding ways to garner attention, says Dornblaser. "There's something to be said about products that elicit an 'ew' response," she says. That is, if a product has a reasonable gross-out factor, there's also a reasonable chance that someone who tries it will post it on their Facebook page. Which is all the product makers really want, anyway.

But Dornblaser says she's not nearly bold enough to eat a bag of Pepsi-flavored Cheetos. Then, again, she says, "I'd eat a handful."

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One dead from gunshot to the head

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High school football player dies from injuries during scrimmage

ATLANTA -- A Creekside High School football player has died from injuries sustained during a scrimmage at Banneker High School Friday night. 

De'Antre Turman, 16, was taken to Grady hospital after being injured during the game, and was pronounced dead overnight. 

PHOTOS |  Creekside High School football player dies

Saturday evening, a Fulton County medical examiner ruled the cause of death was from a fracture of the third cervical vertebrae.

Witnesses at the scrimmage, including Turman's coach from an after-school college prep program, IDareU, Glenn Ford, watched Turman cover the Banneker receiver. The receiver caught the ball downfield and Turman immediately tackled him. 

As Ford says, Turman "just immediately went limp."

"It was a fundamental tackle, Ford said. "(Turman's) head was up. It was a clean tackle. It was a clean tackle. He went down. Only God knows. You know, only God knows what happened.
"He was an outstanding kid, you know, through adversity, through all the adversity that he'd been going through, losing his mom, you know, he was just a good kid," Ford added.
 
The 5-foot-11, 164-pound junior was a cornerback for the Seminoles and was just named the Top Defensive Back at MVP Camp this past June. 

According to 247sports.com, he had a scholarship off to play football at the University of Kentucky.   

Another former coach of Turman, George Purvis, knew the football player since he was seven-years-old. 

"Oh man. It's hard. It's hard. I mean, he's a special kid," he said. 
"His goal was to play pro football. And he was one of the special ones that had a good chance to do it."

The Georgia High School Association released a statement via their Facebook page. 

"Any kind of death of an adolescent, it's a tragedy," said Dr. Ralph Swearngin, GHSA Executive Director. "You think about the loss to the family and a young life being cut off whether it's an athletic event or car accident or natural causes. As a father and grandfather, it strikes you personally."

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New report blasts Fayette County Water Department

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. -- Last Spring, several of our viewers emailed and called about foul smelling water in Fayette County, especially around the Peachtree City area.

The results are in on what caused the smell and they are not pretty.

When first reported in May, it was thought that nature was the culprit for the foul smelling water.

Investigators blamed shifting temperatures at one or more of their water reservoirs.

However, now investigators know the problem was at county water treatment plants -- all thanks to poor conditions and the people running them.

A scathing 45-page State Environmental Report blasts the Fayette County's Water Department for how it runs two water treatment plants.

The report uncovered non-certified personnel running the plants; wrongly signed documents; managers not properly licensed; improper record keeping and equipment in disrepair.

Ted Jackson, Drinking Water Program Manager for the Georgia Environmental Protection Agency says it's highly unusual to have two plants in the same County facing serious difficulties.

"Lots of equipment needs to be repaired and fixed. We have encouraged Fayette County Water to retrain its operators so they know exactly what they are doing, when to do it and how to do it," Jackson said.

And the EPD is going a step further.

They say they will ask the Georgia Secretary of State to investigate the Water Department for possible fraud or deception, not using reasonable care and possible incompetence.

Steve Brown, Fayette County's Commission Chairman is not only upset by the findings, but says as soon as the County Manager gets back from vacation, heads will roll.

"We're startled at how bad things actually are. We knew that we had some problems, but the reports have revealed some things that even we didn't know about," he said.

Chairman Brown doesn't know how much money it will take to fix the problem, but he says it will probably mean higher water bills, which falls on taxpayers.

The only good news is that no matter how bad Fayette County's water tasted, experts say it never posed a health hazard.

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Former residents voice complaints against Bethany Place

For a woman with no place else to go, this place looks like a dream. Bright and immaculate, folksy and homey, with a bountiful pantry and the promise of fellowship with women of faith.

It's called Bethany Place. Its backers say it has helped thousands of women, who have used the rural Cherokee County facility to transition from homelessness, addiction or abuse. 

Former Cherokee County district attorney Gary Moss said "It's to help women and children who are homeless, and to try to get them back on their feet and back into the community." 

Moss and sheriff Roger Garrison are among the local leaders who have lauded the work done here. 

Former resident Susan Martin says Sandy Reed, the facility's founder, turned her life around fifteen years ago.

"She did so much for me. She opened up her home and her heart, and taught me," Martin said. 

But a closer look at this respected facility reveals a story with dark contrasts, as told by more recent former residents. 

"It's hard to explain it but I could feel the evil," said former resident, Vanessa Kress. 

"I felt like a slave every day,"said another former resident.

Cut off from the outside world.

"They separate you from your family. You're not allowed to speak to your family," former resident said Holly Stoner said.

And threatened with damnation.

"And they were telling me something about, if I leave there, I was gonna burn in a lake of fire," said Kress.

For the five former residents willing to speak with us on camera, and for the eight other women who shared their stories off camera, Bethany Place was not a place of healing and renewal.

They describe a facility in which they say they felt trapped, typically for years, cut off from the outside world, without cash and resources, and forced to work constantly. 

"Fourteen, fifteen hours a day. Every day! You're not allowed to be sick. You get yelled at if you say you're sick," said Stoner.  

"There was no job training. You know, it's an eighteen month plan. Program. But there's no exit strategy. And your money was gone. I left penniless," said another resident. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "Your goal was to sort of rehabilitate yourself and then move on with your life, right?"

"Yes. That's what they say you're supposed to do," said Kress. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "Did they let you look for a job elsewhere?"

"Never."

"I lost hope with that. After about four years or so, I started losing hope with that," Kress said. 

"They don't let you go on the computer and check. They monitor all your phone calls. They monitor your mail," said former resident Lisa Porter. 

"If you come out more messed up than you went in, there's a problem," another former resident said. 

We visited Bethany Place twice.  Founder Sandy Reed showed us the facility, but would not allow TV interviews with current residents. 

"And things like, you're gonna burn in a lake of fire? I never said that in my life," Reed said. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "So she just made that up?"

"You bet she made that up," Reed said. 

When Reed talked with us, we showed her what some of her former residents had told us, and gave her a chance to respond to their claims.

"She would teach often, the girls, about being a servant. That if you're a servant, that if you love the lord, you will do those things - for her. Mainly for her. Not for other people, but for her. That's not God at all. That's a cult," Porter said.  

"None of that is true. Not any of it is true," Reed said. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "So all of them are lying?"

"Right," Reed added. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "Do you use the fear of God to shape these folks?"

"Never. Never. Listen. He lives inside of me," Reed said. 

"She told us as well that if we walked out of the doors, that we were not guaranteed God's protection. We were only guaranteed God's protection while we were in the ministry," Stoner said. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "I wonder how she knew that?"

"He talks to her. And only her," Stoner added. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "Now, did she actually say that?"

"Yes (yes) many times. Many times. 'You can't hear God. I hear God'," Stoner said. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "Did you ever say 'Only you hear God'?"

"Oh my gosh! No! They have perverted that," Reed said. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "What do you say?"

"I say, while you're here, we have authority. And God will speak to us on your behalf," Reed said. 

("This is the computer lab. Right now we have a day bed in there for a child," Reed said.)

Reed showed us the facility's computer lab and admitted she doesn't let residents use it to find work or for any other reason.

"Do you know why we haven't used the computer lab? Because we had a couple of women here who were addicted to pornography on computers," Reed said. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "If a woman comes in here, how can she plan her life afterward?"

"That's not my responsibility to do it. You're a grown woman. You do it," Reed said. 

Reed agreed that residents are required to work and says the conditions can be tough, by necessity.

"These women need their lives changed. Or they're going back to the same thing they always did," Reed said.  "It's hard. When I interview them, every single one will tell you, back there, this will be the hardest thing you've ever done in your life."

Since 2010, Cherokee County sheriff deputies have been called six times to help residents leave Bethany Place, because of "emotional abuse," one incident report says; "not able to leave the facility of her own free will," as another said. 

On this particular day, some former residents tipped us off to an attempt they'd planned to get a woman out of the shelter. She had been there six years. And she declined to leave with the deputies. But several weeks earlier, deputies escorted Vanessa Kress from Bethany place. She had been there eight years. 

"They build you up, break you down. Like a cult. I figured that out at the end. That's exactly what it was," Kress said. 

In two instances, the sheriff's department opened criminal investigations into whether women were being held against their will at Bethany Place. Both times, they found insufficient evidence to file any charges, and closed their investigations. 

"I'm accused of being arrogant and over the top. This is the way God raised me," Reed said. 

Reed dismisses the emergency calls to police as 'drama.'

"They were well taken care of. Abundantly taken care of. And this stuff that you hear, they're lying," Reed said. 

Doug Richards, 11Alive: "Do you think they're going to hell?"

"I don't know where they're going. I don't know their hearts. I don't know if you are. I'll tell you what, what they're doing now isn't helping them," Reed said. 

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One-handed Milton HS basketball player, Zach Hodskins, receives college offer

MILTON, Ga. -- Good news greeted a varsity basketball player from Milton High School, Zach Hodskins, as he was beginning his Senior year.

One of his life-long dreams is coming true.

Zach, who was born without his left hand and lower arm and is one of Milton's best players, just found out he has a shot at playing college ball.

The University of Florida has offered Zach a place on the team as a preferred walk-on next year.

"It means the world for me," Zach told 11Alive News Friday evening, "because my whole life I've worked for this opportunity, and I work hard every day in the gym, and for somebody to notice me, finally, for the hard work I've done, it's a great feeling."

|On 11Alive.com  From Dec., 2012: 

 One-Handed Baskeball Player a National Sensation|

Zach's coach from his Junior year at Milton, Van Keys, has seen the college scouting reports on Zach.

What's at the top of every report?

"They said he's an excellent shooter," Coach Keys said, "everybody says he can shoot the basketball, he shoots deep threes, he plays extremely hard."

Zach has seen the scouting reports, too, and has noticed that only rarely do the scouts even mention his one-handed abilities until further down in their reports.

"I love it to see that they've treated me as a player and a kid that can play on the 'next level' first, and then the disability second," Zach said with a smile. "When I was younger, coming up, there were doubts from older people and even myself that maybe one day I wouldn't be able to be in this position that I am now. And to have this opportunity to go through my senior year knowing that I am going to play at the next level is just a dream that I'm fulfilled with, and I'm happy to do it."

"Every day we have things we go through and we think it's never going to get any better, or we can't do something," Coach Keys said, "and you look at Zach, and you say, 'Hey, this kid's overcome quite a bit to be at the level he's at.'  When he's on the court, he wants to succeed, he wants to do well, he plays extremely hard, he's very coachable, and he wants to win."

And Zach often receives tweets from other kids who have heard of him, who are going through tough times dealing with disabilities or other issues. And he tells them -- stay strong.

"It's just amazing to hear from them, and see that there are other people out there like me who are going through the same thing. And I can really relate to them, I love to talk with them.... Just keep your head up. And if you feel it in your heart, just go for it, and you will make it. And I hope that I've proven that example."

Zach's first goal is to play college basketball, and graduate. His next goal is to be a motivational speaker.

Coach Keys said he won't be surprised if Zach gets some college scholarship offers. And he said if Zach does go to the University of Florida as a preferred walk-on, he believes Zach has the talent and drive to improve and maybe earn a scholarship there.

On Twitter: @JonShirek

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8-month-old kidnapped boy now in DFCS custody

ACWORTH, Ga. -- William Kaidyn Snyder, the 8-month-old who was returned to his mother Wednesday afternoon after being abducted Tuesday night, has been taken into custody by the Division of Family and Children Services. 

Sheriff Clark Millsap confirmed the information, however there is no other information on the matter as of Thursday afternoon. 

The woman accused with kidnapping an 8-month-old boy spent Wednesday night in jail after a frightening ordeal.

Samantha Nicole Barrett had her first appearance in Henry County Magistrate Court at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. She is accused of abducting William Kaidyn Stover Tuesday night.

Stover was reunited with his mom Wednesday afternoon, safe and sound.

The abduction ended south of Atlanta, where Henry County Police Officer Joey Smith said police chased the stolen car with the infant inside on Highway 36, just off Interstate 75.

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Police said a driver on I-75 saw the suspect's car, recognized it from the AMBER Alert's description and called 911.

Patrol officers tried to pull Barrett over. She stopped the Taurus at one point, allowing passenger Corey Patillo to jump out. 

Police interviewed Patillo but concluded he had nothing to do with the abduction.

"She kept telling me he was her baby," Patillo said. "I didn't know what to think."

He said when police got behind Barrett on the interstate, he kept telling her to pull over, but she wouldn't stop. 

"So I put the car in neutral and grabbed the wheel. We went to the side of the road," Patillo said.

Barrett then returned to the highway, and drove away from officers at speeds of nearly 100 mph.

An officer deployed stop sticks to deflate the tires on Barrett's car, which slid off of the roadway. Police then apprehended Barrett and rescued Stover.

GALLERY | Amber Alert for  8-month-old William Kaidyn Stover
VIDEO | Police statement on missing boy

Stover was reported abducted from a home on Commanche Drive in Acworth, At the time, 22-year-old Barrett stole a gray 2003 Ford Taurus with the child inside.

PHOTOS | Missing Georgia children

Bartow County Sheriff Clark Millsap said Wednesday that Stover's mother, Kristen Howard and Barrett have friends for a couple years.  

The reason for the argument between the two women, and why Barrett took the baby remains unclear. 

Officers dug into Barrett's connections in Bartow and Cobb counties. Millsap said she was arrested on methamphetamine charges in 2009.

Howard was reunited with her baby boy on Wednesday afternoon. Like Pattillo, she too was questioned before being released.

Investigators said they believe Stover slept through much of the ordeal.

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Andrea Sneiderman jury to continue deliberations Friday

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- After getting the case and deliberating for a short time, the jury in the Andrea Sneiderman trial has gone home for the night.  They will continue deliberating Friday morningat 8:30.

MORE | The closing arguments in the Sneiderman Case

Judge Gregory Adams issued instructions to the jury and they began deliberations late Thursday afternoon.

Sneiderman told the court Thursday morning she will not testify in her defense.  The defense rested its case as well Thursday morning.

The prosecution offered no rebuttal witnesses.

Closing arguments began after lunch and each side had up to an hour to conclude its case.

MORE | Gavel-to-gavel live continuing coverage of Andrea Sneiderman perjury trial

READ| Judge Adam's funny sayings in the courtroom

PHOTO GALLERY| Inside the Sneiderman trial

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Police Report: No one standing near Braves fan when he fell

ATLANTA -- The family of a a man that died after falling from an upper deck platform at Turner Field Monday evening want changes to safety standards.

READ | Police report of Turner Field accident

PHOTOS | Ronald Homer, victim of Turner Field fall during Braves Game

According to Atlanta Police, 30-year-old Ronald Homer of Conyers plunged about 65 feet to a private parking lot shortly after 9:00 near the start of the Braves game with the Philadelphia Phillies, which had been delayed 1 hour 48 minutes by rain.

The Braves released a statement on Tuesday afternoon: 

The Atlanta Braves extend our sincerest and heartfelt condolences to Mr. Homer's family and friends. We are saddened by this tragic incident and will continue our investigation along with the Atlanta Police Department. We will have no further comment until the investigation is complete.

The Atlanta Braves will observe a moment of silence for Mr. Homer before tonight's game.

RELATED | Fan dies after fall from upper level at Georgia Dome

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PHOTOS | Phillies take 5-1 win over Braves

Homer fell over an upper deck railing and landed at the back side of the ball park.

His family says he went out to the platform to smoke and possibly lost his footing on the wet pavement.  Homer is about six feet, six inches tall. The safety guard rail is 42", the industry standard and state code.  His family feels that's not tall enough.

"It's just something that should never have happened.  I just hope nobody ever has to go through what we're going through," said his father, Ron Homer, Sr.

But families have gone through this before.  

Isaac Grubb, 20, of Lenoir City, Tenn. died after falling over a railing at the Georgia Dome during a football game between Tennessee and North Carolina State on Aug. 31, 2012. Authorities said he landed on another man seated in the lower level, and that alcohol was a factor.

A man fell about 25 feet over a staircase railing at a Georgia Tech-Miami football game on Sept. 22, 2012 and was not seriously injured.  

In May 2008, a 25-year-old Cumming, Ga. man suffered head injuries when he fell down a stairwell at Turner Field during a game against the New York Mets and later died. Police found that alcohol had factored into that accident, which the Braves said was the first non-medical fatality to happen at the ballpark.

While investigators ruled alcohol a factor in most of those accidents, Homer's family insists that wasn't the case here.

"He wasn't drinking, he doesn't do drugs.  He's just a big ole' tall, good-natured kid that loved the Braves," said his father.

The Braves issued a statement, saying: 

The Atlanta Braves extend our sincerest and heartfelt condolences to Mr. Homer's family and friends.  We are saddened by this tragic incident and will continue our investigation along with the Atlanta Police Department.

The team will hold a moment of silence at the start of Tuesday night's memory in his honor.

The autopsy report says there's nothing to indicate Homer died of anything but the injuries sustained in the fall.  A toxicology report will take several weeks to determine whether there were any drugs or alcohol in his system.

"He might have had one or two beers but no more than that," said his mother, Connie Homer. "He was tight with his money. He's a good guy."

Ms. Homer said her son was a big Braves fans who enjoyed following the team with his father. She said he attended Monday's game with two friends.

Ronald Homer graduated from Rockdale County High School in 2001 in the top ten of his class, his mom said. He was one of two children. His sister lives in Missouri.

"I'm just sick," Ms. Homer said. "We're a very close family. He was big-hearted."

Matthew Cox, an Auburn University student, said a worker told him he had seen the man standing alone at the black iron railing inside the stairwell and the next moment the man was falling to the ground.

Cox said another worker said to him, "That guy just jumped over."

The stairwell is across from the concession stand at Section 413 and overlooks the walkway the Braves players use to walk to and from their cars in a gated parking lot. The area on the ground, a brushed concrete, was cordoned off with yellow crime tape.

One hour after the accident, a Coca-Cola vending cart had been pushed onto the landing where the man had been standing. The stairwell leads directly down to the players' parking lot.

Cox said workers, who were gathered on the upper deck after the incident, said they heard the man had been running from security.

"That's not true, that is not a factual statement," said Captain Paul Guerrucci of the Atlanta Police Department when asked whether the man was being pursued.

Guerrucci, a veteran investigator, who works homicides, provided no other details of the incident. He said the case was now being handled by the medical examiner.

Police routinely patrol the concourses at Turner Field in a visible presence before, during and after games. There is also a police precinct on the service level of the field not far from the entrance to the Braves' clubhouse.

Not only do Braves' security officers stand guard on the field, but they cover every exit on different levels of the 50,000-seat stadium.

One man, who was in the Braves' players parking lot, said television crew heard the sound of the impact 100 yards away. He said first responders were doing chest compressions on the man as they wheeled him on a stretcher toward an ambulance.

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Smart phone users still not disabling their location tracking on cameras

ATLANTA -- One of the biggest news stories of the year is about the government tracking Americans, on their phones and on-line, in the name of national security and stopping terrorists.

But many people still don't realize how much personal information they are putting on-line, all the time.

As a result, criminals and ex-spouses and other cyber-stalkers continue to track where they are, and where their children are.

And they're able to do it every day, because many who love to take pictures with smart phones, and post the photos on social media, and email them, are still not turning off the location-tracking option on their smart-phone's camera.

After all the warnings, and after all the advice about how to prevent the embedded, location-tracking information from getting into their smart-phone photos, people continue to post the most personal location information along with those photos.

"We don't realize that we're giving information out freely to people, just by taking a simple picture," said Gregory Evans, the CEO of Hi-Tech Crime Solutions in Atlanta. "They can read that data [embedded in the photo] and then they can map exactly where you live, where you work, where you go to church, where you hang out at, where your mother's house is.... Depending on where you were when you took the pictures."

Evans is incredulous that so many people still don't get it.

He is a big fan of the positive uses of location tracking software in hobbies and in commerce and in navigation and in other areas, but he continues to see people, through their own neglect or ignorance, fail to protect themselves from those who use it to victimize others.

On one popular, social-media app on Tuesday evening, for example, a father was displaying his toddler's photo on a map of where they were.

It's an app that is used by smart phone users who want others to see where they are.

But the app not only showed where the father and toddler were, it also linked to all of the father's on-line photos, and each photo, with or without his knowledge, could then be converted into a map showing every place he and his son go -- their favorite spot on their favorite playground, the food court at a mall, the boy's daycare center, their home.

"If you have a child predator in the area," Evans said, "he can see all the kids that are in his vicinity at that time, and exactly where they are. You're helping the bad guy out.... You get someone who's broken up with they're boyfriend, their girlfriend.... now they can sit behind a computer, around the world, and they can map exactly where you are at all times. And you're giving out that data. That's what people don't understand. We're voluntarily giving out that type of information."

Evans is all the more incredulous that so many people don't realize how quick and easy the solution is.

On an iPhone, for example, go into "settings," then "privacy," then "location services."  Then switch the location settings to "off" on your camera and on any other apps you choose.

Evans also recommends adjusting your privacy settings on Facebook and other social media, because even without posting photos, just checking in from your cell phone can tell people exactly where you are throughout the day.

You don't want your kids inadvertently showing others their favorite playgrounds, so, he said, take control of the location-tracking app on all your families' smart phones.

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Police: Tenants face possible eviction in rental scheme

LAWRENCEVILLE -- Homeowners and banks who own empty or foreclosed houses are now dealing with something they hadn't planned on.

Tenants moving in to what they think are legitimate rentals.

Gwinnett police have already identified five cases and say they expect many more to surface.

The renters are paying every month to a company outside of Georgia while the homeowner or the bank who owns the property has no idea that the tenant is even there.

Gwinnett County Police say a Las Vegas company is behind the scheme and collecting all the rents.

"It's Home Solutions Asset Incorporated, and difficult for our detectives to track down local representatives," said Cpl. Jake Smith of the Gwinnett County Police Department.

"We are pretty well convinced that it is a scam," he said.

He added:

"They are finding these homes that are in questionable status, and they switch the locks. Then they present these documents that are essentially fraudulent documents and represent themselves as someone who has a right to the property."

Tom Salata, an Atlanta real estate attorney, says they don't.

"What catches my eye is the term "cestui que" which is an old English term. What it means is they (Home Solutions Asset Company) have permission via trust to lease the premises out, but they do not have permission.

Police say they figured out the scheme when they arrested one renter who was scouting properties for Home Solutions. She was charged with theft by taking.

Cpl. Jake Smith of the Gwinnett County Police Department now says it's just a matter of time before a homeowner or bank brings charges.

"Someone is going to want to press criminal charges. They are not going to be interested in a tenant on that property. They are just going to want these people out," Smith said.

Renters are urged to review agreements carefully and to do a thorough background check on the company offering the rental.

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