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Richmond County mourns two deputies lost in 24 hours

Richmond County mourns two deputies lost in 24 hours

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of two longtime deputies who died within 24 hours.
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GBI Seeks Public Assistance in Locating 'Armed and Dangerous' Man in Sparta, Georgia

GBI Seeks Public Assistance in Locating 'Armed and Dangerous' Man in Sparta, Georgia

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is seeking the public's help in locating Stephen Russell Ellis, a 62-year-old man from Sparta, Georgia, who is considered armed and dangerous. Ellis is wanted on two warrants and was last seen in the area of Island Creek Church Road. Authorities have advised the public not to approach Ellis if seen and to immediately call 911. The GBI's Regional Investigative Office in Milledgeville is handling the case and has provided a contact number for anyone with information. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through a dedicated hotline, online portal, or a mobile app.
The Augusta Chronicle The Augusta Chronicle
2026 Augusta Chronicle high school football Dream 16 list revealed

2026 Augusta Chronicle high school football Dream 16 list revealed

We've compiled a list of who we believe to be the best high school football players in the Augusta area. Here's who made the cut.
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Birmingham Woman Accused in Atlanta Child Kidnapping, Faces Prior Alabama Charges

Birmingham Woman Accused in Atlanta Child Kidnapping, Faces Prior Alabama Charges

Lakesha Brown, a woman from Birmingham, Alabama, has been taken into custody in Atlanta after two Georgia children, abducted by their babysitter, were found safe. The Atlanta Police Department located the children and Brown on Monday at a location on Sylvan Road. State investigators reported that Brown, who had gained the mother's trust over approximately a year, abducted the children on Saturday around 6 p.m. from James P. Brawley Drive NW. The mother delayed reporting the abduction, initially believing Brown was returning the children or had been in an accident. Brown was already facing charges in a separate kidnapping case in Alabama and had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court for that case, which reportedly involved similar circumstances. The children appeared to be in good health and were taken to a hospital for evaluation.
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Georgia Children Found Safe, Kidnapping Suspect Linked to Previous Alabama Case

Georgia Children Found Safe, Kidnapping Suspect Linked to Previous Alabama Case

Two young sisters, 4-year-old Zola Cooper and 11-month-old Norah Cooper, who were the subjects of a Georgia AMBER Alert, have been found safe. Their accused kidnapper, 42-year-old Lakesha Brown, is now in custody. Atlanta police confirmed that Brown has ties to Alabama and was involved in a similar kidnapping case approximately five years ago, which was extensively covered by ABC 33/40. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued the AMBER Alert after the children were reportedly abducted by their babysitter, Brown. Atlanta police located the children and Brown in a trailer in the Atlanta area after receiving information about her possible whereabouts. Officers heard a baby crying inside the trailer, leading to the recovery of both children and Brown's apprehension. The children appeared to be in good health and were transported to a medical facility for evaluation, while Brown was taken to Atlanta police headquarters for further investigation. Authorities currently do not have a motive for the abduction.
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Atlanta Police Rescue Abducted Children from Trailer, Suspect Arrested

Atlanta Police Rescue Abducted Children from Trailer, Suspect Arrested

Atlanta Police Department officers successfully rescued a 4-year-old girl and her 11-month-old sister from a windowless trailer on Monday, following an Amber Alert. The children had been reported missing days earlier by their mother, Elecia Redding, who stated she entrusted them to Lakesha Brown, an acquaintance, for babysitting. When Redding was unable to contact Brown, she reported her daughters missing. Officers located the children after receiving a tip from an apartment complex resident. Upon hearing a child crying inside the trailer, police cut their way in, safely removed both girls, and arrested 42-year-old Lakesha Brown. Brown has been charged with kidnapping and is being held without bond. Authorities also revealed that Brown had a previous kidnapping charge in Alabama from 2021 involving a 4-day-old baby and an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court for that case.
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Woman Accused of Kidnapping Sisters Met Mother Through Facebook Group, Previously Indicted in Similar Alabama Case

Woman Accused of Kidnapping Sisters Met Mother Through Facebook Group, Previously Indicted in Similar Alabama Case

Arrest warrants have revealed new details regarding the alleged kidnapping of two young sisters in Atlanta. Lakesha Brown, the woman accused in the case, reportedly met the girls' mother, Elicia Redding, through a Facebook group for expectant mothers. Redding stated that Brown had offered support during her pregnancy and had known her for nearly a year before Brown volunteered to watch the girls. Brown allegedly told Redding she was taking the girls to Walmart and 'Candy Utopia' but never returned them. When Redding demanded her children back, Brown claimed she was in an accident and the children were with the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFACS), which police found to be false. Brown later admitted she should have returned the girls but offered no 'logical reason' for her actions. She remains in Fulton County jail without bond. Channel 2 Action News also reported that Brown was previously indicted in Alabama in 2021 for a similar case involving the kidnapping of a 4-day-old newborn, Kama...
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Cobb County Arrest Leads to Breakthrough in NASCAR Legend's Home Burglary Case

Cobb County Arrest Leads to Breakthrough in NASCAR Legend's Home Burglary Case

An arrest made by Cobb County police in Georgia has led to a significant breakthrough in the burglary investigation at the North Carolina home of the late NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. Terrell Williams, 44, of Stone Mountain, was arrested by Cobb County police on July 29 in connection with a residential break-in in Smyrna. Investigators subsequently discovered that property associated with Williams in Georgia matched items stolen from Biffle's home. The burglary at Biffle's residence occurred on January 8, following his death in a plane crash in December, and involved the theft of over $30,000 in cash, multiple firearms, NASCAR memorabilia, and gold and silver coins. Search warrants executed in Georgia resulted in the recovery of most of the stolen property, including a service weapon taken from an officer three years prior. Detectives also found a radio frequency detector in Williams' possession, believed to be used to locate wireless security cameras. Electronic records and cellular tower triangulation plac...
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Suspect in Deadly Metro Atlanta Hit-and-Run Apprehended in Conyers

Suspect in Deadly Metro Atlanta Hit-and-Run Apprehended in Conyers

Derrick Lydell Mathis, 52, of Oxford, has been taken into custody in Conyers, Georgia, in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident. Mathis is accused of striking and killing Andrea Cantrell with his vehicle early on a Monday morning. The Conyers Police Department, working in conjunction with the Georgia State Patrol, identified Mathis and his vehicle through surveillance footage. The police department utilized Flock Safety license plate readers to track the vehicle to a home on Harvel Street in Conyers. Warrants were subsequently secured for Mathis, who was located and arrested without incident at a Conyers motel on Tuesday morning. Police Chief R. Scott Freeman stated that the timely access to vehicle information significantly aided the investigation and led to an arrest within 12 hours of the initial call.
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Georgia Police Rescue Abducted Children from Trailer, Arrest Babysitter

Georgia Police Rescue Abducted Children from Trailer, Arrest Babysitter

Police in Georgia successfully rescued two young sisters, aged 4 years and 11 months, who had been reported missing days earlier. Dramatic body camera footage shows Atlanta Police Department officers cutting into a windowless trailer to free the children after hearing a child crying inside. Both girls were found in good health and have since been reunited with their mother. Authorities arrested 42-year-old Lakesha Brown, an acquaintance of the children’s mother who was babysitting them, charging her with kidnapping. Brown is being held without bond. The children's disappearance had prompted an Amber Alert. The mother, Elecia Redding, stated she had entrusted her children to Brown, whom she met through an online mothers' group, for an evening.
The Augusta Chronicle The Augusta Chronicle
Senators demand answers on Fort Gordon hospital downgrade

Senators demand answers on Fort Gordon hospital downgrade

Georgia senators are demanding answers from the Pentagon regarding a plan to cut inpatient care at Fort Gordon.
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Overnight Shooting in Sparta, Georgia, Leaves Five Hospitalized

Overnight Shooting in Sparta, Georgia, Leaves Five Hospitalized

Five individuals were hospitalized, with one in critical condition, following a shooting incident at a party in Sparta, Georgia, on Sunday morning. The Hancock County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) responded to reports of gunshots at approximately 3 a.m. EST along Beulah Highway. Upon arrival, deputies confirmed that multiple shots had been fired, leading to the transportation of the injured to nearby hospitals. The investigation into the shooting is currently ongoing and is being led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the sheriff's office.