Monday, July 25, 2011

** New York boy’s bogus near drowning call sees multiple agencies respond before fakery found out

** Beaten California paramedic undergoes emergency surgery

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A 13-year-old Warwarsing, New York boy has been charged with falseley reporting an incident after forcing several emergency agencies to respond to his bogus near drowning. The Times Herald-Record (July 20) said the boy, who was rushed to hospital by ground ambulance and about to be medevaced, apparently copped to his fakery just prior to his flight. According to the newspaper, the boy concocted the hoax at the behest of friends. Along with five rescue squads responding, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office was also on-scene, as was the New Jersey based AtlantiCare MedEvac chopper. The boy’s first court appearance on the misdemeanor charges is August 10.

** Beaten California paramedic Bryan Stow, 42, continues to recover from emergency surgery done last week after a fluid build-up in his brain caused a 30-second seizure. That is the word from the LA Times (July 20) which said the procedure saw the removal of a bone flap placed in his skull on July 15th, as well as a unknown growth detected during the surgery. According to the newspaper, doctors also placed a drain in Stow’s head to assist in fluid removal. Stow, who was severely beaten outside Dodger Stadium on March 31, has been recovering at a San Francisco hospital. In a coma for weeks after the assault, he suffered brain damage in the attack. His alleged assailant, Giovanni Ramirez, 31, who has been arrested in connection with the case, has not yet been charged.