By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) – A 15-year-old boy is facing charges related to a shooting in Ambridge.

According to police, the boy attempted to break into a car outside of the New Hope Community Church and when people from the church confronted him, he fired at them.

The shots fired wounded a man in the head and neck.

Then, another man returned fire, hitting the boy in the arm.

As police arrived, an officer fired one shot at the boy, causing him to drop his gun and surrender.

Police say the gun the boy had was reported stolen from Aliquippa.

By: KDKA-TV News

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — Eric Trump is scheduled to come to Beaver County later this week.

The Trump campaign announced Tuesday that the president’s son will be in Ambridge to host an event on Thursday at Munroe, Inc.

The event starts at 1 p.m.

Eric Trump was in the region last month, when he held an event in Washington County.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — President Donald Trump’s son, Eric, visited Beaver County on Thursday.

There are less than two weeks until Election Day. During this time, both presidential campaigns have been making their final efforts to appeal to voters in Pennsylvania.

Eric Trump made a campaign stop in Ambridge and addressed nearly 100 supporters inside of Munroe Inc., which is a Beaver County manufacturing plant.

The rally began with a praise session from congressional candidate Sean Parnell. He spoke of President Trump’s accomplishments and said “It is our turn to fight for the president of the United States in 2020.”

(Photo Credit: KDKA)

Eric Trump showed mutual support for Parnell, saying, “We need to kick Nancy Pelosi out of Washington, D.C. and we need a hell of a lot more Seans.”

The rally focused heavily on industry in Pennsylvania.

“Literally, the owner as I came in here today and the workers, this company would have been gone. This company would have been gone if it wasn’t for the tariffs my father put on China, my father put on steel,” Eric Trump told KDKA.

Eric Trump also touted his father’s economic contributions and said “My father built the greatest economy in the world. Lowest unemployment, lowest African American unemployment.”

The president’s son did not hold back from swinging at former Vice President Joe Biden.

“They want to get rid of faith in this country. They want to ban oil, gas, fracking, everything. They’re totally anti-police,” Eric Trump said.

Biden has denied these allegations, however.

Thursday’s rally happened as President Trump prepared for the final presidential debate. He is expected to apply pressure about Biden’s son, Hunter.

“I think Joe Biden has a lot of questions to answer after those emails came out. Pretty damaging stuff, where his son is asking for $10 million for the big guy,” said Eric Trump.

When asked if he was nervous about Joe Biden leading the polls in Pennsylvania, Eric Trump said no and referenced Hillary Clinton’s lead in 2016.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Donald Trump Jr., congressional candidate Sean Parnell and musician Ted Nugent are headlining a “Get Out the Vote” rally in Beaver County tomorrow.

Firearms Owners Against Crime is hosting the event at Munroe Inc. in the Ambridge Industrial Park on Century Drive in Ambridge. It’s on Friday at 6 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m.

A press release from Firearms Owners Against Crime says the rally will highlight the Second Amendment and the economy.

The rally comes as the countdown to Election Day is on and both presidential candidates are setting their sights on Pennsylvania.

President Donald Trump will be visiting the state on Saturday, making three campaign stops. He’ll travel to western Pennsylvania, where he will hold a rally at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport on Saturday night.

The Biden campaign has not announced any plans to come to western Pennsylvania before Election Day. Biden is focusing on Pennsylvania’s “grim milestone” of 200,000 coronavirus cases, releasing a statement Wednesday accusing President Trump of downplaying the virus.

Meanwhile, Sean Parnell is challenging Conor Lamb in what’s been one of the most visible races for Congress in the region.

Firearms Owners Against Crime says an RSVP for the event is required.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — Donald Trump Jr. headlined a Get Out The Vote rally in Ambridge on Friday, promoting his father’s support for blue-collar industry and economic contributions.

The event was hosted by Firearms Owners Against Crime at Munroe Inc. in the Ambridge Industrial Park and included 17th District congressional candidate Sean Parnell and musician Ted Nugent as guests of honor.

“Vote and let’s get Donald Trump four more years in the White House,” Parnell urged the crowd.

Trump Jr. spoke for about a half-hour, connecting his family to blue-collar values.

“My father, his theory was always, guess what guys? If you’re going to build a building because that’s what we did, you’d better know how to dig the foundation, and you’d better know that by actually having done it,” he said of his upbringing.

He also promoted the country’s economy under his father’s administration.

“The guy that created the lowest unemployment for every demographic in America, for women, for Hispanics, for African Americans, for everyone, he’s the guy that can do it again,” he said.

President Trump’s opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, was also a frequent topic of conversation.

“If you’re working on equipment here,” Trump Jr. said while pointing to the equipment in the Munroe Inc. plant, “you’re working on it, you have someone doing it, trying to fix a piece of equipment and after 47 years it’s still broken, do you give them a promotion or do you send them packing?”

The rally lasted a little over an hour in front of a few hundred people, some of whom say they are trying to show as much support as possible with all eyes on Pennsylvania.

“It’s important to me to do all I can to elect this president again,” said Louis Henneman of New Castle.

Both the Biden and Trump campaigns are hitting Pennsylvania hard in the days leading up to the election.

President Trump will be in Butler County on Saturday. The Biden campaign says the former vice president and Kamala Harris will be in “all four corners” of the state on Monday.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) — A staff member from Ambridge Area School District’s Highland Elementary School has tested positive for Coronavirus.

The school district announced the news on Sunday.

In a statement sent to the community, Dr. Joseph W. Pasquerilla said that confirmation of the positive test was received and the district has contacted the Rapid Response Team for their guidance.

The district announced it was taking its own safety measures while waiting for further guidance.

Beginning on Monday, all classes at the Highland Elementary School will be held virtually and all staff members from the school will work from home until further notice.

All other buildings in the district will remain open for students and staff and hybrid schedules will still be used for those buildings.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – Christmas events are being canceled left and right, but one community wanted to find a way to keep its tradition alive while staying safe during the pandemic.

“We are working to grow Ambridge and I think there will be more and more working together as time goes on,” Ann Sutherland said.

Sutherland owns Rivertown Antiques on Merchant Street, a place full of small businesses that are making it work during the pandemic.

“Months of discovery, not knowing how business was going to go. The shutdown for six to eight weeks, we did the best we can and because we sell products that can be sold online, I went online and to the curb,” Sutherland said.

She told KDKA support is helping each business to survive.

“I’ll send them up to restaurants or ask ‘did you come in hungry?'” Sutherland said.

One of the big events to draw people downtown this time of year is Christmas on Merchant.

“In Beaver County, we just had a rise in COVID cases so we were really concerned — how we were going to social distance a parade?” said Kim Villella, who’s the President of Ambridge’s Chamber of Commerce.

A parade that brings hundreds to the local shops will still go on, but this year the roles are reversed.

“So we put all the parade participants along the street and the spectators will now drive through 10 blocks of Ambridge,” Villella said.

It’s an opportunity to still showcase businesses while bringing the community together for a night of holiday fun.

“Children have been out of school for the last three weeks. COVID has affected our families here, even their emotional and physical well-being, so just to be able to come and enjoy the sights,” Villella said.

The parade started at the high school and ended at the police department with Santa Claus on the fire truck.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – Thursday marked another heartbreaking day for the coronavirus death toll, with Allegheny County reporting 55 deaths.

“I want people to know their actions — or lack thereof — could impact someone else like how our family was impacted,” said Kristi Park.

Thursday was also Park’s parents’ 25th wedding anniversary and eight months since her family said goodbye to their father.

“April 17 is a day that will forever stick in our minds as a horrible day,” Park said.

Paul Bohn died last spring from COVID-19 while his wife, Linda, was at home battling the same virus.

“He was a funeral director for 50 years and we couldn’t even give him a funeral,” Linda said.

Christmas was Paul’s favorite time of year, the family said.

“My heart just isn’t in it this year. I’m just going through the motions,” Linda said.

Her grandchildren decorated the house in their grandfather’s memory, but the days don’t get any easier.

“All you see is COVID, COVID, COVID and it makes it even harder seeing those numbers go up and you go, ‘Wow, 300,000 people and families are feeling the same way we are feeling,'” Linda said.

It’s a grim reality and one this family wants the world to see.

“Hey, people, wake up. This is a real thing. The numbers are going up and we are losing our neighbors, we are losing our family members and we are losing other Americans,” Park said.

With a hole in their hearts, the family hopes their story encourages people to hunker down and protect their own loved ones.

“If it changes one person, just one person, that’s fantastic if it just saves somebody,” Park said.

Both Linda and Park said the community’s support after the loss of Paul has been wonderful, but they truly don’t believe they will have closure until we get out of the pandemic and stop losing so many people to this virus.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — Two people are dead and a suspect is in custody after a shooting in Beaver County.

Ambridge Police were called to a shooting in the 900 block of Maplewood Avenue Monday afternoon.

(Photo: KDKA’s Royce Jones)

(Photo: KDKA’s Royce Jones)

When they arrived, they found two people dead inside a home. Ambridge Police Chief John DeLuca called it a “gruesome scene.”

Neighbors are totally shocked.

KDKA spoke with one witness who rode by on his bike earlier and said he spotted a woman on the porch of a home being handcuffed by police. Another witness says she was walking her son’s friend home from a sleepover while all of this unfolded.

Maplewood Ave. is closed at 8th St. in Ambridge while police investigate a shooting. Gathering more details now. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/3EFGDqsWc5

— Royce Jones KDKA (@roycejonesnews) February 22, 2021

“I said, ‘is it safe for us to walk him home?’ and they said, ‘we have to escort you.’ And I said, ‘that’s fine, but is it safe, what happened, did something bad happen?’ He said, ‘we can’t tell you,'” said Rachel Kruze.

More information is pending notification of next of kin, the Beaver County District Attorney says. A woman is in custody but no charges have been filed.

Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) — A mother is charged with shooting and killing her two children inside their home in Beaver County.

Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier identified the suspect as 48-year-old Krisinda Bright. She is charged with two counts of criminal homicide. Bright is currently in the Beaver County Jail.

The Beaver County coroner identified the victims as 16-year-old Kiara Bright and 22-year-old Jasmine Cannady. Both were shot in the head, the coroner said.

According to court paperwork filed by police, Bright called 911 and told dispatchers that she shot the two children.

When officers arrived at the scene, Bright was on the front porch of the home along Maplewood Avenue in Ambridge.

Bright had blood open her hands, arms, and clothes and told police it was the victim’s blood when asked by police.

Police placed Bright in the back of a police vehicle and she was transported to the Ambridge Police station.

(Photo: KDKA’s Royce Jones)

After being placed into an interview room and read her rights, Bright told police  she shot one of the children while she was laying in bed. She then told police that she went downstairs and pointed the gun at the other child and pulled the trigger.

According to the criminal complaint, Bright told police that the gun didn’t fire, and after the child said “Please don’t shoot, I’m gonna call the police,” Bright fixed the gun and shot the child in the face.

(Photo: KDKA’s Royce Jones)

Bright told police that the first child was still moving and wasn’t dead, so she went back upstairs and shot her in the head again because she didn’t want her to suffer.

Crime scene investigators reported that they found the first child deceased in the basement with an apparent gunshot wound to the face and head. The second child was found deceased in the upstairs bedroom with an apparent gunshot wound to the face and head area.

Watch as KDKA’s Amy Wadas reports:

The Ambridge School District provided a statement late Monday night, saying:

Dear Parent or Guardians:

It is with deep regret that we inform you about a recent loss to our school community. On Monday, February 22, 2021, a student at Ambridge High School, passed away. This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school, especially our students.

The Ambridge Area School District has a Crisis Intervention Team made up of professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents, and school personnel at difficult times such as this. The District has counselors available for any student who may need or want help or any type of assistance surrounding this loss. We encourage you, as parents, to also feel free to use our resources.

If you would like additional information or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Janice Zupsic, High School principal at jzupsic@ambridge.k12.pa.us or call 724-266-2833 Ext. 2287.  Additionally, Val Misencik can be reached at 724-266-2833 Ext. 2377 to assist you in reaching a counselor for support.

We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to help you and your child.

KDKA spoke with one witness who rode by on his bike earlier and said he spotted a woman on the porch of a home being handcuffed by police. Another witness says she was walking her son’s friend home from a sleepover while all of this unfolded.

Maplewood Ave. is closed at 8th St. in Ambridge while police investigate a shooting. Gathering more details now. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/3EFGDqsWc5

— Royce Jones KDKA (@roycejonesnews) February 22, 2021

When they arrived, they found two people dead inside a home. Ambridge Police Chief John DeLuca called it a “gruesome scene.”

“I said, ‘Is it safe for us to walk him home?’ and they said, ‘We have to escort you.’ And I said, ‘That’s fine, but is it safe, what happened, did something bad happen?’ He said, ‘We can’t tell you,'” said Rachel Kruze.

Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — About 100 people poured into the P.J. Caul Memorial Park in Beaver County for a memorial service on Tuesday.

The group consisted of community members, leaders, family and friends of 22-year-old Jasmine Bright and 16-year-old Jeffrey Bright. The siblings were allegedly shot and killed by their mother, Krisinda Bright, inside their home on the 900 block of Maplewood Avenue on Monday.

(Photos provided by Prism)

(Photo Credit: KDKA)

Jaci Palmer, the founder and director of PRISM of Beaver County, helped organize the service.

“I don’t want them to think of the tragedy,” Palmer said. “I want them to think of these two beautiful souls who touched a lot of lives while they were here.”

PRISM is a support group for LGBTQ+ youth in Beaver County. Loved ones said this was a second home for Jeffrey, also known as JJ.

His older sister would often tag along for meetings, they said, both leaving a lasting impression.

RELATED STORIES:

• ‘Please Don’t Shoot’: Krisinda Bright Accused Of Shooting, Killing Her 16-Year-Old, 22-Year-Old Children
• Mother Accused Of Shooting And Killing 16 And 22-Year-Old Children At Beaver County Home

“JJ is very loud, very happy. She was very quiet but very sweet,” Palmer said.

As loved ones reflected, the two had different personalities but shared one similar brightness.

“They both were very talented, very artistic and just good kids. Really good kids, but they were both very sweet,” said Palmer.

Friends told KDKA that Monday’s alleged crime was totally unexpected, but admit, in hindsight, something definitely seemed off with the siblings’ mother.

WATCH: Jennifer Borrasso Reports

Heather Reed, a youth support coordinator for PRISM of Beaver County, said, “I didn’t even realize that she unfriended us on Facebook. That’s what makes me think there was something going on.”

Krisinda’s mom, Peggy, told KDKA that she stopped by the family’s home on Monday but only stayed for about 15 minutes because her teenage grandchild was doing remote learning. She pointed out that her daughter is divorced and has had problems with her ex. But Peggy does not know what happened.

She has not talked to Krisinda since she was arrested.

While the community heals from this tragedy, some are defending her character and calling for forgiveness.

“She doesn’t know how special she really is. I wish she would have reached out to me or someone,” said Reed.

(Photo: Beaver County)

“As a mom to a mom, my heart is absolutely broken,” said Palmer.

Tanisha Gardner, a family friend, said nothing seemed strange when she saw Krisinda last week.

“There were no identifiable struggles that I saw in her. She just was happy at the time,” Gardner said.

PRISM is providing emotional support for members of their organization to help cope with the loss of their friends.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – The suspended Ambridge police chief has been fired.

The borough manager confirmed Friday James Mann was fired after a special meeting on Thursday at 5 p.m. but had no further comment.

Mann had been the police chief for five years before he was placed on leave and then suspended in the summer of 2018  following complaints from several officers.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Prosecutors are discussing whether to seek the death penalty against an Ambridge woman accused of killing her two children last month.

Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier confirmed Tuesday that the prosecution team is in discussions about seeking the death penalty for 48-year-old Krisinda Bright.

(Photo: Beaver County)

Lozier says a death penalty review won’t take place until after the preliminary hearing scheduled for May 3.

According to court paperwork filed by police, Bright called 911 and told dispatchers that she shot the two children.

(Photos provided by Prism)

She’s currently in the Beaver County Jail, charged with counts of criminal homicide in the deaths of 16-year-old Jeffrey Bright and 22-year-old Jasmine Cannady.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) — Nearly a dozen fire crews have been called out to battle a row house fire along Glenwood Avenue in Ambridge.

The fire started around 2:30 a.m.

(Photo Credit: KDKA)

There’s no word on any injuries at this time.

Stay with KDKA for more on this developing story.

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) — Several families have been forced from their homes after a string of apartments caught fire in Beaver County early Sunday morning.

The flames caused serious damage and took more than a dozen fire departments to manage the blaze.

Investigators are now wondering what caused the fire and how nobody was injured.

Around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, cell phone video captured the intense scene as flames were seen tearing through a strip of row houses along Glenwood Avenue in Ambridge.

The fire broke out inside one of the apartment units and quickly spread to four others.

“It was burning between the roof and the ceilings of the apartments. Our aerial streams were not hitting the fire, so we had to put firefighters in to pull the ceilings down and actually reach the fire,” said Ambridge Fire Chief Rob Gottschalk.

Two homes were destroyed in the blaze.

The mother of Vaughn Bridges watched her home catch fire on video chat while vacationing in Virginia.

“She had some important stuff she wanted me to get out of there. Credit cards, social security stuff. You can see It just got dark. See all the smoke damage,” Bridges said.

The Red Cross is now helping these families.

While the fire was damaging, scattering debris, and caused some portions of the building to collapse, fortunately, everybody escaped the smoke and flames unharmed.

“All these units were evacuated. They were occupied, people were sleeping. They went and knocked on doors and everything to get people out,” Chief Gottschalk said.

At one point, an accelerant-sniffing dog was brought in to check out the scene of the fire, but officials are not suspecting anything suspicious at this time.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) – A cash reward is up for grabs in exchange for information about a cold case that dates back to the 1970s.

12-year-old Heidi Morningstar was found dead in a yard in Edgeworth on September 18, 1976.

According to police, her family had last seen her the day before at their home in Ambridge.

Pennsylvania Crimestoppers is offering money for information that would lead to an arrest.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — For nearly a hundred years, it’s one of the only races that depends entirely on gravity.

Today, the cars were rolling in Ambridge for the regional finals of the Western Pennsylvania Soap Box Derby.

While the cars have come a long way since their humble beginnings in the 1930s, the goal is still the same.

“You need to get kids out of the house and do something,” said Tim Cassidy, Director of the Western Pennsylvania Soap Box Derby. “I mean, watch the kids. Everyone’s getting along, they’re having a good time. And it’s a phone or computer. I think it’s very important for them.”

The winners from each of the two divisions today will head to Akron in July to face off against the best in the world.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — Crews rescued a kitten that got stuck in a storm drain in Ambridge.

Ambridge police, fire and EMS responded to get the kitten out of the drain on Wednesday night.

Officials say the kitten was scared, but once the animal dried off, it fell asleep in the carrier.

The kitten is now being taken care of by a member of the fire crew.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — A local man was diagnosed with the Delta variant of COVID-19, and, according to his wife, he was fully vaccinated against the virus.

According to the Beaver County Times, 73-year-old Joe Pucci was hospitalized on his birthday a few weeks ago with COVID-19 symptoms.

He was sent to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center and is still there.

Scientists say the Delta variant is 50% more transmissible than the dominant variant of COVID-19.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — A 73-year-old man from Beaver County who is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus is in the hospital after contracting the Delta variant.

Joe Pucci is the first known case in the region with the strain, and his family said he is lucky to be alive.

Pucci’s family knew his health was compromised. They took steps to get the Ambridge man vaccinated early, but they never expected him to come down with COVID-19 post-vaccination, let alone the Delta variant.

(Photo Credit: Submitted)

Pucci was supposed to be celebrating his birthday on June 21 when his health plummeted.

“He was shaking so bad,” said Pucci’s wife Cora. “So I took his temperature and then it was 103.1 and I said that’s it, we’re going.”

Little did Cora know that her husband was rapidly losing oxygen. At the VA Pittsburgh Medical Center, the 73-year-old man, a former Ambridge councilman and Marine, was initially diagnosed with COVID-19.

“And when they told me he had COVID, I mean that was it. Anyone I knew that had COVID died from it,” Cora said.

After 47 years of marriage, the couple had just bought a home down south and was preparing to live out their dream.

Cora said her husband’s health continued to decline the next few weeks, and then they received a second gut punch. Joe was diagnosed with the Delta strain and a world of confusion followed.

Joe was in the first wave to get vaccinated. He got the Pfizer vaccine, with Cora getting the Maderna vaccine.

Cora said Joe refused to be placed on a ventilator at the hospital even though his oxygen levels were still deteriorating. That’s when doctors tried an anti-viral medicine.

“By them giving him that medicine, him having his vaccine, probably saved his life,” said Cora.

As far as the drug administered to Joe, his family said it’s a rheumatoid arthritis medication that the FDA recently gave emergency use authorization for.

Joe’s condition has improved, and he has been moved to a step-down unit. He is still considered contagious and can’t see his family, but he is no longer in the ICU.

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) – It was a moving memorial – literally and figuratively – honoring the lives of fallen police officers.

The End of Watch Ride made two stops in western Pennsylvania on Saturday in Ambridge and Aliquippa.

The group behind the ride is trying to keep the memory of those lost alive.

From Washington to western Pennsylvania, it pays tribute to fallen officers lost in the line of duty, and on Saturday it remembered the lives of two local police chiefs who died within hours of one another.

“It’s nice to know that their memory is going to be eternal,” said John Chickos, an Ambridge Police Department patrolman.

The moving tribute features the names and faces of more than 300 police officers who died last year, including the late Ambridge interim police chief, Mark Romutis, and the late Aliquippa police chief Rob Sealock.

Both died within hours of one another in April 2020, both from COVID-19.

Those losses are still felt in their respective departments.

“It was really tough on all of us officers here because Mark wasn’t only our chief he was our friend and he did a lot for all of us and we do greatly miss him,” Chickos said.

Janet Caldarelli was part of the Ambridge Borough Council when Romutis was rehired in an interim role.

“He was very special to us, he was always there when you needed him, he’d answer any questions, he was always there for the public,” she said. “Any time you needed him he was there.”

Saturday was the second year this traveling memorial has crossed the country.

The group in charge is known as “Beyond The Call Of Duty.”

In addition to the ride, they also raise money for the fallen officers’ families.

Saturday marked day 65 of their road trip.

“It makes us more humble and every night we talk about it and every day is a humbling day and blessed day for us to be able to do this,” said founder Jagrut Shah.

The group has 19 days left on their journey, with the next stop being Charleston, West Virginia.

By the time they’ve honored all of the officers and return home, they will have reached 23,000 miles in just 84 days.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for the Ambridge mother accused of shooting and killing her two children in February.

Forty-eight-year-old Krisinda Bright is charged in the deaths of 16-year-old Jeffrey Bright and 22-year-old Jasmine Cannady.

(Photo: Beaver County)

According to court paperwork filed by police, Bright called 911 and told dispatchers that she shot the two children.

Bright told police she shot one of the children while the victim was lying in bed. She then told police that she went downstairs and pointed the gun at the other child and pulled the trigger.

According to the criminal complaint, Bright told police that the gun didn’t fire, and after the child said, “Please don’t shoot, I’m gonna call the police,” Bright fixed the gun and shot the child in the face. But Bright told police that the child wasn’t dead, so she went to get another gun and shot the victim in the head because she didn’t want her child to suffer.

(Photos provided by Prism)

The District Attorney’s office says Bright will appear in court on Sept. 22.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) – An Ambridge mother accused of shooting and killing her two children in February pleaded not guilty.

Forty-eight-year-old Krisinda Bright appeared in court for her formal arraignment Wednesday morning. She faces two counts of criminal homicide and prosecutors said they’ll seek the death penalty.

According to court paperwork filed by police, Bright called 911 and told dispatchers that she shot the two children, 16-year-old Jeffrey Bright and 22-year-old Jasmine Cannady.

(Photos: Beaver County, Prism)

Bright told police she shot one of the children while the victim was lying in bed. She then told police that she went downstairs and pointed the gun at the other child and pulled the trigger.

According to the criminal complaint, Bright told police that the gun didn’t fire, and after the child said, “Please don’t shoot, I’m gonna call the police,” Bright fixed the gun and shot the child in the face. But Bright told police that the child wasn’t dead, so she went to get another gun and shot the victim in the head because she didn’t want her child to suffer.

The Beaver County DA’s office says lawyers in the case will next meet in November.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story erroneously reported that Bright entered a guilty plea. She pleaded not guilty.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A ten-month-old baby had to be revived with Narcan after getting into a bundle of heroin.

The child’s mother, 27-year-old Melissa Miller, is now in the Beaver County Jail after police say she left the drugs within reach of the child.

(Photo: Provided)

Police say on Saturday morning, they were called to a house on Rice Avenue in Ambridge for a report of a baby that was unresponsive and not breathing.

Police say they were told the baby had gotten into a bundle of heroin and was overdosing. They gave the baby two doses of naloxone and started CPR until paramedics arrived.

“It was through our investigation it was learned she had somehow ingested a heroin stamp bag in her mouth and we had to administer Narcan,” Ambridge Police Chief John DeLuca said.

She was flown to Children’s, where her condition is not known.

“It’s just hard to see. It’s devastating for the family. The child has no reason or blame for what happened — a 10-month-old baby girl. It’s just the heroin crisis we’re in,” DeLuca said.

Miller is charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child, but she is only one of a litany of parents charged and awaiting trial after their children unwittingly ingested dangerous drugs.

Just last week, police arrested Elizabeth Rexrode of Brookline after they say her 5-month-old granddaughter ingested heroin.

This follows the arrest of Brookline parents in July after their child was suspected of eating cocaine and the arrest Van Redding of Carnegie after the death of his 4-year-old son.

“We’re seeing more and more instances where people have their drugs within arm’s reach of children and it’s especially lethal since more and more these drugs are laced with fentanyl,” Karen Pavan of Oasis Recovery Center said.

Neighbors in Ambridge were shocked.

“It’s sad. That’s messed up. I hope the baby’s gonna be ok. I really do,” said Cindy Gamble.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – A baby who was revived with Narcan after police say she ate a stamp bag of heroin has died.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner says 10-month-old Myla Rushman from Abridge died on Saturday at the hospital. The cause of her death is still under investigation.

Police were called to a house on Rice Avenue last month for a report of a baby who was unresponsive and not breathing.

Police say they were told the baby had gotten into a bundle of heroin and was overdosing. They gave the baby two doses of naloxone and started CPR until paramedics arrived. She was then flown to Children’s Hospital.

(Photo: Provided)

Her mother, Melissa Miller, was charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. KDKA has reached out to see if those charges will be upgraded.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – The mother of a baby girl who police say overdosed on heroin is facing charges in her death.

Court paperwork shows Melissa Miller was charged with murder of the third degree and involuntary manslaughter on top of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person in the death of her child, 10-month-old Myla Rushman.

(Photo: Provided)

Police were called to a house on Rice Avenue last month for a report of a baby who was unresponsive and not breathing.

Police say they were told the baby had gotten into a bundle of heroin and was overdosing. They gave the girl two doses of naloxone and started CPR until paramedics arrived. She was then flown to Children’s Hospital.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner says Rushman died at the hospital. The cause of her death is still under investigation.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) – Families of students in the Ambridge Area Middle School have been told students will move to remote learning for the rest of this week.

According to a letter provided to families, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has advised the district to move to remote learning due to the number of positive COVID-19 cases.

On Friday, the health department will advise the district if they can resume in-person learning.

All extracurricular activities are canceled as well.

All other buildings in the district will remain open this week.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – A man is facing charges after Ambridge police said he tried to burglarize the same house twice in one night.

When officers got to a home on Maplewood Avenue just before 1 a.m. Monday, NadHama Luster was found hiding on the porch with a gun, police said.

The 41-year-old had managed to get into the home earlier and was chased off only to return a second time, police said.

He was arrested and taken to the Beaver County Jail.

He’s charged with burglary and two firearms violations.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – Three women are accused of firing shots into a home in Beaver County.

Officers were called to 59 Economy Village for a report of shots fired and a possible home invasion around 2 a.m. Sunday, Ambridge police said.

Hailey Owen and Precious McCracken, both 29, were arrested along with 23-year-old Zaynah Dye.

(Photo Credit: KDKA)

According to the criminal complaint, the women tried to recover a stolen gun that they believed was inside the home. A teenager and his parents were inside the residence.

When the trio tried to force their way through the front door, the man inside said he slammed the hand of a suspect between the door, eventually getting the door closed.

And when that did not work, they opened fire on the house, the complaint said.

“I started hearing the shots and seeing the flashes, so that’s when I went to the window,” neighbor Chelsea Lynn said.

The suspects got away. Hours later, the women went to the police station and reported the stolen gun.

According to the criminal complaint, Owen told the police that they went to the house to find their gun. She admitted to firing a .22 caliber handgun at the residence.

Owen also said Dye and McCracken went to the doorway of the resident, an altercation ensued and McCracken fired a 9-millimeter long gun into the home. Police say McCracken confirmed the story.

One person in the home suffered minor injuries.

The three women are in the Beaver County Jail facing multiple charges, including burglary and aggravated assault.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) – Sometimes it starts off as just celebrating the season and then it grows into something that makes a community happy.

Denise and Bob Dunn’s home along Maplewood Avenue in Ambridge is decked out in Christmas lights from top to bottom.

The Dunns say they started putting lights up about 25 years ago and it began with a simple three strands of lights.

Since then, it’s grown into a massive display that includes 20,000 lights.

The couple uses the display to raise money for Saint Jude’s Hospital.

“Over the years, so far, we collected over $65,000,” Bob said.

“It’s so worth it save those kids, we have some survivors, and they have an office in Pittsburgh and they’ll come down and spend time with us,” Denise added.

The Dunns also dress up as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus on weekends and welcome visitors to their home.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — A police department in Beaver County and a community are pulling together to help an officer and his family who are in need.

Ambridge Police Officer Jason Seng’s been on the force full-time for 13 years.

He also works part-time in nearby Baden.

Off the job, officer Seng stays busy helping his wife care for their son, Collin, who is non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair.

“My son was born with a partial dilution in his 18th chromosome, which is very rare,” Seng said. “He’s totally dependent on us.”

Right now, getting Collin in and out of the family’s van is difficult, so Seng’s fellow officers and the community are raising money to convert the family’s van into a wheelchair-accessible one.

“It’s going to be so much easier for my wife to do this even myself to get him into the van. He is getting big,“ Seng said.

The end goal is $30,000.

“It’s very humbling very humbling to see that,” Seng said.

Coming together, helping a police officer in need.

“I spent 13 years there,” Seng said. “It’s very nice for me to see that I made that big of an impact that they want to help me out.”

If you want to donate, there’s a jar at the Ambridge Police station.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Police are doubling the reward in hopes of solving a murder that dates back to the 1970’s.

In 1976, 12-year-old Heidi Morningstar disappeared in the middle of the night from her home in Ambridge.

Her parents had been called away for a family emergency.

(Photo Credit: KDKA)

Her body was discovered the next day in a yard in Edgeworth.

No one was ever arrested.

From December 5 through December 12, the reward for information leading to a conviction will be doubled to $10,000.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) – An Ambridge mother accused of killing her two children has agreed to a plea deal.

Krisinda Bright will plead guilty to two counts of murder in the first degree next week, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday. Each count comes with a life sentence.

Bright is accused of shooting and killing 16-year-old Jeffrey Bright and 22-year-old Jasmine Cannady in February.

(Photos: Beaver County, Prism)

She told police she shot one of the children while the victim was lying in bed. She told police she then went downstairs and pointed the gun at the other child and pulled the trigger.

According to the criminal complaint, Bright told police that the gun didn’t fire, and after the child said, “Please don’t shoot, I’m gonna call the police,” Bright fixed the gun and shot the child in the face. But Bright told police that the child wasn’t dead, so she went to get another gun and shot the victim in the head because she didn’t want her child to suffer.

Prosecutors have said they’ll seek the death penalty.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) – An Ambridge mother accused of killing her two children has pleaded guilty.

Krisinda Bright entered a plea agreement on Tuesday to two counts of first-degree murder, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office said. She will serve two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

The DA’s office dropped its death penalty request after Bright entered into the plea agreement.

Bright is accused of shooting and killing 16-year-old Jeffrey Bright and 22-year-old Jasmine Cannady in February.

(Photos: Beaver County, Prism)

She told police she shot one of the children while the victim was lying in bed. She told police she then went downstairs and pointed the gun at the other child and pulled the trigger.

According to the criminal complaint, Bright told police that the gun didn’t fire, and after the child said, “Please don’t shoot, I’m gonna call the police,” Bright fixed the gun and shot the child in the face. But Bright told police that the child wasn’t dead, so she went to get another gun and shot the victim in the head because she didn’t want her child to suffer.

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) – A major water main break on the Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge on Thursday morning forced road closures and water lines to be shut off.

Crews began working to repair the cracked water main early in the morning but before they could get to it, the pipes seemingly stopped on their own as bitter temperatures froze the water.

As the water went from a steady flow to a trickle, the burst pipe left its damage on the roads as clumps of ice piled onto Route 65, which prevented cars from passing and forced the road to close.

The Ambridge Water Authority says they tried to shut the water off as soon as they could, giving crews a chance to get to work.

However, because of the frigid temperatures, it’s possible not all of the work could be completed today in order to prevent workers from getting sick or catching frostbite.

They added they’ll get it patched up and then the work should be finished by Friday.

Drivers are being asked to be cautious as Route 65 reopens to traffic.

No residents were affect by the break as the Ambridge Water Authority always keeps 2-3 days of excess water on hand for situations such as this one.

By: Bryant Reed and Royce Jones/KDKA-TV

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) – Thousands of customers with the Ambridge Water Authority spent most of their day with no running water.

KDKA’s Roye Jones spoke with the water authority’s general manager Thursday evening, who said most customers should start seeing running water again. Around 5 a.m., there was a break inside the treatment plant and crews were unable to stop water from flowing back into it. The break knocked out service for 8,000 customers.

The water authority hired a company to come in and build two valves to isolate the plant and pump water out. They found two of their man pumps had been flooded in about 30 feet of water for nearly eight hours, damaging the motors.

“You always hear about other towns doing it, not realizing what it’s gonna be like to experience it yourself so. What fun, right?” said resident Michelle Smith

Customers like Gerry Sonsini were forced to scramble as the outage also caused the Ambridge Area School District to close. All students will attend school virtually and all after-school activities are canceled.

“I got a text from the wife this morning and it said there’s no school and I said, ‘oh God, I gotta go out and get some water.’ I do what I do, drive around to different counties, go to the grocery store and see if I can get some water for the family,” said Sonsini.

WATCH: KDKA’s Bryant Reed reports

Sonsini’s search for water was a little easier since the fire department quickly set up a water buffalo and also handed out water by the boxes.

“This is my first time experiencing this so it’s a little tough,” said resident Nicole Dawson. “We woke up at 5 to get a shower and there’s no water, so we had to make some adjustments to get a shower and we found a place, got to work on time.”

Sonsini and Dawson said they called the water authority and were told there was no ETA for when the break could be fixed.

Now with the flooding under control, the water authority has since been able to get water flowing to customers from a reserve tank in Ambridge and two more in Economy. With the water coming back on, all 8,000 customers are under a boil water advisory and are being told to conserve water while the authority works to get everything running as normal.

The water station at the fire department closes at 7 p.m. and reopens Friday at 8 a.m.

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) — Thousands in Ambridge have been without clean water since Thursday and no word on when it will be restored.

A pump failure at the water plant allowed dirty water to cycle through the system, leading to safety concerns and closures of local businesses.

One of those is Merchant Coffee, posting a sign on their door saying until the water is clean they will not operate.

It’s also been a setback for businesses like K&N Restaurant.

“We closed in Thursday then checked what we needed to do to stay open and we’ve been going since Friday,” said Shawn Holman, the owner.

Holman said they’ve found ways to power through.

“Coffee maker is bottled water, no ice, you make adjustments whatever you got to do,” said Holman. “It’s just been a challenge for the community. We’ve been going all bottled water and I think you just do what you gotta do and stay open. Covid hit us very hard as it did the other restaurants so we’re doing anything we can within the health guidelines to stay open and as part of a small business you do what you can to keep operating.”

Meanwhile, residents are figuring it out, as well.

“The showering is fine, but we buy bottled water anyhow for the house to drink. We can’t use our water,” said Donald Kaczmarczyk.

Lyman Katterson and many others say they’re ready to use the water from the faucet again but they’re trying their best to deal with the hand they’ve been dealt.

“It is what it is. You take life as it is,” Katterson said.

As work is still being done to fix the problem, there’s been no word on how much longer it could take.

There will be no in-person instruction on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. All buildings will be closed. All students should attend school virtually from home. All after school activities are cancelled.

— Ambridge Area SD (@ambridgearea) February 27, 2022

Students in the Ambridge School District will also be learning remotely for the next three days, with the district saying the earliest students and staff could return is Thursday.

AMBRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — People are getting creative in Ambridge more than four days after a massive break at the water plant.

KDKA learned the town’s boil water advisory will be lifted mid-week, but the kitchen inside Ambridge Italian Villa is still whipping up Greek and Italian classics all thanks to giant jugs of water.

“My first call was to Tri-State Waters in Beaver Falls,” said restaurant owner John Palavros.

Palavros didn’t even consider closing, but many other businesses had to close.

(Photo Credit: KDKA)

“We cannot afford to close. We had the bridge closure in November, which hurt us a little bit, and we’re coming out of the winter months,” Palavros said.

Last week, a vertical pipe inside the Ambridge Water Authority’s plant broke in two places, cutting water out to the entire town. It’s still not drinkable and everyone’s under a boil water advisory.

Ambridge Water Authority General Manager Mike Dominick told KDKA-TV that it’ll last nearly a week when all’s said and done because of the flooding.

“Everything that was in that plant down to the light bulbs was flooded, circuit breakers, turbidity meters,” said Dominick.

Everything needed to dry out before it could be repaired or replaced. Dominick’s led the Ambridge Water Authority for nearly a decade and calls this unfathomable.

“I have guys that have been here 40 years and guys that have retired that were here before that, nothing close,” said Dominick.

But residents like Jarraya Mason are making it work.

“I woke up in the middle of the night one day and I said, ‘I have dispensers. I can do this,’” Mason said.

Mason stacked bottled water in her dining room, boiled water on the stove and placed a new jug filled with bottled water in her bathroom. Mason said she’ll only need this set up until Wednesday.

“I didn’t even hear that Wednesday, so that’s very exciting news. I just was prepared for all of it. Just however long we’re going, I got water,” said Mason.

By: Patrick Damp/KDKA-TV

AMBRIDGE (KDKA) – The Ambridge Water Authority has lifted its boil water advisory.

One week ago, Ambridge residents were placed under the advisory when there was a break inside the treatment plant and crews were unable to stop water from flowing back into it.

The break knocked out service for 8,000 customers.

A pump failure also caused dirty water to cycle through the system, leading to safety concerns.

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Tom Hanks has struck again.

The legendary actor has made it a habit of photobombing strangers, particularly on their wedding days.

(Story continues below the photo)

Tom Hanks surprises a wedding party in Ambridge over the weekend. (Credit: Rachel Rowland Photography)

And while in Pittsburgh filming a movie over the weekend, he photobombed a couple in downtown Pittsburgh.

Wedding photographer Rachel Rowland shared the photos with KDKA-TV, saying they had no idea it was going to happen.

Hanks is filming a movie called “A Man Called Otto,” which is aiming for a Christmas Day release this year.

Tom Hanks surprises a wedding party in Ambridge over the weekend. (Credit: Rachel Rowland Photography)