In brief: Woman jailed after toddler dies in car
A 33-year-old Orofino area woman has been arrested for involuntary manslaughter and felony injury to a child after a 15-month-old boy was found dead in a locked car in temperatures approaching 100 degrees.
Rita Johnston, the child’s stepgrandmother, remained in the Clearwater County Jail on $15,000 bond Thursday.
Clearwater County Prosecutor Clayne Tyler said an investigation showed that the child was in the car for about five hours when passers-by noticed him and called authorities. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene around 6 p.m. Wednesday
Clearwater County Public Defender Jack Hathaway represented Johnston and said his client was distraught.
The identity of the child was not immediately available, pending notification of relatives.
Tacoma
Amber Alert issued for 12-year-old girl
Tacoma police have issued an Amber Alert for a 12-year-old girl who may have been abducted Wednesday night.
Zina Linnik, a Ukranian girl, was last seen at 9:45 p.m. in Tacoma. She was wearing a pink T-shirt; pink, orange and yellow capri pants; and red flip-flops. She has blond hair, is 4-foot-10 and weighs 80 pounds.
A witness reported hearing a scream from the alley behind Linnik’s home and then seeing a man get into an old gray van and drive away.
The van’s license plate may contain the numbers 1677.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
Spokane
Dog-attack victim, 8, doing well
An 8-year-old boy who was attacked by three dogs continues to heal and is doing well, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman David Thornburg.
The Otis Orchards boy is not expected to be released from the hospital until next week.
He was mauled Friday by two American bulldogs and a Saint Bernard mix in the 4100 block of Kenney Road, sheriff’s deputies said. The boy was approaching a neighbor’s home when the dogs started barking at him. He became frightened and turned around to leave and the animals attacked.
The neighbor who owned the dogs has agreed to have them euthanized.