Jess Flaherty

Kristin Denise Smart disappeared after attending a fraternity party at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo on May 25, 1996. Fellow student Paul Flores said he helped walk her toward her dormitory, but she was never seen again. Smart was declared legally dead in 2002, and Flores and his father Ruben were arrested in 2021 after investigators found evidence suggesting her body had been buried beneath a deck and later moved. Paul Flores was convicted of her murder in 2022 and sentenced in 2023 to 25 years to life in prison, while Ruben Flores was acquitted. Smart’s body has never been found, and the case continues to attract public attention.

A man in North Carolina intentionally committed a one‑dollar bank robbery in 2011 so he could be arrested and gain access to medical care he could not afford after losing his job and health insurance. Suffering from multiple untreated health problems, he calmly waited for police after handing the cashier a note. He faced a larceny charge due to the small amount demanded and expressed remorse for distress caused while explaining the desperation behind his actions.

A 19-year-old research vessel worker, Heather Boswell, suffered life-changing injuries in 1994 after a great white shark attacked her while swimming off the coast of Chile. Crew members rescued her after a struggle with the shark, but her left leg was lost. The incident was recorded on video and later featured on Shark Week and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Experts note the ecological importance of great white sharks and explain that most human encounters result from mistaken identity.

A dentist warns that chewing ice, a common habit during the UK's heatwave, can lead to dental damage including enamel cracks, fractures and harm to fillings or crowns, potentially costing up to £300 in repairs. Regularly biting ice places excessive pressure on teeth and may cause microscopic cracks that worsen over time. Those with existing dental work are at greater risk, and sensitivity when consuming cold items may signal underlying problems. Other dentists echo the warning, while the Met Office forecasts slightly cooler but still above-average temperatures later in July.

A black bear fatally attacked instrument technician Lorna Weafer at a remote Suncor oil sands site in Alberta during an unprovoked, hour‑long predatory assault. Colleagues attempted unsuccessfully to drive the bear away before police shot the responsible animal. Authorities investigated the site, confirmed the bear’s identity through DNA, and later released a second captured bear. Weafer’s family praised her character and aspirations while acknowledging coworkers’ rescue efforts, and officials noted such predatory black bear attacks are extremely rare in the region.

A geologist working in remote Alaska in 1977 was stalked and mauled by a black bear, losing both arms but surviving after calling for help with a radio. The incident led the U.S. Geological Survey to begin firearms training for staff in wilderness areas. Decades later she continues to volunteer as a geologist and lives independently using prosthetic limbs while experts note that black bear attacks on humans remain rare and complex in origin.

A man was fatally attacked and partially eaten by a black bear near George Lake in remote Alaska while his wife fled to safety and alerted authorities. Responders initially could not find the bear, but state troopers later located and killed it after it approached them with unusual lack of fear. A post-mortem confirmed the bear had consumed the victim. Experts noted the bear was healthy and that black bear attacks are rare, with no clear explanation for the incident.

An engaged Italian couple died after plunging 330 feet during a tandem bungee jump when snap-hooks securing their cord to a bridge failed. The accident occurred at the Polino Bungee Jumping Centre near Terni, prompting an immediate investigation by police, who are examining the harness system, safety clips and potential human error. Both the cord and equipment had reportedly been used successfully earlier that day. The facility was closed while authorities conducted inquiries into the cause of the fatal malfunction.