ARNOLD — A prosecutor says a woman and her adult son found dead in their southwestern Pennsylvania home last week had been beaten to death.
But Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck says he cannot say anything more about the deaths of 46-year-old Bonnie Lee Broadwater and 22-year-old Lance Holt. Their bodies were found late Thursday night after a concerned friend contacted police who went to check on them at their home in Arnold. That's about 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says Peck announced the results of autopsies Tuesday. They showed both victims died of blunt force trauma, but Peck wouldn't release other details.
Investigators say they believe Broadwater and Holt were killed days before their bodies were found. They've yet to publicize a motive or say whether they have any suspects.
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Police: Boy took car through drive-thru
WHITEHALL — Talk about a small fry.
Police in eastern Pennsylvania are trying to find a young boy who was spotted driving a car through a McDonald's restaurant drive-thru in Whitehall Township. Workers at the restaurant say the boy appeared to be as young as 8 and was with two young men when he wheeled the car to the window around 8:15 p.m. Monday.
The Morning Call of Allentown reports police were notified, but were quickly diverted to other higher-priority calls.
McDonald's worker Stephanie Santos says the boy appeared to be as young as 8, but could have been a little older — although still not old enough to drive. She says everyone at the restaurant was laughing.
The boy ordered a sundae, two double-cheeseburgers and, of course, small fries.
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Students sickened by fumes at Philly school
PHILADELPHIA — Police say several dozen students are being examined after reporting nausea and dizziness from smelling fumes at a Philadelphia elementary school.
Authorities say it happened at the Joseph H. Brown Elementary School in the city's Holmesburg section around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. The students were taken for treatment at area hospitals, but the injuries are not believed to be severe.
Investigators say the school had lost power and the fumes may have been coming from a faulty generator.
WPVI-TV reports at least 50 students were taken to hospitals to be checked out and several children were evaluated at the scene. Some parents arrived to take their children home.
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Pa. borough reaches parade route chairs compromise
CANONSBURG — A western Pennsylvania borough has reached a face-saving compromise over a seat-saving problem at its popular Fourth of July parade.
Canonsburg council earlier this year cracked down on people who put up chairs two weeks before to save seats to the parade, which is billed as the second-largest in the state, behind Philadelphia's.
Council banned the chairs until 6 a.m. the day of the parade, but drew fire from residents and business leaders who say the chair-placing — featuring many festively decorated seats — had become a tradition unto itself.
As a result, council voted Monday to compromise. Residents can now begin placing their chairs at 6 a.m. July 2 — but they will no longer be able to tether chairs together with string or chains, or connect them to utility poles, as a safety measure.
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