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From Hiding Indoors to Clear Skin: My Acne Transformation Journey

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From Hiding Indoors to Clear Skin: My Acne Transformation Journey

Night after night, I’m jolted awake in tears by a recurring anxiety dream. It’s the day of my wedding, and despite having spent a fortune on a make-up artist to mask the red, raised acne that coats my face, the reflection in the mirror is an unfortunate disaster.

The horror intensifies as I dash to the bathroom, frantically scrubbing off the botched make-up. I try repeatedly to fix it, only to find the clock racing ahead of me. Soon, it’s too late, and the once joyous occasion of my wedding spirals into cancellation.

Since the first spot emerged at the tender age of 13, acne has cast a shadow over my life, dominating my thoughts every waking minute.

School days were a punishing cycle of bullying and insecurities. Cruelly labeled ‘pizza face,’ I awakened each morning to a pillowcase stained with blood. My life became a series of intricate rituals designed to keep my bare face a secret—hiding behind layers of make-up, concealing myself with my hair, and avoiding eye contact at all costs.

By 16, I had exhausted every conceivable cream and gel. At 17, my doctor opted to prescribe the contraceptive pill, hoping it might temper the hormonal upheaval fueling my cystic acne.

Acne moulded my personality, making me the sort of person who would do anything to escape being the centre of attention. I don’t know if I’m really an introvert, but that’s who I became.

By 18, I was going through my first course of an oral drug called isotretinoin (80mg a day), which is also used for chemotherapy. It is so toxic that girls always have to use two forms of contraception (the Pill and condoms) because it can cause life-threatening birth defects if you accidentally get pregnant.

It dried out my skin and hair so much that the corners of my mouth would crack and bleed. It did give me a brief respite for the year I started at Loughborough University in Leicestershire to study graphic design. However, the spots soon returned – slowly at first, then the same as before.

Chloe first got acne when she was 13. By 16, she'd tried every cream and gel and, at 17, her GP put her on the contraceptive pill in the hope it would cure her acne

Chloe first got acne when she was 13. By 16, she’d tried every cream and gel and, at 17, her GP put her on the contraceptive pill in the hope it would cure her acne

Aged 21, I went on a second six-month course of isotretinoin, which gave me a few months of clear skin. But by 23, I was back in the acne gloom of my teens.

Every doctor I saw blamed my hormones – too much testosterone, apparently. They told me things would improve when I was older, but that’s no consolation when you wake up every morning to a fresh painful crop of boil-like cysts on your cheeks.

I’d met my boyfriend Isaac in freshers’ week in 2018. He made it clear he couldn’t care less about my skin. Isaac had had his own battle with spots during his teens and his skin had responded to antibiotics and supplements. But he understood the pain I was going through and was incredibly supportive.

When we moved in together in our third year, he was the only person I allowed to see me without make-up. Isaac quickly learned to build our social life around my chronic self-consciousness and my need to hide away when my skin was particularly bad. I played lacrosse for the university which meant a constant round of training sessions and tournaments.

While the other girls could give the sport their 100 per cent focus, I could never escape my spots. I avoided team huddles and photographs.

In January last year, Isaac proposed on the top of the O2 Arena in London. This was a wonderful surprise and my first thought was, ‘Yes!’. My second thought was, ‘Can we elope and get married without any fuss, no one looking at me and no photographs?’

We fixed a wedding date for December this year, but I found myself taking a back seat over the planning – leaving my mum to make all the arrangements. Yes, I desperately wanted to be married to Isaac, but I simply couldn’t get excited about a day when all eyes would be on me and my spots. That’s when the wedding anxiety dreams started.

Then Isaac’s mum, Louise, who is a health writer at the Daily Mail, declared she was going to make it her mission to help me fix my skin once and for all.

In January last year, Isaac proposed on the top of the O2 Arena in London. This was a wonderful surprise for Chloe and her first thought was, ¿Yes!¿

In January last year, Isaac proposed on the top of the O2 Arena in London. This was a wonderful surprise for Chloe and her first thought was, ‘Yes!’

Her second thought was, ¿Can we elope and get married without any fuss, no one looking at me and no photographs?¿

Her second thought was, ‘Can we elope and get married without any fuss, no one looking at me and no photographs?’

She and Isaac’s dad Jon had had their own battles with acne when they were younger, so they understood my pain and misery. Louise had been on antibiotics throughout her teens and her skin had only finally cleared when she was in her mid-20s.

Jon had it much worse – his acne covered his face, chest and his entire back. He had been picked as a guinea pig for one of the early trials for isotretinoin and was given a huge experimental dose, which did the trick eventually. 

Louise threw herself into researching dermatologists, searching for any new ideas or approaches for stubborn hormonal acne like mine. Many told her my best bet was another course of isotretinoin. But I’d already had two rounds of this poison and was dead set against it.

Then, last October, Louise arranged a Zoom consultation with dermatologist Dr Adam Friedmann who provides tailored treatments for severe, complex and persistent acne at ProDerm clinics in Harley Street, London, and in Bristol, Cheltenham and Birmingham.

I didn’t hold out much hope of success, but I felt Dr Friedmann understood me and he was prepared to investigate different options rather than just handing me a prescription to usher me out of the room.

Dr Friedmann said he wanted to try microdosing isotretinoin, putting me on a sixteenth of the dose I’d been on before with a 10mg tablet every other day. 

He assured me the side effects would be minimal at such a low dose. I also took a daily antibiotic (Erythromycin – to settle the inflammation) and he recommended a prescription rosacea gel (Rozex) to help with the redness and scarring.

For the first three months nothing happened. I felt defeated, especially as I was having to pay for the cocktail of drugs (£160 for three months) out of my meagre earnings as a marketing executive for a sports company.

Dr Friedmann said he wanted to try microdosing isotretinoin, putting Chloe on a sixteenth of the dose she¿d been on before with a 10mg tablet every other day

Dr Friedmann said he wanted to try microdosing isotretinoin, putting Chloe on a sixteenth of the dose she’d been on before with a 10mg tablet every other day

Now Chloe's skin is much clearer after months of treatment with isotretinoin and Trimethoprim

Now Chloe’s skin is much clearer after months of treatment with isotretinoin and Trimethoprim

Now aged 26, she finds it incredibly liberating not to have to worry about her skin for the first time

Now aged 26, she finds it incredibly liberating not to have to worry about her skin for the first time

At my next consultation after four months, I was ready to give up but Dr Friedmann seemed determined to prove me wrong. He upped my dose of isotretinoin to 20mg every day and switched the antibiotic to Trimethoprim.

Then gradually – very gradually – I noticed that new spots had stopped appearing and the old ones started healing. Was there finally light at the end of this tunnel?

In March, I was made redundant and braced myself for the stress and emotional overload to erupt on my face as it would have done in the past. But, incredibly, my skin didn’t react at all.

In May, I stood in a supermarket with Isaac suddenly realising that I’d left the house with no make-up on. Dr Friedmann then lowered my daily dose of isotretinoin back to 10mg and took me off the antibiotic and skin cream.

We know I’m not completely out of the woods yet and he has suggested I keep going with this tiny trickle of isotretinoin until after the wedding. If my skin stays clear, I’ll start taking the tablet every other day, then once or twice a week. And then maybe just every so often if I need it.

Today, aged 26, it’s incredibly liberating not to have to worry about my skin for the first time. Now all my wedding fears are different ones: my hair and my dress – the sort of things any bride-to-be should be worrying about.

I’m so grateful to Louise for helping me to turn something I was dreading into something I’m really looking forward to.

And that nightmarish wedding dream has disappeared. I’ll be doing my own make-up on the day and I’m now experimenting with sheer, minimally covering foundations to create a fresh, dewy, no-make-up look.

I’ll just look like me. Not me covered in spots.

As told to Louise Atkinson.

Australia’s Dramatic Shift: Global Eyes Watch as Change Unfolds

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Tayyab Saeed, who relocated from Pakistan to Melbourne in 2024, has found Australia to be quite welcoming.

“At my workplaces, I haven’t encountered any anti-immigration bias or behavior,” he shares with SBS News.

Nevertheless, as anti-migration sentiments become more prominent in Australia’s political dialogue, Saeed expresses growing anxiety about the potential implications for migrants like himself.

A man in a grey blazer and a red-and-grey checked scarf stands outside a well-lit restaurant.

“It’s mainly a question of safety, beyond just residency rights and future economic prospects,” Saeed mentions.

His worries arise amid a heated national conversation on migration, with concerns over housing affordability, infrastructure stress, and living costs leading to heightened support for parties advocating reduced immigration.

The debate has left some migrants questioning how they are viewed in a country that continues to rely on immigration to drive population growth and fill workplace shortages.

Why migration still matters

For decades, migration has helped offset a demographic challenge facing many developed nations: an ageing population and slowing organic population growth.

As more Australians retire and birth rates remain relatively low, policymakers have relied on migration to help sustain the workforce and support the economy.

That reliance has helped drive Australia’s population to 28 million, making migration one of the country’s most significant sources of demographic change.

A line graph showing how migration has driven Australia's population growth over the years.

The benefits of migration are often weighed against concerns about its impact on housing, infrastructure and public services.

While migration is at the centre of those debates, Liz Allen, a demographer and senior lecturer at the Australian National University’s Centre for Social Policy Research, says discussion of its impacts can miss the population pressures it helps ease.

“The local population does not have the required skills and the required mass to offset the ageing and retirement of people out of the workforce,” Allen tells SBS News.

“Quite simply, immigration offsets the adverse consequences of an ageing population.”

Allen says migration helps fill workforce shortages and maintain living standards.

Yet she notes migration often becomes a focal point for broader frustrations about economic insecurity and inequality.

Australians are concerned about being left behind in any economic progress.

“That fear of being left behind or not being given opportunities that others are receiving creates discontent,” Allen says.

She argues these concerns are often less about migrants themselves and more about whether economic gains are being shared fairly across society.

A political flashpoint

These concerns have entered Australian politics, with migration becoming part of a broader set of issues shaping voter sentiment, including cost of living, housing and trust in government.

Support for One Nation has risen to its highest level on record, according to recent polling.

Two federal polls conducted partly after Pauline Hanson’s 17 June National Press Club address showed continued gains for the party with primary vote support rising by two points in both the DemosAu and Morgan surveys, to 30 per cent and 31.5 per cent respectively.

A Newspoll survey conducted in the first week of June also placed One Nation on 31 per cent of the primary vote, slightly ahead of Labor at 30 per cent.

A colourful bar graph showing primary vote share by party based on a Newspoll survey.

Analysts say the rise reflects a mix of economic and political frustrations rather than any single issue.

According to Ian McAllister, a professor at the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University, One Nation’s support should be understood primarily as a response to wider dissatisfaction with the major parties.

He describes it as a “protest vote”, driven by cost of living, economic insecurity and dissatisfaction with government performance.

“What it tells us is a bit less about One Nation … It tells us more about what people think about the two major political parties,” McAllister tells SBS News.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, net overseas migration peaked in 2022-23 at nearly 538,000 people. It has since eased, falling to 429,000 in 2023-24 and 306,000 in 2024-25.

That shift in migration flows has coincided with changes in public sentiment.

A line graph showing what Australians think about current immigration levels.

A majority of Australians — 55 per cent — now say the number of migrants coming to Australia is “too high”. While this is within the margin of error of last year’s result (53 per cent), it represents a seven-point increase from 2024 and sits close to the previous high of 54 per cent recorded in 2018, according to a recent analysis by the Lowy Institute.

Taken together, the data suggest migration is becoming one of several issues through which public frustration is expressed.

“When economic times are good, there’s economic prosperity, people have got jobs, they feel relatively secure economically, then people are very open to migration,” McAllister says.

“When you’ve got a lot of cost of living pressures, where people think their jobs may be insecure, then opposition to migration increases.”

For Saeed, watching a debate in which people like him are often portrayed as part of the problem has been frustrating.

“Seeing that in the news and seeing their popularity grow, our subconscious develops this sort of feeling that hate exists in the people,” he says.

If that hate exists in the people and their popularity is growing, what will happen if they come into power?

“It will seriously cause safety and security concerns for us.”

McAllister says while concerns about migration have certainly grown, this doesn’t necessarily mean Australians are becoming hostile towards migrants.

“They’re becoming more concerned about the level of immigration, but it’s not immigration as such because people are often open to migration,” he says.

Polling has frequently shown Australians distinguish between concerns about migration levels and attitudes towards individual migrants, although the two debates can sometimes overlap.

McAllister says migrants who are still establishing themselves in Australia may be more sensitive to shifts in public sentiment than those who have spent decades in the country. But this tends to dissipate as they integrate more over time.

Watching from overseas

The discussion is also being watched beyond Australia’s borders.

Khayra Fitria Asmanu, an Indonesian student, had planned to study in Australia after high school. She was attracted by the country’s universities and lifestyle opportunities.

But after receiving university offers in 2025, she decided not to move.

Higher student visa fees, rising living costs and recent changes to the international education system — including visa costs, work-hour rules and post-study pathways — contributed to her decision.

A young woman in a beige jacket stands outside a white building with tall pillars.

Asmanu says public discussions around migration, while not the main factor, did shape her perception of the country.

“News spreading online about migration protests made me feel unsafe, especially as a potential international student who’s going to be living abroad by herself,” she tells SBS News.

It also made me reflect on how it’s going to be harder for me to keep living there, build a career, and potentially upgrade to a permanent resident.

Despite deciding not to study in Australia, she says she still views the country as welcoming and may consider returning in the future.

For many weighing Australia as a destination, the contrast is difficult to ignore.

While multiculturalism remains a cornerstone of government policy, that long-standing approach sits alongside a system that is still being actively examined and adjusted.

The federal government recently completed a major review of Australia’s multicultural framework, focused on strengthening social cohesion, inclusion and belonging as the population grows.

For many watching from overseas, that debate is shaping perceptions of Australia long before a visa application is ever made.

And for those already here — or still deciding — the question is no longer just how policy is written, but how it is received and interpreted.

Daring Escape: A Chinese Dissident’s Harrowing Journey to Freedom in South Korea and Canada

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Daring Escape: A Chinese Dissident’s Harrowing Journey to Freedom in South Korea and Canada

HONG KONG – Remarkable courage and a relentless quest for freedom define the journey of Chinese dissident Dong Guangping. Surviving a grueling 40-hour voyage across the sea in a dinghy, with his dying phone as his last lifeline, Dong found himself detained in South Korea. However, his determination to escape the control of his native country eventually led him to Canada, a safe haven he’d dreamed of reaching for over a decade.

Dong’s journey to Canada was riddled with hurdles. His past in China was marred by multiple incarcerations, primarily due to his involvement in commemorating the infamous 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy activists and numerous attempts to flee the country.

In a candid online video interview with The Associated Press from Toronto, Dong likened his life in China to existing within the confined limits of a cage, stifled by the lack of freedom of expression.

Upon his release from one of many imprisonments, the now 68-year-old found himself unable to access retirement benefits or renew his passport. Instead, he was subjected to constant police surveillance, further suffocating his everyday existence.

Dong’s numerous escape attempts underline his unyielding spirit. He fled to Thailand in 2015 only to be sent back to China, bravely tried to swim to a nearby Taiwanese island in 2019, and reached Vietnam in 2020, but each time, he was deported back until his eventual arrival in Canada.

Last month, he tried again.

‘No point fearing death’

In the early hours of May 24, he set off in a gray rubber dinghy fitted with an engine from Weihai, a coastal city in eastern China’s Shandong province, under fine weather. He was eyeing Japan, confident that the government there would not send him back to China.

But the next day brought fog. When he noticed his phone, which he relied on for GPS navigation, was on its last bar, he became terrified. His power bank also died. He quickly switched to his contingency plan — South Korea.

Dong recalled that dread ran deep because his tiny boat might capsize if the winds and waves picked up. But he had no way to return and shook off the fear of death.

“Living conditions back in the country are so terrible that being alive is little different than being dead. So there is no point fearing death,” he said. “If you move forward, there’s a chance at life.”

In the evening, he saw lights in the distance and moved toward them. The first vessel could not hear his cries for help and left. Later, he encountered a fishing boat that agreed to pull him on board. He asked the fishers to call the police to help him.

The South Korean Coast Guard detained him for allegedly violating the country’s immigration law. They sought a warrant to formally arrest him, but a court refused, saying it’s “difficult to recognize sufficient grounds and necessity” for his arrest.

From refugee center to Canada

Dong was later sent to a refugee center in Incheon, a port city near Seoul. Earlier this month, the U.N. refugee agency contacted him via video call, he said.

A refugee center manager later asked about his height, weight and his eye color. He was worried at first but it turned out to be a good sign. His lawyer told him it was at the request of the Canadian diplomatic mission, he said.

About a week later, Dong boarded a flight and he arrived in Toronto Friday. He was still unclear what legal procedures were involved in his move, but guessed it was based on cooperation between the South Korean and Canadian governments and the U.N. agency.

“I feel very surprised, extremely surprised. It’s like still in a dream. It’s very fast,” he said.

He believed the resettlement status in Canada that his family secured in 2015, before Thai authorities deported him back to China, was still valid.

The Canadian Embassy in South Korea declined to comment on Dong’s case. The U.N. refugee agency and the South Korean government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Dong vows to press on with his activism

Dong said he feels at home after arriving in Toronto, saying he finally tasted freedom for the first time in over a decade.

“There’s not even a hint of fear,” he said.

He hopes to make a living, possibly by being a truck driver or an Uber driver.

But the joy doesn’t help Dong let go of the deportations by the Thai and Vietnamese authorities.

In 2015, Dong and his family went to Thailand to seek refugee status from the U.N. refugee agency, but Thai authorities later arrested him and returned him to China, according to Amnesty International. His ex-wife and daughter managed to settle in Canada.

The activist fled to Vietnam in 2020, but was sent back in 2022. He was jailed each time he was returned to China. He said he plans to consult a lawyer to see if he can sue both Thailand and Vietnam.

For Dong, the fight is far from over. He also plans to press on in his call for China’s democratization.

In the late 1990s, the former police officer distributed leaflets with his articles on topics such as the Tiananmen crackdown. He was imprisoned for three years in 2001 for inciting subversion of state power.

He also spent more than eight months behind bars over his participation in a memorial for victims of the crackdown after being arrested in 2014, he said.

“My ultimate goal is for China to achieve constitutional democracy,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

PhD Student Discovered Dead Behind Yale Wall on Her Planned Wedding Day

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PhD Student Discovered Dead Behind Yale Wall on Her Planned Wedding Day

On the day Annie Le was supposed to celebrate her wedding, a grim discovery overshadowed the occasion.

Annie Le, a PhD candidate at Yale, was found deceased within the walls of a bathroom in the Amistad Clinical Research Facility. This shocking discovery was made just days after her sudden disappearance from the campus.

The 24-year-old was brutally beaten and strangled in a chilling case that has since been featured on the Oxygen series The Killer Among Us.

“She was incredibly thrilled about getting married,” recalled her friend, Jennifer Simpson. “The day was meant to be grand and beautiful, a moment now stolen from her forever.”

Who Was Annie Le?

Le, born into a Vietnamese immigrant family, was recognized as a brilliant mind. She advanced her studies in pharmacology at Yale’s esteemed research institute, where she focused on the development of lifesaving medications.

“She was a fireball,” Simpson remembered. “She was naturally curious.”

By all accounts, Le couldn’t wait to marry fiancé Jonathan Widawsky.

“She was dedicated to John,” Simpson shared. “She loved him so much and they had such a great relationship.”

What Happened to Annie Le? 

But, those dreams would never become a reality. On the evening of Sept. 8, 2009, Le’s roommate reported her missing to police after she failed to return home.

“The roommate hadn’t heard from her all day,” investigative reporter Dave Altimari explained. “They texted normally multiple times a day, and so she was concerned that something had happened.”

When police got in touch with Widawsky—who authorities confirmed was 80 miles away attending classes at Columbia University—he also hadn’t heard from his bride-to-be.

“What adds an extra layer of mystery to all of this is that she’s supposed to be married that very weekend,” retired Connecticut State Police Det. Peter Valentin recalled. “The fact that this is out of character for her, and this would not be how she would conduct herself in the days leading up to her wedding, this gave it some more urgency than it otherwise would have had.”

Annie Le Never Seen Leaving Yale Laboratory

Le’s roommate told investigators that the 24-year-old left her apartment earlier that day, wearing a bright green top and brown skirt. She was planning to head to her office and then go to the lab where she conducted her animal experiments at the Amistad Clinical Research Facility.

Police discovered her wallet, credit cards and cell phone at her office, but there was no sign of Le anywhere in the building.

Her last known contact was at 10 a.m. when she sent a message to her coworkers saying she was getting married and would be out of the office for several weeks.  The message had been sent by a computer at the lab and investigators confirmed that she’d used her keycard to enter the building at 10:11 a.m. 

Her arrival was also seen on surveillance footage—but strangely, Le was never seen leaving the building, even after it was evacuated for a fire drill around 1 p.m. 

“There was no sign of her at the fire alarm,” retired FBI task force member Karl Jacobson explained. “It was clear that something had happened between that 10 o’clock and 1 o’clock time.”

Investigators Find Blood, Seminal Fluid in Search For Annie Le

Authorities began to suspect that Le may have been met with foul play after encountering someone within the highly-secured building. 

“It’s a tight-knit community,” Simpson explained. “Everybody’s who there, they want to change the world.”

During a sweep of Le’s lab, they found what looked like seminal fluid on the wall and blood spatter on a box, giving them their first clues that Le was likely the victim of a violent attack. Yet, there was still no sign of Le herself, even as days passed.

Ray Clark Emerges as Suspect in Annie Le’s Disappearance

Using data from the building, investigators learned that after she used her key card to swipe in, four other people accessed her lab room that day. 

One of the people was Ray Clark, an animal care technician and long-time employee.

Clark—who was also engaged to another lab staff member—told police that he’d left for lunch that day around 12:45 p.m. and that Le had left about 15 minutes before him. 

Yet, investigators knew that couldn’t possibly be true. Not only had Le never been seen leaving the building, but Clark was seen exiting the building at 1 p.m. with other employees during the fire alarm. As he waited for the building to be cleared, he was seen on surveillance footage, walking to some exterior stairs, sitting down and putting his head in hands, seemingly distraught.

Three days into the investigation, Yale custodian Mellisa Dunkley also discovered something unusual in a basement storage closet. It looked like someone had used bleach—a forbidden substance at the all green lab—to clean out a drain and notified investigators. 

Using a chemical re-agent, authorities discovered evidence that there had been blood in the area. Detectives learned that Clark had used his key card to enter the rarely used storage closet 11 times on the day Le disappeared. 

Where Was Annie Le Found? 

The final pieces of the puzzle didn’t come together until September 13, when a Yale police officer noticed a foul smell coming from the men’s restroom around midnight.

Though there were no obvious signs of what was causing the smell, a cadaver dog the next day led police to a bathroom stall. There, they found a small metal door in the wall. 

“[It’s] an access panel behind the toilet,” Valentin said. “The door was about 1 foot square.”

After opening it, they discovered Le’s body stuffed inside the small space.

“This is the first time any of us have ever seen a body hidden in the wall,” Valentin remarked. “And there’s no protocol for this.”

After carefully removing Le’s body to preserve the evidence, a medical examiner determined that she had  been beaten and strangled to death.

Who Killed Annie Le?

News quickly spread to Le’s family and friends. 

“It was quite disturbing and painful,” Simpson recalled. “She’s supposed to be getting married on this day, and yet, it turns out to be a day that they find her.”

After matching Clark’s DNA to evidence found on Le’s body, the animal technician was arrested and charged with Le’s murder. 

As for motive, investigators learned that Clark had once asked Le to get a drink with him, but she declined his advances.

“I think her email announcing that Friday’s her last day before her wedding might have been a precipitating factor here,” Valetin said. “Perhaps Ray went to talk to her in her lab and I think that either she went to leave or she asked him to leave and I think a situation got out of hand.”

Clark ultimately pleaded guilty to murder and attempted sexual assault.

“To have her life cut short like that for really no reason, I think, is the real tragedy here,” Altimari said. “It was just such a sad loss of a brilliant mind.”

Tragic Incident: Child Accidentally Shoots Baby After Discovering Gun Under Bed

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Tragic Incident: Child Accidentally Shoots Baby After Discovering Gun Under Bed

Authorities are investigating after a tragic incident in St. Louis, Missouri, where a 10-year-old boy shot and killed a baby, according to KSDK reports.

In a heartbreaking accident, a young boy in Missouri discovered a firearm beneath a mattress, resulting in the fatal shooting of a 7-month-old baby. The tragic event has led to murder charges being filed against both the child and the baby’s father.

Ca’Marion Pawnell, aged 19, now faces charges of second-degree murder and first-degree child endangerment, which resulted in death. Additionally, he is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child due to creating a substantial risk. Meanwhile, the 10-year-old, identified as the alleged shooter, is charged with first-degree murder in juvenile court.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers swiftly responded to the scene just after 4 p.m. on Friday. Arriving at a home located in the 8400 block of N. Broadway, they discovered baby Kiyomi Parker suffering a critical gunshot wound.

With time being of the essence, officers quickly decided not to wait for an ambulance. They transported Kiyomi in their patrol car to the hospital, where tragically, she was later pronounced dead by medical personnel.

According to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by local NBC affiliate KSDK, the boy knew that Pawnell had a gun under the mattress in a bedroom and had taken it out to play with before. On this occasion, the boy allegedly pulled out the gun and shot Kiyomi in the head. Police did not divulge the relationship between the boy and Kiyomi.

In an interview with detectives, Pawnell admitted that he owned the gun and that he stored it under the bed, the affidavit reportedly said.

Police said a 7-year-old also was inside the home at the time of the shooting.

Cops did not name the shooter since he was charged as a juvenile. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that under Missouri law, only juveniles over the age of 12 can stand trial as adults. He was taken into custody after the shooting.

Homicide and child abuse detectives are conducting a joint investigation.

Pawnell was arrested and taken to the St. Louis City Justice Center. His next court date is not yet listed.

Shocking Rodeo Incident: 25-Year-Old Bull Rider Hospitalized After Dramatic NYC Event

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Shocking Rodeo Incident: 25-Year-Old Bull Rider Hospitalized After Dramatic NYC Event

A dramatic scene unfolded at a rodeo event in the Bronx on Sunday when a bull rider was thrown from a rampaging bull and trampled, leaving the audience in shock.

The harrowing incident involved a 25-year-old participant who was bucked off the vigorous animal during a sanctioned rodeo on Bruner Avenue in Baychester, as reported by the NYPD.

Footage acquired by The Post reveals the chilling moment when the rider appears to lose consciousness on top of the unruly bull, possibly after hitting his head.

In the intense video, the bull rider’s hat is seen flying off as the bull thrashes him around, his arms flailing limply, likening him to a ragdoll at the mercy of the bull’s incredible power.

The fierce bovine kicks back its legs with force, resulting in the rider being violently hurled to the ground, further amplifying the already nerve-wracking spectacle.

However, the man’s foot was still caught in a stirrup — putting him in a vulnerable position underneath the beast, according to the footage.

Onlookers shouted in alarm as the rider was trampled and dragged across the dirt by the wild animal.

Several organizers ran into the pen to try to help the man, as the bull continued to spin around and repeatedly kick him.

Eventually, the rider was freed and carried off by a group of men. People were seen attending to him and waving fans in front of his face.

The man was brought to the hospital in stable condition, cops said.

Witnesses said the bull rider appeared to be briefly unconscious and bleeding after the vicious attack.

“My buddy got hurt a little bad,” fellow bull rider Gato told The Post.

“He was hit pretty hard. He was doing his thing on the bull, but he got caught up in the spins, man, and he got hit on top, threw down, stepped on, got unconscious,” Gato said. “Hope he’s alright.”

Audience member Osvaldo Sanchez said that, though the event was shocking, there’s always a risk of injury while bull riding.

“There were a lot of young kids also obviously witnessed this, and they were also like worried about what has happened,” Sanchez said. “I already had experience of all of that, so I was really used to it. I didn’t mind recording it, like really up close.”

How Otto Hightower’s Fate Unfolds in House of the Dragon Season 3

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How Otto Hightower’s Fate Unfolds in House of the Dragon Season 3

Rhaenyra Targaryen staring in

Ollie Upton/HBO

Contains spoilers for “House of the Dragon” Season 3, Episode 2

The third season of “House of the Dragon” launched with a bang in its premiere, claiming the life of a key character. Now, just as viewers were settling in for another episode, the HBO fantasy saga bids farewell to another familiar face. Otto Hightower, played by the talented Rhys Ifans, exits the show, leaving behind a legacy of ambitious scheming.

In a gripping scene, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), poised to ascend to the Iron Throne, faces a critical decision with her husband and uncle, Daemon (Matt Smith), by her side. As they stand before an expectant audience, Daemon goads Rhaenyra into executing Otto, symbolizing her formidable power and resolve to quash dissent.

Defiant to the end, Otto requests that Daemon performs the grim task, hoping for a cleaner end than a botched beheading. Nonetheless, Rhaenyra takes charge of the execution herself. The first swing is less than precise, but the second blow is decisive, severing Otto’s head from his body. Unfortunately for Otto’s family, his daughter Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and granddaughter Helaena (Phia Saban) stumble upon the grim aftermath, his blood spreading across the floor — a moment that lands with a strangely anticlimactic thud.

The pacing of Otto Hightower’s death is off

Otto Hightower staring in

Ollie Upton/HBO

Known for its swift execution of characters, both “House of the Dragon” and its predecessor “Game of Thrones” seldom shy away from sudden deaths. However, Otto Hightower’s departure feels particularly abrupt. Despite his significant role in shaping the series’ prior seasons, his demise materializes almost as an afterthought at the episode’s conclusion, bluntly wrapping up his arc without much ceremony.

The nature of his death is canon to the source material; however, this is more of a complaint of how it’s executed (pardon the pun). As mentioned elsewhere, there’s an explanation as to why “House of the Dragon” Season 3’s opening is weird: The budget cuts forced the big battles teased at the end of the previous season to end up in Season 3. Consequently, the pacing is off, and this has a knock-on effect in the second episode as well.

Rhaenyra taking the throne and Otto’s subsequent beheading should have either concluded the second season finale, or been included in the Season 3 premiere. It would have been a big dramatic cliffhanger, or a shocking opener, to showcase to viewers that Rhaenyra isn’t playing around anymore. Instead, Otto’s death is nothing more than a bullet point in this season’s events.

Urgent Coastal Recovery Mission: Missing Marine from USS Anchorage Sparks Search off California Coast

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Urgent Coastal Recovery Mission: Missing Marine from USS Anchorage Sparks Search off California Coast

Navy officials have announced that the mission to locate a missing Marine from the USS Anchorage, involved in training off the coast of Southern California, has shifted to a recovery operation.

The Marine was participating in exercises with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Pendleton, alongside the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, when the incident occurred.

The search initially commenced on Thursday but was reclassified as a search and recovery mission by Friday. It involved a coordinated effort with three surface ships and 12 aircraft coming from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force.

USS Anchorage makes its way up Alaska's Cook Inlet

The Navy has officially transitioned its efforts from search-and-rescue to focusing on recovery. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

The area covered by the search spanned approximately 2,400 square miles, according to officials.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all who are affected during this difficult time,” the Navy said in a news release this week about the missing Marine.

The Marine’s name was being withheld pending the notification of family, the Navy said.

Amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage

The search covered about 2,400 square miles, officials said. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Evan Diaz)

The USS Anchorage is an amphibious transport dock ship based at Naval Base San Diego.

This is at least the second time in six weeks that the U.S. military has had to search for missing service members.

USS Anchorage vessel

The search featured three ships and 12 aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force. (GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle)

The remains of the second of two U.S. Army soldiers who went missing during military training exercises in Morocco were recovered in May, ending a multinational search operation that utilized air, naval and artificial intelligence assets, the Army said at the time.

T.I. and Tiny’s Star-Studded Family Affair: Highlights from the 2026 BET Awards

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T.I. and Tiny’s Star-Studded Family Affair: Highlights from the 2026 BET Awards

Making the 2026 BET Awards a family outing, T.I. and Tiny Harris appeared alongside three of their children, creating a memorable moment.

Embed from Getty Images

The family was seen posing together on the glamorous red carpet at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Joining T.I. and Tiny were Heiress, King, and Domani Harris. Ten-year-old Heiress was especially in the spotlight, reveling in her third nomination for the BET YoungStars Award. She shone in a white embellished suit paired with a matching tie, beaming with her proud parents on what was dubbed culture’s grandest evening.

Before the ceremony, Tiny took to Instagram, sharing her excitement and pride over her daughter’s nomination with a heartfelt message.

“We are overjoyed and grateful that our babygirl @heiressdharris has been nominated for the Young Star Award @betawards for the third time. It truly matters that you all have acknowledged her dedication and hard work in this industry, even as a young talent. Thanks to everyone who supports her journey. Her latest single ‘In The Wind’ is now available on all platforms! I also love the @willowsmith comparison—absolutely amazing!!”
Embed from Getty Images

Tiny also praised both her husband and daughter in another post, writing, “Congratulations to my babies @tip for this amazing last album ‘Kill The King.’ If u don’t have it already u are doing yourself a disservice. Opening up the project, none other than our talented babygirl @heiressdharris. Already mama’s #YoungStar. She makes me so proud!! So many great features on here, including my girlz @omggirlz!! Let’s Go!! ‘Kill The King’ out on all platforms!!”

Embed from Getty Images

T.I. helped kick off the BET Awards with a performance featuring hits including “Top Back” and “Let ‘Em Know.” During the latter, his 21-year-old son, King Harris, joined him onstage, sitting behind the wheel of a car as part of the performance. The appearance came just days after T.I. released Kill the King, his twelfth studio album, which he has suggested could be his final project.

The 2026 BET Awards featured several memorable parent-child moments throughout the evening. Jamie Foxx also shared the stage with his 17-year-old daughter, Anelise Bishop, during Kehlani’s performance of “Folded,” with Foxx on piano and Anelise accompanying him on guitar.

Inside the Exciting Wedding Plans of Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz in New Orleans

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Inside the Exciting Wedding Plans of Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz in New Orleans

Reports suggest that Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz are hunting for wedding venues in New Orleans, just a couple of months post-engagement.

As a teenager, Zoe resided in New Orleans with her musician father, Lenny Kravitz, contrasting her upbringing with her mother, Lisa Bonet, in Los Angeles.

Friends of the couple believe that the charming Southern city offers a perfect backdrop for their nuptials.

An insider shared with The Sun, expressing, ‘Despite having an entourage of celebrity acquaintances and a glamorous lifestyle, Harry and Zoe’s wedding will break the mold.

This cool couple desires a one-of-a-kind celebration. Zoe’s New Orleans roots and the city’s rich musical legacy put it at the forefront of their choices, and they’ve informed friends that they’re exploring possibilities for hosting their special day there.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Harry and Zoe’s representatives for a comment. 

Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz are reportedly looking at wedding venues in New Orleans, two months after getting engaged (pictured this week)

Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz are reportedly looking at wedding venues in New Orleans, two months after getting engaged (pictured this week)

Zoe lived in New Orleans with her rocker father Lenny when she was a teenager. She grew up with her mother Lisa Bonet in Los Angeles (pictured together in 2016)

Zoe lived in New Orleans with her rocker father Lenny when she was a teenager. She grew up with her mother Lisa Bonet in Los Angeles (pictured together in 2016)

The couple enjoyed a precious few hours off from his record-breaking Wembley Stadium residency on Thursday with a romantic picnic.

The Aperture singer, 32, headed to Hampstead Heath in London with his fiancée Zoe to enjoy the soaring temperatures in the UK.

The al fresco date came just a day before Harry worried fans when he choked on water on stage before collapsing to the ground while performing during the heatwave on Friday night.

On Friday, the UK record for the hottest day in June was broken for a third day in a row, with temperatures reaching 37.5C in London.

In a clip posted to TikTok, the singer could be seen blowing water out of his mouth for his famous ‘whale’ spit before visibly choking.

Harry was then captured falling to the floor while he continued to choke for a few seconds.

Thankfully, the star managed to get back up, but the audience at Wembley was left worried about the hitmaker. 

One concertgoer told the Daily Mail: ‘As Harry ran down the stage for the final time in preparation for his famous whale, he sprayed the crowd before he then started to cough. 

‘Managing to suppress his chokes, he performed the whale before falling to the floor, where he lay on his back and continued to cough and splutter. It was quite worrying, but he quickly got up to continue with the gig.’

Commenting on the heat at the concert, they added: ‘After the first two songs, he took off his jacket and his shirt was already soaked with sweat, and he was like, “Oh god look at that! I’ve only done two songs!”

Join the discussion

What does a “unique” celebrity wedding say about fame, family ties, and staying true to roots?

Harry enjoyed a precious few hours off from his record-breaking Wembley Stadium residency on Thursday with a romantic picnic

Harry enjoyed a precious few hours off from his record-breaking Wembley Stadium residency on Thursday with a romantic picnic

The Aperture singer headed to Hampstead Heath in London with his fiancée Zoe to enjoy the soaring temperatures in the UK

The Aperture singer headed to Hampstead Heath in London with his fiancée Zoe to enjoy the soaring temperatures in the UK

While Harry is known for his signature short shorts, it was Zoe's turn to show off her legs as she kept cool in a pair of bright blue shorts and a strappy black top

While Harry is known for his signature short shorts, it was Zoe’s turn to show off her legs as she kept cool in a pair of bright blue shorts and a strappy black top

Harry seemed enamoured with his partner's leg, whipping out a camcorder to film her as she stood up

Harry seemed enamoured with his partner’s leg, whipping out a camcorder to film her as she stood up

Harry was spotted getting some TLC from his adoring partner, resting his head in her lap as they soaked up the sunshine on a picnic blanket

Harry was spotted getting some TLC from his adoring partner, resting his head in her lap as they soaked up the sunshine on a picnic blanket

Zoe dressed for the heat as she enjoyed some one-on-one time with Harry before his next gig

Zoe dressed for the heat as she enjoyed some one-on-one time with Harry before his next gig 

The singer teamed a pair of board shorts with a red and white top and backwards baseball cap for the al fresco date

The singer teamed a pair of board shorts with a red and white top and backwards baseball cap for the al fresco date 

The relaxing date came just a day before Harry worried fans when he choked on water before collapsing to the ground while performing on stage during the heatwave on Friday night

The relaxing date came just a day before Harry worried fans when he choked on water before collapsing to the ground while performing on stage during the heatwave on Friday night

On Friday, the UK record for the hottest day in June was broken for a third day in a row, with temperatures reaching 37.5C in London

On Friday, the UK record for the hottest day in June was broken for a third day in a row, with temperatures reaching 37.5C in London

In a clip posted to TikTok, the singer could be seen blowing water out of his mouth for his famous 'whale' spit before visibly choking

In a clip posted to TikTok, the singer could be seen blowing water out of his mouth for his famous ‘whale’ spit before visibly choking

Harry and Zoe reportedly got engaged in April after around eight months of dating

Harry and Zoe reportedly got engaged in April after around eight months of dating

Zoe showed off her huge engagement ring on the picnic date

Zoe showed off her huge engagement ring on the picnic date 

During Saturday's gig, a happy Harry played matchmaker for two fans in the audience

During Saturday’s gig, a happy Harry played matchmaker for two fans in the audience 

The couple seem closer than ever, with Zoe in the audience most nights to support her beau

The couple seem closer than ever, with Zoe in the audience most nights to support her beau

Harry still has four more dates at Wembley after entertaining thousands of fans already

Harry still has four more dates at Wembley after entertaining thousands of fans already 

Worried fans shared their concerns on social media, penning: 

‘When he fell to his knees, my heart stopped in shock. Harry is incredible, it surely takes immense strength and stamina to perform in these temperatures, and yet he always gives it his all ❤️’.

‘He’s too dedicated to us, just Breathe Harry’,

‘I nearly had a heart attack watching the live stream!! Thought he collapsed from heat or exhaustion!!! Love you dearly Harry!!’.

Harry was back on Saturday for his eighth night at Wembley, and was in high spirits as he cracked jokes with fans.

In a video shared online, the One Direction star, whose engagement to Zoe was only recently revealed, was amused by one group of fans’ sassy sign. 

‘Your sign says help us find husbands,’ he said, laughing. ‘We lost the Tinder war.’

Harry then admitted ‘it’s a real battlefield, we’ve lost a lot of good men, a lot of good women as well, a lot of good soldiers. What are you looking for in a husband?’

Repeating the woman’s requests, Harry told the crowd she was looking for ‘someone funny, someone who’s like cool. OK!’

He then joked the fan was on the hunt for the guy in the Man In Finance viral song, adding: ‘He’s gotta be six foot,’ before clarifying: ‘He doesn’t have to be a finance bro, glad we’ve established that.’

Playing matchmaker, Harry then called out ‘Are there any non-finance bros in the house tonight,’ before quickly finding a potential match on the other side of the stage.

‘What’s your name? Buster? Oh he sounds like trouble,’ Harry quipped. ‘That’s not your real name is it? Buster? That’s got f boy written all over it!’

‘I’m joking, you like the look of him?’ he asked the girl. ‘You can’t see? It’s because he’s not six foot. Perfect, little beau. There you go, you two behave yourselves.’
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