Raymond R.C. Horsch repeatedly emphasized that he wanted to change direction.

While eating hummus and ricotta dip during an interview with Peter Crimmins, a veteran arts and culture reporter for Philadelphia public radio station WHYY, the erotic photographer and filmmaker said several times that he felt it was time “to do something else.”

By that point, however, Horsch—little known outside niche erotica film circles—had introduced himself in a deeply unsettling way.

“‘I’m a sociopath.’ That was the first thing out of his mouth,” Crimmins told the Daily Mail.

Crimmins interviewed Horsch twice in 2014. Their discussions focused on Horsch’s highly explicit grindhouse films—low-budget horror and exploitation productions—and were disturbing. Still, the journalist could not have anticipated authorities’ announcement more than a decade later.

Last week, law enforcement said they believe Horsch, who died last year at age 82, may have been a serial killer active for more than 30 years.

A search of his home at 417 West Chew Avenue in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood uncovered more than one million photographs and films, according to the FBI and local police. The material shows women who appear to be injured, unconscious or possibly dead.

At least seven women have been connected to Horsch’s home, which authorities have described as a possible crime scene. At least five of them are believed to be dead.

Horsch’s former wife, Amy McHale, was 44 when she was last seen in 2016. Police say she is not one of the five missing women currently under investigation.

The five women include Blair Tonzelli, who was 35 when she disappeared in 2023; Gabrielle Amarando, who was 22 when she went missing in 2012; Maribet Fresses, who was 27 when she was last seen in 2018; and Nicole Fusaro, who was 27 when she disappeared that same year. Authorities have not identified a fifth woman, who was believed to be approximately 25 based on footage recovered from the West Chew Avenue property.

No bodies have been recovered, and police have not announced any murder charges.

Crimmins first spoke with Horsch about his 1973 film, The Erotic Memories of a Male Chauvinist. The obscure vintage erotica movie was later selected for Cinema of Sexual Revolution, a Philadelphia film festival held more than 40 years after its release.

Crimmins was reporting on the festival when he noticed that one of the participating filmmakers was a Philadelphia local. He saw Horsch’s background as a promising angle for his story.

“We sat down in the studio, turned the mics on and I said, ‘Okay, we’re going to talk about the festival,’” Crimmins told the Daily Mail. “I think my first question was something along the lines of, ‘What drove you to make this film?’ And he paused for a really long time and said, ‘I’m a sociopath, always have been.’”

Even so, Crimmins—who had never heard of Horsch before the festival—said the remark did not immediately alarm him.

“His [art] is very, very dark, and no one likes it, including myself. But, coming out of that interview, I didn’t see him as doing something really monstrous,” Crimmins said.

Crimmins believed Horsch was presenting himself as a provocateur—an artist deliberately positioned outside conventional society. He saw that persona as consistent with someone who entered the art world during the so-called Golden Age of Porn.

Horsch’s first film, The Erotic Memories of a Male Chauvinist, was released after sexually explicit movies such as Deep Throat and Last Tango in Paris began finding mainstream success in the late 1960s. The film follows Barney, a divorced artist who walks around recording his misogynistic thoughts on a portable tape recorder.

‘I knew he was into rough and really exploitative stuff,’ Crimmins said. ‘But criminally dangerous? I never got that vibe.’

The ongoing investigation into Horsch and his dilapidated house began in June when his son, Eugene Horsch, 44, was pulled over during a traffic stop. Police found crack cocaine and two guns in his vehicle, as well as fake IDs on both Eugene and his female passenger – including identification belonging to Tonzelli, one of the five women whose disappearance police are investigating. 

Police began searching Eugene’s house on Chew Avenue – where his father had lived until his death last year. Philadelphia’s Action News claimed to have obtained documents revealing that authorities had found chemicals, zip ties and a handwritten note that mentioned Ted Bundy.

Last week, police executed a fresh search warrant at the property. People in white hazmat suits were seen walking around the home early Monday, October 5.

On Friday, investigators brought K-9s to sweep the property. Those dogs included Cache, the Philadelphia Police Department’s electronic-sniffing Labrador retriever. Detectives are expected to return to the property to use luminol to look for any blood residue in the house. 

Eugene remains in federal custody on charges including carrying a fake federal law enforcement badge, possessing guns with destroyed serial numbers and stockpiling dangerous chemicals. 

Horsch’s pornographic portfolio of work has complicated the investigative task, as authorities are faced with the challenge of discerning whether the films and images are play acting or evidence of actual crimes.

For example, in one video, Horsch is allegedly seen strangling a woman believed to be Fusaro. The video, in which both Horsch and Fusaro are described as being naked, allegedly shows Fusaro using drugs and being given money before Horsch handcuffs her to a bed and places a zip tie around her neck. 

‘Let’s remember, he was making movies,’ Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said at a press conference last month. ‘Some of his movies are there on this digital evidence.’

Police have identified at least 58 people in the files that have been recovered from Chew Avenue. Some have been tracked down and have spoken to police, but at least 16 people who were found and interviewed declined to cooperate. Another 10 people are known to have overdosed at a later time.

Horsch was never charged in connection with the disappearance of the identified women, but court records show that he was convicted for attempting to lure a nine-year-old girl into his Jeep Wrangler in 2009.

In 2010, he was found guilty, sentenced to two and a half years in prison and required to register as a sex offender. But he insisted he did nothing wrong and requested a new trial. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the victim and her mother were too afraid to testify a second time. His original conviction was vacated and in 2015 he successfully petitioned a judge to expunge his record.

When Horsch’s name made the news over the summer, Crimmins was taken aback.

‘I hadn’t thought of him in a very long time,’ Crimmins told the Daily Mail.

He decided to go looking for the tapes from their interviews and was shocked with what was on them.

‘You were never arrested for your films, were you?’ Crimmins asked Horsch.

Horsch responded: ‘No, but not for lack of trying. I think the reason I haven’t gotten into more trouble with my artwork is simply because it’s remained obscure.’

In addition to the half hour they spent at the WHYY studio, Crimmins also found recordings from the three-hour lunch he shared with Horsch just months after their first encounter.

At the time, Crimmins had been thinking about writing a book on Philadelphia’s criminal underworld. He thought Horsch, who served time for counterfeiting and operating a methamphetamine lab in the 80s, could be a good place to start.

This time, Horsch had a lot more to say.

‘I didn’t think it would take three hours,’ Crimmins said. ‘He kept talking about these anecdotes from his life, spanning 1980s through to 2010.’

Horsch told him about running a meth lab and the time he spent in jail as a result. He made numerous claims that Crimmins couldn’t verify, like meeting intelligence officer Howard Hunt and activist Abbie Hoffman behind bars, and ones that Crimmins later could fact-check to be true, like being a known fugitive in New Zealand.

‘In broad strokes, a lot of those things were true, but I do think he embellished it,’ Crimmins said.

During that conversation, Horsch likened himself to Walter White in Breaking Bad, citing his meth lab, and Forrest Gump in the titular role played by Tom Hanks, reasoning that he also had so many personal connections to major historical moments and figures.

‘He was trying to insert himself into culture in ways that may or may not have been true,’ Crimmins said.

‘I got a strong sense that he needed, he wanted to be noticed,’ he added. ‘He wasn’t being recognized, even in the fringe circles, like fetish [sadomasochism]. He said, “The S&M people don’t like me. The avant-garde art people don’t like me.” Nobody was embracing what he was doing.’

And just as anyone would be shocked to find out someone they knew could be a monster, Horsch confessed to Crimmins that he was amazed by people who had done horrible things but seemed so normal in person.

‘He was shocked by that,’ Crimmins said. ‘And when he said it, there was a ring of sincerity in the tone of his voice that was different when he was talking to me about Breaking Bad and Forrest Gump.’

As for Crimmins, it’s eerie to hear back audio from their interviews.

‘I’m not sure how to feel about it all,’ Crimmins said. ‘I’m glad I have the tapes because we don’t know where this investigation’s going and no one’s really heard from him because he’s dead. So, even a little peek into what he was thinking 12 years ago – I’m glad there’s something about him that we can maybe make sense of what’s going on.’ 

At the time in 2014, Horsch said he had been working on a ‘really exploitative’ photo project that involved him photographing prostitutes who were addicted to opioids in the nude. But he emphasized to Crimmins that he wanted to do something different. Crimmins wondered what could possibly be next for the pornographer.

‘I don’t know what you do when you escalate from that,’ Crimmins said, noting that the films under investigation today are ‘a very different variety’ to what Horsch was doing in the 70s.

‘They’re very dark. They’re about master-slave relationships. They’re about abuse. Psychosexual scenarios, extremely dark stuff. A totally different vibe from his earlier work.’

Crimmins learned later on that he had met with Horsch at what might have been a pivotal moment in his life. Horsch was fresh out of serving a stint in prison for possession of marijuana.

‘I caught him just as he was getting out of prison and just as he was moving into Philadelphia, into that house, trying to reestablish himself as an artist,’ he explained.

Two years later, Amy McHale, Horsch’s 44-year-old ex-wife, disappeared in 2016. Philadelphia police said that Horsch was interviewed after McHale’s disappearance, although it was not disclosed when he was questioned. She is believed to be dead.

Horsch’s first wife and Eugene’s mother, Myroslawa Anna Ferkuniak, died from an accidental overdose in 1989 when Eugene was seven. 

Forensic processing of Horsch’s house of horrors began last Monday. Over the next few weeks, investigators will begin taking the property apart in a search for new evidence.

Investigators are expected to look at everything in the home, including flooring, drywall, plaster and pipes, as they search for evidence of ‘wet cremation’ – the grisly term for using chemicals to break down human remains.

A transgender woman is accused of killing a stranger in Chicago after an argument over her gender, with prosecutors saying the stabbing was so forceful that part of the knife broke off inside the victim’s skull.

Kelly Day, 32, was accompanied by her partner and 7-year-old stepson when she allegedly attacked 50-year-old Larry Young, according to the Chicago Tribune. Earlier that day, Day had reportedly been ridiculed by a separate group of people after entering a women’s restroom at a McDonald’s.

Assistant State’s Attorney Sara Grgurovic told a judge during a Saturday hearing at Chicago’s Central Bond Court that Young was not part of the group accused of taunting Day earlier in the day.

Authorities allege Young later approached Day on the street and made remarks about her gender. The comments reportedly triggered a heated exchange, with Day becoming “extremely angry” as her partner attempted to pull her away, Grgurovic said.

Young allegedly pushed Day before leaving the confrontation and walking toward a gas station across the street, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Day, who was assigned male at birth and identifies as a woman, told her wife she did not want “bullies” to escape responsibility for mocking her. She then allegedly followed Young across the street, where the confrontation resumed.

According to prosecutors, surveillance video shows Day standing over Young while holding a knife as he lay on the ground. She allegedly stabbed him 13 times in the head, neck and upper shoulders, the Tribune reported.

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Day later called 911 and said she had been hurt while defending herself from a “pervert,” prosecutors said. She allegedly discarded the knife and left the area.

Police later recovered the weapon and found that a section of its blade was missing.

During a subsequent 911 call, Day allegedly gave a different account, saying she had cut her finger while cooking. She was arrested at a city hospital after seeking treatment for the injury, Grgurovic told the court.

After her arrest, Day reportedly told investigators that Young had used an anti-gay slur, made a gesture suggesting a gun and threatened to have someone assault her.

An autopsy determined that Young died from multiple sharp-force injuries. Prosecutors and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said the broken tip of the knife was later found in his skull.

Day faces a first-degree murder charge and remains in custody while awaiting trial. Prosecutors cited the alleged brutality of the attack among the reasons for keeping her detained.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.

A 24-year-old Texas hiker was found dead three days after vanishing in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains. His family believes he drowned after being pulled into powerful hydraulic currents near a waterfall.

Sahil Jilani of Houston disappeared on Oct. 5, the day his mother experienced what relatives described as an “overwhelming feeling that something was terribly wrong.” His family shared news of his death through an online fundraiser.

“It is with heavy hearts and profound sorrow that we share the sudden, heartbreaking loss of our beloved brother, Sahil Jilani, and the hospitalization of our mother after learning she had lost her precious son, our little angel and most beautiful gift,” the fundraiser said.

Relatives became alarmed after Jilani failed to check in for hours and his location-sharing feature stopped updating in an area without cell service.

“We were advised to be patient, as hikers and campers frequently lose contact in areas without network coverage,” Jilani’s sister, Asma Jilani Bustamante, wrote in the fundraiser. “But as the hours passed, our fear grew, and we continued requesting help. Sahil knew how much his silence and unavailable location would worry us.”

After Jilani had been missing for 72 hours, authorities located his car in a parking lot. His phone, keys and clothing were later found near the falls. The next day, dive teams recovered his body from the water at Abrams Falls.

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His family believes he was swept into strong currents and drowned.

“Waterfalls are breathtakingly beautiful, and many visitors naturally want to stand beneath them and feel the pressure of the falling water,” Jilani’s family said. “What many don’t realize is that Abrams Falls drops approximately 25 feet into a deep pool of water where hydraulic currents can pull a person underwater and trap them in recirculating water, making escape extremely difficult, even for experienced swimmers.”

Authorities have not released an official cause of death.

Jilani had recently become an uncle and was “beyond excited” to shower his niece with gifts, teach her mixed martial arts and self-defense, and share his love of fitness, Bustamante said.

National Park Service officials caution that Great Smoky Mountains National Park features narrow roads, blind curves and steep drop-offs. The park also has no lifeguarded swimming areas.

“Swimming and tubing are not recommended,” the NPS said. “Additionally, never try to climb to the top of a waterfall. The rocks are coated with slippery algae, and several hikers have fallen and been seriously injured or killed.”

News Media has contacted the National Park Service for additional comment.

Daily Mail journalists independently select and curate the products featured on our site. If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a commission – learn more

As a health journalist, I am constantly testing the newest gadgets, products and innovations designed to support better health and wellbeing.

From cooling bedding designed to ease nighttime overheating and improve sleep to non-toxic cleaning supplies and baby products, I am willing to experiment with almost anything that could make daily life healthier.

That is one of the perks of working as a health editor: there is never a shortage of products waiting to be tested.

With that in mind, I put several of the latest and most talked-about wellness products through their paces.

Here is my candid verdict.

Sleep

Harbor House cooling bedding (pricing varies)

New York endured a particularly hot summer, with the heat lingering for what seemed like weeks. When both daytime and nighttime temperatures climbed into the 90s and higher, staying cool enough to sleep comfortably became a real challenge.

That is where Harbor House’s cooling jersey sheets and Tencel comforter came in. The smooth, silky bedding is marketed as offering ‘advanced temperature regulation.’

In my experience, it delivered. The sheets and comforter felt exceptionally soft and comfortable, and I no longer woke at 3am tossing blankets aside because I had overheated.

The biggest selling point for me, and one that has become increasingly important, was the products’ OEKO-TEX certification. This means the materials were tested for hundreds of potentially harmful chemicals and toxins commonly used in textiles and found to be safe for people.

Harbor House says: ‘Certified by OEKO-TEX Standard 100… this sheet set meets strict standards for skin safety and environmental responsibility. Each component is tested to be free from harmful substances, so you can rest easy every night.’

For hot sleepers who want that refreshing ‘cool side of the pillow’ sensation over their whole body, Harbor House’s Cooling Stretch Jersey Sheet Set ($169.99 for a King set) is worth considering, as is the Cooling Reversible Tencel Comforter Blanket ($169.99 for King/Cal King).

Eli & Elm Side Sleeper Pillow ($135.99)

The U-shaped pillow is ‘engineered specifically for side sleepers.’ Its contoured design is intended to support the side-sleeping position while helping maintain proper neck and spinal alignment.

I have typically slept on my stomach, but pregnancy has required me to adjust to side sleeping, particularly on my left side. My standard pillow was not helping, so I was relieved to find one designed around my new sleeping position.

Used alongside my considerably oversized pregnancy pillow, the Eli & Elm side sleeper pillow has made sleeping as comfortable as possible. It has also helped me avoid the neck and back aches that can make pregnancy sleep so difficult, particularly during the third trimester.

And as a bonus, it comes with a cooling pillowcase to keep you from getting too warm while you sleep. It is also certified by OEKO-TEX Standard 100. 

Pregnant or not, if you’re a side sleeper, this pillow, which has adjustable filling for customizable firmness, could be the key to a restful night’s sleep.  

DREO Smart Humidifier 409S 3L ($54.99)

The DREO smart humidifier is marketed as the ‘smart baby humidifier’ but anyone who needs a little more moisture in the air can realistically use it. 

It’s big enough that it can work for medium-room mist humidification (room size of 300 square feet) and it has a 30-hour max runtime. It connects to an app for easy control from anywhere and also features voice control. 

And it has a sleep routine tracker for optimal utilization. 

Along with its humidifying abilities, some baby-specific features parents may find helpful are that it also has a gently glowing light that softly brightens to gradually wake baby up and a soft dim light to promote rest and relaxation when it’s time for bed. 

It is also ‘whisper quiet’ to ensure zero disruption during sleep. 

One of my personal favorite aspects is its top-fill design that makes it super easy to refill with water and much easier to clean. There’s nothing I dislike more about humidifiers than having to fight with them and their various parts when trying to fill them up or clean them, but the DREO machine makes that easy. 

RAPTbaby Smarter Sleep sound machine ($59.99)

Designed by a neuroscientist for smarter sleep, this sound machine is also marketed for babies, but because it is recommended that babies room-share with their parents for most of their first year, plenty of adults can get use out of it. 

Many people have heard of white, brown or pink noise, and those types of sound machines are commonly used in bedrooms across America to help sleep.

However, emerging research has now shown that these types of noises may pose a risk to babies’ brain development and language skills. 

Enter RAPTbaby’s Smarter Sleep sound machine, which claims to be ‘the first sound machine (and product!) ever created to support sleep and a child’s ability to process language.’ 

White noise – and the like – masks background noise to facilitate sleep, but its lack of variation impairs the brain’s crucial ability to build language networks while people – particularly babies and young children – sleep. 

To solve this issue, Dr April Benasich, a world-leading child development expert and director of Rutgers’s Infancy Studies Laboratory, created the RAPTbaby sound machine.

The machine features soundtracks with variations that support language development and that are enhanced with acoustic cues that stimulate the brain activity that builds the networks to acquire and process language. 

While this is a crucial process in babies and children, Benasich previously told Daily Mail it’s never too late for brain health, so while adults may more enjoy the sleeping benefits of the sound machine, their brains may also be unknowingly benefiting as well. 

‘Clean’ cleaning products

Dropps (pricing varies)

Common household cleaning products are chock full of potentially risky chemicals. Little did I know, I had been cleaning my dirty countertops, dishes and clothes with products that potentially posed more of a risk to my health than the dirt on my stuff I was working so hard to get rid of. 

Once I discovered all the dangers hiding in these cleaning products, I set out to find ‘cleaner’ cleaning alternatives. 

That is when I stumbled onto Dropps, which makes toxin-free laundry detergent and dishwasher pods. 

These cleaning solutions are made without parabens, phthalates, dyes, chlorine and phosphates. 

Unlike many eco-friendly or toxin-free products, these pods actually work. It doesn’t matter if there’s stuck-on grease on my frying pan or a stain in my favorite sweater. I pop a pod in the dishwasher or laundry and everything comes out clean and debris-free. 

I love that they are pods and not liquid detergents, which makes things less gooey and messy. 

The laundry detergent pods come in scent-free, sensitive skin-friendly and mildly scented options, making them great for a variety of people. 

If you’re looking to make the switch to safer cleaning alternatives, I highly recommend Dropps. They are a bit more expensive than your average store-brand products, but not too far off from premium brand names.

But knowing I’m avoiding chemicals that have been linked to infertility and cancer is worth the extra cost.  

Biome Wipes (pricing varies)

Knowing all the harmful chemicals lurking in common household cleaners and wipes, I was elated to find a non-toxic brand that offered alternatives, in particular for babies, who are especially vulnerable to the risks posed by typical cleaners and wipes.

Biom states that its wipes are made without plastic fibers, which are a major source of microplastics.

When exposed to these microplastics, which are too small to see with the naked eye, they can enter our body, posing health risks like inflammation and an increased risk of cancer.

So, Biome makes its wipes with 100 percent plant-based fibers, and ships refills for their stylish canisters instead of customers needing to buy new plastic dispensers.

Along with being plastic-free, they are also free from BPA and toxic ingredients like parabens, fragrances and phthalates. The baby wipes are also hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin. 

Additionally, their extra thick design means there’s no tearing. 

The sleek dispenser design blends right in on countertops and changing tables. I also appreciate that the canister is a magnet and I don’t have to worry about clicking it closed each time to keep the wipes from drying out.

And parents love the perfect one-wipe pull. There’s nothing more annoying than trying to pull a wipe only to have the dispenser become airborne with multiple wipes escaping – all while trying to change a dirty diaper.

Handzies Soap + Water Wipes (pricing varies)

Knowing what could be lurking in personal cleaning products made me especially vigilant when it came to choosing what to use for my baby and what to recommend for all the little humans in my life. 

Enter Handzies, individually packaged soap and water wipes that are super convenient to pop into lunch boxes, diaper bags, purses and jacket pockets. 

It contains natural ingredients with no alcohols or other harsh chemicals. 

When a sink isn’t available, these little packs contain a proprietary formula of Castile soap, water and essential oils to clean dirt and germs from the hands on-the-go. 

Not only do they work well to clean messy hands but they smell good, too. And for little ones who make frequent messes, have sensitive skin and are often putting their fingers in their mouths, it’s comforting to know that they aren’t being exposed to the toxins commonly used in other hand wipes or sanitizers. 

At-home Fitness

BetterMe Mini Stepper ($129)

This compact machine packs quite the lower-body punch and leaves my legs shaking – in a good way. 

The portable, low-impact stepper features quiet hydraulic resistance, adjustable intensity, resistance bands, and a clear LCD display. 

I love the addition of the resistance bands so I can double-up my workouts and sneak in some upper body, as well. 

The machine is small enough to slide under my bed or TV stand and can be hidden away when not in use. 

It is also small and light enough that I can carry it from room-to-room, whether I want to get my stepping on in the living room in front of the TV or in my home-office standing at my desk. 

And with winter approaching, I anticipate this being extremely useful so I can keep my step count up without freezing. 

BetterMe Vibration Plate ($219)

Another compact fitness tool, this vibration platform comes with manual and automatic modes, 99 speed levels and a wireless remote. 

BetterMe claims it supports balance and stability and enhances full-body workouts by activating muscles and making you feel more toned and activated. 

Concrete evidence of the benefits of vibration plates is still preliminary or inconclusive, but wellness gurus love the plates for their proposed lymphatic drainage benefits and potential enhanced muscle activation. 

It’s true, after just a few minutes on the plate, users report feeling like their buttocks and abs have been contracted and engaged, which may boost an already healthy exercise habit. 

Like BetterMe’s stepper, this is also small enough to slide out of sight when not in use.  

Xenjoy Cube Cycle XS30 Exercise Bike ($600)

The saying nowadays is ‘sitting is the new smoking,’ but finding time to get active can be hard when you’re working at a desk for most of the day.

Enter Xenjoy’s compact under-desk stationary bike. This stylish and sleek machine features a silent magnetic resistance and precision belt-drive system to deliver quiet, smooth workouts across eight levels.

It has a compact 3.2-square-foot footprint and slides easily away under my desk. Even when pulled out and in use, it’s not intrusive and its sustainably sourced walnut panels and hand-finished wood veneer make it a stylish addition to my home-office. 

Its smooth and whisper-quiet cycling makes it easy to pedal the day away while on calls, meetings or responding to emails.  

Additionally, the flywheel, adjustable seat, low center of gravity and dual-mode pedals support everything from gentle recovery riding to more intensive interval training.

And the best part? It arrives fully assembled on wheels for easy moving. All I had to do was open the box and wheel it over to my desk.

Megelin EMS Toning Shorts ($398)

These toning shorts utilize electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), electrical impulses applied through skin-level electrode pads to directly trigger contractions in specific muscle groups, to help shape your thighs and buttocks. 

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Megelin claims the EMS pulses target fat and enhance body contouring, with visible shaping in just two to four weeks. It also claims the shorts lift glutes and tighten skin, with noticeable results in four to six weeks. 

Just one 15-minute session equals 3,000 squats, according to the company, with the shorts delivering 20,000 deep contractions per session to activate glute and core muscles.  

The toning shorts with added pelvic support also claim to strengthen core muscles and improve bladder control, with 93 percent of users reporting stronger pelvic floor and reduced bladder leaks. 

The shorts have won the 2026 Shape Fitness Awards and Megelin claims they are backed by testimony from nearly 1,000 doctors. 

With a rating of 4.86 stars, users report powerful contractions, firmer and lifted glutes, as well as improved muscle engagement during workouts. 

People also love the ease of use, reporting that the toning shorts are discreet enough to wear while doing about their daily lives. 

Vitamins and Supplements

First Day (pricing varies)

Offering products for both toddlers and adults, First Day sells a range of items, from daily vitamins and gummies to support brain and gut health, to those marketed for better sleep. 

The company claims approximately 50 percent of kids globally experience nutrient gaps and ‘First Day helps close that gap with family-designed vitamins and minerals.’

Of particular interest on the Daily Mail health team were the vitamins for women, which claim to contain more folate than four cups of spinach, more vitamin B1 than seven cups of broccoli, more vitamin D than 800 mushrooms and vitamin B12 than two cups of milk. 

First Day claims the vitamins are ‘Scientifically designed to help combat fatigue and exhaustion, formulated with the nutrients your body needs to stay energized.

Included in the Women’s Wellness Starter Pack is also a 3-in-1 pre, post and probiotic for gut health, immunity and vaginal health. 

We appreciated that the gummies didn’t taste like they were packed with all those nutrients and that it made it easy for us to get a healthy dosing of veggies without cooking. 

Müves Prebiotic Fiber Gummies by Grünes ($66.65 for 28 packs)

The latest in the Grüns’ lineup is the company’s prebiotic fiber gummies that contain three types of fiber – inulin, FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) and tapioca. They contain 10 grams of prebiotic fiber to get your digestion back on track and get things ‘muving.’ 

The gummies are vegan and gluten-free and contain no artificial colors or flavors. They also come in low-sugar and no-sugar options. 

The Daily Mail health team’s advice ahead of working these gummies into your routine is to start off slow. 

These little pouches pack a powerful punch to your gut and it’s important to build your body up to getting used to consuming that much fiber in one day. Eating an entire pack at once will set you up for serious stomach issues.

So, we started with just one to two gummies a day and added a gummy or two when our guts felt comfortable at the current dose, eventually working up to a pack a day.  

Food and Drink

marrō ($56 for a 12-pack)

marrō claims to be the first-ever cold, sparkling, ready-to-drink bone broth beverage with protein. Billing itself as a ‘multifunctional wellness beverage,’ it claims to fuel muscle recovery, support gut health, boost collagen for healthier hair, skin and nails and provide a natural B12 energy lift.

It also contains amino acids, electrolytes and 12g of ‘clean’ protein. 

It is also marketed as ‘ideal for busy days, post-workout recovery, road trips, kids’ sporting events [and] a mid-day work boost.’

The Daily Mail team cautiously tried out the beverage. We were all a bit hesitant as sparkling protein bone broth doesn’t exactly conjure images of a refreshing midday pick-me-up.

Overall, we used words such as ‘unique’ and ‘interesting’ to describe the drink, with one health team member describing it as ‘not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted before.’

While I can understand the attempt to pack all of these seemingly healthy substances into one easy-to-drink beverage, I’d rather leave my bone broth to soups and keep sparkling beverages to water.   

Polar Joe (pricing varies)

Polar Joe is an instant protein coffee brand made by combining coffee with whey protein. 

For multi-taskers, busy parents or overtired gym fanatics, this combination seems like a no-brainer: get your caffeine fix while sneaking in about 20 grams of protein.

The company sells cold brew regular coffee, along with decaf and low-sugar varieties. 

There is also espresso, a variety of latte flavors to choose from and matcha tea options. 

The coffee tastes like coffee, but like anything with protein added, there is a slight change in the traditional flavor you’d expect from your run-of-the-mill cup of Joe. 

However, it’s nothing so strong that it would put me off from pouring myself a glass if I wanted to double-time my morning routine. 

Pets

OpenFarm (pricing varies)

As a very obsessed dog mom, I try to provide my dog with high-quality food and treats when possible. The ultra-processing of food isn’t exclusive to humans and animal feed and treats can also contain highly processed and unhealthy ingredients.

That’s why I was excited to discover Open Farm, which offers single-ingredient and high-quality treats and food with meats raised without antibiotics or added hormones for both cats and dogs. 

The company also claims that its ingredients can be traced and it provides information on the geographic origin of every ingredient, safety test results for each product, third-party certification details and even carbon emissions for each product. 

My dog is a huge fan of Open Farm’s dehydrated cod skins, made with 100 percent wild-caught cod skins from fish caught in Alaska and Canada. 

He also gets excited when he sees me take out the canned salmon and cod silky mousse. This meal topper is made with 96 percent fresh Icelandic salmon and cod and has just three human-grade ingredients.

Open Farm’s offerings go beyond just treats and food. The company also sells supplements to support healthy digestion, skin and coat, as well as products for senior dogs and cats to support healthy aging. 

Baby and Kids

CYBEX Callisto G 360 car seat ($699.95)

Ask any expectant parent and they’ll tell you how overwhelming it is to shop for baby products. Between strollers and rockers to sleep sacks and pacifiers, there is an abundance of choices parents need to make before even bringing their little one home.

And one of the most important purchases parents will make is a car seat. Before I was worried about style, material or color, safety was of the utmost importance when I was choosing a carseat. Then I concentrated on functionality.  

Among the plethora of options I weighed, I found the CYBEX Callisto G 360 Rotating All-in-One Car Seat hit all of the major points. And bonus points, it was much simpler to install than the car seats I remember my parents struggling with for my younger siblings. 

CYBEX’s Callisto has a host of safety features, including an anti-rebound base, steel frame, side-impact protection and its SensorSafe technology with a chest clip connected to your cellphone via Bluetooth.

It alerts parents if the buckle comes undone and features child left behind alerts, safety temperature checks and emergency contact notification. 

The Callisto G 360 also dominates in functionality. It is adaptable from newborn all the way up to 10 years old, growing with your child and allowing you to forego buying more expensive larger car or booster seats. 

One of my favorite aspects is the rotation feature. This allows me to rotate the seat 360 degrees, which makes loading and unloading babies and kids super easy. 

Lastly, it comes in multiple color options with breathable mesh fabrics to keep its occupants comfortable, and the built-in UPF 50+ canopy is oversized to ensure adequate sun protection. 

It is also Greenguard Gold Certified, indicating it has lower chemical emissions. This means it off-gasses fewer harmful chemicals, making the air safer for everyone to breathe. 

This is something that has become especially important to me after learning how many toxic chemicals can be emitted into the air from products. Being Greenguard certified means a product meets strict standards for low toxin emissions. 

Mabē Monarch Baby Carrier ($129)

There is no shortage of baby carriers and slings available, so it can be hard to decide on one that’s easy to use, comfortable and stylish. 

However, Mabē’s Monarch Baby Carrier hits all three points – and it is designed to grow with your baby, functioning from the earliest newborn days to toddler years. 

It fits children 9lbs to 45lbs and can accommodate three different safe carrying styles. Its highly adjustable straps make it easy to get a comfortable fit on a variety of body sizes and shapes.

Most importantly, that adjustability allows for the safest carrying position, ensuring proper alignment and leg positioning in your baby.

I appreciate the soft material, cute pattern and the fact that it doesn’t take me an eternity of squirming and wrestling with straps and buckles to put on. 

WonderFold Stroller Wagons (pricing varies)

City-living parents know the struggle of taking their kid – or kids – to the park, grocery store, sporting event or local pool and piling them and all their stuff into a stroller and accompanying bags. 

That’s why WonderFold’s stroller wagons are so incredibly useful. 

An alternative to a traditional stroller, the wagon offers more space, versatility and longevity. Available in two- and four-seat options, it gives parents an all-in-one space for kids and stuff and is easy to push thanks to its all-terrain extra-large wheels. 

It also folds up compactly for easy storage in tight spaces. 

The seats come with buckles to keep squirmy toddlers safely in place and it includes a storage basket and cup holder for mom and dad to store essentials within arm’s reach.

The UPF 50+ canopy also shields little ones from the sun and keeps them cool in the shade. 

A small feature I appreciate that makes a big difference is its full side-entry door, allowing kids to enter and exit on their own instead of mom and dad lifting them in and out over the sides.   

Stokke Sleepi 3-in-1 convertible crib ($1,477)

Getting the most for your money is important when preparing for a baby. They grow so fast, often requiring upgrades and purchases every few weeks or months. 

That’s why Stokke’s Sleepi 3-in-1 Convertible Crib was so appealing when shopping for my baby. It starts as a bassinet for the newborn, bedside days and transforms into a crib and then a toddler bed with the purchase of the extension kit.

This means that instead of buying three separate sleeping spaces, I can invest in one high-quality piece and simply upsize it as my baby grows.

Its minimalist design, sturdy beech wood frame and natural color make it a stylish choice for a nursery and I love that it is on wheels so I can easily move it around my apartment.

Stokke products are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and Greenguard certified, so I can rest easy knowing my baby is protected from harmful emissions and chemicals. 

And the accompanying mattress is made of breathable mesh layers to keep baby comfortable while she sleeps and the available mattress coverings add an imaginative stylistic touch. 

In addition to sleeping solutions, Stokke offers a range of baby and kid products, including the Yoga Baby Bouncer & Swing.

The two-in-one product provides both a gentle swing and stimulating bounce, keeping babies comfortable while freeing up parents’ hands when they need to multitask. 

hope&plum (pricing varies)

Also in on the baby carrier market is hope&plum, which offers numerous carrying options, from newborn ring slings to toddler carriers. 

The newborn ring sling is designed for close-body baby wearing. Its simple ringlet design features soft cloth material, a ring fastener and no bulky buckles. It comes in a large array of colors and patterns and is made from natural fiber blends. 

I love that the ring sling allows me to carry baby very close to my body while freeing up my hands to get things done and that it is much easier to get on than a lot of other cloth wraps. 

It even allows for nursing moms to breastfeed while baby wearing with just a few adjustments. 

What is also great about hope&plum is that it offers short and long options for its carriers. As I barely stand at just 5ft, sometimes I find carriers are too long for my torso and they bunch up. However, my husband who stands at 6ft 6in has the opposite problem.

So, hope&plum’s short and long sizes make it easier for each of us to get a carrier that fits us comfortably and properly.  

I also appreciate that the company offers free fit checks to make sure you’re wearing the carriers correctly and that baby has proper alignment and is in a hip-healthy position.

A disturbing video shows two young women attacking an off-duty police officer at a Missouri gas station, with one suspect allegedly reaching for the officer’s firearm during the assault.

The cellphone footage captures the women repeatedly striking the officer. At one point, one woman climbs onto a store shelf and jumps onto his head, while the other delivers a series of punches to his face.

The person recording the roughly two-minute confrontation does not step in. The victim, an off-duty Hillsdale Police Department officer working a private security job, was attacked Sunday morning at a QuikTrip in St. Louis County.

Near the end of the video, another officer enters the store and helps take the suspects into custody. Police said one of the women had attempted to pull the victim’s gun from its holster.

According to charging documents reviewed by KDSK, the confrontation began after 20-year-old Nayonna Griffin threw items at the officer. He then approached her, authorities said.

A second 20-year-old suspect, Shaniya Lewis, became involved and struggled with the officer before bringing him to the floor, the documents state.

Police allege that Lewis repeatedly punched the officer in the face as Griffin stomped on his head. Lewis then reached for the officer’s weapon but could not remove it from the holster.

When additional officers arrived to arrest Griffin, she allegedly pulled one officer’s hair, kicked and flailed, and fought to escape. She also tried to stop officers from placing her in handcuffs, according to the charging documents.

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The officer was taken to a hospital for treatment following the attack.

Authorities have not released the officer’s identity.

Lewis and Griffin each face charges of second-degree assault of a special victim and resisting or interfering with an arrest for a felony.

Both women were being held on $100,000 cash-only bonds.

The St. Louis County Police Department’s North County Precinct is leading the investigation, which remains ongoing.

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