One of JD Vance’s former Senate colleagues is gaining momentum as a potential running mate if Vance launches a 2028 presidential campaign.

Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt has developed a close relationship with Vance and is viewed as one of the leading contenders for the ticket, Axios reported Tuesday.

According to the outlet, Vance regards Schmitt as “trustworthy, intelligent, and articulate.”

Schmitt, 51, served as Missouri’s attorney general before being elected to the Senate in 2022. Vance has not officially announced whether he will seek the presidency in 2028.

Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that Vance and Marco Rubio could run together in 2028, though he has not indicated which of the two he would prefer to lead the ticket.

Rubio has also been discussed as a possible vice presidential choice, but he has sought to downplay the speculation.

“I’m not a candidate for anything right now,” Rubio told Colombian broadcaster RCN earlier this month. He said his attention is focused on his two current positions as secretary of state and national security adviser.

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz endorsed the prospect in a post on X, writing: “I would support any ambition of Senator Schmitt.”

Mike Howell, president of the conservative legal group the Oversight Project, also praised Schmitt, calling him a “rockstar” in a post on X.

A longtime former Senate GOP aide told the Daily Mail that the appeal of a vice presidential nominee often lies less in what the candidate adds than in the problems they avoid creating for the campaign. “You don’t want headaches,” the aide said, suggesting Schmitt could offer a low-drama option.

Schmitt and Vance worked together when both were serving in the Senate on Capitol Hill.

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After Vance joined the administration, the pair continued working together through his role as the White House Fraud Czar.

Together, they are directing a coordinated legislative and executive effort to combat fraud across several federal programs, including COVID-19 relief initiatives and healthcare spending.

Following a White House anti-fraud Taskforce meeting earlier this year, Schmitt said in a media release: “Vice President Vance has done an incredible job cracking down on fraud and exposing rampant waste, fraud, and abuse of our federal programs.”

Referring to their shared efforts, Schmitt added: “In the Senate, I am proud to lead the Anti-Fraud Task Force to work alongside this Administration to strengthen federal oversight and hold criminals accountable so we can ensure federal programs actually help Americans in need.”

As a potential vice presidential pick, Schmitt would also bring experience as Missouri’s attorney general, a leadership role in the Republican Attorney Generals Association, and service as vice chair of the Joint Economic Committee.

Long before seeking elected office, Schmitt played varsity football and baseball at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, an NCAA Division II school.

He has held elected office at the state and local level, and has also been a partner in law firm in private practice.

Dan Rene, a conservative communications strategist, told the Daily Mail that ‘it is way too early to be picking a VP but never too early to have fun speculating.’

He added that he sees ‘Schmitt as an interesting candidate because he understands technology and has authentic and authoritative insight into where AI, communications, and the economy are headed.’

‘Any ticket will have to effectively communicate about the future instead of re-litigating the past,’ Rene concluded.

Representatives for Vance did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Mail. 

A Kenyan community is rallying to secure legal representation for a mother accused of stabbing her three children in the Blue Mountains, while her parents prepare to travel from Africa to Australia to support her.

The 42-year-old woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, remains under police guard at Westmead Hospital. Her husband has stayed by the bedside of their only surviving child.

Police allege the woman told her husband she was taking the children on a picnic before attacking them as they sat strapped into their car seats in Valley Heights on September 20.

Her five-year-old son died at the scene. His younger siblings, aged three and one, were taken to Westmead Hospital and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in critical condition, along with their mother.

The one-year-old girl died from her injuries four days later. Investigators are examining whether an argument between the children’s parents may have preceded the alleged attack.

The Daily Mail understands members of Sydney’s Kenyan community are now working to assemble a legal team for the accused woman, while her parents try to secure the money, visas and flights needed to travel from Nairobi to Sydney.

The appeal for assistance comes as relatives and friends remain unable to visit the woman in hospital, where she is being treated under police supervision.

In a private message circulated among people concerned about her welfare, supporters thanked the community and asked them to continue providing practical and emotional support.

“Thank you to everyone for their wishes, the visits, prayers and contributions,” the message said.

“Regarding the mum, we have not been allowed to see her yet.

“We had a meeting with authorities this morning and they have assured us she is stable and well, getting the best care possible.

“We are also doing our best to get a legal team for her and for her family to hopefully travel.

“Be blessed for abiding and support. Please continue to support.”

The woman is understood to have arrived in Australia on a student visa before meeting and marrying the children’s father.

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A friend said the woman’s parents were urgently trying to organise funding, visas and flights so they could travel from Kenya to Australia.

“They are in shock by what they have heard and they want to go now themselves to speak to her and to try to find out more,” the friend said.

Meanwhile, the father’s family in Nairobi is also preparing to make the 12,000-kilometre journey to Australia to attend the funerals of the two children.

‘He is overwhelmed by everything that has happened, spending his time at the hospital and just trying to come to terms with everything,’ the friend said.

‘He was there by his daughter’s side when she passed away and went to heaven and he doesn’t want to leave the other child now.’

The mother appeared before Penrith Local Court on Tuesday, September 22, via video link from her hospital bed under police guard.

She was formally charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, with one attempted murder charge expected to be upgraded following the death of the one-year-old.  

It was about 1pm on the sunny Sunday that the mother stopped her car on the side of the road next to the entry of the Valley Heights Waterfall track.

It is not known if she had planned to walk to the popular swimming hole with the children, but police say she had no previous links to the Blue Mountains area.

Local resident Julie Sukkar initially believed the commotion just metres from her front door was the aftermath of a traffic accident.

But when she went outside, she saw the vehicle parked on the grass verge of a vacant block with its doors open and the three children inside, while their mother lay nearby in the bushes.

‘One of the children, a little girl, a baby, had a beautiful pink and white flower dress on,’ Ms Sukkar told the Daily Mail. ‘I noticed that as they pulled her out of her car seat.

‘I only thought there were two children at first, but there were three of them in there.

‘The woman on the ground was yelling, screaming and thrashing about. I’m not sure what she was saying, or if she was trying to say anything.

‘She was covered in blood and had some really bad injuries.’

Three teenagers have died after a car broke through a barrier and plunged into the River Wear in Sunderland.

Emergency crews were dispatched to Panns Bank, close to Wearmouth Bridge, at about 1.30pm following reports that a vehicle had entered the water.

Four teenagers were believed to have been travelling in the black Audi A3. The 17-year-old driver managed to escape from the car and reach safety.

Rescuers later recovered the bodies of two teenage boys and a teenage girl from the river.

The driver was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries described as non-serious. He has since been arrested.

Police said they do not believe any other vehicles were involved.

Chief Superintendent Scott Cowie, Sunderland’s area commander, said: “This is a truly tragic incident where three young people have lost their lives.

“Our thoughts are with their families, friends and everyone affected by what has happened.

“We will continue to support them in any way that we can and ask that their privacy is respected at this time.

“I want to thank all of our partners who supported the multi-agency search operation.”

He added: “Our investigation is at a very early stage as we work to establish the circumstances surrounding what happened.

“We would ask members of the public not to speculate about the incident, either on social media or within the community. Please be mindful of the potential impact such comments could have on the families involved.”

Police officers, firefighters and paramedics cordoned off a car park after the vehicle crashed through a barrier and entered the river.

Images from the scene showed ambulances, police cars and a fire engine positioned along the riverbank, while two rescue boats were operating in the water.

Coastguard and RNLI teams used poles to search beneath the surface, with a helicopter also taking part in the operation.

Dozens of distressed onlookers gathered on both sides of the River Wear as the emergency response continued.

A nearby resident, who asked not to be identified, said his neighbour contacted emergency services after seeing the incident from a window.

The 31-year-old said: ‘There were loads of ambulances here, we had helicopters here at one point. 

‘This is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this around here.

‘I’ve lived here for three years, this is sad to see.

‘Some families may get some awful, awful news today.’

Another man, who did not wish to be named, reported hearing a ‘bang’ and a sound ‘like a very large rock hitting water’, followed shortly by sirens.

Posting on social media, the Mayor of North East England, Kim McGuinness, said earlier today: ‘I’m aware of the serious incident on the River Wear today after a car entered the water in Sunderland. 

‘Rescue teams are at the scene and right now we must hope and pray for those involved. 

‘I’ve asked the incident commander to keep me updated as we let the emergency services do their work.’

Northumbria Police said: ‘Shortly before 1.30pm today, we received a report of a car entering the River Wear near Monkwearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.

‘We would ask members of the public to avoid the area.’

The North East Ambulance Service said: ‘We received a call to 999 at 1.23pm today to reports of an incident involving a car entering the River Wear near Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.

‘We sent to the scene an emergency ambulance, a clinical team leader, three officers, air ambulance and the full Hazardous Area Response Team. 

‘We are working closely with the coastguard and the police. We remain on scene at this time.’

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service previously said: ‘We can confirm that earlier this afternoon, two fire appliances, the TWFRS fire boat and a number of officers were dispatched to an ongoing incident on the River Wear, near Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.

‘Our dedicated teams are assisting blue light colleagues with the ongoing rescue efforts.’

Great North Air Ambulance Service added: ‘Our critical care team was activated at 1.35pm to an incident on the River Wear, near Monkwearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.

‘We had a doctor and paramedic on board our aircraft and they arrived on scene at 1.53pm.’

The next of kin of the three teenagers who died have been informed and are being supported by officers, police said. 

Anyone with information, in particular CCTV or dashcam footage, has been asked to send Northumbria Police a direct message on social media or use live chat and report forms on the force’s website.

Alternatively, 101 can be dialled quoting reference number: NP-20260929-0589.

Were you at the scene? Email Noor.Qurashi@dailymail.co.uk

A Florida mother has been charged after authorities alleged she left her four young children home alone while taking a multi-day cruise to the Bahamas.

Nathalie Belizaire, 29, allegedly left the children unattended at her North Miami Beach residence before boarding the Carnival Conquest on Friday.

She was arrested Monday after disembarking, where officers from the North Miami Beach Police Department were waiting. Police said the case began when one of the children’s fathers reported that the siblings had been left alone.

The father of Belizaire’s two-month-old child became suspicious after seeing her post about the cruise on social media. Belizaire allegedly told him that all four children were staying with their great-grandmother.

According to the arrest report, the father went to Belizaire’s apartment Saturday night. He said he could hear the children talking and saw that a television was on, but Belizaire was nowhere to be found.

First responders then forced their way into the home and found “all four minor children inside without adult supervision,” the report stated.

Police said the children were discovered “hiding together in the bathroom.”

Authorities have not disclosed the ages of all four children. They said one was two months old and another was two years old.

After Belizaire’s arrest, her attorney denied the allegations in comments to NBC6. “Of course she denies the charges…. One baby, the baby was born in July of this year. Who leaves a baby alone like that?” the attorney said.

Police alleged that Belizaire had arranged for the children’s great-grandmother to care for them. However, investigators said the great-grandmother never arrived before Belizaire departed on the cruise.

Belizaire also allegedly sent a text message to her brother asking him to check on the children during the weekend.

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The arrest was not Belizaire’s first encounter with law enforcement. She was arrested in January of last year after allegedly spraying a neighbor in the face with pepper spray.

In that case, police said Belizaire confronted the neighbor over claims that the woman had harassed her daughter.

The dispute reportedly began as a verbal confrontation. Belizaire then allegedly returned to her apartment, retrieved pepper spray and discharged it into the neighbor’s eyes.

She was charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. The current status of that case remains unclear.

When she was arrested in connection with the alleged child abandonment, Belizaire was reportedly first taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

She was then handed over to local police, and she is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami. Belizaire is now facing four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm. 

At her first court appearance, officials said Belizaire declined to provide a statement to investigators and invoked her right to remain silent. 

Belizaire’s bond was set at $10,000, as a judge admonished her for allegedly abandoning the children.

‘You cannot make this up. It says she went on a cruise and left her children home alone,’ Judge Mindy Glazer said during the hearing, per NBC6. 

‘These poor kids, four of them, were home alone for three days… I’m just grateful nothing worse happened to these kids.’