Month: June 2021

A Branson area woman has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the production and distribution of child pornography.

Tara Sau Millman, 41, of Merriam Woods, pleaded guilty to one count of the sexual exploitation of minors and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.

Millman admitted she and her co-defendant Mark John Millman used her iPhone to record video of her engaging in sex acts with a two-year-old child. Investigators also found images and videos of child pornography on Millman’s iPhone, including files that showed Millman and her co-defendant abusing the two-year-old and a four-year-old.

Millman also admitted in court she used social media to share child pornography on the internet. She said that she and Mark John Millman viewed child pornography together.

Federal investigators identified Millman and her co-defendant after agents with Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego discovered a cloud storage platform being used to provide encrypted services for clients posting child pornography. The agents found a weblink to an encrypted chat room where 145 registered users were sharing files.

A search warrant was executed on Millman’s home in Taney County on January 28, 2021.

Federal statutes require a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole for Millman. The judge has the option to impose a sentence of up to 50 years in federal prison without parole.

U.S. Marshals announced their Midwest Violent Fugitive Task Force and Springfield Police Detectives have captured a Springfield man for charges connected to a June 11th domestic shooting.

Isaac M. Shadden, 19, was charged with first degree domestic assault and armed criminal action on June 23, 2021. Shadden is charged in the shooting of his then girlfriend.

 “Stopping the spread violence in our communities is a priority for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Marshals Service,” Mark James, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Missouri, said in a statement. “The U.S. Marshals have specialized in hunting down violent fugitives like Shadden for over 230 years.” 

U.S. Marshals joined Springfield police in the search for Shadden on June 23. The Marshals and Springfield police surrounded a home in the 800 block of West Webster Street after someone spotted Shadden inside the home. Shadden surrendered after a brief standoff.

If convicted on the assault charge, Shadden could face life in prison.

Here we go again:

More heavy rain is moving into the Ozarks Wednesday afternoon, with a Flash Flood Watch in effect for most of southwest Missouri from 12 p.m. Wednesday through 7 p.m. Thursday.

Rapid stream rises could cause flooding of low water crossings or low lying campgrounds near streams.

Low lying roadways could become impassible to motorists.

Check out road closures as they come in with the MoDOT Traveler Information Map.

Widespread rainfall amounts will range from one to two inches, with pockets of three to vie inches possible.

Drier and cooler will move in on Friday, just in time for the Independence Day weekend.

A jury awarded almost $3.2 million in damages to a family whose child died after a misdiagnosis at CoxHealth Branson.

One-year-old Kyler George came into the Urgent Care at CoxHealth Branson on June 5, 2017, because Kyler had turned pale, was cold & clammy, and was lethargic.  A physician’s assistant at the Urgent Care diagnosed an ear infection without doing a complete examination and sent the family home.  Kyler George died three hours from a blood clot in a coronary artery aneurysm. 

The family filed a lawsuit against CoxHealth, alleging that the hospital system was negligent in not diagnosing Kyler correctly when he visited a CoxHealth primary care clinic five months before his death. 

Kyler presented with a fever that had lasted for 10 days, which is a primary symptom for Kawasaki disease.  Kawasaki disease causes inflammation in the blood vessels of infants and children.  Untreated Kawasaki disease weakens the walls of arteries in the heart, leading to blood clots and acute heart failure.

A nurse practitioner treated Kyler during the primary care visit and diagnosed him with pneumonia from an X-ray despite the lack of pneumonia symptoms beyond fever. 

Kyler’s family claimed in the lawsuit that because CoxHealth did not make the correct diagnosis, the lack of treatment resulted in blood clots and aneurysms which ultimately lead to his death. 

The law firm representing the family, Johnson, Vorhees, and Martucci, said in a statement that CoxHealth did not make any settlement offer and even called an economist as a witness to testify that the “cost of raising a child should be considered and that Kyler’s tragic and untimely death actually spared the family the expense of raising him.”

The Taney County jury found CoxHealth at fault and awarded the family $3,185,070 in damages.  The amount was later reduced to around $1.8 million, under the state’s cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases.

“If nobody is held accountable, how do things change? You have to fight for what is right,” Kyler’s mother Kassie McAtee said in a statement. “This award has sent a clear message to CoxHealth that the public demands a better standard of care for every infant and child.  I did not think it would take a jury trial to send this important message, but the result is worth the fight.”

CoxHealth spokeswoman Kaitlyn McConnell sent KWTO a statement that CoxHealth disagrees with the verdict.

“We cannot comment on litigation in detail due to patient privacy restrictions,” the CoxHealth statement says.  “However, we can share that after a thorough review, we believe the care given in this situation was appropriate. This belief is also supported by external experts in the field. While we support our judicial system, we do not agree with this decision. That does not change the tragic reality, and our sympathies remain with the family during this time.”

Health leaders in Webster County are reporting a resurgence in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The health unit says there are just over 200 active cases in the county.

Public Health Unit Administrator Scott Allen says he’s concerned about people standing shoulder to shoulder at the Webster County Fair, which kicks off Tuesday, and the Fourth of July parade in Marshfield this weekend.

The fair board president says masks are not required for anyone attending or for people working at the fair.

Allen is also concerned about people coming in from other areas for these events, and creating more opportunities for the virus to spread.

The fair was cancelled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Better Business Bureau is asking customers to use caution when doing business with a local garage door company.

BBB’s Springfield Regional Director Stephanie Garland says consumers reported Access Door LLC failed to deliver ordered garage doors, did not provide refunds, failed to communicate, and provided poor customer service.

“If a company can’t deliver a product or service that someone has paid for, it is obligated to refund money,” Garland said. “Cutting off lines of communication with your customers does nothing to solve the problem.”

Access Door LLC has an “F” rating, the lowest on BBB’s scale, due to unanswered complaints.

In a news release, BBB provided information on the experience several customers had when dealing with Access Door, along with some tips on hiring a contractor:

A Springfield woman told BBB she hired Access Door LLC in June 2020 to install a new garage door at her residence, giving the business an $820 down payment. She said she was told up front that there would be a delay in receiving the door.

The woman said Access Door LLC refused to give her a firm installation date and eventually cut off communication with her.

“I got a couple of quotes and decided to go with the mom and pop business,” the woman said. “I wanted to help the small company out.”

The woman has not been able to get a door installed because she said she can’t afford it unless she receives a refund from Access Door LLC.

Another Springfield woman told BBB she paid Access Door LLC nearly $700 in November 2020 as a down payment for a garage door. She said the company gave her several installation dates but did not show up on any of those days. The business eventually cut off communication with her, she said.

The woman wound up building her own garage door. She is still seeking a refund from the business.

A woman from Harrison, Arkansas, told BBB she gave Access Door LLC just over $1,300 as a down payment for a garage door in September 2020. The woman said the company told her it would take two to three weeks for the door to be delivered.

The woman said Access Door LLC never delivered the door. She said she sent the business more than 30 emails over the last nine months. The woman said the business gave her a number of excuses as to why it couldn’t deliver the door.

“If a company can’t deliver a product or service that someone has paid for, it is obligated to refund money,” said Stephanie Garland, BBB Springfield regional director. “Cutting off lines of communication with your customers does nothing to solve the problem.”

According to Missouri secretary of state records, Access Door LLC was registered in August 2019. Joshua Hutton and Jennifer Reid are listed as organizers of the business.

BBB attempts to reach the business for comment failed and it did not respond to a BBB letter regarding what the company is doing to address its pattern of customer complaints.

BBB offers these tips on hiring a contractor:

• Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org or by calling 888-996-3887.
• Ask for references and contact them.
• Before paying, make sure you have a signed contract outlining what work is to be done, a timetable for completion, and an explanation of what happens if the business or consumer reneges on the agreement.
• Ask the contractor for proof that he or she is bonded and insured.
• Pay by credit card whenever possible in case you need to challenge the payment.
• Do not pay everything in advance. It is a good rule to pay a portion when you sign the contract and the final payment only after you are satisfied with the work.
• When work is completed and the contractor has been paid, request lien waivers showing subcontractors, and material suppliers have been paid for the job.