BELLE PLAINE, IA (IRN) – A woman and boy whose bodies were found at a railroad crossing in eastern Iowa died in a murder-suicide. KCCI-TV reports Teresa Gerleman, 36, and her 8-year-old son, Henry Fields were found at a Belle Plaine crossing on May 4. Video shows that Gerleman waited near the railroad tracks for the Union Pacific train to approach. As the train draws near, Gerleman goes to the center of the tracks and at the last moment pulls Henry into the path of the train with her. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A northeast Iowa woman is facing charges for helping hide fugitive parents and their child they abducted from South Carolina. KGAN-TV reports 56-year-old Tami Linne of Bluffton is charged with accessory to a felony. 2-year-old Dakota Ray was reported as a missing and exploited child after her parents took her from her South Carolina home to Iowa, despite not having custody of her. Both parents allegedly use meth heavily. HUBBARD COUNTY, MN (IRN) – A four-year-old Worth County child and their father have died after a kayaking accident in Minnesota over the weekend. KIMT-TV reports Jesse Anderson, 42, of Northwood, and his 4-year-old child died after authorities received a report of two kayakers who had overturned on Hart Lake on Saturday and had not returned to the water’s surface. Neither victim were wearing a life jacket. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa is joining the call for drug manufacturers to be held accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic. Attorney General Tom Miller joined 38 other state attorneys general in asking lawmakers to pass stiffer penalties for opioid producers. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – New digital signs will be able to quickly alert drivers as soon as a wrong-way driver is reported on I-380 in Cedar Rapids. KCRG-TV reports the Cedar Rapids Police Department partnered with the Iowa Department of Transportation to run the alerts. It will allow the warning to go out within seconds of a report of a wrong-way driver. The hope is drivers will have more time to react and be more alert if they see a warning sooner. CLARKSVILLE, IA (IRN) – Maddie Poppe is the first Iowan to win American Idol. The Des Moines Register reports the Clarksville native beat out Gabby Barrett, Vegas’ odds-on favorite to take the crown, and Caleb Lee Hutchinson, the bluesy baritone from Georgia. In addition to the title, Poppe won $250,000, a headlining performance at the Hollywood Bowl, and a recording contract with Hollywood Records.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – One person is dead and three others injured after a violent Saturday morning involving three shootings in Waterloo. KGAN-TV reports there have been no arrests. WORTH COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A woman accused of entering another woman’s house and trying to change into her clothes is facing a felony burglary charge. KIMT-TV reports Tasha Nelson, 29, of Albert Lea, Minnesota is facing a third-degree burglary charge in connection to an incident in Kensett. The homeowner heard a noise, checked her house and found Nelson in the bathroom trying to change into her clothes. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A 16-year-old boy boy has died after being shot on the street Saturday night in Davenport. WQAD-TV reports multiple shots were fired, and police are investigating. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman was killed and two others injured Sunday morning when a car drove off the road just before a bridge on Interstate 80, north of Des Moines, and landed on Second Avenue below. The car landed on a concrete barrier dividing northbound traffic from southbound traffic on Second Avenue. The woman driving the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene, and two others were hospitalized. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City Police are investigating a robbery last night, according to KCRG-TV. The victim was tackled to the ground by a man, who then stole an undisclosed amount of cash and property before running away. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Two Council Bluffs men are walking across America for a good cause. KETV reports Matt Andersen and Trevor Stephens met playing football in seventh grade. They walk at a pace of about three miles per hour, and spent a few days at home in Council Bluffs last week. They have now departed for the west coast. The walk is to raise money for the Purple Heart Foundation, which is a program supporting veterans.

NEOLA, IA (IRN) – A Nebraska man died after the motorcycle he was driving hit a livestock trailer in western Iowa. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports that 26-year-old Adam Blake, of Omaha, died following the crash Thursday night on a county road near Neola. Blake was following a pickup truck pulling the empty trailer, and hit the trailer when the truck slowed to turn. He died at the scene. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A homeless man was hospitalized Friday evening after being stabbed in the head during a fight. WHO-TV reports the incident happened near Central Iowa Shelter and Services in Des Moines. No arrests have been made. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Fire crews battled a massive house fire Saturday night near Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines, according to KCCI-TV. When firefighters arrived, flames were bursting from the roof, which eventually collapsed. A woman and her pets were able to escape. CLINTON, IA (IRN) – Dozens of dodgeball players competed on the court Saturday, raising money for the four lives lost in a tragic car accident on I-80 in Nebraska. WQAD-TV reports Teen Club in Clinton hosted the benefit. They raised about $2400 dollars to go towards the funeral costs and medical expenses.

CENTERVILLE, IA (IRN) – A Centerville woman has been charged with murder and arson after firefighters found her husband’s body in their burned home. KCCI-TV reports Centerville police arrested 45-year-old Barbara Pasa, who left her husband, 50-year-old Tim Pasa, lying in bed on May 5 with a lit candle in the room. She recently bought a $200,000 life insurance policy on her husband and he had recently told family members he believed his wife was poisoning him. That’s in addition to the couple recently filing for divorce. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former Des Moines East High School teacher has been charged with Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student. WHO-TV reports 50-year-old Jason Soliday was arrested and charged on Friday. Soliday had a four-month long relationship with a female student. WEST BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Walmart in West Burlington was evacuated yesterday after a shopper heard a man claim he was going to shoot people. WQAD-TV reports the man fled, but police later apprehended 59-year-old Michael Wills of Burlington. Wills said he was angry about a traffic accident that he was nearly involved in and was talking to himself when a customer overheard him and told an employee. Wills was cited for disorderly conduct. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – More than 400 farmers died from a work-related injury in 2016. The leading cause of deaths were transportation incidents, such as tractor overturns. KWWL-TV reports a University of Iowa student hopes she can lower those numbers. Kayla Faust is developing a virtual reality tractor simulation that lets drivers test tractors in different driving conditions, which she feels will lead to fewer deaths.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo man has been arrested for allegedly stealing tools and materials from construction sites in Waterloo and Cedar Falls. The Courier reports 40-year-old Sanel Jahic stole lumber, hand tools, gas-powered saws, measuring equipment and a generator from several construction sites and construction trailers. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids woman has pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft for stealing more than $191,000 from her now-dead fiance and his elderly mother. KGAN-TV reports 60-year-old Robin Ann Bertelli stole checks that belonged to her fiance, a former Navy Seal, and his mother, and wrote them payable to herself, forging their signatures. Her fiance died in 2016 while on vacation with her in Puerto Rico from what she said was an accidental drowning after hitting his head on a rock. DECORAH, IA (IRN) – A missing 2-year-old girl has been found safe with her mother and father, both meth addicts who now face additional charges. KCCI-TV reports the girl was last seen in Le Mars, before being found in Decorah today. She has been placed with DHS, and her parents are in jail. IOWA (IRN) – Ten of the nation’s 100 worst puppy mills are based in Iowa, according to a new report from the Humane Society. Only two states have more facilities on this year’s list: Missouri with 23, and Ohio with 13. According to the report, dozens of dogs in federally licensed, privately run Iowa facilities have been found dead, neglected, injured or suffering from untreated diseases. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Mason City is expanding its free summer lunch program for hungry kids. This year, free bus rides will be given to students who have to travel far to get to a lunch site. For children to get a ride, they need to be on any street corner along one of the five designated bus routes and signal to the driver they want a ride.