Dem governor’s staffer fired after authorities seize 21 kilos in drug operation
An aide to Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey was arrested for cocaine trafficking after investigators intercepted packages with the drug slated to be delivered to a state office building where he worked, prosecutors said.
LaMar Cook, 45, of Springfield, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday and was ordered held without bail pending a court hearing, Boston.com reported.
In addition to the drug charge, Cook is also charged with illegally owning a firearm and ammunition.
FORMER MAYOR STABBED OUTSIDE BLUE STATE BUSINESS, SUSPECT WITH MULTIPLE ARRESTS CHARGED
Cook served as deputy director of Healey’s Western Massachusetts office, according to an archived staff directory. A spokesperson for the governor’s office said state officials fired Cook “effectively immediately” after learning of his arrest Tuesday, Boston.com reported.
“The conduct that occurred here is unacceptable and represents a major breach of the public trust,” the spokesperson said. “This criminal investigation is ongoing, and our administration will work with law enforcement to assist them in their work.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Healy’s office.
SUSPECTED SINALOA CARTEL MEMBERS APPREHENDED IN 23-STATE SWEEP BY DEA
Authorities have seized 21 kilograms of cocaine, including eight intercepted Saturday during a delivery operation at the Springfield State Office Building, the DA’s office said.
Investigators searched Cook’s former office Monday night. Cook was arrested Tuesday while in his car in Springfield.
The investigation stemmed from two prior drug seizures. Authorities intercepted and searched two suspicious packages at Hotel UMass (University of Massachusetts Amherst) in Amherst on Oct. 10 and found about 13 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
Cook previously worked as the director of Hotel UMass, according to his LinkedIn profile.
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“Evidence collected during that operation was consistent with the narcotics recovered during the most recent controlled delivery in Springfield,” the DA’s office said. “The investigation into the UMass seizure remains ongoing and may result in additional charges related to the prior shipments in Hampshire County.”
Mamdani’s father sparks viral internet eruption days before NYC mayoral election
Controversy surrounding the Columbia University father of socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani resurfaced on social media after a video of him claiming that Adolf Hitler was inspired by President Abraham Lincoln went viral leading up to Tuesday’s election.
“Zohran Mamdani’s father: America is the root of all evil and was the inspiration for the nazis,” internet video editor Maze posted on X over the weekend along with a clip of Mahmood Mamdani that was viewed over 10 million times.
MAMDANI FACES CRIMINAL REFERRALS OVER ALLEGED FOREIGN DONATIONS TO NYC MAYORAL CAMPAIGN
“Hitler learned genocide from Abraham Lincoln. I’m sure Zohran loves America though. Nice job NYC.”
The clip stems from a 2022 panel discussion hosted by the Asia Society, where Mahmood Mamdani asserted that America was the “genesis of what we call settler-colonialism” around the world, Fox News Digital reported in July.
“With the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln generalized the solution of reservations. They herded American Indians into separate territories,” Mamdani, Columbia’s Herbert Lehman professor of government, said.
“For the Nazis, this was the inspiration. Hitler realized two things: One, that genocide is doable. It is possible to do genocide, that’s what Hitler realized. Second thing Hitler realized is that you don’t have to have a common citizenship.”
The video received strong pushback from conservatives on social media.
MAMDANI’S MOTHER IN UNEARTHED 2013 INTERVIEW: ‘HE IS NOT AN AMERICAN AT ALL’
“This is one of the most insane things I’ve ever heard, and I say that as someone who used to work at the Young Turks,” political commentator Dave Rubin posted on X.
“Like father like son,” Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham posted on X.
“What a joke — why are we importing people who hate America?” Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s father and the Mamdani campaign for comment.
Many have criticized the younger Mamdani for some of the views shared by his father over the years, including quotes from a book the professor wrote and dedicated to “Zohran and his mates.”
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“Suicide bombing needs to be understood as a feature of modern political violence rather than stigmatized as a mark of barbarism,” the elder Mamdani wrote in his 2004 book, “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror,” Fox News Digital previously reported.
“We need to recognize the suicide bomber, first and foremost, as a category of soldier.”
Additionally, Mahmood Mamdani sits on the advisory council of an anti-Israel organization, the Gaza Tribunal, which supports boycotts and sanctions of Israel and routinely accuses the Israeli government of committing “genocide”
The Gaza Tribunal’s founder and members have deep ties to anti-Israel movements, with at least one being deported from the United States due to terror ties.
“He’s his own person,” Mahmood Mamdani told The New York Times in an interview earlier this year headlined, “The Parents Who Helped Shape Zohran Mamdani’s Politics.”
“Now, of course, what we do as his parents is part of the environment in which he grew up, and he couldn’t help but engage with it. That doesn’t mean anything is reflected back on us.”
“I don’t agree!” Nair interjected in the interview. “Of course, the world we live in, and what we write and film and think about, is the world that Zohran has very much absorbed.”
In a 2020 interview, Mamdani suggested in his own words that he was influenced politically by his parents,” Fox News Digital reported earlier this year.
“I think, honestly, growing up in the family that I grew up in, I was quite open to what would be considered being a radical from a very young age,” Mamdani said on “The Far Left Show.”
“I mean, from the beginning, my identities are already considered radical by a lot of mainstream American political thought. So, being a Muslim, being an immigrant, these are things that already kind of put you in the box of ‘other.’ And so it’s not that far of a jump because whenever you … stand up to speak up for the rights of others who share the same identity as you, then you’re a radical, right? So, often people in this country are considered radicals if they stand up for Palestinian human rights.”
Pentagon chief vows to ‘hunt down’ drug traffickers after latest deadly strike
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military on Wednesday struck another boat carrying people he claims were narco-terrorists.
The strikes were carried out in the Eastern Pacific region at the direction of President Donald Trump, killing four men on board, according to Hegseth.
The military “carried out a lethal kinetic strike on yet another narco-trafficking vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Eastern Pacific,” Hegseth wrote on X.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,” he said. “Four male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel—and killed—during the strike, which was conducted in international waters. No U.S. forces were harmed in this strike.”
US STRIKES ANOTHER ALLEGED DRUG-TRAFFICKING BOAT NEAR VENEZUELA, KILLING 4
“The Western Hemisphere is no longer a safe haven for narco-terrorists bringing drugs to our shores to poison Americans,” Hegseth added. “The Department of War will continue to hunt them down and eliminate them wherever they operate.”
This is the 14th strike on suspected drug boats carried out since September. A total of 61 have reportedly been killed while three survived, including at least two who were later repatriated to their home countries.
The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed or evidence of drugs on board.
US DEPLOYS FORD CARRIER STRIKE GROUP TO COMBAT NARCO-TERROR IN WESTERN HEMISPHERE
The Trump administration has been scrutinized in recent weeks over the strikes, including by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.
Paul has cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded for suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.
The senator has also argued that if the administration plans to engage in a war with Venezuela, as it has targeted boats it claims are transporting drugs for the Venezuela-linked Tren de Aragua gang, it must seek a declaration of war from Congress.
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Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee also penned a letter on Wednesday demanding to review the legal justification behind the series of boat strikes they say appear to violate several laws.
“Drug trafficking is a terrible crime that has had devastating impacts on American families and communities and should be prosecuted. Nonetheless, the President’s actions to hold alleged drug traffickers accountable must still conform with the law,” the letter reads.
Rosie O’Donnell asks for prayers as daughter Chelsea faces ‘scary’ prison future
Rosie O’Donnell is asking for prayers as her daughter, Chelsea, faces a “scary future.”
“My child chelsea belle – before addiction took over her life – i loved her then i love her now as she faces a scary future- prayers welcomed- #addiction awareness #love #family,” O’Donnell wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of Chelsea as a child.
Just days prior, on Oct. 22, Chelsea had her probation revoked and was sentenced to serve time in prison, according to court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital.
ROSIE O’DONNELL’S DAUGHTER CHELSEA ARRESTED FOR CHILD NEGLECT, DRUG POSSESSION
In a written statement to Fox News Digital, O’Donnell said, “I have compassion for those struggling with addiction — chelsea was born into addiction and it has been a painful journey for her and her four young children. we continue to love and support her through these horrible times. prayers welcomed.”
Last year, authorities charged Chelsea with two counts of felony possession of methamphetamine along with a felony charge of possession of narcotic drugs, according to court records reviewed by Fox News Digital. She was also charged with two counts of possession/illegally obtaining prescription drugs and resisting or obstructing an officer.
At the time, Rosie addressed her daughter’s arrest on Instagram, saying she hoped she gets “the help she needs.”
“so yes this is true – after being bailed out by her birth mother – chelsea was arrested again – and is facing many charges related to her drug addiction – we all hope she is able to get the help she needs to turn her life around,” the TV star wrote on Dec. 3.
ROSIE O’DONNELL HOPES DAUGHTER GETS HELP TO TURN LIFE AROUND AFTER LATEST ARREST
Chelsea’s arrest occurred after police in Niagara, Wisconsin, pulled over a car for loud exhaust, a police report obtained by Fox News Digital read.
Authorities recovered a “clear smoking device” on Chelsea’s person, according to the documents. Residue found inside the device tested positive for methamphetamine.
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At the time, Chelsea was out on bond for separate charges — including child neglect and drug possession.
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After being taken to Marinette County Jail, a prescription pill bottle was also found in Chelsea’s possession. The bottle contained a handful of pills along with a crystal-like substance.
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‘Squad’ member funnels campaign cash to group seeking Israel’s ‘dismantling’
FIRST ON FOX: The campaign for “Squad” Rep. Ilhan Omar recently sent over a thousand dollars to a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that partnered with a Palestinian university with alleged terrorist ties, according to new Federal Election Commission filings reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The Palestine House of Freedom, also known by its Arabic name, “Dar Alhurriya,” is a nonprofit headquartered just blocks from the U.S. Capitol building.
According to a video on the group’s website, it is “dedicated to the liberation of Palestine” and “the dismantling of apartheid in Palestine and the establishment of a free, democratic state from the river to the sea.”
The group’s website emphasizes that Israel is “operating as an apartheid state.” The website further states that its mission is to “embark on an aggressive educational campaign targeting everyone from lawmakers, staffers, the media, to the general public” to “show how dismantling apartheid and establishing a free democratic Palestine from the River to the Sea with equal rights, is the path to peace and will benefit all parties involved.”
PRO-PALESTINIAN CONFERENCE PANELIST CALLS US ‘EVIL,’ URGES ‘DESTROYING THE IDEA OF AMERICA’
The filings show that Omar’s campaign, Ilhan for Congress, sent $1,559.25 to the anti-Israel Palestine House of Freedom for “event tickets” in September. However, it is unclear which event the payments were for.
The Palestine House of Freedom made headlines earlier this year for hosting a fundraiser in June for the Palestinian Birzeit University, a school that has alleged terrorist ties and has seen its student council elections favor the pro-Hamas wing of student council members, according to The Washington Reporter.
The university’s student council has long been dominated by the Hamas-affiliated Al-Wafaa bloc and has been previously dubbed, “Terrorist University.” Student campus parades have also reportedly included people marching with mock suicide bomb vests and rockets, as reported by Memri TV.
A Fox News Digital review found that the Hamas-affiliated Al-Wafaa bloc has won several student council elections at Birzeit dating back to the 1990’s, including victories in 2022 and 2023. After the 2023 victory, a top Hamas operative reportedly told the Middle East Monitor the victory represents an “extension” of the movement.
“The second message is that the bloc has proven its ability to adapt to changes, overcome complexities, and fill the void created by arrests, martyrdom, or deportation,” Ismail Haniyeh, who was head of Hamas’ Political Bureau until he was assassinated by Israel Defense Forces last year in Tehran, told the Middle East Monitor.
He added that Hamas is “unbreakable” in its homeland and that it will confront the “occupier, oppression and terrorism.” This wasn’t the first time a top Hamas operative praised the Al-Wafaa bloc’s victory at Birzeit. In 2017, a top Hamas spokesperson reportedly congratulated the student body on the election results.
REP. ELISE STEFANIK LABELS NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI A ‘JIHADIST’
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., sent a letter Sept. 29 to Harvard University, expressing concern about the university’s failure to issue a public decision on its prior partnership with Birzeit. In the letter, the lawmakers called Birzeit “an institution whose student body overwhelmingly supports Hamas” and a school that “explicitly endorses a U.S. designated terrorist organization.”
Harvard announced this spring it would not renew its cooperation agreement with Birzeit and would issue a permanent decision about the partnership after an internal review, according to The Harvard Crimson.
According to the June event’s flyer, all the proceeds from the Palestine House of Freedom fundraiser, “From Birzeit and Beyond: How academia shapes resistance and resilience,” went to Birzeit.
DEMS SILENT ON PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE’S NAZI-STYLE TATTOO AFTER KNOCKING HEGSETH FOR CHRISTIAN SYMBOL
Omar was one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress in 2018. She has taken heavy criticism for making anti-American and antisemitic comments over the years, including saying that “some people did something” in reference to the 9/11 attacks and saying that “Israel has hypnotized the world.” She later apologized for the comment about Israel.
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In September, a vote to censure Omar over comments she made about the assassination of Charlie Kirk narrowly failed to pass the House of Representatives.
Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard, the Palestinian House of Freedom, Omar’s office and Ilhan for Congress for comment but did not receive a response by press time.
Powell’s chilling warning after Fed decision amid government shutdown: ‘Driving in the fog’
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday it remains unclear whether the ongoing government shutdown and the resulting lack of key economic data will affect the central bank’s December meeting.
With key indicators still missing due to the shutdown, Powell said the Fed will proceed carefully until it has a clearer view of the economy.
“If you’re driving in the fog, you slow down,” he said at the conclusion of the two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. The FOMC’s next policy meeting is scheduled for Dec. 9–10.
FED CUTS INTEREST RATES FOR SECOND TIME THIS YEAR AMID LABOR MARKET WEAKNESS
Powell added that even without complete data, the central bank must continue its work.
“We’re going to have to do our jobs one way or the other,” Powell told reporters at the Federal Reserve. “I hope by the time of the December meeting, we’re getting a better flow of data,” he added.
He described the government shutdown, now in its fifth week, as a “temporary state of affairs.”
PARTISAN STANDOFF THREATENS CRUCIAL ECONOMIC DATA, LEAVING FED — AND FAMILIES — IN THE DARK
“We’re going to collect every scrap of data we can find, evaluate it, and think carefully about it. That’s our job, and that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.
The Fed announced its second interest rate cut of the year, signaling continued efforts to support the labor market even as inflation remains above its target.
“Although official employment data for September are delayed, available evidence suggests that both layoffs and hiring remain low, and that both households’ perceptions of job availability and firms’ perceptions of hiring difficulty continue to decline,” Powell said.
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“We’re not going to have the same detailed feel for the economy,” he added. “But if there were a significant or material change, I think we’d pick that up.”
UNC coach Bill Belichick slams $20M buyout report with Trump’s favorite line
Tar Heels head football coach Bill Belichick decided to use one of President Donald Trump’s famous lines to slam a report against his program.
During a recent news conference, Belichick was asked by a reporter about whether he felt his UNC program was heading in a new direction since he released a statement maintaining that he is committed to the program despite a report stating school brass was discussing a potential buyout amid his 2-5 campaign.
Belichick, whose Tar Heels narrowly lost to No. 15 Virginia over the weekend, fired back.
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“It’s never been anything but that,” he said, referencing the efforts of his players.
“Whoever that story came from, it’s already been taken down and everything else. It’s just total – as Trump would say – fake news. It’s just a novel. Look, our consistency has been here since the day that Michael Lombardi and I came in and started hiring people and came into the organization in December.
“We got in the same day and have been doing it every day, and that’s the way it’s gonna be.”
BILL BELICHICK ADVANCES IN PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME SELECTION PROCESS AMID UNC STRUGGLES
It’s no secret Belichick’s inaugural season coaching at the college level is not going according to plan. UNC has lost four straight weeks, and they’ve been blown out multiple times this season.
Rumors came out earlier this month that Belichick and the school were discussing a “potential exit strategy” amid the failing season, according to 247 Sports. Belichick has a sizable $20 million buyout as part of his contract, though the report added that an alleged rules violation could help the program either eliminate or reduce the buyout.
However, Belichick and athletic director Bill Cunningham released separate statements saying there is no interest in leaving Chapel Hill.
“I’m fully committed to UNC Football and the program we’re building here,” Belichick’s statement read.
Cunningham added: “Coach Belichick has the full support of the Department of Athletics and University.”
There’s been no shortage of reports and rumors since Belichick took the job earlier this year, but at this point, he’s used to the outside noise.
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“I’m sure there’s a lot of other people that want to get clicks and views and posts on ‘myface’ or whatever. It’s just a bunch of garbage,” he added.
The Tar Heels are set to face Syracuse on the road this Friday. UNC currently has no more ranked teams on its ACC schedule for the rest of the 2025 season.
Hollywood star admits drinking spree led to 46 painful takes with Tom Cruise
Colin Farrell admitted that Tom Cruise “was not happy” with him during the filming of their 2002 movie “Minority Report.”
During an appearance Tuesday on “The Stephen Colbert Show,” the 49-year-old actor recalled that the science-fiction action thriller was one of his first major Hollywood movies, and he was thrilled to be working with Cruise, now 63, and director Steven Spielberg.
However, Farrell, who was battling alcoholism and substance abuse problems at the time, told Colbert he had a wild night out on his birthday and showed up to the set hungover.
“I had one of the worst days I’ve ever had on a film set,” the “Phone Booth” star shared. “It was my birthday on May 31, and we were shooting. And I begged production — who did I think I was? — of a $120 million film if they [could] not have me working on my birthday.
COLIN FARRELL GOT SOBER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS SON, WAS IN ‘NO CONDITION’ TO BE FATHER
“So, of course, my pickup was 6 a.m. on May 31, and I got up to all sorts of nonsense the night before. And I remember getting into bed, and as soon as I turned off the light the phone rang, and it was the driver [who] said, ‘It’’s 10 past 6.’ And I went, ‘Oh, s—.'”
Farrell recalled that the first assistant director David H. Venghaus Jr. met him when he arrived at the shoot and immediately told him, “You can’t go to the set like this.'”
“And I went, ‘Just get me six Pacifico cervezas and a packet of 20 [Marlboro] Red,'” he said as the audience laughed.
“Now, listen, it’s not cool because two years later I went to rehab, right?” Farrell said to more laughter from the crowd.
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“But it worked in the moment,” he continued. “All the holy people that we look to on how to live a life would say the present is all that counts.”
The Oscar nominee remembered that he drank “a couple of beers” before heading to the set.
TOM CRUISE NEARLY BROKE HIS BACK PERFORMING BRUTAL ‘MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE’ STUNT
“It was terrible,” Farrell admitted.
“I will never forget the line I had that I couldn’t get out. It was, ‘I’m sure you’ve all grasped the fundamental paradox of pre-crime methodology.’ That was the line that started the scene,” he recalled.
“I remember one of [the crew] coming up and saying, ‘Do you want to go out and take a breath of fresh air?’” Farrell continued. “And I remember thinking, ‘If I go out and take a breath of fresh air, then I’ll be under more pressure when I come back in to be better.’ And I went, ‘No, we’ll just go through it.’
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“We did 46 takes,” Farrell said. “Tom wasn’t very happy with me. Tom, who I love, was not very happy.”
“Minority Report” was based on famed science fiction writer Philip K. Dick’s 1956 short story of the same name. Set in Washington, D.C. in 2054, the movie followed Chief John Anderton (Tom Cruise), who works for a police unit that arrests people for crimes before they commit them by using the visions of three psychics called “pre-cogs.”
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Farrell portrayed Danny Witwer, a skeptical Justice Department agent sent to audit the Pre-Crime program. When the system predicts that Anderton will commit a murder, he goes on the run to prove his innocence. He later kidnaps the most powerful of the psychics, Agatha, played by Samantha Morton. Together, they work to uncover the truth about the program.
“Minority Report” was both a critical and commercial success, making $358 million at the worldwide box office.
Hollywood producer gets 146 years as fallen hero cop’s rape claim surfaces
A Hollywood producer sentenced Wednesday for the deaths of two women who were drugged and dumped at Los Angeles hospitals was also previously accused by a deceased police officer of rape.
Lauren Craven, 25, of La Mesa, California, was one of seven women who said David Pearce raped them, the New York Post reported. The revelation came in court as Pearce received a 146-year prison sentence for the 2021 deaths of model Christy Giles, 24, and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26.
Craven was struck and killed by a vehicle last week as she tried to help people trapped in an overturned car on a freeway.
CALIFORNIA MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING WIFE AND FLEEING WITH KIDS NABBED IN SOUTH AMERICA
Los Angeles County prosecutors revealed the information about Craven’s allegations as a judge handed down Pearce’s sentence.
Craven died just two weeks after her 25th birthday. She was returning to La Mesa from the San Diego Central Jail when she came upon a collision on Interstate 8, according to the La Mesa Police Department.
“After exiting her vehicle to assist, she was tragically struck and killed by another motorist,” the police department said in a Facebook post. “Officer Craven’s actions in her final moments exemplified her unwavering dedication to service and the safety of others — a reflection of how she lived every day.”
HOLLYWOOD’S DARK SIDE REVEALED IN DISTURBING CASE AGAINST PRODUCER
Craven had been identified only as “Jane Doe No. 5” during Pearce’s trial, the Post reported. Pearce faced charges not only for the fatal druggings but also in connection with seven rape victims — spanning from 2007 to 2021 — who came forward after his arrest, according to prosecutors.
On Nov. 13, 2021, Giles and Cabrales-Arzola met Pearce, along with Brandt Osborne and Michael Ansbach, at a warehouse party in East Los Angeles, police said. They later returned to Pearce’s nearby home, where he provided GHB — commonly known as a “date rape drug” — and fentanyl to the group.
Several hours later, the women were captured on surveillance video being dropped off at separate hospitals by masked men driving a car with no license plates, according to prosecutors.
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Giles was pronounced dead after staff members found her body outside Southern California Hospital in Culver City. Cabrales-Arzola was resuscitated after being dropped off 2 miles away at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Hospital, where she died 11 days later.