Three laws in Montana limiting abortion are unconstitutional‚ a state judge ruled Thursday‚ according to the Daily Montanan. The laws ban abortion after 20 weeks and by way of telehealth services‚ as well as require a 24-hour waiting period and two ultrasounds. District Court Judge Kurt Krueger sided with Planned Parenthood of Montana‚ which filed the lawsuit and argued that the government shouldn’t be able to “infringe” on bodily autonomy any more than it can force someone to have an abortion‚ the Daily Montanan reported. “Notably‚ Armstrong rejected the state’s attempts to regulate abortion‚ not on the basis that the procedure should be protected per se‚ but because a woman’s right to ‘decide up to the point of fetal viability‚ what her pregnancy demands’ implicates her right to ‘procreative autonomy‚’” Krueger wrote‚ referring to Armstrong v. State‚ the 1999 ruling that pre-viability abortion is constitutional under the Montana Constitution’s right to privacy. “If the state can infringe on that autonomy ‘in favor of birth‚ then‚ necessarily it also has the power to require abortion‚’ neither of which would be acceptable‚” the judge ruled. The three Montana laws have been under a preliminary injunction for several years‚ barring their enforcement as the lawsuit made its way through the courts‚ according to local media outlet KTVH. The state argued that the 1999 Montana Supreme Court decision erred in declaring that the right to privacy is protected when an infant isn’t viable. “It is undisputed that no fetus is presently viable at that point” and the 20-week ban is “ideologically motivated legislation‚” Krueger contended‚ according to the Daily Montanan. Krueger also took issue with Montana’s argument that states have a “compelling interest” to preserve human life following the June 2022 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision‚ in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization‚ to overturn Roe v. Wade. “The state cites Dobbs for its assertion that it has a compelling interest in ‘respecting and preserving human life‚ including prenatal life at all stages of development‚’ regardless of determinations of viability. But Dobbs does not control here. Federal precedent is not binding on questions of state constitutional law‚” Krueger wrote. Martha Fuller‚ president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Montana‚ told the Daily Montanan that the organization is “relieved that Montanans will no longer live with the threat of these harmful restrictions taking effect.” KTVH reported that a spokesperson for Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen‚ a Republican‚ said that he plans to appeal the ruling and remains “committed to protecting the health and safety of women and unborn babies in Montana.” Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Red State Judge Throws Out 3 Laws Restricting Abortion appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A cat showed up at the window with kittens in tow when she thought it was time to move inside. Daphne and her kittensThe Stray Cat ClubA black and white stray cat showed up outside a house‚ scrounging for food. She caught the attention of the tenants when she came up to the window asking for help.The students that lived there swooned at the presence of the cat and offered her some food. The tuxedo had a voracious appetite and seemed pleased to have found a reliable food source.After getting her fill‚ the cat disappeared into a shed‚ making the tenants wonder if she would return. The Stray Cat ClubSoon‚ a familiar silhouette appeared in the garden. The cat came back‚ but this time‚ she wasn't alone with three little kittens in tow."Once she started to be fed‚ she and her kittens would come out from the shed asking for food. We're unsure if they were born under there‚" The Stray Cat Club shared with Love Meow. She brought her kittens to the window asking for helpThe Stray Cat ClubThe mama cat arrived at mealtime with her precious three on her heels. She had grown to trust her food providers and allowed them to be near her babies. The trio ran around the yard‚ turning it into their playground.The feline family melted everyone's heart with their pleading eyes. The tenants began contacting local rescues‚ hoping to get the mom and her kittens into a safe place with proper care. The Stray Cat ClubThey had no luck with large rescue organizations‚ but a few days before the holidays‚ The Stray Cat Club‚ an all-volunteer rescue‚ responded to their request."With the kind help of some students who contacted us before returning home for Christmas‚ we were able to safely trap and house them. No more cold nights out for this family." No more cold nights out for this familyThe Stray Cat ClubThe family of four arrived at The Stray Cat Club and quickly settled in. They filled their bellies to the brim before nestling in a cuddle pile. They slept soundly that night in a warm bed away from the busy streets.The following day‚ they were transported to a foster home through Croydon Animal Samaritans that would provide medical care and all the resources to help them thrive. HarryThe Stray Cat ClubThe cat mama‚ lovingly named Daphne‚ is around two years old. She is a friendly and chill cat and enjoys the company of her people. After raising her last litter‚ she has some well-deserved time for herself and can play like a kitten again.Evie‚ Daphne's little mini-me‚ is the shyest of the bunch‚ but she's getting braver and more adventurous. She feels reassured around her mama‚ and the rescue hopes to find them a home together. EvieCroydon Animal SamaritansHarry (the other tuxedo) and Teddy (the fluffiest of the litter) are bonded brothers and do everything as a duo. If they aren't romping around‚ wrestling with each other‚ they are likely cuddled together‚ recharging their batteries."They have become more confident but can still be shy until they know you‚" Croydon Animal Samaritans shared. Teddy and Harry are bonded brothersCroydon Animal SamaritansThe kittens are almost 4.5 months old‚ and their personalities are shining through. They have come a long way since Daphne showed up at the window on that fateful day.They are living the good life and ready to find a place of their own. DaphneCroydon Animal SamaritansShare this story with your friends. More on the cat family and Croydon Animal Samaritans (UK) on Facebook and The Stray Cat Club on Instagram and Facebook.Related story: Couple Went to Shelter Just to 'Look at' a Cat with Enormous Cheeks‚ It Turned Out to Be So Much More

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A Florida juvenile detention center sergeant has been arrested after accusations surfaced of her writing letters to an underage inmate discussing how she sexually "fantasized" about being with the victim. Katelyn Gomez‚ 27‚ worked as a sergeant at the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Clearwater‚ Florida. However‚ Gomez was fired after allegations of a sex scandal involving her and a 16-year-old inmate surfaced. Gomez was arrested by detectives with the Crimes Against Children Unit on Wednesday and charged with solicitation of a child to engage in an act that constitutes sexual battery by a person in familial or custodial authority.Authorities were tipped off to the alleged inappropriate relationship when 10 sexually explicit letters penned by Gomez were reportedly discovered in the cell of a 16-year-old inmate at the detention center. In the letters hidden under the inmate's bed‚ Gomez allegedly "fantasized" about having a sexual relationship with the minor. "Tease me and don't play fair with me‚" she allegedly wrote‚ according to Law &; Crime. "The letters explicitly described what would take place during their first sexual encounter and described an ongoing relationship which had developed while the victim was incarcerated‚" according to a news statement released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. When interviewed by deputies‚ Gomez reportedly admitted to writing the letters to the boy. She also said that she planned to build a life with the victim once he was released from the detention center‚ according to officials. She even talked about getting married and having children with the boy‚ according to the arrest affidavit.Gomez allegedly developed a relationship with the minor when they met at the detention facility several weeks ago. Gomez‚ who was hired as a sergeant in January‚ was assigned to the boy's pod three weeks ago. She was allegedly instructed not to be alone with any of the juvenile inmates. However‚ Gomez was spotted spending time "one-on-one with the victim several times‚" according to other staff members at the juvenile detention center. Investigators also said they discovered a photo of Gomez in the inmate's cell.Police said the investigation into the alleged child sex crime is ongoing. Pinellas juvenile detention center Sergeant charged after soliciting sexual activity with inmate www.youtube.com Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A woman told police that voices told her to stab her 5-year-old daughter to death and bury her in a neighbor's yard‚ according to Washington state police. Police were called to a home in the city of Darrington off of Commercial Avenue by a 30-year-old woman who allegedly confessed to killing her child. 30-year-old Alyssa Sanchez told police that she had stabbed her daughter to death in the backseat of her Toyota Camry on Feb. 14 and then threw away the knife into a dumpster. She reportedly said that she hid her daughter's body under blankets and that the body had been in her car for several days. Investigators said that Sanchez had asked her friend to buy her a shovel a few days after the alleged incident. She allegedly told police that she buried her daughter's body in her neighbor's front yard because she was afraid that it would start to smell bad. Family members told police that they had not seen the child since Feb. 14. Police said Sanchez told them that the voices said to her that "she is a demon‚ the devil‚ the messiah and sometimes her ancestors speak to her." She said the voices told her she needed to kill her daughter and herself in order to get into heaven. On Tuesday‚ Sanchez was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of first-degree domestic violence murder. On Wednesday‚ Everett District Court Judge Tam Bui set the woman's bail at $5 million without dissent from her defense attorney. Police said they recovered the child's body early morning on Wednesday. They said they found a "significant amount" of blood in the woman's Camry. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death for the child. The judge ordered that Sanchez undergo a mental illness assessment by a professional at the jail. If she is found guilty‚ she could face a sentence of life in prison. In a similar story from 2023‚ 34-year-old Eric Meagan of Connecticut murdered his mother in order to quell the voices in his head. He was later found dead in his cell with a ligature around his neck. Darrington is a small mountain town of about 1‚400 people about 1.5 hours away from Seattle. Here's a local news report about the incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Texas police said they recovered a 12-year-old missing girl a week after she was reported getting into a stranger's truck in the middle of the night. 27-year-old Sirterryon Preston was arrested for allegedly trying to run away from police after they found him with the missing girl in Columbus‚ Texas‚ about 70 miles away from her home in Missouri City. The girl had been seen last on Feb. 22‚ when her neighbor's surveillance camera recorded her getting into a dark-colored Dodge Ram truck on Waterchase Drive at about 1:40 a.m. Her mother said that she had never run away before and that she didn't know if she got into the truck knowingly or if she was coerced. On Friday‚ at about 12:40 p.m.‚ Columbus police said they were alerted to the possible presence of the missing girl at a Shell gas station and allegedly found Preston with her. When they tried to detain him‚ he attempted to flee‚ but police were able to capture him. Preston was booked into the Colorado County Detention Facility on a charge of evading arrest. Police said that other charges are being considered pending an investigation by the FBI. The girl was taken to the Texas Children's Hospital for an evaluation. The Houston Police Department said they are afraid that the girl was trafficked in the time she was missing.Police issued an AMBER alert days after she was first reported missing after obtaining information that led them to believe she was in danger. Her family said they were upset the alert wasn't issued earlier. KHOU-TV reported that the girl's family was relieved to hear she had been found and gathered together on the front yard of the home to sing "He's an On-Time God" together. Clara Edwards‚ a neighbor of the family‚ spoke to KHOU. "I didn’t even ask where‚ when or anything as long as they found her that was so exciting‚" she said. "And I get to sleep tonight without waking up with her on my mind."Police said that the girl might have been on a social media app named "Tagged‚" which is a dating and meeting application meant only for adults. Jennifer Hill of the Children's Assessment Center in Houston said that parents have to be diligent in protecting their children from predators online. "A lot of times it can even be through schools themselves... it's something that we have to worry about every day and have open communication with our children about because we want to make sure that they know those dangers rather than just encountering them‚" said Hill. “So unlike trafficking a drug‚ for example‚ children are able to be used over and over again when they're sold for sex. So in that way‚ it can be a lot more profitable than selling drugs that are only used one time‚" she added. Here's a local news report about the incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The sighting occurred in January 2022 off the coast of Hawaii and marks the first observed instance of copulation in the species. The post Photographers Document Humpback Whale Sex For The First Time — And It’s Between Two Males appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Paul Cézanne‚ a French Post-Impressionist painter often referred to as the “father of modern art‚" painted several murals in his childhood home. Just last year‚ workers renovating the mansion discovered a new mural no one knew was there. The post Workers Discover Previously Unknown Cézanne Mural At Artist’s Childhood Home appeared first on All That's Interesting.