PHOENIX — Happy Wednesday! We're almost halfway through a week before a holiday weekend! Keep powering through!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Wednesday, April 16, 2025; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From the ABC15 Weather Team - One more warm day before a big cooldown!
We'll be toasty again today! Looking to hit a high of 92 degrees in Phoenix later this afternoon. But a nice, mild start to the morning. A big cool down by Friday. We'll be in the 80s tomorrow, then low 70s only for Friday, with even a chance for a sprinkle in the Valley as a storm system heads our way!
What led up to Emily Pike's placement in foster care
Relatives question whether the criminal justice system failed Emily Pike in 2023 after she reported she was sexually assaulted while living on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona.
"If there was a breakdown, then why?" said Allred Pike, Emily's uncle, in an interview with ABC15.
Allred said that Emily's allegations were investigated by tribal Game and Fish officers, and he adds that the person accused was never prosecuted. ABC15 has reached out to tribal leaders asking them about the outcome of the case, but we did not receive a response Tuesday afternoon.
Gila County Sheriff's officials confirm they are aware of the sexual assault case from nearly two years ago, but they would not answer further questions because they did not conduct that investigation.
Sheriff's investigators say they do not have any suspects yet in Emily's murder. Her body was discovered two months ago near Globe after she ran away from a group home in Mesa.
Tribal social service workers removed Emily from her home and put her in foster care in 2023 after the sexual assault allegation.
Arizona House panel rams through disability services bill despite bipartisan proposal
A House panel advanced Tuesday a funding bill to fix the massive budget shortfall in Arizona’s disability services despite a bipartisan push for changes to the proposal, frustrating lawmakers and caregivers alike.
The state’s Division of Developmental Disabilities runs out of money at the end of the month. If the Legislature does not pass a $122 million supplemental funding bill, the division will shut down until the state’s new budget year starts in July.
House Bill 2945 and an identical measure, Senate Bill 1734, advanced out of their respective chamber’s Appropriations committees on Tuesday. The House version won approval by only one vote – and after three additional Republicans were added to panel minutes before the hearing began.
“Stacking the deck is not right. I don’t care who you are,” said state Representative Walt Blackman, a Republican. “It’s not the right thing to do. Playing politics with this is not the right thing to do.”
Governor Katie Hobbs said Tuesday after the vote that the bill is “a work in progress.” Hobbs, who has called the Republican proposal a “non-starter,” said she did not see much improvement in the legislation Tuesday.
Caretaker arrested after vulnerable adult dies near 21st and Glendale avenues
Police have arrested a caretaker following the death investigation of the man he was supposed to be caring for.
Just after 5 p.m. on April 10, Phoenix police officers were called to the area of 21st and Glendale avenues for an "unresponsive" man.
The man, identified as 50-year-old William Miller, was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Detectives learned Miller was disabled and required a caretaker. The caretaker was identified as 36-year-old Nuru Niyonkuru.
During the death investigation, Phoenix PD learned Niyonkuru did not properly care for Miller leading up to his death. This resulted in Niyonkuru's arrest.
Planned Parenthood Arizona resumes gender-affirming care after 'brief pause'
Planned Parenthood Arizona has resumed gender-affirming care after what the non-profit is calling a "brief pause" in services.
ABC15 first learned of the pause on Friday after an ABC15 viewer, who identifies as transgender, got in touch with us, saying their appointment for GAC had been cancelled.
ABC15's Nick Ciletti reached out directly to PPAZ. In a statement Tuesday afternoon, the group said in part:
“Planned Parenthood Arizona deeply values and is dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community, which includes our patients, supporters, and staff. We recognize how critical it is for our patients to have certainty to access essential services, including gender-affirming care.
After a brief pause, we are pleased to announce the continuation of our gender-affirming care services. This pause occurred out of an abundance of caution after threats to the Medicaid services in our state."
