A Utah mother who published a children’s book about grief after the death of her husband and was later found guilty of killing him has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Kouri Richins, 35, wearing a lime green uniform in court, stared ahead as the sentence was handed down on Wednesday, on what would have been her husband Eric Richins’s 44th birthday.

In March, Kouri Richins was convicted of aggravated murder in Eric’s 2022 death after prosecutors say she secretly slipped five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a Moscow Mule cocktail she made for him. A year after the murder, Richins wrote a children’s book to help their three sons process the loss.

The 35-year-old real estate agent was millions in debt and planning a future with another man, prosecutors said during her trial. She had opened numerous life insurance policies on her husband without his knowledge, and falsely believed she would inherit his estate worth more than $4 million after he died.

The prosecution had urged the judge to impose a life sentence without the possibility of parole, saying Richins’ three sons “should never worry that they may one day encounter her.”

In an impact statement read to the court on Wednesday, Eric’s father Gene Richins said that his son’s death was a “permanent hole in our family that will never be filled.”

“No parent should ever have to bury their child,” he said. “It’s a loss that changes you forever.”

Katie Richins-Benson, Eric’s sister, sobbed as she told the court: “Nearly every aspect of our lives has been permanently changed, and we have no choice but to live with those changes and Eric’s loss forever.”

Richins’ case captivated true-crime enthusiasts when she was arrested in 2023 while promoting her children’s book “Are You with Me?” about a boy coping with the death of his father.

Richins’ mother, Lisa Darden, maintained that her daughter is not capable of murder and in court on Wednesday, asked, “from a mother’s heart, that Kouri be given a sentence that allows the possibility of a future.”

Sons say they are afraid of their mother

Eric Richins’ sister, Katie Richins-Benson, said her brother was taken from his sons, who are now in her care, by the person he should have been able to trust the most.

“They are not props for some twisted children’s book about grief and loss, and yet that is what they’ve been reduced to by Kouri,” Richins-Benson told the judge, her voice quavering.

The children have said Richins hit and threatened to kill their animals, showed them videos of famished children in war zones when they refused to eat their dinner and didn’t seem to care about their health.

At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, licensed therapists read the children’s victim impact statements to the court.

One child talked about how Richins would “put us in the basement while she was with the neighbor.”

“I felt scared because I thought something really bad was happening again,” the child said in his statement. “She would take me to places that smelled really bad. Everything she did made me feel uncomfortable.”

Another child told Richins: “You took away everything from me and my brothers.”

The oldest boy, now 13, said he also felt like he had to take care of his siblings while in his mother’s care, but his younger brother “mostly took care of me, though, because I was locked in my room.” He said his mom would lock him inside “pretty much daily” after he pointed out that she was drunk.

The 13-year-old child said in his statement that he wanted Richins to get life in prison “because what she did is very sick.”

All three children have undergone intensive therapy and are being raised by Eric’s sister and her husband, according to the memo.

The trial

The trial was scheduled for five weeks but ended early when Richins waived her right to testify, and her legal team rested its case without calling any witnesses. Her attorneys said they were confident that prosecutors had not produced enough evidence to convict her of murder.

The jury deliberated for just under three hours before finding her guilty of all counts.

Jurors in Park City also found Richins guilty of four other felonies, including attempted murder for trying to poison her husband weeks earlier on Valentine’s Day with a fentanyl-laced sandwich.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors portrayed the mother of three as a money-hungry killer. They showed the jury text messages between Richins and her lover in which she fantasized about leaving her husband and gaining millions in a divorce.

Prosecutors also displayed the internet search history from Richins’ phone, which included queries about the lethal dose of fentanyl, luxury prisons and how poisoning is marked on a death certificate.

The defense argued that Eric Richins was addicted to painkillers. Prosecutors countered by showing police body camera footage from the night of his death in which Kouri Richins tells an officer that her husband had no history of illicit drug use.

Defense attorneys also argued that the prosecution’s star witness, a housekeeper who claimed to have sold Kouri Richins fentanyl on multiple occasions, was motivated to lie for legal protection. The housekeeper was granted immunity for her cooperation in the case.

Authorities are still working hard to identify the deceased and understand exactly what happened

Three women whose bodies were recovered in the sea off Brighton beach on Wednesday (13 May) are not believed to have attended a nightclub prior to entering the water, the Press Association reports.

It is believed the women may have entered the water from the beach near to where they were found, before getting into difficulty in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Sussex Police said that a number of lines of enquiry are still being explored following the deaths.

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Emergency services were alerted to a welfare concern at approximately 5.45am.

Three women, estimated to be between 20 and 30 years old, were recovered from the water. Authorities are currently working to identify the deceased and notify their next of kin

Initial rumours suggested the group attended Quarters nightclub on Kings Road prior to the incident, but the Press Association understands this was not the case.

Sussex Police Chief Superintendent Adam Hays emphasised that the priority remains the dignified identification of the victims.

“This is a sensitive investigation and we know the public are keen to understand the full circumstances,” Hays stated. “But our priority at this time is identifying these three women and locating their families, who at this point remain unaware they have lost loved ones.”

Police and coastguard officials were stationed along the seafront and on the shingle beach all morning, where a lifeboat could be seen out at sea and a helicopter was flying overhead. The sea appeared choppy, with waves crashing against the marina wall.

The leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Bella Sankey, said her heart went out to the women’s families.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the deaths of three women off the Brighton coast this morning,” she said in a statement. “My heart goes out to the friends and family of these women, and on behalf of Brighton and Hove I send sincere condolences.

“I would also like to thank the emergency services for their quick response and combined efforts; it is heartbreaking that their recovery efforts have ended in such tragic circumstances.”

The beach has now reopened and officers have left the scene.

Sussex Police have asked anyone with further information to contact them online or on 101, quoting Operation Ledmore.

ITV finished recording series 19 of The Chase in April before confirming it would not be recording any new episodes until 2027.

A spokesperson for ITV, via The Sun, said: “The Chase has just finished recording series 19, which completes its recording schedule for this year.

“ITV will continue to air The Chase as usual, with a combination of new and repeat episodes across the year.

“With more than 2.5million viewers per show, The Chase remains one of the nation’s most loved quiz shows.

“There is also new Beat the Chasers for 2026 and a brand new spin off series, The Chase Around the World, coming soon.”

Anne Hegerty reveals why The Chase has been put on hold

Anne Hegerty, also known as “The Governess”, is one of the chasers on the ITV quiz show, along with:

• Mark Labbett (“The Beast”)
• Shaun Wallace (“The Dark Destroyer”)
• Paul Sinha (“The Sinnerman”)
• Jenny Ryan (“The Vixen”)
• Darragh Ennis (“The Menace”)

Hegerty has now revealed why filming of The Chase has been put on hold for the rest of 2026.

She was a familiar face in Bolton’s Quiz League playing alongside Bolton’s Jenny Ryan.

Speaking to The Sun, she said: “We are taking a little bit of a filming break because we’ve got so many shows in the can, we’ve got hundreds of shows in the can.

“Last year we did two series of Beat the Chasers, which we were only supppsed to do one.

“And it gives everyone time to do things. Bradley has things he wants to do, Jenny has her singing.

“I am interested in doing some acting, there is a film director interested in me.”

Anne “The Governess” Hegerty has revealed why The Chase has been put on hold until next year. (Image: ITV)

Commenting on speculation, the break in filming was also due to budget cuts at ITV, Hegerty continued: “Everyone is cutting because the streaming services are carrying acts.

“Everyone is trying to save money, so I wouldn’t say that wasn’t part of it.

“But it’s also because we have so many shows in the can, we don’t need to show repeats.

“We are still massively doing the ratings. We outrate everything.”

Anne Hegerty to star in new spin-off series

Hegerty is also set to star in a new spin-off series called The Chase Around The World, which is set for release “around the World Cup” (June 11 to July 19).

She explained: “The idea is you have couples takes to various places and I have to do various tasks and we kind of pop up in a various places, so it should be good fun.

“We’ve now got three of the six shows in the can.

“We go to places in Europe, it it goes well then we will go further afield.”

Are you a fan of The Chase? Let us know in the comments below.

“The business has no capital and the parents will be treated as creditors”.

A children’s daycare part owned by a priest is to become insolvent with parents being told they will not receive any refunds as the “business has no capital”.

Acrewood Daycare on Grosvenor Road, which is part owned by Hannahstown Parish priest Father Patrick Devlin, was recently condemned after six staff members lost their jobs on less than a weeks notice and families were told their children could no longer attend the night before they were due to.

Staff received messages on Wednesday, May 13, telling them to fill in RP1 Forms, normally associated with businesses becoming insolvent, to claim redundancy and any unpaid wages.

It is understood that parents who have paid for daycare services will not receive any refunds as the “business has no capital and the parents will be treated as creditors”. Staff also face having to wait eight weeks in order to receive their unpaid wages and redundancy.

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Belfast Live has seen a message sent by Acrewood Daycare management to former staff that said: “I spoke to the accountants that are dealing with Acrewood. He said they are going insolvent and parents would just be recorded as a creditor to the company.

He said that there is no capital and creditors would not be getting their money including parents.”

Former staff owed £1,400 and wages, don’t have eight weeks to wait. They have said they have had to contact Universal Credit in order to get help as they have nothing to live on and borrow money off friends.

One told Belfast Live: “I am in shock, I don’t know what to do. I cannot believe that we have been treated like this.”

On April 30, 15 families who had children attending daycare at Acrewood received an email a couple of hours after they had collected their kids from the premises saying they would not be able to return the following day, with no word about refunds they would be owed.

At the same time six members of staff were “made redundant” suddenly with no information about when they would receive wages they were owed.

The actions were condemned by parents, former staff and local politicians, with West Belfast People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll saying that the daycares management owes them a firm explanation about what has gone on.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday announced new steps in the Trump administration’s initiative to root out fraud in federal health programs, including a $1.3 billion deferral in Medicaid reimbursements to California.

“How long are people going to pay into programs if they know that that money doesn’t go to a low-income kid who needs health care, but that money goes into a fraudster getting rich?” Vance said during an event at the White House, adding that taxpayers and program beneficiaries are victimized by such fraud.

The Republican administration also is imposing a six-month freeze on some new Medicare enrollments and warning states to investigate Medicaid fraud or risk losing funding, officials said.

The moves are part of Vance’s anti-fraud task force, which has been taking more aggressive steps to investigate states before the November elections. The panel set up by President Donald Trump seeks to crack down on potential misuse of public money.

Vance, a potential 2028 White House hopeful, has used the high-profile assignment from Trump to remind Americans struggling with high costs that he is trying to claw back taxpayer dollars. Vance has promoted the task force’s work during campaign stops for Republican candidates and is expected to focus on the effort Thursday in Maine, which has closely watched primary races scheduled for June 9.

The steps come as people across the United States have raised concerns about rising health costs and barriers to access, sometimes from the federal government’s own actions. New work requirements in Medicaid, for example, are expected to strain hospitals around the country and result in millions of enrollees losing their health coverage.

The administration contends its vigorous fraud-busting efforts will help prevent wrongdoing in Medicaid and Medicare while preserving funding and resources for those most in need.

Deferring $1.3 billion in California payments

Dr. Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the administration was making the “largest deferral we’ve ever made” in Medicaid funds and that it was justified.

He claimed the administration had identified questionable expenditures and anomalies, such as a higher rate of growth in California’s home care program compared with other states. He did not provide concrete examples of documented fraud.

“We’d like the state to at least come to the table and explain to us how these outlier payments have been generated,” he said.

The press office of Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., disputed Oz’s claims and said the state’s home care program grew because the state is “keeping more people OUT of far more expensive nursing homes.”

“We hate fraud,” the office wrote on X. “But that’s NOT what this is.”

The total cost of California’s Medicaid program, including state and federal funding, is expected to be about $222 billion for the budget year that starts July 1.

Nationwide freeze on some new Medicare provider enrollments

Oz’s agency also announced a nationwide six-month moratorium on all new Medicare enrollments by providers of hospice and home care.

“Today we’re shutting the door on fraud — preventing new bad actors from entering Medicare while we aggressively identify, investigate, and remove those already exploiting them,” he said in a statement.

Existing hospice and home health care providers will continue to operate as usual. But CMS said it will “intensify targeted investigations, deploy advanced data analytics, and accelerate the removal” of providers in the category that are suspected of fraudulent activity.

Such a freeze is not unprecedented, said Tricia Neumann, a senior vice president and executive director for the program on Medicare policy at the health care research nonprofit KFF. She said President Bill Clinton’s Democratic administration also imposed a temporary moratorium on home health agencies.

“A brief moratorium gives the administration time to crack down on true fraud and prevent new fraudulent entities from popping up,” she said.

Several alleged fraud schemes have been prosecuted in the hospice and home health care categories, and states have acknowledged that it is a legitimate concern. But some have pushed back on the administration’s aggressive tactics and raised concerns that the catchall efforts could needlessly punish law-abiding providers that are trying to serve patients.

Also Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services’ internal watchdog sent letters to state attorneys general warning them to vigorously investigate possible fraud or risk losing federal money.

Moves are part of monthslong federal push

In recent months, CMS has suspended payments to hundreds of hospice and home care agencies in Los Angeles over alleged fraud and issued another six-month moratorium on suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and certain other supplies in Medicare.

The administration also has approached at least five states with investigations into potential health care fraud and halted some $243 million in Medicaid payments to Minnesota over fraud concerns. Last month, Oz announced CMS would add to that oversight by requiring all 50 states to share how they planned to revalidate some of their Medicaid providers.

In at least one case, the administration has erred in its accusations against states. In April, CMS acknowledged to The Associated Press that it made a significant error in figures it used to help justify a fraud probe in New York. The acknowledgment deepened doubts in the administration’s methods and raised a common criticism that has been made about the second Trump administration — that it tends to attack first and confirm the facts later.

___

Swenson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Tran Nguyen in Sacramento, Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield, New Jersey, Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

Teenager Kerri Mullan suffered devastating spinal injuries after a car crash in February

The brother of a teenager left with a devastating spinal cord injury has said she is “mentally strong and doing her best” as he thanked the public for their support.

A GoFundMe campaign has already raised over £70,000 in support of Co Derry teenager Kerri Mullan who was badly injured in a car crash on February 9.

The 18-year-old suffered serious injuries in the incident which has led to her employer CRF Oil Ltd starting the fundraiser earlier this week in an effort to help her recovery.

Kerri has spent the last few months in hospital after her C7 vertebra was severely damaged, according to the GoFundMe page. Kerri has currently lost movement from the chest down and is also dealing with ongoing complications affecting her body — along with constant pain and discomfort.

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Kerri’s brother Aron Mullan spoke to Belfast Live and said his sister was showing incredible tenacity.

Aron said: “She is mentally strong and doing her best.

“We as a family just want to take the opportunity to thank everybody who has donated so far. We are all overwhelmed by the generosity of people who have helped, and how the community has come together during this difficult time for us.”

Life will look different for Kerri as she prepares a return to home. The GoFundMe is raising money that will be needed for ongoing care, intensive rehabilitation, and major adjustments to her home so she can manage everyday tasks.

The money collected will help Kerri regain as much independence as possible.

“Kerri is a much-loved teammate, leader and friend, and she needs every bit of strength, hope and prayer we can send her right now,” wrote Ballinderry Shamrocks GAC on their Facebook page soon after the crash.

They recently added, “Kerri has been part of our LGFA family since we first started playing. She rarely missed a training session and was our very well-deserved Minor Captain in 2025.”

“Every day brings new obstacles, yet she continues to face them with incredible courage and strength,” The GoFundMe said.

“Even now, Kerri continues to show remarkable resilience, facing each day with bravery and determination that inspires everyone around her. Before the accident, Kerri was full of life. She was in her final year of school, playing football for Ballinderry Shamrocks, and looking forward to finishing her exams, going to university, and making memories with her friends.

“She had plans for concerts, holidays, and all the exciting moments that come with being 18. She’s known for her energy, kindness, and sense of humour — always the one to lift the mood and make people laugh. That spirit is still there.

“The reality is that the level of care and equipment needed for this type of injury comes at a significant cost. We want to make sure Kerri has access to every possible support as she begins to rebuild her life.”

Three days into the campaign and the total sits at £73,400.

To view the page or donate to the GoFundMe fund, click here.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A conversation with Will Driscoll (Lucas Hodgson-Wale) prompted Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) to confront the person who abused him when he was a child in Coronation Street this evening.

At the start of the week, Will plotted to leave Weatherfield for France, under the impression that he was going to start a new life with Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon) there.

His cover story saw Will tell his family that he was moving to Scotland with his mum. He departed in Tim’s taxi, but plans started to change when Will’s train got cancelled.

Meanwhile, Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) had discovered Will’s passport was missing and managed to workout what was going on. Tim was contacted and told to not let Will out of his sight.

Tim then spoke to Will about Trisha, the woman who took advantage of him when he was 14. During this period of Tim’s life, he wasn’t told that being in a relationship with a 20 year old was wrong. It meant that Tim refused to accept Sally Metcalfe’s (Sally Dynevor) claims that he was abused when Trisha came back onto the scene last year.

Learning about what Will went through with Megan made Tim realise that Sally was right about Trisha. After Tim’s chat, Will decided to go to the police station and report Megan.

In this evening’s episode, Megan was questioned by DS Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) and denied all of the accusations. Because Will made the report though, she was eventually charged and taken into custody.

As this was happening, Tim had decided to confront Trisha. Outside her work, Tim told Trisha that she took advantage of him when he was 14 years old. She was horrified that Tim was accusing her of being an abuser, and said that she wouldn’t accept any of his comments. To prevent the conversation from going any further, Trisha claimed that she was late for work and left.

When he returned home, he told Sally that he didn’t need Trisha to say sorry or admit what she did, because he knows in his heart what happened to him was wrong and that, for him, is what is most important.

While Will and Tim share the same experience, their stories have ended in different ways. Will has been listened to and validated, and Megan has been charged. Tim, however, has been denied that recognition, due to Trisha refusing to take responsibility for her actions.

It’s a contrast that highlights how society has definitely moved forward – but not nearly far enough.

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During the war, Iran launched a series of missiles and drones on the UAE. On 10 May the UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that air defence systems had engaged two drones launched from Iran and that the country had engaged a total of 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, and 2,265 since the war broke out in late February, when the US and Israel attacked Iran.

The M65 motorway is closed in Lancashire following a seven-car crash tonight (Wednesday, May 13).

The motorway is shut to traffic in both directions between Junction 8 (Hupton) and Junction 10 (Burnley).

The closure was first reported shortly after 8pm and all emergency services remain at the scene, with a diversion route in place.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “The M65 in Lancashire is closed in both directions between J8 (Hapton) and J10 (Burnley) due to a 7 car collision.

“Lancashire Constabulary are leading the response with Ambulance and Fire crews also in attendance.

“Early reports suggest there are no serious injuries but Police wish to keep the road closed due to the amount of vehicles involved and emergency services personnel on scene.

“National Highways traffic officers are assisting with closures.”

This is a breaking incident. We will bring you updates as they become available on our feed below.