A San Diego-area woman arrested for killing her son-in-law on her birthday often disagreed with the man's "tough love" parenting style, according to her grandsons.

Geoward Flores Eustaquio, 53, was shot multiple times inside the Fallbrook home he shared with his mother-in-law Cynthia Katherine Cdebaca.

Hours later, San Diego County sheriff's homicide investigators arrested Cdebaca for killing her daughter's husband on her 63rd birthday.

Deputies responded to the home on Braemer Terrace in the gated community of Peppertree Park around 8 a.m. Tuesday. Residents had reported hearing multiple gunshots.

Deputies say they found the father of four dead inside the home.

While sheriff's homicide investigators were tight-lipped about a possible motive in the case, Geoward's two adult sons, Jordan and Keanu, believe it was their father's personality and opinions on raising children that may have led to the violence.

“To me, in a way it’s not surprising but it is,” Jordan said.

Eustaquio was a military reservist, a real estate agent and a rugby coach for local kids. His sons talked with NBC 7 Wednesday, describing the relationship between their father and their grandmother as tense.

They used phrases like a man "set in his ways" and "military man" who "may have been stern" to describe their father. Not everyone saw eye to eye with that, they said.

Jordan described his father as someone who did a lot for the family and the community but who could be a difficult person to get along with.

“Alpha personalities conflict with a lot of other personality types,” his son said, adding that Geoward was ultimately fair.

Keanu said their father would "get on them" when he thought his children were not doing what they should.

"My dad was hard on us because he wanted us to do good," Keanu said. "When we were slacking, he would get on us. That's what any dad would do."

He said at times Cdebaca would take that personally.

As for their grandmother who is now accused of killing their father, the men say all four of Geoward's children - including their 15-year-old brother and 13-year-old sister - feel betrayed.

“I’m not really sure how she’s feeling,” Jordan said referring to his Cdebaca. “She put on a good facade for years now. This is a shock to us.”

“We’ve been there for her since the get go. I’ve grown up with her and we’re all family. Doing something like this, especially, not really too sure of the details yet but it seems like she’s been plotting this for awhile,” he said.

Officials said Cdebaca, who lived in a granny flat above the home's garage, was found at a Fallbrook business on Main Street and arrested on her 63rd birthday.

Deputies said they have recovered the handgun used in the crime. Keanu said he wasn't aware of anyone in the home owning a handgun.

Keanu Eustaquio last saw his father on the morning of his death. He said his dad was helping his 13-year-old sister practice her spelling words.

“This should’ve never happened. My dad was a good dad,” he said. “Taken from us too soon.”

Players who were coached by Eustaquio on the Potter Middle School and club rugby teams were upset to learn of their coach's death Tuesday night.

Parents told NBC 7 he was an inspiration to their children.

“He was very open about helping the kids. He was a great person. My son really enjoyed being with him,” said player’s mom Sharon Holt adding that Eustaquio was very motivating to his players.

NBC 7 checked court records for both suspect and victim and found only one civil case in the North County in 2008 in which Cdebaca was a defendent in a collections case over an alleged debt.

Talk about an instance when taking a “selfie” was definitely not a good idea. A man suspected of burglarizing a church in San Diego’s Chula Vista area was busted by police after a self-snapped photo left behind at the scene of the crime led investigators straight to the alleged perpetrator.

The subject of the selfie: Adam Howe, 26, posing in a photograph with some grass and shrubs in the background.

According to the Chula Vista Police Department, the Hilltop Tabernacle Church located at 346 L St. was burglarized by Howe on Monday.

The suspect allegedly broke into a building and an RV parked on the property. After a major ransacking, police said Howe allegedly made off with $10,000 worth of stolen items, including cash and a laptop computer from the building, as well as several purses and watches from the RV.

During the burglary, police said Howe accidentally left his cell phone behind.

A property crimes detective was called in to examine the phone and on it, the detective found a very telling selfie of Howe.

The detective recognized the background of where the photo was taken and went to that area to speak with witnesses. Some witnesses recognized the selfie suspect and told the detective of other areas frequented by Howe.

On Tuesday, after checking nearby areas, the detective located Howe, who matched the photo, at Harborside Park in Chula Vista – about five minutes away from the church that was burglarized.

Police said a search of Howe’s belongings turned up some stolen items from both the church and RV.

Police said Howe admitted to the thefts. He was arrested and booked into San Diego Central Jail on two counts of burglary. Howe is scheduled to appear in court Friday.

Detectives also searched a river-bottom area in the 900-block of Third Avenue, right behind the church, and located two more people, Victoria Corey, 19, and Mario Nava, 27, sitting in a tent. Upon searching the pair’s tent, officials found more property stolen from the church.

Police said Corey and Nava were both arrested for possession of stolen property but denied taking part in the burglary.

The RV that was burglarized belongs to Hilltop Tabernacle Church Minister Nathaniel Harris, who told NBC 7 he uses the vehicle for his traveling ministry work.

Though the church burglary was upsetting, Harris said he hopes Howe and the others learn from this experience and change their paths.

"It's disheartening, when crime happens to a church. At first you get frustrated and you want to lay hands [on the suspect] in a different way, but Christ, through us, obviously, we want to see them change. We want to get them help and see them better themselves," said Harris.

The selfie bust remains under investigation. Anyone with information on the case should contact Det. Joe Page at (619) 409-3875.

A man suspected of burglarizing at least four homes in Rancho Bernardo was caught in the act by a home surveillance camera that captured a short video clip of the man fleeing from a residence.

San Diego County Crime Stoppers released the clip Wednesday in hopes of tracking down the suspect caught on tape.

According to investigators, at least four unoccupied houses were burglarized on the same street – in the 17000-block of Bernardo Center Drive – on Feb. 6 beginning around 10 a.m.

Detectives believe the same unidentified man is responsible for all four burglaries.

A surveillance camera installed at one of the homes captured the man as he fled from the home, holding some sort of bag carrying stolen items. In the clip, the man – clad in a white sweatshirt, jeans and gloves, with sunglasses propped on his head – looks around for a second while running from the home.

He leaves the front door wide open after the burglary, as the footage shows.

Detectives said the burglary suspect appears to be targeting small items such as jewelry. He was possible seen leaving the neighborhood on a sport bike-style motorcycle. A couple of close-up still images of the suspect can be seen here or below.

Anyone with information on the man’s identity or whereabouts should contact Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or the San Diego Police Department’s Northeaster Division detectives at (858) 538-8000.

A 2.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Julian in San Diego’s East County on Wednesday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake was reported at 10:31 p.m. The epicenter was nine miles northwest of Julian.

Did you feel the earthquake where you live?
 

While most of us tune in to watch the Olympics, for the athletes competing in the games, it takes years of daily dedication to reach a lifelong goal. One local athlete who dreams of one day competing in the Paralympic Games says that very devotion drives his ambitions.

For Michael Johnston, learning something new is nothing new. His trainer in Solana Beach says that makes a workout on something called a “Fitwall” perfect for Johnston.

The exercise tool – which is propped up on a wall – is incorporated into a grueling workout that includes 40 minutes of climbing, stepping and sweating.

In other words, it’s exactly what Johnston needs to get him where he wants to go: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016, for the Paralympic Games -- a dream that has been a little harder than most for the Navy veteran.

Johnston was seriously injured in a car crash in 2003, losing one of his limbs.

“[I was] driving my motorcycle home and a young lady coming the opposite way made an illegal U-turn and found me and my motorcycle,” he recalled. “My leg was amputated on scene.”

Johnston would spend most of the next year in the hospital, where things he’d once taken for granted suddenly seemed new and difficult.

“Frustrating doesn’t do it very good justice,” Johnston said, remembering that first year of his recovery. “It’s extremely difficult.”

As time passed, he became more active. Eventually, walking turned into running, swimming and biking, and one very ambitious goal.

“[Going to the Paralympics] is definitely not a given,” he said.

Triathlon will be brand new to the 2016 Paralympic Games.

And, though very determined, Johnston admits that sometimes, the road to get there gets old.

Last year, Johnston fell off his bike during a race and sustained serious injuries.

“My foot came unclipped. I fractured my hip really bad.

Now, fully healed, Johnston says he’s been watching the Olympic athletes at the 2014 Sochi Games for inspiration and motivation.

“It’s just a reminder that it’s almost time; keep pushing; It’s coming,” he said.

It’s also a reminder to put the past behind him, which, to this athlete, is nothing new.

“It’s about now. It’s about pushing yourself now. It’s about doing what you can now,” he added.

To stay on course and achieve his dream, Johnston says he works out two to three times daily.

A Serra High School teacher has been placed on leave after allegedly making improper comments toward the school, a spokesperson from the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) confirmed.

SDUSD spokesperson Jack Brandais told NBC 7 San Diego that a teacher was placed on leave Wednesday after allegedly making “inappropriate remarks” while on the Junipero Serra High School campus. The nature of those alleged remarks was not specified, but Brandais did say the comments were made toward the school.

Students have identified the teacher as Steven Rea. The school's website says Rea teaches marching band, beginning and intermediate band, music appreciation and orchestra.

One student told NBC 7 that the incident happened during third period orchestra class. She said campus police walked into the classroom and escorted Rea out in front of her and other students without saying anything.

The vice principal then came in and took the students to the media center on campus, the teen said.

"I was a little surprised; confused. It was a little weird," said the student, adding that she doesn't know why Rea was led away from the classroom.

Brandais said the teacher was not arrested, but instead told to leave.

Eyewitnesses tell NBC 7 after the students left the room, police searched it and the empty class across the hall.

Serra High Principal Michael Jiminez sent an email to parents. It read, in part:

An incident occurred on campus today that has resulted in a rumor that a teacher was arrested. I want to reassure you that no one was arrested.

The school is divulging very little information. Some parents are suspicious, wondering why “inappropriate remarks” would warrant a police escort.

Even students who didn’t have Rea as a teacher described him as friendly and outgoing. One teen said he is someone who’s been known to “speak his mind.”

Check back for updates on this developing story.

The American team kept its footing at the Winter Olympics in Sochi on Wednesday thanks to its women snowboarders, after a disappointing loss from a speedskating legend, a subpar finish in the women's downhill and a hockey loss.

Here's a look at the day's highlights.

A kid beats the champs

The main story line heading into Wednesday’s final in the women’s snowboarding halfpipe was the battle among three former Olympic champions: American and 2002 champion Kelly Clark, her teammate and 2016 gold medalist Hannah Teter and Australia's 2010 winner Torah Bright.

But this tale had a surprise ending.

Kaitlyn Farrington, a 24-year-old American who was competing in her first Olympics and had no prior World Cup or X Games wins, edged them all.

Unlike her veteran rivals, Farrington did not make the cut in the qualifying rounds, and needed to prove herself in the semi-finals before making the medal round. Then, on her sport's biggest stage, she completed an airy, wobble-free run in the second run of the finals. She watched as each of her more accomplished competitors failed to top her.

Bright came in second, and Clark finished third.

Farrington’s gold was the first for the U.S. since Sunday, when another woman snowboarder, Jamie Anderson, won the slopestyle competition.

America keeps pace

With its two-medal performance in the women's halfpipe, Team USA now has nine medals in Sochi. That puts the U.S. in fourth place in the medal race, with three fewer than medal leader Norway, whose haul includes four golds.

Canada is second, with 10 total medals, including four golds and four silvers. The Netherlands is a close third with 10 total, four of them gold and two silver.

The Americans' nine medals includes three golds, just more than fifth-place Russia, which has nine total medals and two golds.

A rare tie

What happens if two Olympic skiers who are measured by the hundredths of a second end in a dead heat?

We found out Wednesday, when Switzerland’s Dominique Gisin and Slovenia’s Tina Maze shared identical times in the women’s downhill.

Both finished in 1 minute, 41.57 seconds.

Both were given a gold medal.

That left no one with silver, and a bronze for third-place finisher Lara Gut of Switzerland.

The result was a surprising triumph for Gisin, who crashed in Vancouver and hadn't won an international race since 2010. Maze, meanwhile, is a two-time world champion.

The race was held in warm temperatures that softened the course as the event went on. American Julia Mancuso, who won bronze in the combined event (in which she led in the downhill portion), finished eighth.

Wednesday's tie for gold marked the first time two gold medals have ever been issued for the same event in Olympic Alpine skiing history. But there had been three ties for silver before, and one tie for bronze.

Shani’s disappointment

Shani Davis became one of several highly touted returning American Olympic champions who have fallen short of the podium in Sochi.

Davis, 31, entered the 1000m speedskating finals as a favorite. He'd won gold in Vancouver and Turin and seemed poised to become the first male speedskater to win gold in the same event in three consecutive Olympics.

But Davis, seemingly slowed by age, finished eighth, more than seven-tenths of a second behind gold medal winner Stefan Groothuis of (where else?) the Netherlands, which has now won four gold medals in five speedskating events, according to the Associated Press. With Michel Mulder winning bronze, the Dutch have won 10 out of a possible 15 speedskating medal so far.

Denny Morrison of Canada won silver.

After crossing the finish line, Davis hung his head before smacking Groothuis on the back.

"I just had a misfortunate race," Davis told the AP. "I have to live with this the rest of my life."

His performance follows disappointing results from several other American veterans, including snowboarder Shaun White, downhill skier Bode Miller and moguls skier Hannah Kearney.

A taste of hockey final?

The United States and Canada are widely expected to end up facing each other in the gold medal final of the women’s hockey tournament.

But first, they met in the preliminary round-robin on Wednesday, in a likely preview of things to come.

The Canadians won, 3-2, with a go-ahead goal in the second period that first appeared as if U.S. goalie Jesse Vetter had saved. But the puck slipped into the net as the referee's whistle blew, leading to a video review that confirmed the goal.

Now comes the medal round, with Canada as the top seed.

Canada has won gold in every Olympics since 2002. America has won once, in 1998.

The FBI has a warning this Valentine's Day: Criminals are preying on vulnerable, single women to get money on online dating websites.

"These criminals are really good. They know how to play to your emotions, and they have nothing to lose,” said FBI San Diego Spokesperson Emily Yeh.

Yeh says the suspects will establish a relationship with their victims. It can span over a few weeks or even over a few months. They’ll send flowers and gifts as a way to help their victim feel comfortable or that there is truly a love connection. But at some point, they’ll ask for financial assistance of some kind.

One woman, who doesn’t want to be identified, shared emails from a man who tried to scam her. They met on a dating site and instantly she thought there was a connection. The man immediately professed his love and in one email said: You are my life, my love, my soul mate, my heart, and my reason for breathing. I love you, with everything I am.

The woman says she became suspicious when the conversations turned from love to money. Federal authorities say that is a big red flag.

"It can go from the simple to elaborate. It could simply be asking, hey, my wallet was stolen, can you provide some money, I need to pay my hotel bills, or I have an emergency medical bill that came up,” Yeh explained.

That’s exactly what happened in this case. The man started sending emails, saying he had a bad day and needed more than $6,000 for work equipment. Thankfully, the woman didn’t fall for it, but the FBI says far too often, someone does.

"You want to see the good in people. You're online looking for companionship, You're on a reputable dating site, and you’re hoping they are looking for the same," Yeh said.

Here are some warning signs: You want to be cautious about anyone who professes their love instantly, sends a photo that looks like a glamour shot and claims to be from the U.S. but working overseas.

Federal authorities say the targets are usually women over 40 and those who are divorced or widowed. These cases are considered fraud, and federal charges can be filed.

A San Diego Unified special education aide continued working in the classroom, after he was arrested at the border with more than $500,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine.

Federal court records show Garrett Anthony Clifton was pulled over at the San Ysidro Port of Entry last April trying to enter the United States with 9.9 kilos of methamphetamine and 8 kilograms of cocaine.

Over the next several months, Clifton attended nearly a dozen federal court appearances including pleading guilty to importation of meth and coke on July 25. For the majority of this time, he kept his job teaching special education students at San Diego Unified.

The special ed substitute was on his way to work at Mann Middle on Friday morning when NBC7 Investigates asked the district why he was still working with children. He is set to be sentenced to federal prison on Feb. 28 for importation of cocaine and methamphetamine - a charge that carries a minimum 10 years imprisonment and maximum of life in federal prison.

Clifton did not respond to multiple requests for interviews made through his criminal defense attorney and his stepmom. Messages left at Clifton's home were not returned.

"I think parents and their guardians have a right to know that there has been illegal behavior on the part of an adult who is supposed to be a role model -- who is supposed to be protecting their children and educating them," said parent Susan Hopps-Tatum, the mother of a special needs child. She says she's concerned with a system that allows convicted criminals to work with some of the communities most vulnerable children.

So, why wasn't the school district notified about Clifton's arrest and conviction? 

State law requires law enforcement agencies to provide official information about an arrest to schools and other entities classified under the law as "care-providing."

The state education code requires an employee to be placed on paid administrative leave when they are arrested for a crime that would disqualify them from working with children, such as a drug bust.

But, there's no similar federal law or mechanism for notifying schools of federal arrests.

Because of our investigation, school board president Kevin Beiser is asking the federal government to take a closer look at its policies.

"What I do know is that when we have employees working with children and they're arrested with $500,000 worth of narcotics, we need to know about that, so that we can make sure that we're doing everything we can to keep our kids safe." 

NBC7 Investigates received the following statement from Homeland Security Investigations: 

“In criminal cases where a defendant is found to have regular contact with children, a variety of factors impact Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) decision as to whether notification of the subject’s employer or other associated parties is warranted or appropriate. Factors include: is there evidence the defendant has previously harmed children; are there indications the defendant is engaged in ongoing abuse of children; and finally, does the subject appear to pose an imminent threat to the safety of the children with whom he or she interacts. HSI is reviewing the matter to determine if appropriate procedures were followed."

However, the feds not notifying San Diego Unified is not the only reason Clifton remained in the classroom. Our investigation also reveals gaps in San Diego Unified's own employee tracking system as well.

In reviewing this case based on our questions, district officials say somehow they did receive unofficial word of Clifton's legal troubles in late August. He was terminated as a monthly employee on Sept. 1, 2013 during his 12-month probationary period for "not meeting the standards and needs of the district."

But Clifton was rehired on October 10, 2013 as an hourly substitute at another school without any questions being raised about the reason for his termination a little more than a month prior.

District officials stressed that they never received an official notification from the federal investigative agency. Had they, they would have not allowed him to continue working in the class with kids, they say.

"If we had the official notification from the other agencies, in this case the federal agency, we would have been able to better track that process. As it is, this particular instance is going to lead us to review our internal procedures and policies because we want to ensure that all of our students are safe. So, we will be reviewing how we handle these moving forward," said Moises Aguirre, the executive director of District Relations for San Diego Unified.

School district officials say he worked at the following schools: Mann Middle, McGill Charter, Holly Drive Leadership and Iftin High School.
 

Four seats are open for nomination during the Chula Vista election cycle this year - with 16 candidates having already declared their intention to run for either one of two City Council seats, or the office of the Mayor or the elected City Attorney's seat.

City Councilman Rudy Ramirez is termed out leaving an open seat on the City Council for the June 3 election. Those who have already declared they are running for that seat, include: local business owner Robert Corcilius; former Chargers player Burt Grossman; Sweetwater schools trustee John McCann; former Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla; Chula Vista Cultural Arts Commissioner Jason Paguio; Heideh Rivera;  and real estate professional Scott Vinson Sr.

Councilwoman Patricia Aguilar is up for re-election this year. She has pulled papers to run for re-election to her seat. Those who have already pulled papers to run against her include: businessman Hector Gastelum; Otay Water District trustee David Gonzalez, Jr.; Dan Smith and Michael Spethman.

First elected in 2006, Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox is termed out this year, leaving what will likely be a hotly contested race for mayor. City Councilwomen Mary Salas and Pamela Bensoussan both filed an intention to run for the seat, but Bensoussan has not yet pulled papers. Both councilwomen, elected in 2012, would be running from a safe council seat. Former Councilman Jerry Rindone, who more recently served as a San Diego County Board of Education trustee, is also running for mayor.

Several sources say former Assemblywoman Shirley Horton is still considering whether or not she will run for the mayor's seat. Horton was mayor of Chula Vista from 1994 through 2000. She has repeatedly said she does not plan to run.

City Attorney Glen Googins is currently running unopposed for the elected city attorney position.

Candidates have until Friday, March 7 to pull papers. The election will be held June 3.

U.S.-born children of undocumented parents are asking President Barack Obama to stop deporting their mothers and fathers.

Dozens of children, some with their parents and some without, gathered in Van Nuys Monday to urge for the end of deportation while immigration reform is debated. Many wrote letters to the president in the hopes that their messages would reach his desk and move him to act.

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“Deportations of the parents of U.S. born children continue unabated,” said Gloria Saucedo, executive director of Hermandad Mexicana Transnacional. “To see U.S. born children lose their undocumented parents to arrest and deportation is tragic.”

Under the Obama administration, more than 2 million undocumented immigrants have been deported, including 400,000 last year.

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“I would never wish anyone to be in my situation because it is very painful and emotional,” said teenager Mario Vargas. “Right now my dad has been deported and I have not seen him in two years. I am living through my teens right now and that is when I need him.”

"Today is Presidents Day, we're supposed to be remembering all the good presidents and what they have done to help us, except he still hasn't even helped us in deporting all those parents," said Mario's 10-year-old sister, Jersey Vargas.

In his State of the Union address the president urged both political parties to work together to “fix our broken immigration system.” Many of the people at Monday’s event hope that if Congress does not enact reform, Obama will make an executive decision to stop the parents of U.S. citizens from being deported.

These attendees, along with a few thousand others, are expected to protest in downtown Los Angeles for immigration reform this weekend.

Two Long Island radio disc jockeys were suspended after carrying out an on-air hoax focusing on the subject of same-sex parents.

DJs Steve Harper and Leanna Karlson, who were taken off the air at K98.3 FM in Farmingdale after station officials learned of last week's hoax, met with a local gay rights advocate on Monday as the radio station decided whether to fire the duo.

The morning team told listeners that a local mom refused to let her son attend the birthday party of a 7-year-old girl named Sophia because Sophia’s parents were gay.

The story, station officials later confirmed, was fictitious.

K98.3 FM’s public apology prompted angry responses on the station’s Facebook page and across social media.

Commenters called the stunt “childishly stupid” and “unprofessional."

“Just a real, real dumb decision,” added David Kilmnick, CEO of the Long Island GLBT Services Network.

Kilmnick, a leading gay rights advocate on Long Island, met with the suspended DJs and said that for now, he is reserving decision on whether they should be fired.

“There was no need to make it up. We could have shared with them, unfortunately, dozens of stories of little Sophias out there,” Kilmnick said.

In a statement posted on the station’s website, the DJs apologized and said “we were attempting to spur healthy discourse on a highly passionate topic but we made a mistake.”

K98.3’s general manager also offered an apology for “the breach of trust these actions have caused.”

“What kind of meaningful discussion could come of it? Because it’s not true," Cindy Salemi said outside the radio station’s offices.

“Suspension, yes. But should they be fired? No. It is something that needs to be talked about,” added Aida Jackson.

Kilmnick expressed hope that the discussion of same-sex parents and the challenges their children face will continue, but in a more honest way.

Same-sex families in need of support can contact the LI-GLBT hotline at 631-665-2300.

Two little girls awoke Sunday morning to find a strange man in their bedrooms, according to San Diego County Sheriff’s officials.

Around 5:15 a.m., the sheriff’s department received a call from an apartment complex in the 500 block of Rush Drive in San Marcos. Officials say a 7-year-old girl woke up and noticed a man kneeling by her bed. The man reportedly escaped through a sliding glass door in the living room.

“To just go in and stand there, that’s pretty brazen,” said Jan Caldwell with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

About 25 minutes later, deputies received a similar call from the same complex. This time, a mother and 8-year-old girl sleeping in the same room woke up and discovered a man lying next to the girl’s bed.

“She goes, ‘there’s someone down there,’” the mother told NBC 7, describing the moment her daughter noticed the intruder.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, she screamed and chased the man through her living room. He jumped from the second-story balcony and escaped.

“I was freaked out. I was just really freaked out,” she said.

The woman told NBC 7 that she thinks the man used a rain spout to climb up to the balcony. She said she accidentally left the sliding door unlocked.

“I’ll never leave the door unlocked again,” she said.

Authorities are now searching for the suspect. He is described as a man between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-9 with dark skin and scruffy facial hair. He was wearing a beanie hat, a white t-shirt and dark pants.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

“We don’t make assumptions in law enforcement, but it could be an assumption that he went in there and he knew there was a child in each of these homes,” Caldwell said.

A neighbor told NBC 7 that a lot of single-parent families live in the complex.

On Sunday, Terra Cotta Apartments sent a letter to residents. It reminded them to lock their windows and doors, but did not give any details about the incidents.

Anyone with information can call the sheriff’s department at 858-565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

After winning the super-G bronze and breaking his own record as the most decorated American Alpine skier in Olympic history, Bode Miller broke down in a post-race interview that has gone viral.

The 36-year-old Olympian, who had also just become his sport's oldest medal winner, told reporters that his late brother was on his mind and later said that he had experienced "one of the most emotional days of my life."

Miller's brother Chelone, known as "Chilly," died in April at the age of 29 from an apparent seizure.

"With my brother passing away, I really wanted to come back here and race the way he sends it," Miller said. "So this was a little different."

He added that it was a tough year and that he just wanted make himself "proud."

As Miller wiped away tears, NBC reporter Christin Cooper asked him to explain what it was he was doing at the start of the race when he could be seen looking up at the sky. "It just looks like you're talking to somebody. What's going on there?" Cooper asked, drawing some criticism for pushing the subject after Miller was already crying.

• WATCH: Bode Miller's Flood of Emotion

Overcome with emotion, he dropped his head. The reporter touched his arm, whispered "I'm sorry," and backed away, giving him space to walk away and isolate himself near a section of orange fencing where he crouched down until his wife arrived. 

Later, in an interview with E!  Miller explained that his brother was a competitive snowboarder aiming for his own spot at in the Olympics. "He was coming into his own...it was a tough hit. For myself too. When you connect that emotion and doing it on honor of them, you deal with consequences. It was such a raw emotion, I collapsed."

In a December interview with The Associated Press, Miller said that he and his brother were very close. "There are parts of his life, or his attitude, that I just naturally integrate maybe more into my life, which affects the way I do everything — ski, training and everything else," he said.

Besides dealing with the loss of his brother, Miller has spent the last year in a custody dispute over an infant son. He was also coming back to skiing after a knee injury sidelined him for a season.

But there were positive developments as well. Miller recently married volleyball player Morgan Beck, who was at the finishline, hugging him and consoling him after he broke down.

In December the coach of the U.S. ski team, Sasha Rearick, credited Beck with bringing out a more mellow side of Miller. 

"She's a great team player for both Bode and also the U.S. Ski Team," Rearick said. "A tremendous support for him."

Miller's emotional victory also drew a flood of support from fans on Twitter. Some offered kind words while others lashed out at NBC's Cooper for pushing the subject of his brother's death. Several TV critics also questioned NBC's coverage. Miller responded to both. "Thanks for all the support, today was one of the most emotional days of my life," he first tweeted. "I miss my brother."

Then, he took to Cooper's defense, asking fans, again via Twitter, to be "gentle" with her. "I appreciate everyone sticking up for me," he wrote. "...it was crazy emotional and not all her fault. #heatofthemoment"

He continued the message in a second tweet: "My emotions were very raw, she asked the questions that every interviewer would have. Pushing is part of it, she wasn't trying to cause pain."

In a follow-up interview on Today on Monday, Miller called Cooper a "sweetheart." He said he has known her a long time and doesn't "blame her at all."

After noting that he didn't think she "anticipated the reaction," Miller said that he felt "terrible she's taking the heat."

"It was just a lot of emotion for me," he said. "Sometimes the dam breaks."
 

Two California Highway Patrol officers were killed Monday morning in a crash on Highway 99, near Kingsburg, about 20 miles south of Fresno.

CHP Capt. Dave Paris said the officers were killed while responding to a call of a multi-vehicle accident on Highway 99 in the Central Valley town of Kingsburg around 6 a.m. Monday.

Paris said the officers initially were driving southbound to the accident that had been reported on the northbound portion of Highway 99. They discovered that the collision was actually on the southbound part of the highway and that one the persons involved was on the road.

The two male officers tried to swerve out of the way, lost control of their vehicle and slammed into a guardrail. They died after their vehicle overturned.

The names of the officers have not been released.

All southbound lanes of Highway 99 were expected to remain closed into the afternoon as investigators reconstructed the scene.

One of the Winter Olympics’ closest rivalries will culminate Monday with a another showdown between Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and the U.S.’s Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

The Americans lead the Canadians by more than 3 points after Sunday's short dance program, a margin that will be difficult to overcome. 

If they hold on to their lead, Davis and White will become the first American pair to win ice dancing gold.

The two pairs have been going at it for years, alternating first and second in the world’s biggest competitions. The Canadians are the reigning Olympic champions, but the Americans are world champions, and won their event in the team figure skating competition last week.

But this, from all appearances, is not a bitter rivalry. The four of them train together and remain friends.

And so it continued on Sunday, when Davis and White beat their own record short dance score, leaving Virtue and Moir in a familiar and undoubtedly frustrating position: looking up at the Americans.

The medal winners will be determined in the free dance program on Monday.

Of the two rivals, Virtue and Moir delivered their short dance first on Sunday, improving significantly on their second-place performances in the team competition, in which they seemed anxious and committed small missteps.

This time around, there were no errors or falling out of sync as they skated in black tie outfits to duets by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

“It certainly felt more like us out there,” Virtue said. “It felt like a moment we wanted to create."

But their score, 76.33, short of their season’s best, seemed low. Disappointment registered on their faces and in the crowd’s chilly reaction.

Skating last, Davis and White, two-time world champions who are undefeated in two seasons, appeared virtually unbeatable and as close as possible to perfection, beaming and mirroring each other like shadows.

He in black and she in pink, and accompanied by selections from “My Fair Lady,” Davis and White scored 78.89, beating their own world record score.

"I told Charlie in the middle of the program I felt like I was in a dream," Davis said, according to The Associated Press. "It is such a surreal experience."

In the battle for bronze, several pairs are in the running, led by Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia and Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France.

Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates and Maia and Alex Shibutani, who are siblings, do not appear in medal contention. They are in 8th and 9th place, respectively.

A new facility aiming to prevent homelessness among veterans opened its doors in San Diego Monday, but not without some controversy to start.

The Aspire Center in Old Town is not only a salute to those who have served our country, but also a helping hand in return.

“It's our duty and our responsibility to give back to them,” said Kris Warren, a Social Services Assistant for the center.

The 36-year-old is a Marine Corps Veteran served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Warren said he narrowly escaped homelessness when he got help from the VA in Los Angeles.

“At times you feel abandoned, you feel alone,” he said. "You feel like you serve no purpose, so at times it could be really tough."

The Aspire Center will treat veterans like Warren who also served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The former Thomas Jefferson Law School building now houses 40 beds, 34 of which will go to men and six to women.

Veterans will also receive therapy for PTSD, vocational and occupational rehabilitation, mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment.

At first officials and parents at Old Town Academy, a K-8 Charter school across the street, were not too thrilled about their new neighbor.

But after months of meetings with officials from the VA those feelings have changed.

“I think sometimes people get confused, “said Debbie Dominick, Director of the Aspire Center. “When somebody returns home [the thought is that] they need to be left alone, but in actuality what they need is to be back in the milieu."

VA officials say they have also darkened the windows at the Aspire Center so children cannot see inside. They have also added extra security during the day. 

Meanwhile, they are expecting full occupancy in a few weeks.

The school's executive director Thomas Donahue also released the following statement to NBC 7:

"Old Town Academy K-8 Charter is happy to welcome the Aspire Center to the neighborhood. OTA parents, local business and neighborhood representatives, health professionals, and veterans advocates have been working with Aspire Center Director Debbie Dominick and her staff within the framework of the agreement worked out last year with the help of Mayor-Elect Kevin Faulkner and other City Council Members.

"The cooperation has been very fruitful. The city council established Neighborhood Advisory Committee meets monthly and has developed traffic and parking plans, invited the Aspire head nurse and chief police office to join the OTA School Site Safety Committee, arranged a tour of Old Town Academy by 25 Aspire staff members (a number of whom volunteered to help teach seminar and robotics in the school), and is set to work with NAC member Ron Stark, of Stand Down, to expand the school's current fundraising for Wounded Warrior to include the Aspire Center and Veterans Village.

"I think we can speak for the local neighbors, business owners, and school parents to say we are confident that with the relationship we've established through the NAC, the elementary school and the Aspire Center each be able to fulfill their missions while contributing to the community as a whole. As a testament to that good relationship OTA applied for and received a planning grant from Prop Z committee to work toward purchasing and renovating our campus to ensure that we remain here in Old Town for many years."

A small Pomeranian puppy was rescued from a Davie pipe after being stuck in it for several hours Monday.

Sugar ended up 3 feet underground after he fell into a pipe connected to the sewer system in the front yard of his home at 5340 King Arthur Ave. The 2-month-old puppy's family was worried sick, especially his owner Simone Walker.

“I'm praying, I’m hoping they can get him out,” she said at one point.

After he got stuck, Walker and others heard Sugar whining in the pipe. When they couldn't get him out, they called for help.

Davie Fire Rescue and Davie Police responded to the scene. Firefighters dug a hole in the lawn as they tried to retrieve the puppy, but they ran into cables, wires, tree roots and other obstacles that kept them from rescuing the dog.

In stepped utility workers from the city of sunrise, armed with a camera designed to explore the sewer pipes.

“They were in the area and very generous to really just jump in right away and have their resources at our disposal,” said Davie Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jorge Gonzalez.

About 20 firefighters and utility workers contributed to the rescue effort.

After several hours underground, Sugar was pulled out at 6:14 p.m. during a live report from the scene on NBC 6's newscast.

“It’s a great feeling. It’s not always the sick and injured and sometimes bad outcomes,” Gonzalez said. “Here’s a great opportunity and a great example to have a fantastic outcome from something as small as a little dog.”

The pup was given a bath.

Below: A courtesy photo of Sugar.

Responding to criticism about their response to last week’s massive pileup on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Pennsylvania State Police say troopers did the best they could handling the mess.

Pa. State Police Sgt. Michael Chambers told NBC10 on Monday, troopers, including himself, were responding to another serious crash on the Northeast Extension, which required a medical helicopter to be dispatched, when the Turnpike pileup occurred.

“I think everything went very well, but I think unfortunately we had two major crashes and that really affected the way that we were able to handle that 100 car pileup,” he said.

More than 100 cars, trucks and tractor trailers were involved in the pileup that began around 8:30 a.m. on Friday in the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike. There were several groups of crashes along a 5 mile stretch of the highway between Lower Southampton to Bensalem, Bucks County. Hundreds of people were left trapped on the highway for several hours and 27 people were injured, some seriously, in the incident.

Drivers complained that the highway was icy at the time of the crash.

“It was icy,” said Steve Caldwell, a truck driver who was caught up in the pileup. “It wasn’t a little bit. It was two inches thick of ice. I just kept sliding, sliding and sliding.”

Speed restrictions were lifted on the Turnpike about an hour before the pileup. State Police who were on the scene insisted that maintenance crews treated the Turnpike before the restrictions were lifted.

“I do know the roads were salted,” Chambers said adding that he heard a plow train radioing from the highway around 7:15 a.m. that morning.

Despite the large pileup, however, the highway remained open, slowing down first responders and allowing more drivers to get ensnarled in the stopped traffic.

Fred Harran, Director of Public Safety for Bensalem, Pa., says his department wasn’t informed there was a major crash on the Turnpike until after NBC10 called asking for information.

“I was informed by NBC and then I got on the phone with State Police and asked if they wanted our assistance,” he said.

Feeling the response was taking too long, Harran said he ordered his officers to go and close the highway.

“We couldn’t get equipment to us,” Harran said. “I made the decision to shut the Turnpike down.”

Harran questioned why it took so long to shut down the roadway.

Sources close to the accident investigation say there were major communication problems at the time. At one point, State Police say only one trooper caught in the traffic was on the scene.

Chambers acknowledged that it took more than an hour for the westbound lanes of the toll road to be closed to allow first responders to get to the scene and help the injured. He said troopers also had a tough time getting to the scene.

“It was a very difficult time getting to the actual scene. I actually had to get off the Turnpike myself and access it through the back roads,” he said. “There was confusion because we were stuck in the backlog which is the four mile line of traffic eastbound that we couldn’t get through.”

Chambers, who served as incident commander, said there was a lack of coordination from the scene until he got there. He also said troopers, at first, were focused on ensuring the injured were treated before trying to close the highway. Once the “life safety” issues were handled, troopers began to move drivers off the interstate, the sergeant said.

Two corporals came up from behind the crashes and walked through the stopped traffic, directing drivers to turn and drive the opposite way along the highway, according to Chambers.

“You have to remember it’s a 100-plus car pileup you have to be slow and methodical with what you’re doing. You just have to make sure you’re doing everything correctly and attend to the injured first,” Chambers said.

The Turnpike remained closed for more than 8 hours until all drivers were removed from the scene and the crash was cleaned up.

Chambers said the investigation into the pileup is ongoing and that officials will be doing a post-mortem to see if anything should be changed for responding to future incidents.

“Obviously we’re going to talk about it in meetings and decide what the best route will be next time and learn from our mistakes,” Chamber said.

Only one of the victims hurt during the pileup remains in the hospital. That person is in good condition.

Both U.S. Representatives Scott Peters and Susan Davis are weighing in on federal law enforcement agencies' notification policies after NBC7 Investigates uncovered a situation in which a teacher's aide was able to continue working after a felony border drug bust.

A San Diego Unified special education aide continued working in the classroom after he was arrested at the border with more than $500,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine, court records show.

He was able to hang onto his job because federal law enforcement agencies do not have a policy or law that requires them to notify local agencies or schools about felony prosecutions.

"This is just preposterous," said U.S. Rep. Scott Peters. " It really goes to Washington's ... sometimes they are tone deaf to community needs. So, as a parent and as a taxpayer, I think it's just outrageous."

Federal court records show Garrett Anthony Clifton was pulled over at the San Ysidro Port of Entry last April trying to enter the United States with 9.9 kilos of methamphetamine and 8 kilograms of cocaine.

Over the next several months, Clifton attended nearly a dozen federal court appearances including pleading guilty to importation of meth and coke on July 25. For the majority of this time, he kept his job teaching special education students at San Diego Unified.

The special education substitute was on his way to work at Mann Middle last Friday morning when NBC7 Investigates asked the district why he was still working with children. He is set to be sentenced to federal prison on Feb. 28 for importation of cocaine and methamphetamine - a charge that carries a minimum 10 years imprisonment and maximum of life in federal prison.

"When I get back to Washington, we're going to make some phone calls and write some letters and get down to the bottom of it - to make sure this doesn't happen again," Peters said. "I don't want it happening here. I don't want it happening anywhere else. It's not fair to locals." 

NBC7 Investigates received the following statement from Homeland Security Investigations, the agency responsible for investigating Clifton's arrest: 

“In criminal cases where a defendant is found to have regular contact with children, a variety of factors impact Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) decision as to whether notification of the subject’s employer or other associated parties is warranted or appropriate. Factors include: is there evidence the defendant has previously harmed children; are there indications the defendant is engaged in ongoing abuse of children; and finally, does the subject appear to pose an imminent threat to the safety of the children with whom he or she interacts. HSI is reviewing the matter to determine if appropriate procedures were followed."

U.S. Rep. Susan Davis said the school district should have been notified.

"It's appropriate for federal law enforcement to notify school officials in cases like this," Davis said via an e-mail statement. "I will be following up with the federal agencies involved regarding the policy in place, if it should have been applied here and if there are legislative remedies needed." 

San Diego Unified officials have also urged the Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney's office to change their policy and notify them of future arrests and prosecutions of their employees.

"State law enforcement agencies have a pretty efficient system in place for giving us an official notification, so the feds may want to model their policies after that system," said Moises Aguirre, the Executive Director of District Relations for the school district.

School Board President Kevin Beiser agreed.

"What I do know is that when we have employees working with children and they're arrested with $500,000 worth of narcotics, we need to know about that, so that we can make sure that we're doing everything we can to keep our kids safe,"  Beiser said.

NBC7 Investigates also checked with the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of California to find out if there is a routine employer notification or verification process within the court's duties.

"This clerk's office is not tasked with any responsibility to notify an employer if a defendant is being prosecuted," said Clerk of the Court John Morrill. "That’s not our role. That’s not what we do." 

Morrill added that a judge or prosecutor may ask Pretrial Services to verify a defendant's employer, if there is question about the validity, but there is no standard procedure for it to automatically happen.

A defense attorney for Clifton declined to comment on this case.