YouTuber Gets Accused Of Kidnapping Two Women, 12-Year-Old Georgia Boy Hospitalized After ‘Prank’ Goes Wrong, Airline Karen Calls Black Employee The N-Word, LA Mayor Karen Bass Gets Dragged To Hell And More

The Root’s best and important news posts from the week.

YouTuber With Millions of Followers Allegedly Fled the U.S. After Kidnapping Two Women With This Chilling Threat

Since before Thanksgiving, authorities have been searching for a Houston-based YouTuber who has fled the country to “start a new life” in Dubai. The crimes he’s wanted for could give him a new life behind bars if he’s caught and convicted. – Kalyn Womack Read More

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17 Fashion Trainwrecks from Met Gala 2025

12-Year-Old Georgia Boy Hospitalized After ‘Prank’ Goes Horribly Wrong

Photo: WALB News 10

A 12-year-old boy from Georgia has suffered second degree burns on his face after three of his friends poured boiling water on him. The group responsible, ages 12-15, insisted it was supposed to be a prank — but they may now be in some serious trouble. – Candace McDuffie Read More

WATCH: Another Airline Karen Calls Black Employee N-Word After Being Told Bag Was Too Heavy

Screenshot: YouTube

Another day, another Karen decides to lose her mind at an airport. On Sunday (Jan. 5), a Southwest Airlines passenger was caught on camera for insulting workers using a racist slur after she was told her bag was too heavy. – Candace McDuffie Read More

California Man Went into Store for a Hot Dog, But This Happened Instead

Screenshot: FOX 11 News

Imagine going into a food mart to grab a pack of hot links and getting ambushed with a slew of knuckle sandwiches by the cops. Well, the family of a Black California man claim this is what happened to him and the footage of the incident is even more brutal. – Kalyn Womack Read More

Nurse Charged With Breaking Bones Of Several Newborn Babies, Including at Least One Black Child, at a Virginia Hospital

Photo: Henrico County Sheriff’s Office

A Virginia woman has been charged with child abuse after being connected to jarring injuries a newborn suffered in a neonatal intensive care unit in a hospital where she worked as a nurse. But the full story sounds much more ominous. – Candace McDuffie Read More

As LA Wildfires Burn, Critics Are Dragging Black Mayor Karen Bass To Hell For for This Reason

Los Angels Mayor Karen Bass Photo: Getty Images Rodin Eckenroth

Los Angeles is in crisis as deadly wildfires have torn through the area and forced thousands of people to leave their homes. But while residents are doing their best to deal with the impact of the devastating fires intensified by the Santa Ana winds, some critics are putting the blame squarely at the feet of Karen Bass, the city’s mayor. – Angela Johnson Read More

WATCH: Ice T Has a Heated Encounter with New Jersey Police…Which Leads to More Heated Encounters on Social Media

Photo: Getty Images Kristina Bumphrey/Variety

Rapper Ice T is having to answer for footage originally taken more than eight months ago that was just leaked for the first time over the weekend.

The video released over the weekend shows the “Law & Order: SVU” actor being pulled over by a New Jersey police officer for expired tags. He is heard saying, “I’m going to the DMV to get my registration and everything straight on this car.” – Noah A. McGee Read More

What Happened to Those Black Children in the ‘Dozier School for Boys’ Was Horrific and Now The Victims Want Someone To Pay

A Dozier School for Boys building known as the ‘white house’ where students were taken to be hit by teachers. Photo: WTSP.com

Hundreds of Black men who say they were physically or sexually abused at two state-run reform schools during the height of Jim Crow in the 1960s are applying for restitution from the state. – Candace McDuffie Read More

Jemele Claps Back at Antonio Brown After He Insults Her Over Fox Sports Lawsuit

Photo: Getty Images Michael Kovac/Getty Images for STARZ // Cindy Ord

A former Fox Sports hairstylist who filed a lawsuit against several employees at the company has been all the talk on social media for the last couple of days, leading to former NFL player Antonio Brown chiming in on the subject. – Noah A. McGee Read More

Black Woman Claimed She Was Tossed From American Airlines Flight After White Man Said She Was Racist

Screenshot: TikTok

A Black woman has stated that she was tossed from her first class fight after a white passenger accused her of racism. The woman, only identified as Erica, shared what happened in a series of several TikTok videos. – Candace McDuffie Read More

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