Milwaukee leaders are hopeful higher fines, a hidden camera operation, posting photos of frequent offenders online and a $1,000 reward will help address illegal dumping in the city.
The post Milwaukee using hidden cameras, reward offers to combat illegal dumping appeared first on WPR.
“I'm hoping to bring the independent film lovers and independent filmmakers together for support and exchange of ideas,” Wausau Film Farm & Culture Fest organizer Jila Nikpay told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.”
The post Wausau’s first-ever Film Farm & Culture Fest aims to amplify the city’s film community appeared first on WPR.
An investigative journalist found that Teflon was first invented for use in the development of atomic bombs.
The post PFAS were originally used to contain nuclear chemicals, new book finds appeared first on WPR.
In Wisconsin, deaths tied to liver cirrhosis from drinking alcohol jumped more than a third from 2019 to 2023.
The post More Wisconsin residents dying from alcohol-related liver failure, according to new research appeared first on WPR.
The Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin unanimously approved a tuition increase of up to 5 percent for the 2025-26 academic year.
The post Board of Regents approves 5 percent tuition hike at UW campuses next year appeared first on WPR.
Tuesday’s lawsuit argues the issue with the map is that it's an "anti-competitive gerrymander that artificially suppresses electoral competition in most of the plan’s districts."
The post New lawsuit takes different path in effort to overturn Wisconsin’s congressional map appeared first on WPR.
Once, thousands of workers built tractors and trucks on the General Motors site in Janesville. Now, saplings grow among its concrete rubble. In the future, at least part of the site could host a very different user — a data center.
The post Janesville hopes to attract data center proposals for abandoned GM site appeared first on WPR.
A Wisconsin State Patrol director and his wife were killed by their son at their Middleton home, and the suspect later died by suicide during a standoff with police, according to the Dane County Sheriff’s Office.
The post Wisconsin State Patrol bureau director and wife die in town of Middleton double homicide appeared first on WPR.
The controversial Division of Diversity, Equity and Education Achievement at UW-Madison is closing, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced this week.
The post UW-Madison closes DEI division, moves programs to other departments appeared first on WPR.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a former congressman from Wisconsin, will lead NASA as its interim administrator, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.
The post Wisconsin’s Sean Duffy picked to lead NASA as interim administrator appeared first on WPR.
An Arkansas transportation director and payroll specialist sang the praises of integrated technology company Bytecurve.
Using manual paper timekeeping is a common issue in the industry, said Bryan Mitchell, marketing director for Bytecurve parent company Transit Technologies, during a sponsored webinar Tuesday. He reviewed how school bus operations are complicated by elements like increased transportation costs, driver shortages, inflation, angry parents, payroll errors, union pressure and siloed tech systems. He noted that while half of U.S. students rely on bus services, school bus drivers have decreased by 15 from 2019 to 2023.
“There is so much pressure on transportation to operate darn near perfection,” he quipped. “These challenges are profound.”
Jonathan Agenten, director of North American sales for the scheduling, dispatch and payroll solution that is Bytecurve, reviewed how combining GPS tracking, routing and payroll systems though a customizable dashboard helps districts provide automation and easy answers for both parents looking for their kids and staff needing to get paid.
“You as transportation professionals should not have to spend time on the things that run well,” Agenten said. “Our system is dying to be customized specific to your department’s needs, your rules and the way you pay your people.”
Russellville School District in central Arkansas transports 3,200 students on 43 daily routes covering 99 square miles. Transportation Director Christopher King said payroll was previously a process taking up to 15 days per month and involving inaccurate entries, extra time required to verify them and a 4 to 5-inch stack of timesheets to be signed.
“We were spending hours and days on tasks that should take us minutes,” he said. “It was almost a stone tablet and chisel, that how we did payroll.”
King shared how the district modernized by replacing those outdated, paper-based payroll and dispatch systems with a fully integrated solution powered by Zonar GPS and tablets along with Bytecurve’s digital timekeeping and payroll platform. He shared that tracking the time spent, staff needed and stress involved in the manual processes helped convince administration that the Bytecurve solution was a good investment.
Christina Herdman, Russellville School District’s payroll specialist, spoke to how the phased roll-out required school bus drivers to accept the new processes. Most drivers are between 50 and 80 years old and some needed her help to set up the apps on their phones. Having rapport goes a long way, she added. “When they come into your office, give them your time. It goes a long way,” she said.
She relayed that over 95 percent of Russellville’s drivers, even those who use flip phones and are “terrified” of technology, have adjusted. She shared how staff are pleased with how easily they can clock in and out or adjust their timesheets.
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Stats shown during the webinar confirmed that the district has nearly eliminated payroll errors. This has saved 10 hours per week in driver communications and payroll reconciliation, and resulted in $15,000 monthly labor cost savings, even after wage increases.
Having a one-stop shop to monitor school buses and handle employee information streamlined operations and saved valuable time, King confirmed. Herdman noted that procedural changes and driver substitutions can easily be made through the system and pushed out digitally to affected parties. Communications are vastly improved and any type of reports needed can be quickly pulled.
“It has changed our lives, changed the way we operate,” King declared.
“It’s amazing,” Herdman agreed. “Payroll went from 1,000 manual tasks to [pressing]five buttons.”
Both King and Herdman praised Bytecurve’s customization and customer service, with most questions answered in hours.
Bytecurve technology is used on 55,000 buses and by over 60,000 employees nationwide, said Mitchell. Field trip management software busHive, interior cameras, and AI-powered safety solutions like driver monitoring systems and lane departure warnings can be used in tandem.
Leveraging technology thoughtfully and accurately helps put dollars back into the classroom and save administrative staff’s time, he added.
The post Arkansas District Uses Technology to Save Money and Time appeared first on School Transportation News.
MG has used the Goodwood Festival of Speed to introduce two new models, a concept, and an apparent styling exercise. The company also showcased the EX4, which is a reimagining of the Metro 6R4 rally.
Starting with the IM5 executive liftback, it’s an aerodynamic EV that vaguely recalls the Porsche Taycan. It features soft flowing curves, flush-mounted door handles, and a low drag coefficient of 0.226.
More: China’s Most British Roadster Freshens Up For 2026
Buyers will also find a panoramic glass roof and 19-inch wheels with an aerodynamically optimized design. The model also sports a prominent spoiler, LED taillights, and a liftgate that opens up to reveal a 16.1 cubic foot (457 liter) boot.
MG didn’t say much about the interior, but it has a 26.3-inch screen that functions as a digital instrument cluster and infotainment system. The screen supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and is accompanied by a lower 10.5-inch touchscreen.
The IM5 has heated and ventilated “leather-style” seats and a 20-speaker audio system. We can also see metallic accents and a wireless smartphone charger.
MG didn’t release detailed specifications, but confirmed the IM5 will be offered with 75 and 100 kWh battery packs as well as single and dual-motor all-wheel drive systems. The 100 kWh Long Range variant can travel up to 441 miles (710 km) on a single charge. When the battery is low, it can go from a 10 to 80 percent charge in just 17 minutes.
The company also confirmed a Performance variant with 742 hp (553 kW / 752 PS) and 591 lb-ft (802 Nm) of torque. It enables the model to rocket from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.2 seconds.
Pricing starts at £39,450 and climbs to £48,495 for the Performance variant.
IM6 SUV
The IM6 is essentially a taller IM5 positioned as an SUV. As a result, it has a familar design but sports cladding and a revised front end. The model is also a tad more spacious as it has 23.5 cubic feet (665 liters) of cargo space.
Power comes from a 100 kWh battery pack, which delivers up to 388 miles (624 km) of range. Rear steering is standard and the Performance variant can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds.
Pricing starts at £47,995 and jumps to £50,995 for the Performance version. There will also be a Launch Edition for £52,995.
Cyber X
Besides production models, MG showed the Cyber X. Designed to preview the brand’s new design language, the concept is a boxy electric “urban explorer.”
It features a nearly vertical front fascia with a full-width light bar and headlights that can apparently be hidden by covers when not in use. Further back, there are blacked out A-pillars and a stylish greenhouse. They’re joined by sleek bodywork, muscular fenders, and flush-mounted door handles.
Rounding out the highlights are a panoramic glass roof and plastic body cladding. They’re joined by aerodynamic wheels that are wrapped in meaty tires.
Cyberster Black
Last but not least is the self-explanatory Cyberster Black. It features a “luxurious black finish” thanks to a premium paint process that is usually reserved for luxury cars. MG didn’t go into many specifics, but said the paint has ultra-fine glass particles that help to create a subtle sparkle as well as a “shimmering effect” when in motion.
Besides the fancy paint, the roadster has been equipped with chrome wheels that contrast with red brake calipers. The model also has an all-black interior.
A Waymo self-driving robotaxi in Los Angeles recently found itself in a bit of a pickle after stopping abruptly in traffic, making an illegal left turn, and then being pulled over by a police officer in the heart of Los Angeles. While a human driver might have ended up with a ticket, fully autonomous vehicles currently dodge that fate in California since there’s no person behind the wheel to hold accountable.
Read: Waymo’s NYC Debut Comes With Training Wheels
A clip of the incident was recently shared on social media. It shows a white Jaguar I-Pace stopped in the middle of a road in Beverly Hills, much to the dismay of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class driver behind it.
According to the individual filming, the man slapped the rear of the car, either purely out of frustration, or in the hope it would get the car to start moving. Not the most reliable method, but hey, it occasionally works on stubborn toasters at home.
Maybe it did in this case too, because moments later, the robotaxi began moving again. But its next moves didn’t exactly smooth things over. A police officer in a Ford Explorer pulled in behind it, just as the Waymo SUV slipped in front of an electric Mercedes and made an awkward, and illegal, left turn.
After appearing to get confused by the flashing red and blue lights behind it, the robotaxi eventually pulled over to the side of the road.
@kiefer_d_live Replying to @himothee55 I used the song to cover up my hysterical laughter 🫣 #waymo ♬ original sound – Kiefer_D
It’s unclear what happened after the officer stepped out and approached the Jag, but they likely spoke with a human operator over the phone as there was no one onboard at the time.
No Ticket, But Not Off the Hook for Long
In the end, Waymo’s car probably without a ticket. According to The Washington Post, autonomous vehicles are currently exempt from receiving moving violations in California, as these must be issued to a human driver.
However, this policy is set to change. Starting in July 2026, police will be able to issue “notices of autonomous vehicle noncompliance” when a self-driving vehicle breaks the rules of the road. Not a moment too soon, if we may add.
Rivian has stood out among EV startups over the past decade, with its R1T and R1S showing that electric trucks and SUVs can match their gas-powered rivals in speed, capability, and comfort. Now, as it prepares to launch smaller, more affordable models like the R2 and R3, the company is also quietly supporting a new player in a very different space: a micromobility startup called Also Inc.
This new company was spun out of Rivian earlier this year with $105 million in funding from the carmaker and Eclipse, a well-known venture capital firm. While Also is remaining tight-lipped about what products it will launch, company president Chris Yu confirmed earlier this year its technologies would work for e-bikes and small three- and four-wheel neighborhood EVs and micro cars.
Read: Sales Slip Shows Rivian Needs Affordable Models Now
In July, Also reached a valuation of $1 billion following a $200 million investment from Greenoaks Capital. That’s a significant jump for a company still in stealth mode, signaling strong confidence from investors in its potential.
According to Bloomberg, Also operates out of Palo Alto and is expected to start with a team of about 80 employees. Yu mentioned that its vehicles would likely be a good fit for US communities where golf carts and other micromobility options are already part of daily life. The company is also aiming to launch several products tailored for both consumer and commercial use in regions like Asia and South America.
By establishing Also as a separate entity, Rivian can keep its focus on core vehicle development without diluting its attention. Even before the spin-off, Rivian had been exploring the idea of an electric bike, which hints at the early roots of this new venture. Although now independent, Also is expected to benefit from its connection to Rivian, gaining access to an established supply chain and possibly sharing some components between the two companies.
“When you get a small vehicle, one size doesn’t fit all,” Yu noted. “We want to give customers confidence and a brand technology platform customers can rely on with the same principles and technology, regardless of what the end solution looks like.”
Trump’s tariffs might be a major headache for European automakers shipping cars to the US, but they’re not the cause of a temporary pause in exports of the electric ID. Buzz, Volkswagen of America claims.
The automaker was responding to a story that appeared in European media claiming Trump’s decision to increase the tariffs on German exports from 2.5 percent to 27.5 percent forced VW to halt US deliveries.
Related: VW Warns Nearly 17,000 Owners To Stop Using Passenger Seat
“Not true,” a Volkswagen spokesperson told Carscoops when asked about the report in the German publication Handelsblatt. “Volkswagen of America temporarily held ID. Buzz vehicles at the port of Emden while resolving issues related to the stop sale. These vehicles are moving again, with several hundred currently on a ship. To clarify, the pause at Emden only affected East Coast-bound vehicles—we continued shipping ID. Buzzes to the West Coast throughout.”
The “stop sale” notice was issued in May when VW announced a recall for 5,644 ID. Buzz EVs because the rear seats were too wide. Yes, while you’d think Americans would be more likely to complain about seats being too narrow, the folks at the NHTSA decided that the rearmost seats on the Buzz were too generous.
There are only two seatbelts in the back but legislators reckoned the bench was wide enough to encourage a third, unbelted person to try squeezing themselves in there. VW’s remedy was to place unpadded bits of trim on the bench to reduce the size of the seating area and all of the EVs exported to the US in future will have a narrower rear seat.
Having to stop all sales of a vehicle is never good, but if ever there was a convenient time to do it, this period of tariff hell was it. While the UK has negotiated a trade deal with the US that allows the likes of Land Rover to escape with 10 percent tariffs, the EU has yet to finalize something similar, meaning its automakers’ exports are still subject to a 27.5 percent duty. VW builds US-market ID. 4s in Chattanooga, but the Buzz is manufactured in Hanover, Germany.
The Buzz is also shaping up to be far less of a sales hit than VW hoped. Having talked up the prospects of 40,000 US sales annually at one point, it’s going to struggle to hit 10k this year – in fact, it delivered just 564 in Q2. The ID. Buzz looks great, but its $61,545 starting price seems expensive and its 234-mile (377 km) range poor compared with what other EVs like the Kia EV9 offer for the same money or less. Other gripes include the stylish retro two-tone paint being restricted to upper trim level (or a $995 option on the entry-level model) and VW’s failure to launch Europe’s panel van version in the US.
Some industry watchers believe VW simply took too long launching the Buzz, having first showed a retro bus back in 2001. Perhaps if the model had come sooner, and with a combustion (possibly hybridized) engine, it might have been a better fit for mainstream America.
After a slow start, Subaru is going all-in on electric vehicles. The effort kicked off earlier this year with the unveiling of the facelifted Solterra and the all-new Trailseeker.
The journey continues on July 17 with the debut of the 2026 Uncharted. The company isn’t saying much at this point, but revealed the model is a compact crossover that promises to be “ready for your next adventure.”
More: Toyota’s C-HR Returns To America But It’s Nothing Like You Remember
Besides revealing the name, the automaker released a dusty teaser image. It shows a Solterra-esque rear end with a split upper spoiler and a lower mid-mounted spoiler. We can also see slender taillights, an angular rear window, and “SUBARU” lettering on the liftgate.
Additional details are hard to make out, but we can see a rounded roof that is painted in a contrasting black color. We also get a glimpse of an angular shoulder line and what appears to be a bulge near the third-quarter glass.
Little else is known about the model , but previous reports have suggested the crossover is another tie-up with Toyota. This makes a lot of sense as the Uncharted appears to have a lot in common with the Toyota C-HR.
If Subaru’s new EV is indeed a rebadged C-HR, we can expect a 77 kWh battery pack as well as a standard dual-motor all-wheel drive system developing 338 hp (252 kW / 343 PS). This should enable the crossover to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in around five seconds and have a range of roughly 290 miles (467 km).
In terms of size, the Uncharted should measure around 178 inches (4,520 mm) long with a wheelbase that spans 108.3 inches (2,750 mm). That would make the model 6.6 inches (168 mm) shorter than the Solterra, with 3.9 inches (99 mm) less between the wheels.
Electric flair is taking on a retro twist. While Volkswagen has signaled that the GTI nameplate will carry on in its future performance EVs, there’s still time for one last spotlight on the short-lived GTX badge. Before the GTI transition arrives, VW introduced a special edition that puts a striking spin on its current electric lineup called the ID.3 GTX Fire+Ice.
Evolving from last year’s vibrant concept, this limited-run model draws direct inspiration from a memorable early ’90s Golf.
Retro Styling Details
The production model dials back the concept’s shimmering finish in favor of a more conventional Ultra Violet Metallic paint. Even so, it retains several distinctive touches, including a custom logo on the spoiler, transparent matte decals on the C-pillars, a Flaming Red roof strip, and coordinating GTX | FIRE & ICE lettering along the side. Rounding out the look are 20-inch Locarno alloy wheels with anodized accents that match the body color.
More: VW Beats Tesla Where It Hurts Most And The Numbers Are Brutal
Inside, the two-tone color scheme from the concept carries over, with Fire Red on the driver’s side and Keep Cool Blue on the passenger’s side. The jacket-style zippers on the front seats remain as a design nod, though they’re now decorative rather than functional. Additional details include contrast stitching and custom puddle lights.
As for equipment, the Fire+Ice edition is well stocked, featuring premium sport seats with massage function, an augmented reality head-up display, a Harman Kardon sound system, and an advanced suite of driver-assistance systems.
Performance Carries Over
The ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE doesn’t get any performance upgrades over the standard GTX and GTX Performance trims. This means it is available with a single rear-mounted electric motor producing either 282 hp (210 kW / 286 PS) or 322 hp (240 kW / 326 PS). The more powerful variant can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds and comes equipped with the DCC adaptive chassis. That said, it’s still slower than the more affordable Golf R, which does the deed in just 4.6 seconds.
The 79 kWh battery pack is good for a WLTP range of up to 591 km (367 miles) and is compatible with DC charging of up to 185 kW.
A Nod to the ’90s
This new Fire+Ice edition pays tribute to the 1990 VW Golf Fire and Ice, developed with fashion designer Willy Bogner. The original stood out with its color scheme and was available in several trims, including the GTI. VW reports it sold 16,700 units, well above its original target of 10,000.
More: Forgotten Polo GTI Cabrio Concept Let Drivers Enjoy Open-Air With Roof Up
That retro influence carries into the present through a modern partnership with performance apparel brand BOGNER FIRE+ICE. Production will be strictly limited to 1,990 units, making it even rarer than the model that inspired it.
In Germany, pricing for the ID.3 GTX Fire+Ice starts at €56,020 (around $65,500), a €8,795 ($10,300) premium over the standard GTX trim. It’s also more expensive than both the gasoline-powered Golf GTI Clubsport (€49,280 / $57,600) and the Golf R (€55,000 / $64,300), solidifying its status as the most exclusive and most expensive ID.3 on offer.
Update: Chevrolet has opened pre-sales for the Spark EUV in Brazil, pricing the electric vehicle at R$159,990 (approximately $28,600). That’s more than twice the cost of the identical Baojun Yep Plus sold in China. The original story continues below.
Chevrolet has found a clever (read: cost-effective) way to make the most of its SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture by rebadging one of China’s most charming EVs, the Baojun Yep Plus. This fully electric urban SUV made an unexpected debut during a special event celebrating Chevrolet’s 100th anniversary in the Brazilian market.
The new model, set to be sold in Brazil as the Chevrolet Spark EUV, is essentially a Baojun Yep Plus with a Chevy badge stuck on the grille—no other major changes to speak of. Despite sharing a name and compact proportions, the Spark EUV has absolutely nothing in common with the Spark EV, Chevrolet’s short-lived electric hatchback sold in select states in the US from 2013 to 2017 before being phased out for the Bolt.
More: 12-Year Old Chevrolet Trailblazer Receives Another Facelift In Brazil
Inside, the Spark EUV borrows the modern digital cockpit of the Baojun Yep Plus, comprising a 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a free-standing 12.8-inch touchscreen. It is also expected to inherit the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) of the Chinese twin, developed by none other than drone-maker DJI.
The EV measures 3,996 mm (157.3 inches) long with a 2,560 mm (100.8 inches) wheelbase, making it Chevrolet’s smallest offering. While the Baojun lineup includes a five-door version, a three-door variant, and even a pickup concept, it’s unclear if GM plans to bring any of these alternative body styles to the Brazilian market.
Predictably, the Spark EUV borrows its electric powertrain directly from the Chinese-spec twin. A single rear-mounted electric motor generates 101 hp (75 kW / 102 PS) and 180 Nm (133 lb-ft) of torque. The 42 kWh battery pack offers a respectable 401 km (249 miles) of range on China’s CLTC cycle. The Baojun Yep Plus is also available with 32 kWh and 54 kWh battery options, but we don’t know if those will be eventually offered in the Chevy.
More: China-Made 2024 Chevrolet Aveo Unveiled In Mexico
One would think that the most compelling aspect of this tiny off-roader is its affordability. Still, the Chevrolet Spark EUV starts at R$159,990 ($28,600) in Brazil, which is more than double the ¥93,800 ($13,000) price of the identical Baojun model. The little Chevy is also more expensive than the rival BYD Dolphin Mini (Seagull EV) which starts at R$115,800 ($20,700) in the same market.
Deliveries of the Chevrolet Spark EUV are expected to begin this summer. The model will soon joined by the larger Chevrolet Captiva EV which is based on the Wuling Starlight S from China.
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Co-published with APM Reports.
Photography by Sarahbeth Maney.
In court, Dr. Nancy Harper comes across as professional and authoritative. Often she begins her testimony by explaining her subspeciality: child abuse pediatrics, which focuses on the diagnosis and documentation of signs of child abuse. Her role, she often reminds judges and juries, is solely medical. Whether or not to remove a child from their home, terminate the parent’s rights or, in the most serious cases, charge a caregiver criminally is not up to her.
According to Harper’s testimony, she and her team at the Otto Bremer Trust Center for Safe and Healthy Children in Minneapolis handle about 700 cases of suspected abuse each year. She has testified that 10% to 20% of those wind up confirmed for physical abuse, although it is difficult to determine if these figures are accurate since child protection cases are not public.
When Harper, the center’s director, and her team diagnose abuse, parents and caregivers often struggle to challenge those opinions. By Harper’s own estimation, she’s never been wrong.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a case where I thought it was abusive head trauma and the other specialist didn’t,” Harper testified in 2023, in the case of a day care provider charged with the death of a child in her care.
The defense attorney in the case pressed her: “Have you ever incorrectly diagnosed a child with abusive head trauma?”
“Not currently to my recollection,” she answered.
But in a handful of cases, judges and juries have found day care providers and parents not guilty of crimes after Harper has testified that abuse occurred, though a verdict cannot necessarily be interpreted as a repudiation of Harper or any other expert witness’ determinations or credibility.
Additionally, two federal lawsuits filed recently accuse Harper of ignoring or even concealing alternative explanations for children’s injuries. And, more broadly, medical and legal experts are increasingly questioning a leading child abuse diagnosis, shaken baby syndrome, which is also known as abusive head trauma.
Harper did not respond to requests for comment. She has yet to respond to either lawsuit. In past court testimony, Harper has said that both shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma are considered scientifically valid diagnoses by the mainstream medical community. Any controversy, she has said, exists primarily in the legal world rather than the medical one.
Kathleen Pakes, a former prosecutor who now specializes in the forensics of child abuse cases for the Office of the Wisconsin State Public Defender, said Harper’s claim of never making an incorrect diagnosis strains credulity.
“There is no other specialty in medicine that has zero error rate. None,” she said.
Below are four cases in which Harper concluded there was abuse but courts or juries determined otherwise.
On July 12, 2017, an 11-month-old boy named Gabriel Cooper collapsed in his high chair at the day care that Sylwia Pawlak-Reynolds operated in South Minneapolis. Paramedics took him to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was declared brain dead a day later.
Harper reviewed Cooper’s medical records and wrote that “in the absence of a well-documented consistent severe accidental injury, non-accidental trauma or abusive head trauma remains the primary diagnostic consideration.” The child, she wrote, was essentially shaken to death. Before any criminal charges were filed, Pawlak-Reynolds boarded a plane for her native Poland to care for her ailing father, according to her attorney. In February 2018, prosecutors charged Pawlak-Reynolds with two counts of second-degree murder, citing Harper’s diagnosis.
According to her husband, Will Reynolds, they did not realize Pawlak-Reynolds was pregnant when she boarded her flight to Poland. She remained there to give birth to their third child, who is now 6, while Reynolds remained in Minnesota with their two older children, who are now 13 and 16. Reynolds said he and his wife have no confidence that she will get a fair trial, and that she fears she will lose custody of their youngest child if she reenters the country. The family has now been separated for eight years.
Early in the case, Pawlak-Reynolds’ attorneys obtained the same copy of Cooper’s hospital records that had been provided to Minneapolis police, which included the paramedics’ report. The document had been printed out at a significantly reduced scale, shrinking the text to the point that some fields were illegible. Two years later, they obtained a second copy, printed at normal size, which revealed a possible alternate explanation for the injuries: “Mom recalls (patient) did fall 2 days ago, striking the back of his head.”
“That was the sort of proverbial silver-bullet evidence that we’re always looking for in every case and usually never find,” said Brock Hunter, Pawlak-Reynolds’ lawyer.
Polish courts, including an appeals court, have denied extradition requests from the U.S. three times, and the country’s minister of justice has affirmed the rulings. The denials are particularly critical of Harper’s assessment. Polish forensic experts evaluated the case records and took note of a finding by a neurology expert hired by Pawlak-Reynolds, who wrote that Cooper carried a gene tied to a blood clotting disorder.
The ambulance report, the Polish judges wrote, “was concealed from the defense.”
“Then, after the fact was made public, it did not affect the actions of the American authorities in any way,” a Polish district court judge wrote in 2022.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office certified Cooper’s manner of death as “undetermined” and the date and place of injury “unknown,” a tacit disagreement with Harper’s opinion that Cooper would have collapsed “shortly after infliction of the trauma.”
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office declined to comment.
Then in 2023, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty wrote to Pawlak-Reynolds’ attorneys after meeting with them: “We agree that to resolve the current impasse regarding Ms. Pawlak-Reynolds, the best course for all involved is to dismiss the pending charges without prejudice, and for her to return to the United States.”
But months later, Moriarty changed her mind.
In a statement to ProPublica, a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office wrote that the office is completing a “final, thorough review” of the case that will include an evaluation of “concerns regarding the medical conclusions and the overall strength of the case.”
Gabriel’s parents, Joseph and Samantha Cooper, did not respond to requests for comment. In a television interview in June, they denied that Cooper struck the back of his head two days before his collapse. They said that they want justice for their son.
Pawlak-Reynolds declined to comment through her attorney. In late February, her husband filed a federal lawsuit against Harper that claims she “knowingly and intentionally falsified, modified and erased exculpatory information” from her evaluation of Cooper, and she diagnosed abusive head trauma to “promote her own personal, academic, reputational and financial needs.”
Harper has yet to respond to the lawsuit. A spokesperson for Hennepin Healthcare, which operates Hennepin County Medical Center, declined to comment on the case or the lawsuit.
“There is no oversight,” Reynolds said. “It’s the thing they’re most resistant against and the thing that is most necessary to stop this legacy of brutality, that results in kids being taken away from innocent caregivers and innocent caregivers going to prison.”
In August 2017, Kathryn Campbell called 911 after a 4-month-old girl at her day care seemed lethargic and was “breathing wrong.” First responders did not take the baby to the hospital, but her mother eventually did. At the hospital, MRI scans showed fluid in the baby’s brain and doctors noted small bruises.
Dr. Barbara Knox, a child abuse pediatrician then with the University of Wisconsin, told police it was “obvious child abuse.” The Dane County district attorney charged Campbell with physical abuse of a child. Campbell pleaded not guilty.
But before the 2021 trial, Knox left the University of Wisconsin after she was placed on leave for “unprofessional acts that may constitute retaliation” and intimidation of her own staff. A Wisconsin Watch investigation cast doubt on Knox’s judgment in several cases of alleged abuse.
Knox did not respond to the Wisconsin Watch series or to ProPublica’s requests for comment. After two families in Alaska sued her in 2022, alleging she had wrongly concluded their children had been abused, Knox wrote in an affidavit that she has no control over whether police and child protection services workers take children away from parents, that she did not “conspire” with police or anyone else on custody issues, and that she did not personally evaluate one of the children. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2024 after the families agreed to drop the matter.
Knox moved on to a job at the University of Florida. According to a spokesperson for the university, Knox resigned as a pediatrician with the Child Protective Team in late June, effective Aug. 15. He declined to comment on the circumstances.
At Campbell’s trial, Knox’s name was never mentioned. Instead, Harper stepped in as an expert witness. When Campbell heard Knox had been replaced, she was initially hopeful.
“I’m like, oh, great, new eyes,” Campbell said. “They’re going to look at it and go, ‘This is nuts, I don’t agree with this.’ And I definitely was wrong.”
Harper’s assessment affirmed Knox’s diagnosis of abuse. She told the jury that the bruises were likely caused by squeezing by an adult’s hand. A medical expert hired by Campbell’s defense argued that the child’s bleeding could not be precisely dated and that a preexisting medical condition could have caused it.
After just two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict. Campbell said she is grateful to have the case concluded, though she said she is still haunted by the accusations against her.
“That was the hardest thing too, going home after this case was done, and being like, ‘Am I allowed to be alone with my children now?’” she said. “It’s all because of the quote-unquote experts not doing their due diligence and looking further into underlying issues that these kids could have.”
In a statement to ProPublica, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne expressed confidence in both Harper and Knox, saying “their testimony had been consistent with many different medical professionals and experts in their own areas of practice.”
“It is important to note that a not guilty verdict by lay jurors hardly invalidates the widespread acceptance of abusive head trauma as a diagnosis in the medical community nor would it cause us to have concerns about Dr. Harper’s qualifications or knowledge in the field,” he added. “Jurors are not bound to accept any expert testimony as accurate.”
In the winter of 2022, a 4-month-old boy began breathing abnormally at his day care in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. His parents took him to a hospital, where he died days later. A police investigation determined that his day care provider, Joanna Ford, left him and several other children alone in her home for over an hour while she went to a tattoo and piercing parlor.
Prosecutors used Harper as an expert witness in the case. After evaluating the child’s medical records, she concluded that his injuries were “clinically diagnostic of abusive head trauma,” or, put another way, Ford shook the baby violently. She was charged with first-degree reckless homicide. Ford pleaded not guilty.
Ford’s defense lawyers successfully petitioned the judge in the case for a hearing to determine whether Harper’s expert witness testimony would be scientifically valid and admissible at trial. In response to questions, Harper explained why the child’s symptoms — brain swelling, blood under his skull, damage to his eyes — pointed to abuse, and why, despite the controversy surrounding it, the diagnosis of abusive head trauma was scientifically sound. She also explained that, because the baby was not walking or crawling, the fact that none of his caregivers could explain his injuries indicated abuse.
“People should know what happened,” she testified.
On cross examination by Ford’s lawyers, Harper said she couldn’t say for certain what time the abuse would have occurred, exactly how Ford had injured the baby and that there are no “great biomechanical models” for shaken baby syndrome.
A little over a month later, Judge Lisa McDougal delivered a highly critical ruling that barred Harper from telling the jury that the child died as the result of “abusive head trauma, non-accidental injury, child abuse or murder.” She also took issue with the idea that a lack of explanation for injuries is indicative of abuse, calling it a “leap in logic.”
“Offering a conclusive opinion as to how an injury may have occurred crosses a line and does not fit within the dictionary definition of what diagnosis is,” McDougal said. The judge also said that Harper views herself as an advocate, and that that casts doubt on her “fidelity to the scientific validation of abusive head trauma diagnoses, especially when it is a close call.”
The murder charge was dismissed. For leaving the children alone, Ford pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of neglect of a child where the consequence is death. She is serving a 10-year prison sentence. Ford, through her attorney, declined a request for an interview. The Iowa County district attorney also declined to comment.
On Feb. 4, 2022, Paul and Sarah Marshall hosted a dinner for her parents and a family friend at their home in Hudson, Wisconsin. Afterward, their 7-week-old son, Fox, became fussy. Paul Marshall carried him into the mother-in-law unit on the lower level of the house, which was cool and dark, to try to calm him. He emerged minutes later in a panic, yelling that the baby spit up and stopped breathing.
Paramedics rushed Fox to Children’s Minnesota, a hospital about 25 minutes across the state border in St. Paul. Doctors ran tests, and a scan showed Fox had a skull fracture with fluid pooling on both sides of his brain. He died days later.
Harper examined Fox, as well as his twin sister, Liana, and found “skull fractures, likely rib fractures, metaphyseal fractures.”
“This constellation of findings in a nonambulatory infant is clinically diagnostic of inflicted injury or child physical abuse likely occurring on more than one occasion,” she wrote.
But the Marshalls said that wasn’t true. They told Harper that Sarah Marshall had experienced a difficult pregnancy with gestational diabetes and severe anemia, and that Liana had a vacuum-assisted delivery. Both twins had been to their regular pediatrician over health concerns. While Liana’s health improved, Fox’s had not.
A spokesperson for Children’s Minnesota declined to comment on the case.
Because he was the last person alone with Fox before he stopped breathing, Paul Marshall was charged with first-degree reckless homicide. He was also charged with physical abuse of a child for hurting Liana. Sarah Marshall said there was no evidence that her soft-spoken husband had hurt their children.
“The state wanted to cast me as a naive idiot,” she said. “I chose not to believe it because of the logic and facts in my face. I had no reason to believe the accusation.”
At Paul Marshall’s 2023 trial, his defense lawyer, Aaron Nelson, cross-examined the other doctors who treated or evaluated Fox and Liana, and was able to highlight points of medical disagreement. A doctor who tested Liana for genetic disorders said she could not rule out rickets as a possible cause of her bone fractures. A neuropathologist did not agree with Harper that Fox had a trauma-induced blood clotting disorder. By Harper’s own admission on cross-examination, determining the age of the skull fractures in children Fox and Liana’s age was difficult. Nelson called six of his own medical experts to suggest that the difficult birth or a vitamin deficiency could explain the twins’ injuries.
“How many people have to be wrong for Dr. Harper to be right?” Nelson said in closing arguments.
After an 11-day trial, the jury found Marshall not guilty.
In a statement to ProPublica, St. Croix County District Attorney Karl Anderson pointed out that Harper was not the only treating physician who was concerned that Fox and Liana had been abused.
“A not guilty verdict does not mean that the jury concluded that the children were not abused,” Anderson said. “Rather, it means that they did not conclude that the state proved that Paul Marshall caused the death, beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Six weeks after the trial, the family moved three hours away into a century-old farmhouse that is far from the community that they felt wrongfully villainized by.
One of the cruelest impacts of the abuse diagnosis, they said, came after it was clear that Fox would die and the hospital staff began making preparations for his organs to be donated. Sarah Marshall said she had hoped to someday hear her son’s heart beating in another child’s chest. Instead, a court order put a halt to the procedure.
“They were already treating him as evidence,” she said.
The experience of going from a grieving parent to an accused murderer, her husband said, has given the couple post-traumatic stress. Paul Marshall said he is grateful to be with his wife and children, but what he calls a “broken system” has left them unsure whether or not to have another baby or even be left alone with one of their daughters.
“You get pregnant. You go to all of your appointments. You voice all of your concerns. You do everything you’re supposed to do as a parent and your child still dies. And the state tells you it’s your fault,” Sarah Marshall said. “I don’t understand why I live in a world like that.”
Mariam Elba contributed research.
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
This doctor specializes in diagnosing child abuse. Some of her conclusions have been called into question. is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
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