ALVA Woodpeckers build home in woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
The fire broke out in a home on Levsky Avenue before 3 a.m. (Credit: WINK News) A 12-year-old girl and five dogs died in an Arcadia house fire early Tuesday. The fire broke out in a home on Levsky Avenue before 3 a.m. A mother and her two children lived there, along with some other family members. Everyone escaped the fire, but the girl, Laiellah, ran back into the burning home to save the dogs. Her brother tried to run in to recover her, but both the girl and the dogs died. Laiellah (Photo courtesy of family) DeSoto County’s fire chief said crews found the remains of two dogs and Laiellah, and they believe the other three dogs died as well. The call for the fire came in just before 3 a.m., with the first fire truck arriving within six minutes. The flames were already so big that crews attempted to enter the house several times with no luck. Deputies weren’t sure if anyone was still inside. They asked neighbors if anyone had seen Laiellah as the flames continued to grow. “There was no unburned part of the house when we arrived. It was essentially all on fire,” said Chief Chad Jorgensen with DeSoto County Fire Rescue. Laiellah’s mom and older brother suffered burns and smoke inhalation. Her mom is currently in the ICU with burns over 40% of her body, a family member says. Her brother was treated at the hospital and released. Neighbors who saw it all unfold say they’re heartbroken. They feel the sting of losing a girl they watched play outside with her dogs all the time. Laiellah was on the autism spectrum, according to a family member, and loved lions, “The Lion King” and “My Little Pony.” And she loved her dogs, a strong bond that could be seen by neighbors. “I did see her out here a few times. When her dogs were out here, she’d be hugging on them and stuff,” said Paul Mee. Laiellah originally escaped the fire, but she ran back inside to save her precious pups. “So often people that wind up dying from a fire actually have gotten out. They choose to go back in for various reasons,” Jorgensen said. “I didn’t know anything happened until the police came over here and said they were looking for her,” Mee said. Jorgensen says Laiellah’s older brother tried to run back inside to save his sister, but he couldn’t reach her. “I just couldn’t imagine. She’s still a baby. That’s what they said, she just went back in,” Mee said. It’s a loss Rosa Stainbrook can’t fathom. “It’s heartbreaking because I have two sons, 12 and 14, and it just breaks my heart for the family.” Her organization, “Bulldog Strong,” is collecting donations for the family. “We will take anything. Beds, sheets, towels, food. If anyone just wants to donate money, we will do that also.” It’s the small gestures that will make a big difference after the family’s massive loss. “I’m just hoping that we can really come together and do something to help this family.” There were other family members in the home and they managed to escape to a nearby relative’s home. The state fire marshal is working to figure out how the fire started. Trust WINK News for updates.