Reports Reveal Events, Details In Sister Shooting
August 7, 2011
We are learning more about what happened in the shooting death of a 14-year old at the hands of her 17-year old sister as detailed in reports obtained by NorthEscambia.com.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest and offense reports detail the results of their investigation into the shooting death of 14-year old Christina Marie Sneary by her sibling by adoption, 17-year old Elena Janelle Rendell. Rendell has been charged as an adult with manslaughter by a firearm and remains in the Escambia Jail with bond set at $300,000.
The Sheriff’s Office reports state the following about the events of Wednesday afternoon, August 3:
When deputies arrived in the 7600 block of Kipling Street, they found Christina Sneary (pictured left) lying on the ground by the driveway of the residence with a gunshot wound to her neck. Elena Rendell was next to her and motioned to deputies that she had shot Sneary.
Rendell was described as being extremely upset, crying and shaking. She repeated over and over that the shooting was an accident. She first told deputies that she was trying to shoot a black male in a red shirt armed with a handgun that had broken into their residence, but she had accidentally shot her sister and that the firearm was still inside the bedroom of the residence.
“I shot my sister. A man came into the house with a gun and I picked up my mom’s gun trying to shoot the man and accidentally shot my sister,” Rendell told the deputy.
As deputies tried to get a better description of the suspect, Rendell admitted that there was no black male involved. She said that she had been playing with a gun in her mother’s room. Rendell said she and her sister were not suppose to play with firearm and that she believed the firearm had a safety on it which would prevent if from firing. Rendell said that, while playing with the gun, it accident fired, hitting Sneary.
Rendell (pictured left) told deputies that she had learned some first aid while in ROTC in school and that she tried to help Sneary as much as possible before help arrived.
The black semi-automatic handgun was found lying on the top covers at the foot of the bed in the master bedroom. The hammer was in the firing position.
When interviewed later by investigators, Rendell’s story changed.
She told deputies that she began to argue with Sneary over a cell phone. During the argument, Rendell ran into her parent’s bedroom and retrieved her father’s 9 mm handgun from the top of a television shelf that stood about 12-feet high. Rendell then pointed the handgun at her 14-year old sister and fired a single gunshot into the right side of Sneary’s neck.
Featured Recipes: Sweet (And Cold) Summer Delights
August 7, 2011
Making homemade ice cream and cool treats for friends and family is a sweet way to celebrate summer – and it’s easier than you might think. Scroll all the way down the page to see all four recipes — Fresh Fruit Ice Cream, Pineapple and Chipotle Ice Pops, Orange Cream Granita and Creamy Latte Pops.
Orange Cream Granita
(pictured at top of page)
Ingredients
- 3 cups orange juice
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
Preparation
- COMBINE orange juice, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, orange peel and rose water, if desired, in large bowl; mix well.
- POUR into 9-inch square baking pan. Cover and freeze just until edges are frozen, about 1 1/2 hours. Using a fork, scrape frozen granita toward center to break up ice crystals. Pat mixture evenly into pan. Cover and freeze. Repeat every 30 minutes until granita is firm, about 4 hours.
Serves
Yield 4 cups
Preparation Time:
15 minutes
Fresh Fruit Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pureed or mashed fresh fruit, such as peaches, strawberries, bananas and raspberries
- Food coloring
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
Preparation
- COMBINE sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl; stir in 1 cup pureed fruit and food coloring, if desired. Fold in 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream (do not use non-dairy whipped topping). Pour into 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or a 2-quart freezer container; cover. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
Serves
Yield about 1 1/2 quarts
Preparation Time:
10 minutes
Pineapple and Chipotle Ice Pops
Ingredients
- 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Preparation
- PLACE pineapple in food processor. Cover and process until pureed. Combine pureed pineapple, sweetened condensed milk, pineapple juice, lime juice and chile powder in large bowl; mix well.
- SPOON into 8 (4 oz.) plastic ice pop molds or 10 (3 oz.) wax-coated paper cups. If using paper cups, insert wooden craft stick into the center of each cup. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
Serves
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Preparation Time:
15 minutes
Creamy Latte Pops
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Folgers Classic Roast(r) Instant Coffee Crystals
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation
- BRING sweetened condensed milk to a boil in medium saucepan, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes or until very thick.
- ADD milk, cream and coffee crystals slowly to saucepan on low heat, whisking until well blended. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- POUR 1/3 cup cooled mixture into each of 12 (3 oz.) disposable plastic cups or 12 (3 oz.) ice pop molds. Freeze until partially frozen, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Insert wooden craft sticks. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours or overnight.
Serves
Yield 12 pops
Notes, Tips & Suggestions
TIP: To release from ice pop molds, dip quickly into warm water.
Preparation Time:
10 minutes
Photos: Bratt Church Celebrates Youth Sunday, Country And Western Banquet
August 7, 2011
The First Baptist Church of Bratt recently held a Country and Western Banquet to wrap up a Youth Day event.
Over 160 people attended the banquet sponsored by the Youth and College/Career classes at the church. After the meal, the classes performed the play “Summer in Cricket County”.
The banquet followed Youth Day for Sunday school and morning worship. The church’s young people took on various jobs in the church for the day, including teaching Sunday school, leading music, singing the special music, and a message delivered by Lauren McCall.
Minister of Music Tim Hawsey invites other young people to join the group. Call the church at (850) 327-6529 for more information.
Pictured: Scenes from the youth Country and Western Banquet recently at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Submitted photos by Marcella Wilson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Do you have news or photos you would like to share from your church? Email news@northescambia.com
Show And Tell: Historical Group To Hold Collector’s Day
August 7, 2011
The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society will hold a “Collector’s Day” next Saturday.
Many collections will be displayed, including coins, bottles, Indian and Civil War artifacts, old tools, stamps and more.
Event admission, museum admission and even the hot dogs are free. The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society “Collector’s Day” will take place Saturday, August 13 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at 610 4th Street in Century (the corner of Jefferson Avenue and 4th Street).
Birth: Gracelyn Savanna Bolen
August 7, 2011
Andrew and Meghan Bolen of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, along with big brother Gabriel, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Gracelyn Savanna Bolen.
Gracelyn came into the world on July 29, 2011, at Wolmack Army Medical Center, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. She came into this world at 8lbs 2 oz and was 19 inches. Gracie’s father is currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq.
Paternal grandparents are Rae and Ruth Bolen of Byrneville, Florida.
Frontier Experiences Third Internet Outage Of Week
August 6, 2011
Frontier Communications high speed internet customers in Florida and Alabama experienced another outage Saturday morning — the third in less than a week.
The company’s internet customers in Molino, Walnut Hill and Bratt in Florida and Atmore and other locations in Alabama, lost internet service about 11:30 Saturday morning. The service was restored for most, if not all, customers just after 1 p.m.
Attempts to reach a Frontier spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful.
Frontier customers lost both internet and the ability to call outside their local exchange on Wednesday. The phone outage was repaired in about 20 minutes, while the internet was out for several hours and instability continued into the evening.
On Tuesday, Frontier internet customers experienced instability, including the inability to reach many major internet sites such as Google and Facebook.
Former Councilman, Former Censured Mayor And A Newcomer To Challenge Century Incumbents
August 6, 2011
The final field of candidates is set for Century’s October general election, with a former councilman that wants to be mayor, a former mayor that was once fined and reprimanded by the state ethics commission that wants to be a council member, and a political newcomer — all challenging three incumbents.
The following candidates qualified by Friday’s deadline:
Mayor
Freddie McCall
First-term incumbent Mayor Freddie McCall was elected to the town council in 2004 before running for and being elected mayor in 2007.
Henry Hawkins
Henry Hawkins is the only person challenging the incumbent for Century mayor. Hawkins was first elected to the town council in 2006. He ran again for council in 2010, but was defeated 174-144 by political newcomer Jacke Johnston during a 2010 runoff.
Council Seat 1
Ann Brooks
Incumbent Ann Brooks is current president of the Century Town Council. She was was first elected in 2007 to Seat 1 after running unsuccessfully for Seat 4 on the council in 2003 and 2006.
Pamela MacArthur
Seat 1 challenger Pamela MacArthur is a political newcomer who has lived in Century for about 20 years.
Council Seat 2
Annie Savage
Challenger Annie Carter Savage was appointed to the Century Town Council effective August 1 to serve the remainder of the term of Nadine McCaw who passed away on July 7. Last year, Savage ran an unsuccessful campaign for Seat 5, defeated by current council member Sandra McMurray Jackson.
Evelyn Hammond
Seat 2 challenger Evelyn Hammond is no stranger to politics in Century. She served as a council member before being elected mayor in 2004. She ran for mayor again in 2007, but was defeated by current mayor Freddie McCall. In 2009, the Florida Commission on Ethics publicly censured and reprimanded Hammond, finding that she misused her position to retaliate against Century Little League and its president when that organization failed to hire her son as chief umpire. She was also fined $3,000 by the ethics commission. The complaint was filed by current council members Annie Savage and Ann Brooks along with Nolan Wilson.
Funeral Services Set For Christina Sneary, 14-Year Old Murder Victim
August 6, 2011
Funeral services have been scheduled for the 14-year old Molino girl who died hours after being shot Wednesday afternoon.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday for Christina Marine “Nellie” Sneary, who recently completed the eighth grade at Ernest Ward Middle School. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. at the Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Brewton. Interment will follow at the Dixonville Cemetery in Brewton.
Visitation will be held Monday from 6-8 p.m. at Williams Chapel Funeral Home in Brewton.
Sneary is survived by her mother and father, Mike & Troyce Sneary of Molino; grandparents William and Bessie Brantley of Brooklyn, Ala., Laverna and Michael Leach of Virginia Beach, Virgina, and Gary Sneary of Jackson, Mississippi; brother Sgt. Jason Rendell of Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and two sisters, Brandi Sneary of Milton and Elena Rendell of Pensacola.
Suspicious Nokomis Fire Under Investigation
August 6, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a suspicious fire Friday night in Nokomis.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded about 10 p.m. after a caller reported a log truck trailer on fire on Nokomis Road near Albritton Road.When firefighters arrived on scene, they found the logs on the back of the trailer beginning to burn. The trailer was parked on the shoulder of the road without a truck.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known. There was no major damage and no injuries reported.
Alabama Man Facing Child Sex Abuse Charges
August 6, 2011
An Escambia County, Alabama, man is facing child sex charges as the result of a state investigation.
Micheal Oden, 31, was indicted by an Escambia County (Ala.) grand jury on the charges of first degree sexual abuse and indecent exposure on a child under the age of six.
Following the indictment, Oden was arrested while at work at a Brewton company by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton where he was later released on a $250,000 bond.
Further details in the case, which was investigated by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, have not yet been released.