Five Military Kids Honored and a Military Family of the Year Surprised

Today Our Military Kids Organization honored five Military Kids of the year and one Military Family of the Year at the Naval Heritage Center. Our Military Kids, Inc is a non-profit organization that provides programs that nurture and sustain military children while a parent is serving our country overseas. Every year Our Military Kids conducs the ceremony A Celebration of Our Military Kids ' Star Power where they honor one military family and five military kids. The nominee selection process for this year’s star power event was based around how well the children are excelling in their particular program and the family of the year is determined by how well the soldier is doing in his or her deployment.

This year’s Military family of the year was the Karnbach family. The Karnbach family was surprised today at the Naval Heritage when 45 year old husband, father, soldier and Petty Officer Christopher Karnbach returned home two weeks early from his deployment. Petty Officer Christopher Karnbach surprised his two children when he came behind the curtains while the two of them were performing a martial art piece that they learned from a grant provided by Our Military Kids. His wife Anne Maries, and their children, Christopher, 9, and Abigail, 7, all burst into tears when they realized their father Christopher Karnbach had entered the room.

“I was so happy to see him, said Christopher Karnbach wife Anne Marie. I missed my husband he has been away for a year at Gitmo. Just to see his face brought so much joy! I had no idea that he was returning back home early."

Christopher Karnbach added “The first thing we are going to do as a family is go is check out a national’s game this weekend. They are winning and I love baseball."

Before the Karnbach family were surprised, the Five Military kids of the year that performed for top military leadership were: Anya Alexis Wilkie, Jonathan Harrell, Decorda Owens Baleigh Wheeler, and Sydney Schmidt. All five of the Our Military Kids performers received grants in dance and orchestra. Anya Alexis Willis,7, of Brighton Illonis, received a grant from Our Military Kids to attend violin camp. Jonathan Harrell, 10, of Charleston Virginia, also received a grant to continue piano lesson. Decorda Owens, 13, of Starkville Mississippi, received a grant to take hip-hop classes. Baleigh Wheeler, the 15 year of Greenville Virginia, also received a grant to continue taking dance classes. All five of the selected military children were honored with a trophy that read Our Military Kid of The Year 2012.

Every year Our Military Kids honors five Military Kids across the nation. According to Our Military Kids Fact Sheet, Between April 2005 and February 2012, Our Military has provide more than 35,000 grants totaling $14 million to children of deployed service members from every branched of the military living in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Virgin Island, Guam and the District of Colombia.

D.C's third meth Lab bust within a short period of 6 months in a luxury apartment complex

D.C Police conducted a meth lab bust at 1825 Summit Place Lanier Heights in Adams Morgan on Wednesday afternoon. Inside of the Park East Apartments Complex lies apartment 3345 where authorities charged and arrested meth lab owner, 31-year-old Hugh L. Elsbrees with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methylene. Hugh L. Elsbree is a physical therapist, a graduate of Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C. and obtains a master’s degree from Boston University. According to police, they found the suspected meth estimated to be worth $30,000 in Elsbree apartment. However this is rare in the district but this is not the first meth lab bust in the area. The first meth lab bust was in November, second one was a fire caused by meth lab materials in January, and now this week. The suspicious meth lab fire back in January was also in a luxury apartment in the 16000 block of R Street. Police believed that the cause of the January fire was from materials used to manufacture meth.

It is more common to find usage of cocaine and marijuana in the district rather than meth, said D.A Attorney Ching Moscato. D.A Attorney Ching Moscato want’s the public to know that meth labs are not popular in the district. “This is not a trend. I want to make sure everyone understands that it's rare for authorizes to confiscate meth labs in the district. Most Meth labs are used and confiscated in Mexico and Midwest. So no it is not a trend at all. Just a random drug bust.”

After a fight on April 7 that Elbaree’s had gotten into on Columbia Road, police searched and found 14 grams of cocaine on him at the time of his arrest . Authorizes then searched Elbaree’s apartment, police found Elbaree’s fiancé, his 6-week- old daughter, and meth estimated to be worth 30,000 in a freezer in the kitchen.

The luxury apartment complex Park East Apartments is in the city of D.C, rental prices range from $1450-$1900, as stated on Park East Apartments website. Park East Apartments is a seven-story luxury building that offers studios and one-bed rooms units only. Many residents were shocked when they heard the news.

“ I couldn’t believe a graduate from Boston University with such a prestigious degree would do something like this. I find this very strange. This building is so huge that I can’t keep up with who comes in and out. This is shocking,” said James Johnson a resident in the fifth unit of Park East Apartments.

Elbaree has been released from jail and is now pending a May court appearance, according to court documents.

2- Year Old shot in the Face and the 17 year Old Shooter Gets Convicted

Yesterday a Prince George’s county jury returned a verdict of guilty in a case of 17-year old Devin Matos. The 2 year old toddler DeAndre Johnson was shot in the face while he and his mother sat outside of their Glenarden apartment on August 22, 2011. The m other of the 2 year old toddler, Shaneka Johnson, held her son and ran immediately when she heard the gun shots that summer evening. Once she got into her apartment she then realized that her toddler was struck in the face by a bullet while in her arms.

Prince George’s state Attorney Angela Alsobrooks issued a statement at Thursday’s press conference. “ Deandre is still in critical condition. He has a testmophy in his throat. I feel for him and his mother. It’s a good thing that we found the shooter and we look forward to June 8th when Devin Matos is sentenced to jail time.”

So far it is unknown how the 17 year old Devin Matos got possession of a firearm. He is now guilty of two counts of assault, three handgun-related crimes and reckless endangerment. Matos intended target is still a mystery, but Shaneka Johnson and DeAndre along with his twin sister were not the attend target.


Prince George’s state Attorney Angela Alsobrook said “We want to get these people out of our community. Anyone that has a firearm, and killers.”

Doctors tell DeAndre family that the 2 year old faces as many as 10 years of surgery. DeAndre’s face is now deformed. Shaneka Johnson is still devastated about her toddle being strut by a bullet and added at the press conference that her son will never be the same. Shooter Devin Matos was once the top ranked Olympic Junior Boxer before suffering a shoulder injury. That’s when Matos began hanging out with the wrong crowd. Matos was supposed to fight this upcoming 2012 Junior Olympic Boxing Match but instead the teen will be behind bars.

Devin Matos faces up to 75 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8th.