Kidnapping attempts, judge controversy & more: Stories you may have missed

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We know a lot happens throughout the week, and you may not catch all of our stories here at WXYZ. So we've decided to gather the most talked-about stories from the past week all in one place that you can check out during your free time over the weekend.

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Here are the buzz-worthy stories from the week of August 12:

'Just awful': Mom of teen who was placed in handcuffs by Detroit judge on field trip breaks silence

Mom of teen placed in handcuffs by Detroit judge on field trip breaks silence

It was a story everyone was talking about this week – a Detroit judge who placed a teenager in handcuffs and jail clothing for falling asleep during a field trip to his court room.
36th District Court Judge Kenneth King placed the 15-year-old in handcuffs , and her mother, Latoreya Hill, was horrified when she saw the video.

Judge King says it was all to teach the teen a lesson about decorum and respect, but Hill says the judge doesn't know the full story.

“Would you want someone to treat your child like that? Would you even treat your child like that," Hill asked through tears.

Hill is a single mother of two and says Goodman, her eldest daughter, was signed up for a summer program with the Greening of Detroit nonprofit to keep Goodman busy. What was supposed to be an educational field trip to 36th District Court Tuesday, turned into a traumatizing moment for both her and her daughter.

Judge King, not liking the teen's attitude and seeing her falling asleep, placed Goodman in handcuffs and a jail uniform.

"I think maybe she needs to go to the juvenile detention facility," Judge King said in court. "Why are you being disrespectful to this court? You sleep in bed at your home, not at court."

Hill says Goodman was falling asleep because the family does not have a permanent residence at the moment, and are just trying to make ends meet.

On Thursday, the chief judge at 36th District Court temporarily removed the judge from the docket .

‘I just told her to run.’ Family recounts terror when man grabbed 7-year-old in Sterling Heights

Family recounts terror when man grabbed 7-year-old in Sterling Heights

It was every parent's worst nightmare this week in Sterling Heights when a man tried to kidnap a 7-year-old girl .

Alecia Swejkoski was at the Clinton River Park with her 8-year-old son and 7-year-old niece on Tuesday when a stranger pulled up in a car in between her and the kids — and got out.

"He went right up behind her. He went out of his car, back around, grabbed her, and then tried to get into the passenger seat and we just met right through the middle there," she said.

The man was trying to drive off with her niece. Alecia was hanging out of the car's window, struggling with the man, getting punched and telling her niece to run and refusing to let him drive off with her.

Scott Van Luven was just heading home from work when he saw Alecia struggling with the driver, and he saw the car run over her 8-year-old son who was also trying to stop the man.

Scott said, "I just got in front of him. I literally was not even thinking about him hitting my vehicle. That was the last thing from my mind, because I seen him run over the little kid."

The suspect was also wanted in an attempted kidnapping in Clinton Township earlier in the day.

‘I started flailing.' Teen recalls scary Clinton Township encounter with attempted kidnapping suspect

‘I started flailing.' Teen recalls encounter with attempted kidnapping suspect

As we just mentioned, the suspect in the kidnapping in Sterling Heights also tried to kidnap someone in Clinton Township.

On Thursday, the 15-year-old girl police say Endi Bala tried to abduct in Clinton Township before moving on to a 7-year-old girl spoke to 7 News Detroit with her mother .

Alexis, the teen, said she "started flailing my arms around, screaming for help" after he grabbed her wrist.

Alexis is the brave teenager who was in the fight of her life against this total stranger who pulled up next to her along Clinton River Road as she walked home from a park.

"He asked if he could drive me home twice, and I refused both times, and I started walking off," she said. "He got out of the car, grabbed my wrist. He said, 'I'm going to mess you up.'"

Bala is now facing charges of assault and unlawful imprisonment for what he's accused of doing to Alexis Tuesday afternoon, pushing her head into his car door, trying to shove her in — and she yelled for help.

Paul Billiter, an observant and quick-thinking stranger, saved the 15-year-old girl. He said he was doing yard work when he noticed her walk by. Moments later, he said a car sped up and did a U-turn.

Debate over cell phone use in Michigan schools rages on ahead of new school year

Debate over cell phone use in Michigan schools rages on ahead of new year

As families prepare for kids to go back to school, more states across the country and individual schools are implementing cell phone bans.

How do people feel about it? We spoke to a superintendent, a parent and a student to hear their thoughts .

"Believe it or not, about 6 years ago when I was visiting a classroom, I walked in and students were actually on their phones, talking on their phones," said Amy Kruppe, superintended of Hazel Park Schools.

In her 10 years as superintendent, Kruppe has watched as students' relationships with their cell phones evolved.

"We were much freer in the first part of the time when I came to the Hazel Park community, allowed them as more learning tools and items inside the classroom, but I think what we found over time is that changes a little bit," she said.

Clearly there are as many cell phone policies as there are schools out there, and just like how each school has their own specific policy, each family has their own opinion.

"He’s like full throttle during the summer, my husband and I were just having the conversation, I was telling him ‘you know, you’re about to get weened off of that phone, right?’ said Nicole Anderson, whose son attends West Bloomfield Middle School.

Cam Anderson is going into 8th grade at West Bloomfield Middle School where he says their cell phones are not allowed to be out during class. He and his mom, Nicole, tell me they’re fine with that, as long as he can keep it on him.

"The times that we are living in right now, like they had a lock down towards the end of the school year last year and he and I had to communicate via his cell phone. So if there is a crisis, I want to know what is going on, because I couldn’t call into the school, so that was the only way we could communicate," said Nicole Anderson.

Parents share how they're 'unschooling' their kids & and how it's different than home schooling

Parents share how they're 'unschooling' their kids & and how it's different than home schooling

While many kids may be going back to school, for some families, school never stopped. Their kids also don't plan on stepping foot inside a classroom. Why? Because Those parents are "unschooling" their kids .

Unschooling is a kind of home schooling, but the kids take the reins in what they learn. Some parents behind the effort took me to school on what unschooling is.

“Unschooling to me is completely different from what traditional schooling is,” says Molly Bonds.

She’s practiced unschooling with her two boys their whole lives. Bonds is a former grade schoolteacher and she taught for a decade. Now Molly is a 24/7 educator for her 9- and 11-year-old sons. They’re being unschooled in their Ann Arbor area home.

“Homeschooling, you’re usually educating your child at home. You’re usually following a curriculum versus unschooling, you’re following your child’s desires, your child’s interests. So, you may grab a curriculum to help with that but overall, you’re really just presenting like a feast for your child. Your child’s picking and choosing what’s interesting to them,” Bonds said.

Construction to resume this fall at Perfecting Church on Woodward Avenue in Detroit

Construction to resume this fall at Perfecting Church on Woodward Avenue in Detroit

The new Perfecting Church on Woodward Ave. has been in the works for decades, and construction has been stopped for 20 years. It's a story we've been covering for years – between lawsuits, construction delays and more – but now, the place of worship may finally see the light of day.

Construction is set to resume on the church this fall . We spoke to the community to get their reactions to the news.

"Music?! A symphony! Absolutely that's extremely exciting," said Simone Eaton.

A Detroit native, Eaton, lives near the megachurch on Woodward and 7 Mile.

However, according to the city, no building permits have been pulled since 2018, which is why the city questioned the building's structural integrity. When no proof was provided, a lawsuit was filed, along with a countersuit by the church.

"The lawsuit that the city of Detroit filed was dismissed pursuant to agreement of both parties. We have made a decision, strategically, to stand down, not press the church about missing various deadlines, and achievable benchmarks because they are making progress," said Conrad Mallet, Detroit Corporation Counsel.

The renderings of this 4,200-seat sanctuary also show a gorgeous winding staircase, a colorful nursery, a chapel for weddings, and a 1,000-seat banquet space.

This Bloomfield Hills car collector is bringing famous movie cars to the Woodward Dream Cruise

Local car collector is bringing famous movie cars to the Woodward Dream Cruise

Driving down Woodward Avenue during the Dream Cruise this weekend you'll see muscle cars, retro cars, and thanks to Mark Marougi, a few famous movie cars.

Marougi has been collecting famous movie cars from his Bloomfield Hills home since 2005.

He told 7 News Detroit, "I used to own tons of muscle cars, but these are to me cooler because people know them and they don’t get lost in time. They're basically timeless, people see them and are like, ‘oh I remember that car.'"

He has five cars that you may recognize at the moment.

• A 1969 Charger from the Dukes of Hazzard 2005 movie
• A 1991 Crown Victoria from the Blues Brothers 2000 movie
• A 1967 Barracuda Corkys from the movie Corkys and Knight Rider TV show
• A 1970 Road Runner from and Furious 7 - Vin Diesel's car
• A 1999 Nissan Maxima from the first Fast And Furious movie.

Marougi has traveled the world collecting the cars. He's had about 30 of them, and buys and sells them.
"Some people can’t believe it, they’re like ‘how did you get that?’ it’s mind blowing to some people," said Marougi. "It’s hard to let them go now, they become like kids."

Each one has it's own story.

For instance, Marougi says this about the 1999 Nissan Maxima, "Paul Walker used to go to this diner that Vin Diesel owned and he used to get tuna with no crust. Everyone says when they see this car, ‘tuna no crust,’ cause that’s what it’s known for."

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