A young girl critically injured on a Wisconsin Dells thrill-ride this summer is back near her home in Florida.

Just a month after she was sent to the American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, 12-year-old Teagan Marti was transferred Wednesday to a hospital closer to her home in Parkland, Florida.

Marti was injured July 30th on the Terminal Velocity ride at Extreme World in the Dells. She fell nearly 100-feet to the ground when the operator released her before a safety net and air bags were in place.

Marti spent most of the past month unable to breathe on her own and was potentially paralyzed from her injuries. Hospital officials did not say what Marti’s prognosis was when she was moved, but she was listed in fair condition.

The operator of the ride, 33-year-old Charles Carnell, has been charged with first-degree reckless injury in connection with the accident.

A massive effort to track down criminal illegal aliens in the Midwest results in 24 arrests in Wisconsin.

The state Department of Justice says 24 people were arrested this week in the Northeastern Wisconsin as part of an effort to track down convicted criminals living in the US illegally.

Operation Cross Check Midwest was carried out by state law enforcement and federal immigration agents. Across the region, 370 people were picked up.

While details on those detained in Wisconsin were not released, US immigration officials say those targeted had been convicted of crimes ranging from theft to sexual assault and were from countries all around the world.

Many of those arrested could be deported, while some will face federal prosecution for illegally reentering the country.

Recent sexual assault charges against two Amish men in Grant County Court is unusual in two ways. Grant County Sheriff Keith Govier says the Amish Community at first tried to deal with the situation within their own ranks, but had no success. He says it’s unusual for them to cooperate with Sheriff’s investigators. “Many times they are unwilling to talk to us, even as victims,” says Govier. “They have their own community, and they deal with things inside the community.”

Govier says both of men charged with multiple crimes, including sexual assault of a child and sexual gratification with an animal, have made statements confessing to the crimes. Govier says that doesn’t surprise him. “The one thing that we have found out with the Amish, they are very honest about their own conduct, even if it’s detrimental to making those statements.”

Govier credits the deputies who’ve handled the investigation for their professionalism, because of the bizarre nature of the alleged crimes. A criminal complaint has been filed against 19-year-old Christian G. Stoltzfus and 18-year-old Dannie S. Stotlzfus, both from Fennimore. The charges stem from a three-month long investigation conducted by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department and the Grant County Department of Social Services. Govier says the Amish Community fully cooperated with the investigation

WGLR‘s Doug Wagen reports (:40)

A Dane County man who had enough ingenuity to grow millions of dollars in marijuana in his basement, but not enough to prevent law enforcement from finding out, will serve two and a half years in prison. U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb sentenced 23 year-old Curtis Faustich on Wednesday in Madison. Officers who executed a search warrant at Faustich’s McFarland home on April 13, 2010 found hundreds of marijuana plants, some between five and six feet tall, growing in the basement. The plants had a street value of between $1 million and $3 million.

In sentencing Faustich, Judge Crabb told him that she hoped he could use his education and intelligence in a way that contributed to society as opposed to committing crimes. Faustich’s co-defendant Zach Czerkas pleaded guilty on August 17, and will be sentenced on October 19. The charge against Faustich was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force. Faustich’s prison term will be served without possibility of parole and will be followed by four years of supervised release. During the execution of the search warrant, Faustich’s passport was seized by law enforcement. Prior to his appearance in court, Faustich obtained a new passport by lying on the application form

Dozens of people crammed into a town hall in Clark County Wednesday night to learn more about a convicted murderer and rapist who is set to move into their neighborhood next week. Those that couldn’t find room in the building listened through the windows as information was presented about Gary Thiede. Thiede was 18 when he committed a grisly murder in Hatfield 1988. He is a Level 3 sex offender. Probation officers have found a landlord willing to rent him a home on a dead end road south of Neillsville. 

Cherise Nielsen of Probation and Parole did her best to quell fears. She said Thiede would be monitored with a device that alerts authorities if he leaves his property and GPS monitoring. “So he’s actually double monitored, and that’s not true of most sex offenders. We knew the community was upset about Gary being out there, so we wanted to make sure that he was monitored as much as we possibly can,” said Nielson, adding that Thiede will also be supervised by a Probation and Parole agent who will visit him at least once a week as well as make “collateral visits” to neighbors. “Don’t be surprised if you have an agent who knocks at your door. She’s looking for information to make sure he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing.”

AUDIO: Cherise Nielson (1:08)

Nielsen said, like it or not, Thiede has served his time and deserved to be released, a comment which drew derisive jeers from many in the crowd. Joe Holman, whose property abuts the property where Thiede will live, said the meeting “made him upset,” because he learned he had no legal recourse to the placement.

WCCN‘s Paul Knoff reports (1:25)

A former Racine Police officer gets 12-years in prison for sexually abusing a teenage girl last year. Thirty-six-year old Damen Lowe resigned from the force just as his trial was starting back in June. He maintained his innocence on the abuse allegation even at his sentencing hearing.

Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimmel was the special Racine County Prosecutor, and sought a 15-year prison term, while Lowe’s defense attorney plans to appeal the conviction.

Judge Charles Constantine acknowledged that Lowe had no prior criminal record, but needs to take care of his demons while in a confined setting. He’ll be on 10-years of supervised release once out of prison.

Tom Karkow-WRJN

Two members of the Amish Community are facing charges in Grant County Court, of sexual assault of a child, attempted sexual assault of a child and charges of sexual gratification with an animal. According to Grant County Sheriff Keith Govier, a crimial complaint has been filed against 19-year-old Christian G. Stoltzfus and 18-year-old Dannie S. Stotlzfus, both from Fennimore. A court date for both has yet to be set. Christian Stoltzfus is charged with Repeated Sexual Assault of a child, Incest, Attempted First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child Under the age of 13 without Great Bodily Harm, First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child without Great Bodily Harm, Exposing his genitals, and Sexual Gratification with an animal…a horse and a cow.

Dannie Stotlzfus is facing charges of Incest and Sexual Gratification with an animal…a horse. The charges stem from a three-month long investigation conducted by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department and the Grant County Department of Social Services. Sheriff Govier says Christian Stotlzfus is facing 11 seperate criminal counts, that are alleged to have happened over a four-year period at an Amish Farm in the Town of Hickory Grove, and at an Amish Farm in the Town of Mount Ida. Govier says Dannie Stotlzfus is being charged with three seperate criminal counts that are alleged to have happened over a three-year period at an Amish Farm in Hickory Grove Township. Sheriff Govier says the Amish Community fully cooperated with the investigation into the two men.

Doug Wagen, WGLR

A Minoqua man has been charged in his wife’s murder. William Schmidt is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for causing his wife Lori’s death sometime between June 12th and June 18th. Police found Lori Schmidt’s decomposing body wrapped up in a comforter in the master bedroom closet June 17th after her parents called to say they had not talked to her for five days. A criminal complaint filed Friday in Oneida County describes a rocky marriage between William and Lori Schmidt and that Lori had told her mother before her death that her husband “was not a good person.”

An autopsy report finalized this week ruled that Lori Schmidt’s cause of death was homicide by unspecified means. The complaint says Schmidt was upset that Lori would not have sex with him and says Lori had hidden jewelry from her husband because she did not trust him. Schmidt confessed to his mother that he killed his wife but said it happened after she had passed out and that she did not suffer. He also admitted trying to kill himself three times but that he failed at each attempt.

Schmidt turned himself in to police at his mother’s home in Sheboygan Falls on June 24th. He remains jailed in Oneida County on a probation hold and will make his first court appearance on Monday.

Matt Lehman, WSAU

Marinette County officials have uncovered another marijuana grow operation, and it may be connected to similar ones found last week in Menominee and Oconto Counties.

Marinette County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Jerry Sauve says more than 3,000 plants were located and eradicated this week at a grow site found in a wooded area. While they don’t know for sure, officials believe it is connected to a larger bust last week that uncovered thousands of pounds of marijuana.

No arrests have been made in connection to the growing operation.

Sauve says they’ve suspected growing was going on in the County for some time, but it wasn’t until this week that a major effort was made to find it through a ground search. He says they suspect there may be others in the area, and anyone who finds marijuana growing in the woods should contact authorities.

AUDIO: Marinette County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Jerry Sauve (:15)

Police in Superior had no indications of trouble at the home of a young couple who are the victims of an apparent murder suicide. Superior Police Chief Floyd Peters said officers were dispatched to a home in the city on Wednesday after a 911 call from a woman. “The woman stated that she was the mother of the adult female in the residence, and stated that her daughter, daughter’s husband and baby were in the residence, and stated that he killed them,” Peters told a press conference on Thursday.

Dead are 23 year-old Matthew Magdzas, 26 year-old April Oles-Magdzas and the couple’s 13 month old daughter, Lila. “According to family members, April was approximately eight and a-half months pregnant,” said Peters. “Evidence obtained at the crime scene indicated that the perpetrator of this violent act was likely Matthew Magdzas. A handgun was located at the scene that was suspected to have been the murder weapon.” Police also found three dead dogs and a backpack which appeared to contained two pipe bombs, although a bomb disposal unit from the Minnesota Air National Guard determined they were not. Nevertheless, the house was cleared Wednesday night while the bomb squad disposed of the items.

Peters says no motive for the tragedy has been established. He says the Wisconsin Army National Guard has confirmed that Matthewe Magdzas is a member, but had been on non-drilling status for a year. He was deployed to Iraq from 2006 to 2007. Peters wouldn’t speculate as to whether post traumatic stress may have played a role in the tragedy. “We’ll certainly work with the Army National Guard,” said Peters. “Any medical or counseling records that may exist, we’ll need subpoenas on that, but I really can’t comment.” Peters said Matthew Magdzas had no arrest record and police had no prior calls to the couple’s home.

Press conference audio courtesy KUWS/Wisconsin Public Radio (10:40)