USA Update

MORGAN Rowan is a survivor of Rodney Alcala, the notorious ‘Dating Game Killer’.

Her harrowing ordeal with the serial killer occurred in the summer of 1968 — but she didn’t utter a word about it until 2021.

Discovery+

Morgan Rowan escaped the clutches of The Dating Game Killer when she was just 16[/caption]

Abduction

In August 1968, Morgan Rowan met Rodney Alcala, aka The Dating Game Killer, while she was at a teen nightclub with her friends on the Sunset Strip, Los Angeles.

Alcala, who was then a slick professional photographer, convinced Morgan to get into his car under the pretense of going to an IHOP restaurant.

Instead of taking her to the restaurant, Alcala drove her to his apartment, claiming there was a party there.

There were other revellers at the gathering, with some of Morgan’s friends even attending and mingling with the crowd.

Once inside, however, Alcala‘s demeanor changed drastically.

He dragged Morgan into his bedroom, blocked the door and proceeded to brutally attack her.

In May 2024, aged 72, Morgan told People: “I watched his transformation. I watched his face turn purple.

“He punched me between my eyes with a belt buckle.

“I saw stars shooting, and I dropped to my knees.

“I wanted it to be over. I wasn’t praying to live. I was praying to die.”

Escape

During the assault, Alcala bound Morgan’s wrists with a necktie and raped her before leaving her for dead.

Her friends realised something was wrong, broke into the room through a window and rescued her.

As they pulled Morgan from the apartment, Alcala fled the scene.

Aftermath

For years, Morgan lived with the trauma of her attack, unaware of the true identity of her assailant.

I wanted it to be over. I wasn’t praying to live. I was praying to die

Morgan RowanPeople

It wasn’t until years later that she learned the full extent of Alcala’s crimes.

Weeks after escaping the killer, Morgan received a letter from a friend in Los Angeles containing a newspaper clipping about Alcala.

The article revealed that he was wanted for the kidnapping and rape of another young girl, eight-year-old Tali Shapiro, who had been attacked in a similar manner just weeks after Morgan’s ordeal.

Connection with Tali Shapiro

Learning about Tali’s survival had a profound impact on Morgan.

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Rodney Alcala pictured in court in 2013[/caption]

She felt a deep sense of responsibility and connection to the younger victim.

When Morgan discovered that Tali had survived, she reached out to her on Facebook.

This connection led to an unexpected friendship between the two survivors.

As reported by People, Tali thinks of Morgan as “the sister I always wished I had,” and they consider themselves “chosen family”.

Coming forward

It wasn’t until after Alcala’s death in 2021 that Morgan, then 68 years old, came forward with her story.

She contacted Steve Hodel, one of the original investigators on the Shapiro case, to share her experience.

Morgan’s testimony provided crucial insight into Alcala’s early predatory behavior, predating his known murders by several years.

Morgan and Tali’s story serves as a powerful testament to survival and the healing power of connection among victims of violent crimes.

KIM Zolciak has claimed that she found her estranged husband Kroy ‘UNCONSCIOUS in her closet while spying on her’.

The former couple filed for divorce for a second time in August 2023.

Getty - Contributor

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The pair were married for 11 years before their split[/caption]

Since then the pair have been involved in a very messy divorce.

Now, according to TMZ, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim filed a motion last week (October 9) to allege that her estranged husband had ‘invaded her privacy’ while living in their house.

A source also told them that Kim also alleged that Kroy is “surveilling her within their home”.

There was also another incident where the reality star has claimed that she has pictures of Kroy “passed out in her closet”.

Despite not being together, the pair live in separate parts of their Georgia mansion.

Kim has the basement, while Kroy has the master bedroom.

The online court records, which have been seen by the publication, say that she also wants Kroy to return her belongings – after she claimed that he took the security cameras that she had set up in her personal space.

The sources have said that Kim wants Kroy to return her belongings.

Kim also made similar claims about him taking her stuff earlier this year – back in January and May.

The estranged couple met back in 2010 as they both attended a charity event for Dancing Stars of Atlanta.

Kim and Kroy got engaged a year later.

The same year that they tied the knot, they welcomed their son Kroy Jagger into the world.

In 2012 Kim gave birth to their second son Kash Kade.

Then three years later they became a family of six with the births of their twins, Kaia Rose and Kane Ren.

Kim is also mum to Ariana and Brielle from previous relationships.

The pair have filed for divorce not once, but twice over the years.

In May 2023 Kim filed for divorce after 11 years of marriage after separating in April.

She stated their marriage was “irretrievably broken with no hope of reconciliation.”

However two months later the divorce was called off.

By August 24 of the same year, the latter refiled for divorce.

A NEW trend has gone viral on social media which shows the realities postpartum moms face when looking after a newborn.

New mom @NurseHannahbh has gone viral on the video platform site after she filmed herself picking up 17 diapers around the house – here’s everything we know about the TikTok trend.

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Hannah who posts under @nursehannahbh shared her postpartum video on TikTok[/caption]

What is the 17 diapers trend on TikTok?

The 17 diapers trend shows the reality of postpartum moms.

The trend was kicked off by Hannah, a mum-of-two, on TikTok after she filmed herself picking up several diapers in one day from various locations around the house.

The video racked up more than 6.8 million views as of October 2024 but has been criticized.

One person said: “As a mom of two, this is not relatable.”

Another added: “I’m a mom of four and there’s not excuse. It literally takes two seconds to throw it away.”

However, some parents came to Hannah’s defence, with one commenting: “That’s 17 times your sweet babies were prioritized over your house.

“It’s 17 times your sweet babies were cleaned and felt comfort and loved.

“Being a mom is hard. You got this momma!”

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She filmed her self picking up 17 diapers from around her house[/caption]

Why has the 17 diapers trend gone viral on TikTok?

The realistic video has resonated with many moms across the globe who have gone on to share their postpartum story on the video sharing site.

One poster, @hillarthelenn shared a TikTok video stating that the trend symbolized all the ways her self care fell short in the wake of welcoming new life.

In a video, she said: “I forget to take out my contacts every single night from exhaustion.”

Adding: “I don’t have 17 diapers, but I cry in my car.”

Other moms have also shared their “17 diapers” moment online.

One person said: “My ’17 diapers’ are currently locking myself in the bathroom to cry and just try to breathe.”

Another said: “My 17 diapers was sleeping on crusty sheets that smelled like spoiled milk.”

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Despite the initial backlash to the video, Hannah has received plenty of support from moms in a similar situation[/caption]

What does Hannah have to say about her 17 diapers TikTok video?

Speaking to People, mum-of-two Hannah revealed she was still getting into the swing of things by caring for a one-month-old and toddler when she filmed the clip.

She said: “I don’t think I realized how many diapers I had changed that day.

“I just pulled out my phone and filmed a funny video.

“I didn’t think it was going to be controversial or honestly attract attention whatsoever.”

Of the video, she added: “Yes, there were 17 diapers around my house but they didn’t see me coloring with my son, while breastfeeding my newborn at the same time.

“They didn’t see me taking my son to the park , pushing him on the swing, while holding my newborn.”

Despite the initial backlash, Hannah is happy that she has inspired other moms to speak out.

Hannah said: “I was surprised that everyone was so honest and raw. People were sharing their deepest struggles as new and postpartum mothers.

“People felt enough support to be honest.

“They were sharing struggles with postpartum depression and anxiety.

“They were sharing how hard it was to get out of bed, to shower, and even feed themselves let alone breastfeeding a newborn.

“Moms are now coming together and supporting each other.

“At the end of the day I wouldn’t trade my ’17 diapers’ day for anything.” 

AN expert mechanic has gone against the grain and warned drivers to avoid buying an iconic vehicle – despite it regularly ranking highly on best SUV lists.

In a video posted to TikTok, a man called Bev, who uses the handle Bevurly on the social media platform, revealed which well-known car brand he believes is “truly horrendous” and their models that he particularly despises.

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TikTok star Bevurly had a lot to say on a particular SUV brand[/caption]

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The famous Jeep Cherokee was roundly criticized by the mechanic[/caption]

The Jeep Cherokee, which has long been a favorite among everyday drivers and SUV enthusiasts alike, is renowned for its rugged heritage, versatile performance, and high-class amenities.

What’s more, the Jeep brand holds a strong reputation for reliability and, especially across the US, is considered a leader in 4×4 tech.

However, Bev has openly criticized the car-maker, calling out a handful of their most famous models.

On the Cherokee, he said: “These actually rank last in the subcompact SUV category. Can’t say I’m surprised.”

However, the Cherokee is currently in the compact crossover SUV class – making it a bit bigger than the sub-compact SUV class.

Also, the famous model, which existed over five generations, from 1974 through to 2023, was ranked 15 out of 20 by U.S. News and World Report in its recent list of ‘Best Compact SUVs for 2024 and 2025′.

They did, however, note that it has “subpar cargo space, a weak base engine and a mediocre transmission.”

Bev also throws shade on the Jeep Compass, Renegade, Wrangler with the 2.0-litre Turbo engine, and the Grand Cherokee.

On the Compass, which he describes as “pure junk”, he picks out the vehicle’s electrical issues, powertrain, and the amount of plastic used for the interior and exterior.

However, the model boasts an “above-average” rating from RepairPal, where it sits 11th out of 26 models.

They added: “The rate of unscheduled repairs for this model is fairly low, and it has average maintenance costs.”

On the Renegade, which he again picks out for its over-use of plastic, he hates on the “terrible powertrain and electrical issues.”

In the comments section, viewers were amused by Bev’s rants about the Jeep brand and their vehicles.

One joked: “Jeep threatening to release new cars.”

Another said: “I don’t think bro likes Jeep.”

And a third wrote: “Did you get fired from Jeep?”

This comes as an essential weather feature will be cut from the newest Jeep model – with only certain versions offering it in a few months’ time.

Customers will have to accept an entirely new setup if they want to access the handy tech.

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The Jeep Compass was also called out for multiple supposed drawbacks[/caption]

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The brand’s Renegade model was also mentioned[/caption]

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