she's also facing charges in the death of her two-year-old son. police say he had a laceration to his liver, chest, bruising abrasions and other things he later died at a hospital. on to the fox 29 weather authority and while it is officially the first day of winter, let's toss it out to dave kinchen. >> reporter: we can tell you we are on a story that's been developing throughout the day. an arrest and charges in a horrifying murder case in the details were even knew to the victim's family. >> this is what i wanted for christmas, and, um, i'm getting it. we're going to find justice. >> reporter: sell today gibson reacting to multiple murder charges filed against 37-year-old byron allen accused in the violent throat slashing death every her daughter nat at a gibson this past september. >> we're going to get justice finally. >> reporter: delaware county prosecutors say byron allen had

no connection to 32-year-old natasha gibson and randomly targeted her as she went to a family friend's house on bailey road in yeadon. he confronted her as she got to the steps. >> over 20 stab wounds to her body. multiple stab wounds to her chest. her face her neck, her neck was slashed open. >> reporter: trail of blood followed moving away from the scene stretching all the way into philadelphia to a store where investigators say allen was captured on surveillance video bleeding from the hand. a steak 95, bloody baseball bat gibson's id cards and purse were found by detectives along the way. >> this is a heinous brutal murder and the motive is the stalking in the night just to kill the sport of killing is the motive in this particular case. >> reporter: prosecutors say allen was already in custody for at least three sexual assaults of women in kensington. his dna in the system from prior cases and it was matched for blood tested in natasha gibson murder.

>> this is probably the most dangerous criminal i've ever seen in my years here in delaware county as the district attorney. >> reporter: prosecutors say they will seek live in prison if not the death penalty. >> it's an unfortunate situation. we're going through mixed emotions like we're happy, then at the same time we're sad. >> reporter: and byron allen is also the lead suspect in a july rape and murder of a woman in kensington. that also under investigation. iain. >> dave, thank you. prosecutors charged a man in the death of his girlfriend's toddler 21-year-old ramir curtis facing murder and involuntary manslaughter charges to night. police say he's the boyfriend of 23-year-old andrea worrell much she's also facing charges related to the death of her two-year-old son shir. he had a laceration to his liver, chest bruising abrasions on his body and thc in his system last month when police were called to his home he later died at a hospital.

all right. let's go to the fox 29 weather authority now, and while it's officially the first day of winter, it doesn't really feel like it out there. a bit of a warmup compared to the last few days as we take a live look at the ben franklin parkway that looks like a trend that could continue right until christmas. not necessarily good news if you like a white christmas. which i do. i don't know. i know you don't like it cold, iain. >> last year was nice. kathy orr will break it down for us. >> this year we're looking at a warming trend not quite as warm as last year temperatures on christmas eve were in the 70s. but it will be warmer than average. today a beautiful day in center city philadelphia and across the region. wilmington made it to 46. atlantic city 45. philadelphia 45. that's over 10 degrees above normal on this first day of winter. trenton, allentown and reading checking in with high temperatures in the lower 40s and not much wind. on ultimate doppler we have a few flurries passing by, but most of this not making it to the ground. you can see a scattered flurry in the poconos where we want the snow p it's going up there.

29, 37 in allentown and pottstown. 40 in wilmington and only 34 degrees with mostly cloudy skies in millville. temperatures will be cooling through the 30s but those clouds rolling in ahead of a cold front will keep the cap on temperatures. it won't be quiet as cold tonight as it has been the past several nights across the region. coming up we'll talk about when the weather will turn gusty, more rain in the forecast. more wet than white and looking ahead to christmas day only a few more shopping days left. don't get nervous, iain. >> thanks kathy. sky fox over nasty crash in logan township this morning. look at it this wreckage here. incredible everyone survived. investigators say the driver of a semi truck didn't stop for traffic stopped on route 130 just before 8:30. the truck slammed into a honda and a dump truck setting off chain reaction involving four more vehicles. eight people had to be taken to the hospital. but thankfully none of the injuries were life-threatening. that semi truck driver was cited for reckless driving.

police in berlin say they are lock looking for a new suspect in that deadly christmas market attack. the man is tunisian in his early 20s and police say he is the one who entered europe through italy before migrating to germany. >> fox's greg palkot has more from berlin. >> reporter: german officials have a new suspect in the terror attack on christmas market here after detaining and releasing a pakistani man looking for tunisian man in his early 20s. said to have entered italy 2012 migrating to germany in two to us 15. he applied for asylum. granted the right to stay in germany even though he was on a terror watch list. >> general state prosecutor is leading the investigation his colleagues spent the entire night questioning people in order to put together this jigsaw puzzle. >> reporter: yesterday's announcement from isis claimed one of their soldiers was responsible for the attack. and today's information could confirm that statement. providing hard link between the attack and the terror group.

the manhunt comes as christmas markets around berlin begin to reopen. vendors and visitor as tempting a return to normal life. >> translator: whole drama which hangs on it is immense i can't really say i'm particularly afraid. there are always the ones who are scared and stay at home but, well, okay, life goes on. >> reporter: meanwhile security being stepped up in markets and public areas throughout europe, thousands of soldiers and police providing physical presence of safety as the holidays approach. >> we came here. there's police, military guys everywhere. so i mean it doesn't really matter. we just have to go on. >> reporter: police say the manhunt is nationwide and could go international. last location of the suspect a small town on the germany holland border. in berlin, greg palkot, fox ne news. death toll climbed to 32 after a fireworks explosion near mexico city. it happened at a fireworks market last night. the market was packed with hundreds of people buying fireworks to mark christmas and

new year's celebrations. officials say 72 people were hurt. many are being treated for severe burns. in some cases over 90% of their bodies. 10 of the injured are children. investigators are still looking into why the explosion happened. fire investigators are trying to figure out what sparked a raging fire inside a new jersey furniture store. smoke billowed into the air this afternoon as flames ripped through that store in north bergen. fire officials say it appeared to have started towards the back of the store. flames caused damage to some neighboring businesses as well. there are reports that at least one firefighter suffered minor injuries. the driver accused of killing eight-year-old girl in hit-and-run headed to court today. the young victim's mom walked out of the courthouse this morning wearing a shirt with her daughter's picture. she was there as the preliminary hearing for 24-year-old paul woodland was continued to a later date. investigators say woodland hit and killed jay anna powell as she walked home from school in overbrook last month. jay anna's mom says today that

the holidays are hard but she is staying strong for her son. >> because that was my child and i'm heart broken. i'm here to support her. unconditional love. and be there. that's all i can do as a mom. >> woodland is facing charges including homicide by vehicle involuntary manslaughter. >> presidential inauguration less than one month away. and president obama is looking to cement his legacy blocking his successor when it comes to oil drilling. >> meanwhile, president-elect donald trump working to fill final two positions in his cabinet. fox's joel waldman explains. >> reporter: donald trump takintaking a few minutes to spo reporters outside his estate about the berlin terror attack before heading back inside to work put the finishing touches on what will be his 16 person

cabinet. today the rnc chief strategist and communications director sean spicer whose reportedly in the running for white house press secretary reiterated mr. trump's mission on day one. >> got entire team right now that is putting together proposals for him to review that will happen both day one and over the course of the first hundred days. >> reporter: the president-elect also taking time today to get a presidential daily briefing with his key national security adviser general mike flynn. mr. trump who's been repeatedly criticized for not taking the briefing every day once called it repetitive and suggested it's only necessary if dramatic changes in the nation's security posture arise. this as an already strained u.s. russia relationship just got more tense with treasury department announcing sanctions against those aiding the russian government in its dealings with ukraine and crime mia. it's a move mr. trauma many secretary of state nominee rex tillerson has opposed. >> we hope that they will come

to see, um, the wisdom in not conducting business as usual with russia given their continued activities. >> reporter: with the inauguration one month away, dat presidential inaugural committee released its schedule of official events including a parade and three balls. in washington, joel old man, fox news. it's been almost five years since young philadelphia woman witnessed her family being robbed and murdered in cold blood. tonight there's finally justice. how she's striving after this unthinkable tragedy. a teenaged boy pistol whipped and robbed but what this person stole also cost the victim their dignity. >> cold weather is hard on the homeless. it's difficult to find shelter and even tougher to just get warm. that could explain two recent fires in new jersey's capital city. our hank flynn hit the road to check it out. and coming up at 6:00, young man stopped for speedin speedine didn't get a ticket. the lesson this officer taught

him that he'll probably remember for a long time. ♪

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♪ friends, family and music help a philadelphia teenager cope with the murder of her parents. a murder that played out right in front of her late this afternoon a philly jury convicted two men of first degree murder in a 2011 rob bro and triple killing. >> the daughter of two of those victims spoke exclusive toll fox 29 today the challenge of carrying on in the face of unspeakable sadness. bruce gordon joins us in the studio after very very emotional day. bruce. >> reporter: no question about it. attorneys for the two men charged in this case argued mistaken identity that witnesses had it all wrong and that the men's confessions were bogus. the jury didn't buy it and now after five plus years, jessica nunez has a tiny bit of closure. >> ♪ >> reporter: look carefully at the talented young lady lighting up the screen on wednesday's q show on fox 29 much she's 21

yearyears old and goes by the se name miss jay. sadly it was not her first time on television. >> we feel like we lost all we have so we just need help. >> reporter: back in september of 2011, jessica nunez watched a pair of gunmen rob her parents west philadelphia grocery store and shoot her mother, father and aunt to death. exhaustive police investigation would lead months later to the arrest of two men, ibrahim muhammed and malik scott it would be several more years before the two would go to trial. >> it's been difficult, we've been waiting for justice. we have done a lot of things to catch these guys and just going to learn for healing. >> reporter: that process was aided by a community that al read around jess can the rest of the surviving family members. >> our neighbors our family members people that don't even know us at all, they were down to help and it's like the most amazing thing to us. we were forever grateful for that. >> reporter: as the process played out jessica turned to her

childhood love. >> i've been involved in music since i was seven. so it was i think it was my way to grieve and like move on to come back to music and doing that for my family especially my dad loved music. >> reporter: last week jessica took center stage at the criminal justice center testifying in court against muhammed and scott. identifying both as the gunmen who ended three lives and changed so many more. ♪ >> reporter: after her fox 29 performance quincy harris asked miss jay how a teenager copies with such loss. >> um, sorry, i'll say music. >> yes. >> definitely music. family, friends, and praying a lot. a lot. >> reporter: those prayers have now been answered at least to a small degree. her parents killers now stand convicted. by the way friday night jessica and her group aviance will perform at a sold out tla theater in philly. her dad would have been proud. >> bruce, thank you. penn state university suing its

former president graham spanier. he violated his employment agreement by not disclosing way new about convicted child molester and former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky before his 2011 arrest. the university rails claims spanier new about sandusky's showering with boys in 1998 and in 2001 and did not disclose that information. spanier's attorney says the lawsuit is penn state's effort to escape liability. new jersey governor chris christie is letting people battling drug addiction know there is help out there. the governor held a vigil outside the state house to encourage people to call the state's addiction support hotline 211. the event is also to support loved ones of those affected by drug addiction and honor those who have died from it. ♪ in hang's take tonight we see fires of one sort or another on regular basis in television news, it's part of life that we

all hope to avoid, especially fires where we live. >> but to recent fires in trenton seem to suggest relationship between fires and abandoned buildings and the homeless. >> fox 29's hank flynn went to the capitol city for a closer look. ♪ >> reporter: it was cold in trenton earlier tonight. so i lit a fire. and while i got it going i wondered isn't this what anyone would do who got cold if they can? >> do people tend to kind of get a little kin lynn together and set a fire to stay warm? at a certain point you get desperate. >> they do. i mean i've been to countless house fires that's been the case so -- >> reporter: might have been what ramon mcdaniels did last night. he was killed when upstairs part of a boarded up row house he was staying in caught fire. thomas peterson shot video of that fire on sanford street in trenton. city's hundreds of abandoned homes invite disaster.

>> there's more boarded up homes and that potential crime and for more of the homeless to utilize homes and cause more fires. >> reporter: plain and simple that's a hole buffed in the plywood covering that door. that's so people can get in and out and do whatever business they got going on. thomas and i rode a few blocks over to weinberg place where a fire a month ago leveled nine homes. it still look likes a bomb hit up mercer county prosecutor's office says the causes of both fires remain under investigation but residents tell me boarded up houses and homeless folks are big factors. >> when it's cold outside, 17 degrees, you going to get inside a warm building which is going to be a lot colder than standing outside. >> reporter: that's shahid a war veteran and soldier investing in trenton properties. i've been walking around some of the boarded up buildings around walnut avenue when i ran into him. you can get property cheap he says and things are getting better with squaller in the capitol city but locals have to

assume more ownership. >> everybody that i spoke to in trenton do not even know that there's a public auction where there are cities selling property in auction. we need to put it out there so the masses of the people of trenton can reinvest their money back into the city of trenton. >> reporter: that's what shahid is doing and he's got a business plan but he's one dude mercer county had more than 2200 vacant properties as of february. a lot of those in trenton. so back to the beginning. when people have nowhere to go, many don't, they'll find a house where no one lives. who is the wiser? and if it gets cold, yeah, they're going to make a fire. i'm hank and that's my take. ♪ it was a crime that went viral quickly. a man steals more than 80 pounds of gold off the back of a truck

and slowly gets away. what police have learned about the million dollar bandit. and have you ever wanted to meet up with a friend for a night out but just can't find them? uber has a solution for that plus will you want to use it? and you need a little more cash. who doesn't this time of year? how does money while shopping instead of spending it sun. the app that's making it possible.

police want to you take a good look at these guys. investigators say this trio is wanted in connection with an assault inside a chinatown restaurant. it happened this past sunday at the crown fried chicken near 11th and filbert streets right next to the tourist reading terminal market in the convention center area. investigators say two of the men assaulted a and robbed 29-year-old man inside a store bathroom. all three took off with his wallet. new information and new questions tonight in the assassination of the russian ambassador to turkey. a group called the army of conquest is now claiming responsibility for the attack. >> it's collection of syrian

jihad different groups working together to fight isis and topple the as sad regime in syria. right now though it's still unclear if the person who killed had help from a terror group or foreign country. some turkey are blaming the us saying washington may have played a role in the attack. as we first reported turkish official say muslim cleric from the pocono area was member of the attackers terror organization and spurred the violence. the man police say swiped nearly $2 million in gold flakes from the back of a security van in new york city across left the country investigators say he's 53 year old julio novello even on surveillance video taking a bucket of gold flakes that weighed 86 pounds this happened back in september. police now believe he's in los angeles $100,000 reward being offered. in california, teenager claims he was forced to walk home in his underwear after someone stole his designer jeans right off his body. the boy's mom says her son was

walking over a bridge to a friend's house in stock couldn't on monday when he was approached by a man in his 20s. she says the man wanted her son's jeans and when he didn't hand them over right away, her son was pistol whipped. >> he asked them are those true religion pants you have on? he said yes. my son said he was like in disbelief owe really? he said yes. if you try anything, there's more people on top of the bridge and we will do something to you. >> the mom says her son handed the man his jeans and walk home in his underwear. she says what makes her the most upset that no one stopped to help. she says her son will no longer be wearing designer clothes. it is the season of giving. a couple leaves a huge tip for a waitress who's expected to give birth any day now but that's not the only reason the tip couldn't have come at a better time. kathy? >> we are tracking the clouds rolling in. we have a cold front that will sweep through tomorrow and bring some clouds then some sunshine and more wet than white this christmas weekend. we'll talk about that coming up

with your seven day.

>> we have breaking news right now at 5:30 of the after spending a decade in prison a local man is now going home a free man. 29-year-old dan dante rollins was just released from prison. >> yesterday the pennsylvania superior court ruled he had inn effective counsel when he was convicted of shoot shooting is six-year-old boy in 2006. fox 29's chris o'connell was there when rollins was released this afternoon and joins us live

from the criminal justice cent center. chris. >> reporter: iain, incredibly emotional moment his mother called it a christmas miracle. she's able to see her son free for the first time in 10 years. dante rollins walk out of custody and walked through these doors about half hour ago. [ applause ] >> reporter: well, that was the homecoming he got as he walked out of custody just hours after the district attorney dropped attempted murder charges against him. rollins who spent most of his time at graterford prison walk out of the criminal justice center a free man. i was actually the one to tell him charges had been dropped. there will be no new trial. after a four-year effort by the innocence project to bring up new evidence in the case that left a six-year-old paralyzed da seth williams throughout charges that led to rollins release.

>> i really don't have no emotion. i'm happy to be out. you know what i mean? messed up what happened to me, but it's over now. so i'm going to start my life. >> reporter: what's the last 10 years been like. >> hell, pure hell. that's it. >> are you angry? >> reporter: those words from newly released inmate dante rollins who now tells me he plans to help other inmates in the criminal justice system when asked what he's going to do the first thing after being released from prison? he's goining to home, he's going take a bath and he's going have a meal that he can eat with a fork, not spoon, that he's been using for the past 10 years. iain. >> up credible, chris. thank you. an officer in kansas is injured after a weather related crash. the collision over land park right outside of kansas city was caught on camera. you can see an suv sliding on the ice and crashing into a police vehicle. the officer's car was push on to a flatbed truck and then flipp

flipped. fortunate until cop only had minor injuries. and back to your fox 29 weather authority. smooth sailing on our roads tonight as we take live look at the platt bridge in south philadelphia. dry for your drive home and temperatures are in the 40s. not bad. kathy orr has your forecast in 15 seconds. beautiful day with sunshine now we have the clouds and a cold front is going to be making its way into the region tomorrow. right now, parly cloudy sky with a few flurries through the poconos. other than that, a dry night in old city philadelphia looking good. it's busy out there on a wednesday night. hustle and bustle of the city at this time of year. 42. the high today 45. winds out of the west southwest at about five to 10 miles an hour which is a mild wind for us. temperatures falling quickly in

many locations. right along the i-95 corridor holding on in the 40s the same in delaware. look at south jersey, millville only 34. atlantic city 37. reading 38. and up the northeast extension toward the poconos allentown only 37 degrees. we'll watch as fair weather high pressure exits right, clouds roll in. we watch the front move through. morning clouds for your thursday in the wake of that front afternoon sunshine with a high temperature of 48 degrees. and quickly after that, we see high pressure waiting in the wings to move in for friday. so temperatures will be staying mild in the mid to upper 40s right through the rest of the week and even into the christmas holiday weekend. overnight temperatures not butching all that much with that cloud cover moving in. in the city 31. our coldest suburbs 26. mostly cloudy not quite as cold. southwesterly winds becoming southerly. during the day tomorrow, with that front moving through, southwest winds become northwesterly and then that wind begins to kick up in the wake of that front. winds out of the northwest 10 to 15 gusting to 20 maybe 25 miles

an hour in the afternoon. morning clouds and then afternoon sun with a high temperature in the upper 40s. so pretty comfortable. as we look across the board over the last five years for your christmas day forecast, look at this up and down pattern. 2012 only 42 on christmas day which is about average. well below average in 2013 and the past couple of years well into the 60s this year we're looking at a mostly sunny christmas day with a forecast high right around 50 degrees which is about 10 degrees above normal. on your seven day forecast from the weather authority, good football weather for the birds although the winds a little gusty by kick off. friday looking good near 50. rain likely for your saturday noon the evening possibly as hanukkah begins. christmas day looks nice. increasing clouds for monday for kwanzaa. sunny and cooler next wednesday. i want to show you beyond the seven day. december 28th through january 3rd all that red throughout new york, new england the mid atlantic the midwest, above average temperatures as we

head into 2017. we'll send it back to you. >> wow! all right, kathy. thank you. have you ever wanted to meet up with your friends for a night out but you can't find them? uber now has a solution for that but will you want to use it? all these folks are used to dealing with animal rescue and animals keeping them healthy and safe. they had no idea that their holiday season would be spent trying to keep a family together. we've got their whole story coming up next for goodness sake. >> coming up all new at 6:00 a man is robbed at gun point in graduate hospital. the suspect wanted his cell phone but he didn't just leave once he got it. what he made the victim do first. ♪

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in your money tonight uber making it even easier to meet up with your friends. >> two murders in a matter of minutes in southwest philadelphia overnight. police say someone shot a 49-year-old victim over and over during an apparent robbery at 60th and almond. police don't have a description

of the shooter at this time. not too far from that just minutes more gunfire police say someone walk up to man sitting in his car at 51 is the and market streets, opened passenger door and fired a gun several times into the car. that man died police have not released his identity or a possible motive here. in your money tonight, uber is making it easier for to you catch up with your friends when you're out for the night. the ride sharing company announced two new features tod today. instead of entering an address you can actually select a friend's name from your contacts to have your driver just take to you wherever they are. along the way you can even snap chat your friend information about the ride. now in order for this to all work the friend does have to allow uber to access the gps location on their phone so the rider can find them. >> santa claus days away from huge annual trip around the world to deliver all those christmas gifts. speaking about tracking the folk at norad getting ready to track the big guy normally responsible for monitoring aerospace marine threats to the

us, the north american aerospace defense command tracking saint nick since 1955. they use satellites, high powered radar and jet plains to keep an eye on old chris cringle. santa got lot of places to reach on christmas eve. >> as far as how fast he's going there's lot of different theories on it. our intelligence here at norad says that he experiences time a little differently than you and i do. he's flying faster than star light and hit be everybody ma-ma gentlemen cal 24 hour period. norad says it will worn pilots not to fly too close to san tan his reindeer to avoid getting in the way of his very important work. all right. imagine getting a coffee and donut from the sky? 7eleven is making that possible with drone deliveries, you heard right. the chain has made more than 70 successful deliveries to customers in reno nevada. last month many people got slurpees, coffee and over the

counter medication on average orders were delivered in less than 10 minutes. it is the season of giving. a couple leaves a huge tip for a waitress who is expected to give birth any day. but that's not the only reason the tip could not have come at a better time. >> do you need a little more cash? who doesn't this time of year. how does earning some money while you're out shopping instead of spending it sound? the app that is making that possible. sean bell? dawn, at this point in the season the eagles are trying to figure out who stays and who goes. today doug pederson talked about a guy they must keep at all costs. that's coming up later in sports. i want to go really big with my appetizers. we can do it without blowing our budget. oh yeah, this is great! everything for the holidays. that's my giant.

mstanding rib roast!ds to be wowed this year. wow. everything for the holidays. that's my giant.

tonight crews continue to work on water main break in south philadelphia. water department is on columbus boulevard in queen street right now trying to fix a 12-inch water main that broke yesterday morning. the southbound lanes on columbus boulevard to christian street are still closed. the exit ramp to i-95 is shut down as well. ♪ tonight light finds a local family who has been in a dark place. not long before christmas, they found themselves homeless but just as they thought they hit rock bottom they remember rescued as it turns out by the very people they turned to rescue their pets. for goodness sake here's fox 29's bill anderson. >> reporter: nearly 65% of

americans are less than one paycheck away from homelessness. to most those are just numbers. emotion less statistics but a group of animal rescue workers found themselves dealing with a familiar until that very situation right as we head into the holiday season. ♪ >> there's family that needs to surrender their dog. i said okay. i call them. i realized this was -- this wasn't just a dog that needed to be saved. it was the whole family. she said she was losing -- they lost their home essentially homeless exactly what she said and just broke down. >> days before christmas, they found out the ortiz family, a couple and their five children, will be on the streets. today i met group of animal rescue workers who for now are focused on helping these people. >> the holiday spirit people do love miracles and want to do good. >> we usually deal with animals, but it's very, um, humbling to

see everybody doing what their doing for this familiarly. >> they posted the stover on facebook started a gofundme account and another person animal rescue community saw it. she's now donating her services to care for the family pets and also shared why animal rescue workers rallying for a family real until that unusual. >> we understand people go through hard times. this family is going through a hard time it doesn't mean they don't have a good, um, human animal bond still going on. sometimes you need pets to get through that. >> ortiz family is both proud and private they didn't really want to talk about the situation but once i explained to them that other families needed to hear about this, they agreed to let me come by and speak to th them. >> you didn't have a placing to last night. i mean you were -- it was up to the point where -- >> yeah. >> you didn't know what the next step was? >> yup. >> and just like that -- >> just like that. >> it was literal al miracle. >> reporter: the miracle was a friend who saw the post and

invited all seven ortiz family members to come stay in her house with her husband and her two children. >> if it were my family i would hope that somebody would be gracious enough to open their home to my children and my husband and i. >> reporter: may not be a big deal to roxanne, but it was to donna. >> i toll the kids that angels are here on earth. they're everywhere. when you think that people don't like people any more, you see all they've done for my family and they don't even know us it's amazing. >> reporter: ortiz family still need steady employment and permanent housing in one of the darkest moments imageable a community rallied and showed the ortiz family the light for goodness sake. i'm bill ant son. ♪ >> you can fine the gofundme link they set up for the ortiz family on our website just head to fox29.com. >> that's what it's all about.

in camden, new jersey, a whole lot of federal money is about to go towards helping children. us representative donald far cross joining local government leader today's to announce the award of a $30 million grant from the united states department of education. now that money will benefit the center for family services in camden. officials say the money will help the center expand and help young people living in the city. it's the time of year many of us are trying to stick to a holiday budget and not doing so well at it but we do have some hope. you now have freeway to add some big bucks to your holiday budget and if you love shopping, now you can cash in. >> you caught my attention iain. fox's steve noviello with the app that wants to pay you for being a secret shopping agent. ♪ >> reporter: if your holiday shopping is long in list but not big in budget, now there's an app for that. >> we can put cash in your hands in a very very simple way. >> reporter: rick west is co-founder of field agent. smart phone app that crowd sources location specific data

from consumers like you for which companies are paying cash. >> retailers consumer product companies, insurance companies, real estate brokers -- >> reporter: we took one month. >> looking for special display. >> reporter: and armed with an iphone android work, too. >> being asked to find out if the store carries try vac september hundred. >> reporter: we downloaded the free field agent app and accepted jobs all across our area. this motorola display audit at a verizon store. >> like products available. >> reporter: beer display audits at kroger. >> you'll be asked to take a picture of the interior of the store. we were asked for shop for cell phones, search for beverages, hair care products even engage workers in a mystery shop. >> can i order it for you? >> reporter: but mums the word. it's all top-secret. because we're not here to spend money, we're here to earn it. >> you could be literally standing feet away from making twenty seven dollars and you didn't even know it.

>> reporter: used to be companies would have to hire a private contractor to conduct this kind of research, but now smart phone technology puts all the tools you need right in the pal. your hasn't. >> there's capture research at the moment. actually engage a product or service. >> reporter: 800,000 users had said sign me up. the company is on track to pay out between three and $4 million this year in three, five and $10 increments. ♪ >> reporter: we check the app about twice a week and took on 12 tasks. each required we visit a store, take some photos and answer some questions. the cash -- >> three minutes, three bucks. >> reporter: came in instan instantly. paid through pay pal it's yours tax free up to 600 bucks but you're welcome to earn more if you like. >> the next thing you know pay pal you've got two or $300 tax free and you're ready for the christmas season. >> reporter: this is the best time to sign up it's busy season for sellers and that means they're looking for secret

agents like you whom is hiring. >> you may think it was verizon that hired you or it was budweiser that hired you or it was coca-cola hiring you. you really don't know. >> reporter: who cares? it's all kept quite so there's no influencing your answers. >> read the instructions thoroughly. >> reporter: our earnings about 50 bucks just for snappi g some cell phone photos. >> just in time for santa. field agent jobs change daily it does pay to check back often. once a job is completed by another agent it's no longer available to you. by the way we were able to cash out that 50 bucks we made was donated to toys for tots. a link to become a field agent right now on our station website and of course at facebook.com facebook.com/save me steve. i'm steve noviello. that's my 2 cents. spent it wisely. incredible holiday surprise for a pregnant waitress in phoenix, arizona. generous couple left her a $900

tip on a $60 check. sarah clark is due to have a baby any day now. and her fiance' well he's having surgery this week so she says the money couldn't have come at a better time. she says she feels very very blessed. it's a brighter holiday season for more than two dozen area boys and girls. how some sixers stars spread some christmas cheer today. ♪

>> sixers center joel embiid made the holiday special for lucky kids at the cherry hill mall today. embiid gave the kids $100 gift card for modell's bagful of sixers goodies. the kids are from the boys and girls club of camden county. it's all part of the nba's season of giving initiative. this morning on "good day philadelphia", our team here on the fox 29 wanted to honor one of our local servicemen for the holiday season. >> staff sergeant anthony connelly grew up right here in philadelphia after years in the army he joined the national guard. he's a huge phillies fan and what happened this morning, well, it made his holiday. >> let's get another one signed. what do you say? >> mickey, come on out. let's sign another ball here. >> no way. >> yes. mickey, welcome. >> how you doing good nice to meet you. >> nice to meet you. >> nice to meet you. >> you heard about this ball fiasco. >> i did. i heard a rumor more he threw it in the garbage. >> no, no, no. >> that would have never happened. >> so let's sign the ball right away. >> all right.

>> you want it to sergeant -- >> no, tony is fine. tony is fine. >> like when you were 10. >> yeah. >> your mother will go nuts. >> big fan. >> my mother. >> my mom. >> so -- >> unbelievable. >> that's not we're going to do. mickey do you mind telling him he's got a uniform here with your fame on the back of it. >> first i want to thank you for your service. we appreciate what do you. >> thank you. >> on behalf of liberty u.s.o. and the phillies fantasy camp we'll give you a trip to the phillies fantasy camp coming up here in january. >> are you serious. >> oh wow. >> you get to hang out with all us legends. >> sergeant connelly flying down to clearwater, florida, for camp next month. you can watch "good day philadelphia" seven days a week every morning right here on fox 29. ♪ this is probably the most dangerous criminal i've he have seen in my years here in

delaware county. >> right now at 6:00, after nearly three months, prosecutors say they've got their man. the same man now linked to other attacks. what investigators say finally helped them crack the case. ♪ stopping you for speeding down eighth street. >> at a time when police officers jobs are harder than ever, sometimes a simple act of kindsness can go unnoticed. that is until now. what one officer did for this young man he pulled over that's going viral tonight. ♪ live from center city in philadelphia, this is fox 29 news at 6:00. for the first time in more than a decade, a local man is out of prison. within just the last hour, 29-year-old dante rollins walked out a free man.

good evening i'm iain page. >> good evening, i'm dawn timmeney in for lucy. yesterday the pennsylvania superior court ruled that rollins had ineffective counsel when he was convicted of shooting a six-year-old boy. well, today rollins family was there cheered him on as he was released. chris oh com was there for it all and joins us live from the criminal justice center. chris? >> reporter: dawn, after 10 years in prison, dante rollins is home tonight getting ready to eat a home cooked meal by his mother. the one who spearheaded the effort to free her son from prison. it happened just about an hour ago. the district attorney seth williams this morning dropping attempted murder charges after new information came forward that cast residential doubt on the 2007 attempted murder case that left a six-year-old paralyzed. well, rollins walk out of the criminal justice center to the arms of his family on his way home for the first time in a decade. the district attorney today stopping short, though, of