St. Tammany Parish sheriff deputies have charged a Hammond man with second-degree murder for allegedly leaving his 21-month-old daughter inside a hot car outside a Madisonville-area home for more than nine hours.

Cut 8 (09) “…there around noon”

That’s Lt Suzanne Carboni who says deputies say 35-year-old Joseph Boatman consumed multiple alcoholic beverages before leaving the little girl strapped in her car seat.

A Leesville man has been charged with second-degree cruelty to a juvenile after a shooting incident involving young children. The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office received a report of a 3-year-old being shot at 35-year-old Fernando Mejia’s home. Chief Detective Rhonda Jordan says once investigators arrived at the residence they processed the scene.

Cut 3 (12) “…children were playing.”

Investigators determined that the gun was accidentally discharged, striking one of the children in the shoulder-chest area. The injured child is improving at a hospital.

The legislature is expected to withdraw about 1.2-billion dollars from the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund to pay for various projects. House Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland says that includes about 709-million dollars for shovel-ready road projects that will be completed within one year.

Cut 6 (11) “…falling in line.”

McFarland says millions of dollars are also going to colleges, local water systems and OMV for a new computer system.