Top stories of 2022 you may have forgotten about
A failed Mount Vesuvius selfie, and more headlines.
This past year has seen war break out in Ukraine, the death of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, and the first case of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) detected in the U.S. amid a global outbreak of the rare, highly infectious disease. Coverage of those events dominated much of the news cycle in 2022.
Here's a look back at the other stories that caught our attention that might have flown under the radar.
11-day manhunt for corrections officer and escaped inmate ends
An 11-day, multistate manhunt for an escaped inmate and the corrections officer authorities said helped him escape an Alabama jail came to an end on May 9, when jail employee Vicky White was apprehended along with murder suspect Casey White in Indiana. Vicky White died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and Casey White has since been charged with murder in connection with her death.
Missing 'Baby Holly' found alive more than 40 years after parents were murdered
An unidentified couple was found beaten and strangled in a wooded area in Houston in 1981. Decades later, it was unclear what happened to the couple's baby daughter, who came to be known as Baby Holly. With the help of genetic genealogy, investigators were able to solve the mystery by identifying the couple. This year, Baby Holly -- 42-year-old Holly Miller, a mother of five living in Oklahoma -- was found and reunited with some of her biological family.
San Francisco couple fined $1,500 for parking in their own driveway
The parking problems of one San Francisco couple made headlines after they were fined $1,542 for parking in their own driveway due to the enforcement of a decades-old city code. The fine was eventually dropped in July and the lot legalized for parking after a 1938 photo helped them prove that the lot has historically been used for parking.
California authorities make record-breaking meth drug bust
More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine was seized from a box truck that had just crossed the border between the United States and Mexico on July 7, in what authorities believe was one of the largest meth seizures ever in San Diego County, California.
US tourist falls into Mount Vesuvius after taking selfie
A 23-year-old American tourist captured attention after he fell into Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano in Italy, while trespassing to take a selfie on July 9, officials said. He sustained only minor injuries.
Feds bust alleged Mafia gambling operations posing as shoe repair, coffee shop
A Long Island shoe repair shop was actually an illegal gambling operation, federal prosecutors alleged. Several purported members and associates of the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families were arrested on Aug. 16 and charged with racketeering and illegal gambling offenses for allegedly running gambling parlors out of other legitimate-seeming New York establishments, including a coffee bar.
Abduction and murder of Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher
Eliza Fletcher, a 34-year-old Memphis mother of two young sons, was abducted while out for her regular 4 a.m. run on Sept. 2. She was found murdered days later in a horrifying case that cast a spotlight on women's safety while running.
Missing Michigan family of 4 reappears
Police were searching for a Michigan family of four that disappeared in October after the father showed "paranoid behaviors," leaving behind their pets and a family member requiring full-time care. A week later, the family was found safe in a neighboring state. The case was closed in what police said may have been sparked by a misunderstanding.
Single ticket wins record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot
After a delayed drawing, a single ticket claimed a record $2.04 billion jackpot on Nov. 8 in Powerball's biggest drawing ever. The ticket was sold at Joe's Service Center in Los Angeles County, according to the California Lottery.
