Girl dies, others hurt in bear attack

A popular mountaintop campground remained closed Saturday as officials searched for signs of the black bear that killed a 6-year-old girl near a swimming hole.

Officers detected some “bear activity” around the traps and snares that were rigged Friday in the remote Cherokee National Forest Chilhowee Recreation Area, said Sharon Moore, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman.

The girl’s 2-year-old brother was in fair condition but their mother remained in critical condition, hospital officials said Saturday. Doctors said they expected both to recover.

The bear attacked Elora Petrasek on Thursday afternoon as she and her family were leaving a waterfall pool on a rugged, 1,800-foot-high mountaintop, about 10 miles from the nearest highway.

The family from Clyde, Ohio, was among several groups of visitors leaving a waterfall when the children reported seeing a bear on the trail.

Adults were trying to drive the 350- to 400-pound bear off the trail when it attacked.

McMinnville, Tenn.

Reporters face trespassing charges

Three members of a video team for the Weather Channel have been charged with trespassing for allegedly refusing to leave the property of a woman who was killed by a tornado.

Edward John Lazano Jr., Bradley Reynolds and Jorma Brandon Duran were freed on $500 bail each after their arrests Wednesday, the Southern Standard reported. Calls seeking comment Saturday from the Warren County sheriff’s office were not immediately returned.

They were allegedly videotaping on the property of Sherry Bruce, who was killed when storms struck the area on April 7.

“There are eight no trespassing signs posted on the property,” Bruce’s brother-in-law, Lynn Boren, wrote in warrants filed against the video team. “They were asked at least six times over 30 minutes to leave.”