Patient tested for mad cow variant

Public health officials in Massachusetts are investigating whether a patient in a Cape Cod hospital has the human form of mad cow disease.

Tests are being done to see if the patient has Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and whether it’s the variant attributed to mad cow.

There have only been three cases of the human form of mad cow disease reported in the United States in the last several years. Officials say it’s extremely unlikely the patient has the potentially fatal brain disease linked to eating infected tissue from cows.

Test results are expected to take a few more days.

A Cape Cod Hospital spokesman said public health officials said the illness was not contagious and there was no cause for concern.

PITTSBURGH

Charges filed in killing, baby taking

A suburban Pittsburgh woman accused of cutting open another woman’s womb and stealing her baby has been charged with homicide, unlawful restraint and kidnapping.

Andrea Curry-Demus, of Wilkinsburg, has been in police custody since she showed up at a hospital with a newborn baby she falsely claimed was her own. Police say she later claimed she bought the baby for $1,000 from the baby’s mother.

The 38-year-old Curry-Demus is accused of killing 18-year-old Kia Johnson and stealing her baby. Investigators found Johnson’s body in Curry-Demus’ apartment on Friday.

Curry-Demus was previously charged with child endangerment and dealing in infant children. She was ordered jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail and a psychiatric exam.