'We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,' she said in a video posted on social media, flanked by her siblings. 'This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.'

Guthrie was referencing a message that was sent to the Tucson-based television station KOLD on Friday afternoon, according to Kevin Smith, a spokesperson for the FBI office in Phoenix.

KOLD said it received an email related to the Guthrie case on social media that day but declined to share specific details about its contents as the FBI conducted its review.

The station was one of multiple press outlets that received alleged ransom letters during the week. At least one letter made monetary demands and established Thursday evening and the following Monday evening as deadlines.

In a news conference Thursday, law enforcement officials declined to affirm that the letters were credible but said all tips were being investigated seriously. They also said one letter referenced Nancy Guthries Apple watch and a specific feature of her property.

The video released Saturday was the third this week that pleaded with potential kidnappers.

No suspects identified

Investigators think Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home just outside Tucson last weekend. DNA tests showed blood on Guthries front porch was a match to her, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said. Authorities have not identified any suspects or ruled anyone out.

The sheriff said Friday that he was frustrated that a camera at Nancy Guthries home was not able to capture images of anyone the day she went missing.

Investigators have found that the homes doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday and that software data recorded movement at the home minutes later. But Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so none of the images were able to be recovered.

'It is concerning, its actually almost disappointing, because youve got your hopes up,' Nanos told The Associated Press in an interview. 'OK, they got an image. ‘Well, we do, but we dont.’'

President Donald Trump, speaking on Air Force One on Friday, said the investigation was going 'very well.'

'We have some clues that I think are very strong,' Trump said, while en route to his Florida estate. 'We have some things that may be coming out reasonably soon.'

Investigators return to scene

They were back in Nancy Guthries neighborhood on Friday.

The sheriffs department posted on social media to say access was restricted to the road in front of the home to give investigators space. Journalists staked out there were directed to move.

The Catalina Foothills Association, a neighborhood group, told residents in a letter that authorities were resuming searches in the area immediately.

'I know we all stand together in our collective disbelief and sadness and greatly appreciate your willingness to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow searches of your properties,' the association president said in the letter.

The sheriff said Thursday that investigators have not given up on trying to retrieve camera recordings.

'I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that heres a picture, heres your bad guy. But its not,' Nanos told the AP. 'There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say ‘this is what we have and we cant get anymore.’'

The sheriff also said he had no new information about the note to the TV station or other purported ransom letters sent to some media outlets, saying the FBI is handling that side of the investigation.

Meanwhile concern about Nancy Guthries health condition has grown, because authorities say she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriffs dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

'Her conditions, I would imagine, are worsening day by day,' Nanos said. 'She requires medication. And I have no way of knowing whether theyre getting that medication to her.'

The kidnapping has captured the attention of Americans, including Trump, who said he was directing federal authorities to help investigate.

The OC Health Care Agency on Saturday said an individual who was infectious with measles visited Disneyland Park on Thursday, Jan. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Disney California Adventure Park from 3 p.m. until closing.

Anyone who was at those locations during the listed times may be at risk of developing measles symptoms between seven and 21 days after exposure, officials said.

The warning follows a measles exposure notice issued last week involving an international traveler who passed through Los Angeles International Airport and later visited Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Health officials urged people who are not fully vaccinated or who are unsure of their immunity status to contact a healthcare provider about receiving the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

'There are populations who cannot receive the measles vaccine ' whether due to age, health conditions or allergies,' said Dr. Anissa Davis, Orange Countys deputy health officer. 'Those individuals may face significantly higher health risks when exposed to the virus.'

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 733 measles cases have been confirmed across 20 states nationwide this years as of Feb. 5.

Symptoms typically include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a rash that begins on the face and spreads to the body, the agency said.

Health officials advised anyone who develops symptoms to stay home and call a medical provider before seeking care to avoid exposing others.

Josh Porras, 50, and Maria Gomez, 41, both of Long Beach, were arrested Thursday in the 5500 block of Linden Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Both suspects were booked on suspicion of murder and were being held on $2 million bail.

Officers responded shortly before 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12 to reports of shots fired in the 2300 block of East Artesia Boulevard and determined the shooting occurred near the Union Pacific Railroad crossing, police said.

A man suffering from a gunshot wound was found at the location. Paramedics took the man, identified as Steven Vejar, to a hospital, where he later died, police said.

A motive for the shooting remains unclear. It was also not known what led police to the suspects.

Anyone with information regarding the fatal shooting was urged to contact LBPD homicide detectives Juan Carlos Reyes or Lisette Temblador at 562-570-7244. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org

Police investigating the DD Café, on the 10500 block of McFadden Avenue, found staffers wearing bikinis or in various states of undress while serving customers, Garden Grove police Sgt. Nick Jensen said.

The operation violated city municipal codes related to public nudity, business operations and alcohol regulations, he said. The business was not permitted to sell alcohol at the location, authorities said, and alcohol-related violations were among the citations.

Among those arrested on Thursday, Feb. 5 were the business owners, Jensen said. In all, 17 people were apprehended.

The building was red-tagged by Garden Grove Code Enforcement, requiring the business to cease operations until the violations are addressed, Jensen said. He did not specify what the building violations involved.

No further details were immediately available.

Jensen said this was not the first time police have taken enforcement action against a bikini café in Garden Grove and added that similar businesses are believed to be operating elsewhere in the city.

Bikini cafés around the U.S. have used scantily clad employees as a marketing gimmick, and often have provocative names. The enterprises can be controversial and draw complaints from nearby communities.

The band said in a statement that Arnold 'passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, in his sleep after his courageous battle with cancer.'

3 Doors Down formed in Mississippi in 1995 and four years later received a Grammy nomination for the breakout hit 'Kryptonite.' Arnold wrote the song in math class when he was 15 years old, according to the band statement.

Their debut album, 'The Better Life,' sold over 6 million copies. A second Grammy nomination came in 2003, for the song 'When Im Gone.'

The band said Arnold 'helped redefine mainstream rock music, blending post-grunge accessibility with emotionally direct songwriting and lyrical themes that resonated with everyday listeners.'

3 Doors Down released six albums, most recently 'Us And The Night' in 2016. Singles included 'Loser,' 'Duck and Run' and 'Be Like That,' which appeared on the soundtrack for the 2001 film 'American Pie 2.'

While promoting their 5th album, 'Time of My Life,' Arnold said he considered himself lucky to have carved out a career in the music business.

'If you do something as long as weve done it, you cant help but get better at it, you know?' Arnold told The Associated Press in 2011.

In 2017, 3 Doors Down performed at the first inauguration concert of President Donald Trump.

Arnold announced his cancer diagnosis last May, saying clear cell renal carcinoma had metastasized to his lungs. The band was forced to cancel a summer tour.

'His music reverberated far beyond the stage, creating moments of connection, joy, faith, and shared experiences that will live on long after the stages he performed on,' the band said.

'The Dodgers express their sorrow over the sudden passing of Terrance Gore, a member of our 2020 World Series champions. We send our condolences to his loved ones,' the Dodgers posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Gore died on Friday due to complications from an unspecified surgical procedure, according to multiple media reports.

Gore had just 85 plate appearances during his big-league career and batted .216. But in some Septembers and October, he led the majors in stress created for opponents because of his speed. He was often added to rosters late in the regular season ' first by the Royals and later by the Chicago Cubs, Dodgers and New York Mets ' to serve as a pinch runner, usually in the late innings of close games. He played in the major leagues in parts of eight seasons and in just 112 regular-season games and 11 more in the postseason, stealing 48 bases in 58 attempts.

He was born and raised in Georgia and played college baseball at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama, Florida. Gore was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 20th round in 2011 (606th overall). In the minors, Gore had a .237 batting average with a .334 on-base percentage ' he hit one home run in 2,585 plate appearances. But he could run, and he made his major league debut with the Royals in 2014.

Gore was not on the roster when Kansas City won the World Series in 2015, but he received a ring nonetheless, the first of three he would win in his career.

He signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers in February 2020, and although he appeared sparingly and was once again left off the World Series roster, he received a World Series ring after the Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games.

The next season, Gore was on the postseason roster for the champion Atlanta Braves, and received another ring despite not appearing in any World Series games.

Christopher James Ramstead, 47, was arrested on Feb. 4 and booked on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

It was not immediately clear whether the alleged abuse involved a single child or multiple victims.

Ramstead was released after posting $550,000 bail on Feb. 5 and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Feb. 26, court records show.

'The alleged incident(s) occurred outside the scope of the employees official duties,' the city of Pasadena said in a statement. 'The fire captain was immediately placed on administrative leave while the investigation(s) take place. Due to the active investigation(s), the city cannot comment further.'

Ramstead was promoted to captain in 2016, according to a social media post shared by the Pasadena Fire Department.

No further details were available.

You can buy single adult tickets for $27, with discounts for seniors, military and children. These must be purchased online beforehand. The farm also offers season passes for $57, also with similar discounts, that are good every day the farm is open, and include special parking. Regular parking is free. The farm also offers other events including a sweet pea maze (included with admission), $8 wagon tours, gold sluice mining, wine tasting, crafts, yoga, sound baths and more at additional cost.

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are located at 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad. Learn more and buy tickets: theflowerfields.com

That churn intensified in the races final hours. Early Saturday, City Councilmember Nithya Raman entered the contest just hours before the noon cutoff. Late Friday night, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath announced she would stay out of the race, closing the door on another long-speculated candidacy.

By the time the filing period closed at noon Saturday, 43 candidates had filed declarations of intention to run and challenge Mayor Karen Bass, who is seeking a second term in the June 2 primary election, according to the city clerks office. Two candidates later withdrew, leaving 41 declared candidates as the race moved into its next phase.

The unusually crowded field reflects broader tensions facing the city ' from wildfire recovery and homelessness to public safety, affordability and trust in government ' as well as lingering questions about Bass leadership after a year marked by crisis.

Much of the late movement followed renewed criticism of Bass handling of the Palisades fire, which prompted shifting calculations among potential challengers and a flurry of activity across the field.

Raman, who represents the Fourth District and chairs the City Councils homeless and housing committee, has emerged as one of the citys most progressive voices on housing and homelessness. First elected to the council in 2020, her term runs through 2028, meaning she would retain her council seat even if unsuccessful in a mayoral bid.

'Los Angeles is at a breaking point, and people feel it in the most basic ways,' Raman said after filing her paperwork Saturday.

Raman said housing costs are pushing families out of Los Angeles, the homelessness system lacks clear accountability, and residents dont feel safe in their neighborhoods.

'Los Angeles needs a mayor whos going to take responsibility for the whole system,' Raman said, “whos going to demand accountability across departments, whos going to prepare for emergencies before they happen, whos going to communicate honestly when things go wrong and fix what fails.'

In response to Raman’s entry, Bass’ campaign on Saturday criticized Raman’s record on homelessness and public safety.

“The last thing Los Angeles needs is a politician who opposed cleaning up homeless encampments and efforts to make our city safer,” Bass campaign adviser Douglas Herman said in a statement. “Mayor Bass will continue changing L.A. by building on her track record delivering L.A.‘s first sustained decrease in street homelessness, a 60-year low in homicides, and the most aggressive agenda our city has ever seen to make our city more affordable.”

Political analysts said Ramans entry reshapes the race in ways that differ sharply from the threats posed by other potential challengers who ultimately stayed out.

Dan Schnur, a longtime California political strategist, said that while Raman lacks the personal wealth of someone like billionaire and real estate developer Rick Caruso, she may be a more complicated opponent for Bass in other respects.

'Facing a candidate who will come at her from the left rather than the center right puts Bass on the opposite side of the progressive grassroots energy that has been reshaping L.A.,' he said Saturday. 'She ran her last campaign by tying Caruso to Donald Trump. That’s not possible against Raman.'

Former City Councilmember Mike Bonin, now executive director of the Pat Brown Institute, said Ramans entry 'really shakes things up,' calling her 'probably the most politically potent' City Council member who could have run.

Bonin said Raman, who became the first Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed candidate elected to the City Council in 2020, has won by wide margins, built a strong fundraising base and developed a profile that extends beyond City Hall.

'She has a brand unlike most members of the City Council,' he said, comparing her appeal to that of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose progressive campaign drew national attention. He added that the issues she is most closely associated with ' housing and homelessness ' are likely to be key issues in the race.

Meanwhile, Horvath ruled out a run late Friday night, saying she would instead focus on her reelection campaign for the Board of Supervisors.

'Im choosing not to run for mayor and instead to focus on my reelection for Los Angeles County Supervisor,' Horvath said in a video posted on X at 9:53 pm Friday, 'not because Im stepping away from a challenge. Im stepping even more into the one weve already started.'

Her decision followed a similar reversal earlier in the week by Caruso, who ruled out a bid Thursday, just one day after publicly signaling he was reconsidering another run.

'Rick is incredibly moved by the outpouring of support but reached an earlier decision in a thoughtful process and it stands,' a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. 'He will not be a candidate for mayor.'

Caruso, who lost to Bass in 2022 after a well-funded campaign, had briefly reopened the possibility of a rematch after reporting by the Los Angeles Times alleged that Bass directed changes to a Los Angeles Fire Department after-action report on the Palisades fire in ways that downplayed failures by the city and the department, an allegation Bass has repeatedly denied.

His decision closed the door on a rematch that many political observers viewed as one of the most formidable challenges to the incumbent.

That same day, former Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced he was ending his campaign following the death of his 22-year-old daughter. Beutner, who led the nations largest school district from 2018 to 2021, had been widely seen as another serious contender with the ability to force a runoff in the June primary.

In his statement departing the race, Beutner said Los Angeles is 'a special place” but warned that 'every day its becoming less affordable, less safe and a more difficult place to live,' arguing that the citys challenges will require new ideas and leadership capable of implementing changes.

Elsewhere this week, tech executive and homelessness nonprofit co-founder Adam Miller moved to enter the race, adding to an already crowded field.

But Bass remains the races central figure ' and most scrutinized.

Her reelection bid comes after a first term defined by a series of overlapping crises, including homelessness, the immigration enforcement raids, public safety concerns and the Palisades fire that erupted in January 2025, killing 12 people and destroying thousands of homes.

Bass has faced renewed criticism over the citys handling of the fire. She was out of the country on a diplomatic trip when it ignited, and the response has since been the subject of investigations, including a mayor-ordered examination of the Fire Departments handling of the earlier Lachman fire, which later reignited into the Palisades fire.

Reporting by the L.A. Times this week alleged that Bass raised concerns that an early draft of the fire departments after-action report could expose the city to legal liability, leading to changes that softened criticism of the city and the departments response. Bass has vehemently denied the allegations, saying she only asked that the report be accurate on issues such as weather conditions and budget.

In a statement sent to reporters, the mayors office dismissed the reporting as 'muckraking journalism,' emphasizing that Bass has publicly criticized the fire response, replaced LAFD leadership and called for additional accountability.

Beyond the fire, Bass has pointed to progress on homelessness as a central pillar of her reelection case, highlighting the Inside Safe initiative and declines in street homelessness in some parts of the city. Critics, however, argue that encampments remain widespread and that long-term housing production has not kept pace with demand.

On public safety, Bass has sought to strike a balance between reform and enforcement, backing expanded police hiring while also emphasizing alternatives to incarceration. She has also drawn praise from some quarters for her response to federal immigration raids, publicly confronting Trump administration officials and positioning herself as a defender of immigrant communities.

At the same time, the Palisades fire and ongoing concerns over affordability and quality of life have continued to shape the political environment as the field of challengers takes shape.

But while Bass has taken a political hit following the Palisades fire, Zev Yaroslavsky, a former Los Angeles County supervisor and longtime political observer, cautioned against reading too much into approval ratings in a crowded field.

'Even if she’s not as popular as she’d like to be, once she’s got a real live opponent or opponents, she will be measured against those opponents, not against the ideal,' he said in an interview Friday. 'And I wouldn’t write her political obituary.'

Beyond Bass, the race now includes a crowded and ideologically diverse field of challengers who have already filed to run.

Rae Chen Huang, a housing rights advocate and ordained pastor, has emerged as one of the most left-leaning candidates in the race, calling for sweeping changes to the citys housing, public safety and governance systems. Her campaign has emphasized aggressive affordability measures, tenant protections and a more transparent City Hall, while leaning heavily on grassroots organizing and progressive voter outreach.

Spencer Pratt, a reality television personality who lost his home in the Palisades fire, has also filed to run for mayor, framing his candidacy around frustration with the citys response to the wildfire and broader concerns about quality of life and the lack of infrastructure. Pratt has argued that the disaster exposed systemic failures in preparedness and accountability and has cast himself as an outsider voice for residents who feel let down by City Hall.

Adam Miller, a tech executive and nonprofit founder, also entered the race this week, pitching himself as an outsider to elective office with experience spanning business, technology and homelessness policy. Miller founded and led Cornerstone OnDemand, a workforce education company he took public before it was sold in 2021 for $5.2 billion, and later launched Better Angels, a nonprofit focused on homelessness prevention, services and housing.

Beyond the higher-profile contenders, dozens of lesser-known candidates have filed paperwork to run, underscoring the unusually crowded nature of the race. Those filings include Asaad Alnajjar, an engineering manager with the city of Los Angeles; Tish Hyman, a musician and entrepreneur; Juanita Lopez, a political scientist; and John Logsdon, a neighborhood council board member ' all candidates from a wide range of professional and civic backgrounds.

Yaroslavsky said the coming months will determine whether any challenger can gain traction.

'An election is a job interview,' he said. 'The people are the employers, and theyre going to take a look at this interview, and theyre going to say ‘who do I really trust, who do I really believe has what it takes,’ and that’s what the campaign is about.'

After the deadline passes, no new candidates may enter the race or withdraw their declarations. Candidates must still qualify for the ballot by submitting nominating petitions by March 4, and may withdraw later by pulling those petitions by March 9. The city clerks office said the current list reflects those who have declared their intent to run, not the final, certified ballot.

The official list of candidates will be released after the petition period ends on March 4, per the city clerks office.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ' In 2019, after a routine vaccination, 11-year-old Keithron Thomas felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and down his arm. His mother, Melanie Bostic, thought it would go away after a few days. But days turned to weeks, then months, and years.

Bostic learned of a federal program designed to help people who suffer rare vaccine reactions.

The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program was created in 1986 after a flood of vaccine injury lawsuits drove drugmakers from the market. Congress aimed to offer a faster and more generous path to compensation for people injured by vaccines, while shielding manufacturers from liability. The VICP, commonly known as vaccine court, is taxpayer-funded. The government pays any award to claimants as well as attorneys fees.

Bostic filed a claim in 2022 for compensation to cover her sons spiraling medical bills. She then contacted the Carlson Law Firm, which referred her to Arizona-based attorney Andrew Downing ' who now serves as a senior adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Downing declined to comment and HHS did not respond to requests for comment for this article.

Downing, who has represented hundreds of plaintiffs in vaccine court in Washington, D.C., signed on to take their case, according to a contract reviewed by KFF Health News. They agreed Downing would pursue the claim before the VICP.

Bostic shared documents and medical records as he requested them. Months passed as she waited for news on her sons case.

After several months of making court filings, Downing told her it was time to opt out of the vaccine program and sue the drugmaker. When she refused to opt out, he withdrew from the case.

The government paid Downing $445 an hour for representing Bostic, which is typical for program attorneys with his experience, according to court records.

Three years later, Bostic said, she hasnt received a dime for her sons injury. Thomas, now 18, endures debilitating pain that doctors say may never go away.

Rather than help them work through the program, Bostic feels that Downing steered them away from it and toward a lawsuit against the manufacturer. The VICP ultimately dismissed her case.

Bostic was furious that the court paid Downing anything.

'Yall couldve gave that to me for my son,' she said. 'How dare yall.'

In Business With Washington

In June, Kennedys HHS also awarded Downings law firm, Brueckner Spitler Shelts, a sole-source federal contract to consult on an overhaul of the VICP. The contract has grown to $410,000. Downing is the only attorney listed on the firms website who has practiced in vaccine court.

Kennedy has routinely questioned vaccine safety and called the VICP 'broken,' saying it shields drug companies from some liability 'no matter how negligent they are.' As a personal injury lawyer, Kennedy previously spearheaded civil litigation against vaccine maker Merck.

Downing and about a dozen other lawyers have transferred hundreds of clients from the vaccine program to civil suits, where the financial rewards ' for patients and their lawyers ' could run far higher, according to a KFF Health News analysis of court records and program data. Theyve collected millions of taxpayer dollars in attorneys fees from vaccine court while launching precisely what it was designed to avoid: lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers.

This shift in legal strategy has fueled Kennedys crusade against Merck, and it could end up hurting some vaccine-injured clients, several experts said.

University of California Law-San Francisco professor Dorit Reiss has studied vaccine court for over a decade and has tracked the rise of anti-vaccine forces in American politics. She said VICP attorneys who are also suing vaccine makers have 'incentives to direct more people' to lawsuits, 'when it might not be in their best interest.'

A Delicate Balance

Kennedy has criticized the VICP as a barrier to accountability. But for Bostic, vaccine court offered an opportunity to hold the government to its promise of caring for casualties of widespread immunization.

Like any medication, vaccines can have side effects. Serious reactions to routine shots are rare, but for the unlucky few who bear this burden, the government promises recourse through its administrative program.

Vaccine court aims to strike a balance between protecting public health and helping individuals who may pay its price. The no-fault program allows claimants with vaccine-related injuries to get help without showing that the vaccine maker did anything wrong, even when the evidence doesnt meet courtroom standards.

The program has made more than 12,500 awards, totaling roughly $5 billion in compensation. Historically, nearly half of claims have been resolved with some kind of award.

If patients arent satisfied with the outcome or dont get a ruling within 240 days, they may leave the administrative program and sue the vaccine maker in civil court. Plaintiffs could potentially win larger awards. Lawyers could obtain higher fees, which they cant in vaccine court.

But winning a civil suit is far more difficult, in part because plaintiffs have a greater burden of showing the vaccine caused their injury and that the maker was at fault. Since the VICP was created, no vaccine injury lawsuit has won a judgment in regular court, records show.

That hasnt stopped some lawyers from trying. After the requisite 240 days, they have transferred hundreds of VICP claims into civil litigation against HPV vaccine manufacturer Merck, the KFF Health News analysis found.

The lawyers who represented those claims include Downing and other VICP attorneys with ties to Kennedy, court records show. Those include Kennedy advisers and people who work in the law office of his longtime personal lawyer Aaron Siri or with Childrens Health Defense, the anti-vaccine outfit Kennedy founded, as well as a former Kennedy co-counsel in suits against Merck over its HPV vaccine, Gardasil.

Downing, whose law firm biography describes him as 'one of the preeminent litigation attorneys in the Court of Federal Claims,' has not won an HPV vaccine injury claim in the past five years, records show. Vaccine court did compensate dozens of HPV vaccine claims in that time, but most ' including nearly all of Downings ' were withdrawn upon reaching the opt-out period.

VICP data and court records show that over the past five years, Downing and other lawyers withdrew roughly 400 Gardasil claims from vaccine court before a ruling was issued. The plaintiffs received nothing from the program. Hundreds of these cases joined the litigation against Merck, according to court records.

Once the opt-out period arrived in Bostics case, Downing informed her that he was preparing to withdraw her sons claim and move the case back to the original law firm for a lawsuit against Merck.

'That,' he wrote in an email, 'was the plan all along.'

Fighting for Compensation

Thomas, who hopes to enroll in community college and become a computer programmer, has intermittent numbness in his fingers and stabbing sensations in his arm nearly every day. The pain often radiates across his back or up his neck, and hes developed migraines. Once an active kid who dreamed of playing basketball professionally, he now spends his time playing video games and trying to sleep during lulls in his pain.

Bostics claim on behalf of her son made him one of about 1,000 people who have filed with vaccine court for HPV vaccine injuries. More than 200 have received compensation ' just over one for every million shots given. Court records show program awards were typically $50,000 to $100,000, with some also covering past medical bills or future health care expenses.

Richard Hughes IV, a health care attorney and former pharmaceutical executive who teaches vaccine law at George Washington University Law School, reviewed Thomas records and said cases like his were exactly what the vaccine program was designed to address.

'That just seems straightforward,' Hughes said of Thomas claim. 'That should have gotten compensated.'

Bostic wanted the federal agencies that had approved and recommended Gardasil to answer for her sons injuries. The single mother hoped compensation from the program would allow Thomas to see specialists including neurologists, afford natural treatments, and enroll in physical therapy.

'He would have had the best of the best health care,' she said.

When Downing took their case, Bostic said, he told her during a phone call that vaccine courts $250,000 limit on pain and suffering was too low for her sons injury. Bostic said Downing advised she could get more money by suing Merck, though that could take longer.

'I said, ‘No, that will take years. My son needs help now,' Bostic recalled.

Bostic said she told Downing she wanted a fund set up for Thomas health care as soon as possible.

In the following weeks, Bostic sent paperwork to Downings office but had difficulty getting in touch with him, email and text messages show. Downings billing records show a gap in his work on the case from late September until mid-November.

In November 2022, Downing emailed Bostic, 'The opt out date for K.T.s case is set for April 23, 2023. At that point, we will be in a position to opt K.T.s case out of the Vaccine Program and move the case back over to the Carlson Law Firm for handling in the Merck litigation.'

Bostic said she was confused at the time by that language. But she remembers being emphatic in a follow-up phone call with Downing, repeatedly telling him she would not opt out.

After that, Bostic said, she didnt hear from Downing for months despite calling his office and leaving messages with secretaries.

Downings billing records show that he and his paralegals spent fewer than nine hours on Bostics case in that stretch. This included time spent requesting, reviewing, and filing medical records, as well as drafting and filing extension requests. The billing records did not include any communication with Bostic during that time.

The court granted each of Downings extension requests, pushing back the deadline a month at a time.

In April 2023, Downing sent Bostic an email noting that 240 days had passed, so he could drop their government claim and they could sue Merck.

'Gardasil cases do not receive very fair treatment in the Vaccine Program,' Downing wrote, adding that he would withdraw as her attorney if Bostic stayed in the program.

Bostic chose to stick with vaccine court, later telling the vaccine court judge by email that shed advised her attorney 'I was not trying to become a millionaire.'

That exchange of emails in April is when Bostic said she learned Downing was already representing plaintiffs in lawsuits over Gardasil. The litigation encompassed hundreds of other patients who ' most of them under Downings counsel ' had filed VICP claims in recent years.

Running out the 240-day clock, critics say, is allowed but subverts the programs intent.

Some legal experts criticize the way Downing handled Bostics case.

'They trusted him to file the VICP case,' Reiss said. 'Its his job to zealously advocate for his clients. In this case, his clients want to go through VICP. Its his job to fight for them in VICP, not to wait for 240 days.'

When Downing joined HHS as a senior adviser to Kennedy, court records show, he handed off his remaining vaccine court cases to other attorneys in firms involved in the litigation against Merck.

A New Approach

The vaccine program has long faced criticism for giving claimants too little, too late. Even VICP advocates see the need for reform, with eight officials deciding a growing backlog of claims, driving up wait times. The cap on pain and suffering payments has not changed since 1986. But the court can award further compensation like a fund for lifetime medical care that can reach millions.

Most vaccine-injured individuals are better off in the administrative program than in civil litigation, legal experts said.

Renée Gentry, director of GWUs Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic and a founding member of the Vaccine Injured Petitioners Bar Association, has represented hundreds of families alleging vaccine injuries. Most of them, she said, arent focused on big payouts; rather, they 'want their kid taken care of or they want to be taken care of.'

For claims that often fail in vaccine court, however, Gentry said a lawsuit may be the best option. According to Gentry, HPV vaccine claims like Thomas are particularly challenging to win in the VICP.

'If youre not going to win, then you want those clients to have at least an opportunity at something,' she said.

For Mark Sadaka, a prominent vaccine court lawyer representing some claims in Merck litigation, sending clients to regular court is a last resort.

Sadaka said certain Gardasil injury claimants, such as those alleging mental rather than physical harm, might be better off in litigation. But by sticking it out in the VICP, Sadaka has won HPV vaccine injury claims that were the first of their kind, including for narcolepsy, alopecia, and even a deadly arrhythmia.

'Hes going to get taken care of for the rest of his life,' Sadaka said of his client who won compensation for narcolepsy in 2023. 'And he doesnt have to pay me anything.'

Sadaka, like all program lawyers, gets an hourly rate from the VICP. He said that he could make much more money representing the same claims in traditional litigation, since he could get a cut of any awards.

'Its a better thing for me to file in regular court and get a higher fee, but for the client, sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesnt,' Sadaka said. 'My role is to explain both sides in gross detail for them and give them as much information as possible so they can make an informed decision.'

According to Sadaka, some lawyers in the VICP automatically advise their clients to leave vaccine court and file a lawsuit.

'If they can extract settlements, theyre going to be very happy to put that money in their pockets,' Hughes noted.

Winning a lawsuit or reaching a major settlement could also spell trouble for nationwide vaccine access, replaying the events that gave rise to vaccine court in the 1980s.

Some vaccine lawyers and policymakers believe Kennedy and his colleagues might welcome a return to those days.

'If they can bring down the system, thats a feather in their cap,' Hughes said.

Lawyers cannot win contingency fees in vaccine court. They get paid for time spent on reasonable claims whether they win or lose. Downing made more than $1 million representing clients before the VICP in recent years, according to court records.

A January VICP report shows that since fiscal year 2020, the program has paid scores of attorneys about $280 million ' including over $43 million for cases they did not win.

In each of the last two fiscal years, lawyers got roughly $9 million for VICP claims in which their clients got nothing. That was more than the program had ever previously paid to attorneys for unsuccessful claims, according to vaccine court data.

‘Learning How To Cope

After discovering her attorney would not pursue VICP compensation for her son, Bostic decided to advocate for Thomas herself.

'Please help me,' she wrote in a letter to the court.

VICP staff gave Bostic extra time to find a new lawyer and gather records.

The following months proved difficult for the family. Bostic was hospitalized with a life-threatening condition. Her mothers health declined. She was laid off and lost her familys health insurance.

By the time Bostic could take Thomas to a pediatric neurologist to get medical records for his VICP case, she said, the doctor had moved hours away to Orlando.

Bostic repeatedly missed deadlines and failed to communicate with program staff as required, court records show. Emails, docket entries, and letters suggest she may have misunderstood some court orders and not received others.

When Thomas medical records remained incomplete for another year, the presiding official dismissed Bostics claim, writing that while he had sympathy for what she and her son had endured, 'the case cannot be allowed to remain pending indefinitely.'

Thomas said he can no longer play basketball with friends. He cant even help his mother carry groceries into the house.

'I got to live with this, and theres pain,' he said.

Bostic now works from home as a bank fraud analyst. With an income just above the cutoff for government assistance, she puts in overtime in hopes of affording health insurance for Thomas and her six other children.

'People are asking, ‘Hows your son doing?' Bostic said. 'I normally say, ‘Still the same. We just learning how to cope with it.'

Methodology

The KFF Health News analysis began with court records for cases in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which includes vaccine court. We first identified all cases since 2006 (when the HPV vaccine was introduced) in which the 'nature of suit' field explicitly mentioned human papillomavirus, or in which 'nature of suit' was categorized as 'other' vaccine injury/death and the case text included the word 'papillomavirus.' The latter made up about 10% of identified cases, mostly claims filed before the HPV vaccine was added to the program or claims involving multiple vaccines. We cross-referenced the number of cases with data from VICP reports to verify completeness.

After identifying the relevant vaccine court cases, we pulled these claims filing and closing dates and took the difference to find the number of days that each case spent in vaccine court. To estimate total attorneys fees awarded for these claims, we added the fee amounts recorded in dozens of the VICP rulings and derived a minimum estimate based on the number of such cases.

We then searched federal court records for litigation over Mercks HPV vaccine, Gardasil, and pulled the names of the plaintiffs and attorneys involved. To gauge the scale of claims diverted from the VICP to litigation, we searched for each attorney in the Gardasil-related vaccine court cases and searched for the last name of each plaintiff in the titles of those cases.

©2026 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.