Pike County, Ky – Kentucky State Police say escaped inmate Whitney Hurley is back in custody after a chase in Mingo County, West Virginia. Troopers say Mingo County deputies arrested Hurley Thursday morning. She was the inmate who walked away from the Pike County Detention Center just before 6 p.m. Wednesday. Hurley is 36 and from Freeburn. If you have any information related to the case, call Kentucky State Police in Pikeville on 606-433-7711.
Paintsville, Ky – Sentencing has been delayed for a Paintsville man charged in the 2023 shooting death of his two‑year‑old son. Prosecutors say 28‑year‑old Travis Mollette of Madison Avenue pleaded guilty in December to reckless homicide after his son fatally shot himself with a pistol left loaded and unsecured on a TV stand. Johnson Commonwealth’s Attorney Matt Runyon says his office recommended a two‑year prison sentence after consulting the child’s family, who wanted accountability without a trial. Mollette’s Feb. 13 sentencing was postponed after he asked for more time upon learning he would have to serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The case is now set for March 13, the plea offer remains on the table, and Mollette remains free on bond.
Prestonsburg, Ky – A former chief financial officer for Mountain Comprehensive Care has filed a lawsuit claiming she faced a hostile work environment after refusing to falsify billing codes. Twenty‑six‑year employee Rebeckah Hall alleges CEO Promod Bishnoi and other supervisors pushed her to submit false codes to boost revenue, including billing services at the wrong locations and under the wrong providers. Hall says she reported her concerns to the board, then suffered retaliation that forced her to resign on December 5, which the suit calls a constructive termination. The lawsuit represents only one side of the case, and the parties have not yet publicly responded.
Virgie, Ky – A Pike County man is jailed on a charge of sexually abusing a child under 12 years old. Jail records show 39‑year‑old George W. Adkins Jr. of Newsome Branch in Virgie was booked into the Pike County Detention Center on February 18 in connection with a Kentucky State Police investigation that began in November. A warrant by Trooper Izaeyah Dotson states a forensic interview at the Big Sandy Child Advocacy Center, also known as Judi’s Place for Kids, produced evidence and victim statements alleging Adkins sexually abused the child. The warrant says Adkins fled Kentucky for Tennessee after learning the allegations would be reported to authorities. He is being held on a 100,000-dollar bond and would be required to be on home incarceration if released.