Bella May Culley, 18, had been backpacking in Southeast Asia
A British teenager appeared in court after going missing in Thailand and turning up in Georgia, only to be arrested on suspicion of drug offences.
Earlier this week, Bella May Culley disappeared while backpacking in Thailand – with her family launching an appeal on Tuesday (May 13).
She’d started traveling in the Philippines on April 28 before island hopping and arriving in Thailand on May 3.
It was later discovered that the student – who reportedly recently finished a course at Middlesbrough College and hoped to become a nurse – had been arrested at Tbilisi International Airport, Georgia, on May 10.
The 18-year-old was arrested in possession of ’34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana … as well as 20 packages of hashish’, according to local media reports.
Bella Culley went missing but was later arrested (Facebook/Bella May Culley)
The Georgian interior ministry said in a statement: “B.K, born in 2006, is charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia. The committed crime envisions up to 20 years – or life imprisonment.”
On May 13, a pre-trial hearing took place at Tbilisi city court and Culley allegedly revealed a significant update regarding her wellbeing.
The teenager told the court she was pregnant, as reported by the BBC.
It’s reported she will undergo a medical examination to prove her claims.
Bella Culley was taken into custody by Georgia police (Georgia Police)
The prosecutor asked for 55 days to find evidence, and it is understood that this could be extended by seven more months.
“They [police] said that they had to conduct a lot of investigative activities, so that they can collect evidence, establish where it was from [the narcotics] and was she planning to hand it over to someone,” Culley’s lawyer, Ia Todua, said.
“That’s what they said they want to establish, and they also confiscated her phone.”
The teen’s father is reported as making his way to Tbilisi.
Elsewhere during the court proceedings, Culley is reported as having remained silent and her lawyer spoke out, arguing for her release on bail.
Culley is reportedly set to undergo medical examination (Facebook/Bella Culley)
They said: “My client is currently exercising the right to remain silent, so we will provide detailed information later, once they decide how to proceed.
“A formal request must be submitted to the relevant authority, and then more detailed information regarding my client can be provided.
“At this stage, [she is] invoking [her] right to silence, and further developments will be shared later once a decision is made.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK has said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who is detained in Georgia and are in contact with the local authorities.”Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Bella Culley
Topics: UK News, Thailand, Travel, World News, Crime
Published 14:14 11 Feb 2024 GMT
Influencer hits back after being slammed for telling people to ‘just book a flight’ to Thailand
The TikToker spoke the truth about the video and stomped out any false claims
A TikToker who posts her travels online hit back at critics who accused her of being ‘out of touch’ with her video which told people to spontaneously take a trip out to Thailand.
Influencer Kat Crittenden posted a video of herself swimming in stunning blue waters in Thailand last year.
The video, which was shared to social media platform TikTok, faced backlash pretty quickly with users swarming the comments to share their views.
The video in question starts with Kat saying: “What are you doing in America, this could be 5.30 on a Thursday night for you if you just book a freaking flight. Like, come to Thailand, this should sell you, get your a** out here.”
Solo traveler reveals countries she felt most unsafe
Credit: TikTok/@sunsetoverwater_
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Though the seven-second clip was probably meant in a lighthearted manner, people weren’t impressed with the tone of the video, with many highlighting that it came across as privileged and ‘out of touch’, assuming that everyone just has the money to spend on a plane ticket to Thailand.
There’s also other issues at play which could scupper arranging last minute travel plans, like securing a visa and so on.
One person commented: “Hey there Kat! I had multiple homelessness scares this year already. Hope this helps.”
Another added: “I’m working… because you know… I have bills that will be waiting for me when I get back from this ‘cheap trip to Thailand’.”
A third person said: “I’ll put living paycheck to paycheck on hold so I can do that. Thanks for the advice.”
A fourth wrote: “I don’t have rich parents.”
TikTok/@kathryncritt
However, Crittenden responded to the critics in an interview with Insider, where she said the video was intended as a whimsical off-the-cuff post and not meant to be taken so seriously.
She said: “When I posted the video, I posted it fully as a happy, lighthearted video, just kind of trying to inspire people to go out there and go explore the world.”
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/7268388268247485739
Crittenden added: “I understand that I do have a lot of privilege to be able to do what I do, but at the same time, it definitely upsets me that that video was taken the wrong way.”
Crittenden also cleared up some of the suggestions that she lived off her parents’ money, by quickly stomping that claim out.
“I would say the worst comments for me are when people say it’s daddy’s money because that could not be further from the truth,” she said.
TikTok/@kathryncritt
“I feel like it just bothers me because I didn’t have a good relationship with my dad growing up. I haven’t even spoken to my dad in five years.”
The influencer added: “Those definitely get to me because it’s not true at all. It couldn’t be further from the truth. I mean, I grew up making my own money.”
Luckily, the backlash Crittenden received on the video hasn’t put her off from following her dreams and making travel videos on the platform.
“Honestly, I still love doing it,” she added. “I mean that’s one video out of probably hundreds that I’ve posted. And the hundreds of other ones have been seen by the people who follow me and they like watching them, and they’re all like very fun people.”Featured Image Credit: @kathryncritt/TikTok
Topics: TikTok, Viral, Social Media, Travel, Thailand
Updated 16:39 10 May 2025 GMT+1Published 09:33 10 May 2025 GMT+1
Chilling new details emerge in case of plane crash that killed family of doctors and student athletes onboard
Dr Michael Groff was piloting the flight which crashed on April 12
An investigation into the fatal private plane crash that claimed the lives of six people has revealed the pilot’s final moments.
A family of doctors and student athletes, alongside their partners, died after their aircraft collided with a muddy field in Copake, close to the Massachusetts border, in upstate New York, shortly after 12pm Eastern Time, on April 12.
The private plane was owned by Dr Michael Groff, a neuroscientist who was piloting the flight at the time, alongside his wife Dr Joy Saini, a urogynecologist, who was also on board.
Their daughter, former MIT soccer player Karenna Groff – who was named the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year – had accompanied them on the flight alongside her boyfriend, James Santoro, another recent MIT graduate.
Her brother Jared Groff, a 2022 graduate of Swarthmore College who worked as a paralegal, joined them alongside his partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte – who graduated from Swarthmore and planned to attend Harvard Law School this fall.
Plane crash in New York leaves six dead
Credit: NBC 10 WJAR
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The family were reportedly going on a trip to the Catskills for a birthday celebration, which coincided with the Passover holiday.
Now, chilling new details have revealed what happened moments before the collision took place.
Their private aircraft – a Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 – departed Westchester County Airport in White Plains, a suburb of New York, at around 11.34am, a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board states.
It headed on a ‘northeast to northern track’ to its planned destination of Columbia County Airport in Hudson.
According to the report, at around 11.57am, Dr Groff informed air traffic control that he had missed his slot to the runway, and the controller advised on new instructions for landing – which he acknowledged shortly after 12pm.
Karenna Groff and her boyfriend James Santoro were on board the plane (John Santoro/NBC Boston)
Around a minute later, a controller issued a warning to Dr Groff stating that his plane was flying too low, but he never responded.
The report adds: “Despite the controller’s multiple attempts, no further radio transmissions were received from the pilot. About 1203:55, the controller advised the pilot that radar contact was lost.”
The plane crashed roughly 10 miles south of the airport, and in a muddy snow-covered field, although the report indicates that there were no significant weather warnings issued for the area at the time.
The report did not provide an exact cause of the crash and noted that the ‘information is preliminary and subject to change’.
An approved release by the Groff, Santoro and Duarte families reads: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved family members. We will remember them as the six brilliant, dynamic, and loving people that they were.”
Dr Joy Saini was one of those onboard (Boston Pelvic Health)
James’ father, John Santoro, told the Associated Press: “They were a wonderful family. The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity.
“We’re all personally devastated.”
Meanwhile, Dr Goff’s family said, as quoted by Times Union, he was ‘an experienced pilot, who fell in love with flying after being taught by his father at the age of sixteen’.
In a statement, Rochester Regional Health CEO Richard Davis said: “Dr. Groff was a highly respected neurosurgeon and physician leader, known for his clinical excellence, compassionate care and unwavering commitment to advancing the field of neuroscience.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.Featured Image Credit: Fox Weather/WRGB
Topics: New York, US News, Travel
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Updated 11:47 16 Mar 2025 GMTPublished 10:30 16 Mar 2025 GMT
‘Person of interest’ in case of missing university student detained ‘under irregular conditions’
University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki was last seen on March 6 in the Dominican Republic
An American tourist, who was the last known person to see missing Sudiksha Konanki, has been detained ‘under irregular conditions’ in the Dominican Republic.
The 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student vanished on March 6 while on a spring break vacation in the Caribbean beauty spot, Punta Cana, while surveillance footage captured her heading to the beach with a group of friends – including Joshua Riibe, of Iowa – at around 4am local time.
Sudiksha Konanki was last seen on March 6 in the Dominican Republic (Law and Crime Network)
Dominican police told CBS that Sudiksha, an Indian native from Virginia, stayed on the beach with one of the men as the others returned to the hotel.
Authorities have since launched a search for Sudiksha after her clothes were found on a sun bed on the Dominican Republic beach where police believe she was going for a swim, reports ABC News.
On March 13, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office named Riibe as a ‘person of interest’ in the case. Authorities said Riibe is not considered a suspect but ‘he may have been the last one to see her’.
The 22-year-old has since been detained in his hotel room ‘under irregular conditions’, his family claim.
A huge search is underway for the student (Defensa Civil Dominicana)
In a statement issue to WTAE, they said: “Despite his full willingness to cooperate, Josh has been detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12.
“He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours.
“This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process.”
His parents also told CBS News they hope Konanki is ‘found as soon as possible’.
Surveillance footage show the young woman walking near the beach at around 4.15am, arm-in-arm with Riibe, of Rock Rapids – located near the border or Minnesota and South Dakota.
Footage shows her walking arm-in-arm with a ‘person of interest’ (WTVR CBS 6)
Riibe, who hasn’t been charged or accused of a crime, has allegedly given mixed accounts of what happened.
During a press conference on March 10, President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader said the last person who had contact with Konanki reported ‘a wave hit them while they were on the beach and caused some kind of situation’.
The sheriff’s office previously said that there had been ‘considerable public speculation about what may have happened to Konanki and who may be involved’.
The news release added: “We caution anyone from drawing any unsubstantiated conclusions and are committed to ensuring that a thorough investigation is conducted before any conclusions are reached. The LCSO is hopeful for the safe return of Sudiksha Konanki, and we are committed to supporting this investigation and her family in every way possible.”
UNILAD contacted the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office for further comment.Featured Image Credit: Sudiksha Konanki/Facebook
Published 10:24 17 Mar 2025 GMT
Person of interest in case of missing university student speaks out for first time
Sudiksha Konanki went missing on March 6, having last been seen strolling to the beach with friends
An American vacationing in the Caribbean at the time of Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance has broken his silence after footage showed him with the 20-year-old in the early hours of the last morning she was seen.
The University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, student vanished on March 6 while on a spring break vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with 22-year-old Joshua Riibe captured on CCTV walking arm-in-arm with her shortly after 4.00am.
Riibe has been made a ‘person of interest’ in the case by Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, and his family have previously spoken out about the ‘irregular conditions’ he has been placed under – despite not being charged or even accused of a crime.
Riibe is not considered a suspect, but ‘he may have been the last one to see her’, police say.
Video shows last whereabouts of Sudiksha Konanki
Credit: YouTube/ 11Alive
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Riibe, of Rock Rapids, Iowa, was also vacationing in the Caribbean beauty spot, having taken a break from his studies as a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
Riibe has now spoken to a NBC news reporter at the resort where Sudiksha had been staying.
When asked about the case, he replied: “I’m just trying to help them out.”
Before adding: “The ocean is a dangerous place.”
Sudiksha Konanki was last seen on March 6 in the Dominican Republic (Law and Crime Network)
Meanwhile, the law firm representing the college student told NBC News in an email on Saturday (March 15): “[Riibe] has been confined to the hotel since the investigation began. He is permanently escorted by the police anywhere he goes. So no, he is not free to leave.”
In a statement issued to WTAE, his parents said: “Despite his full willingness to cooperate, Josh has been detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12.
“He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours.
A huge search is underway for the student (Defensa Civil Dominicana)
“This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process.”
They also told CBS News they hope Sudiksha is ‘found as soon as possible’.
Surveillance footage shows Sudiksha heading to the beach with a group of friends – including Riibe – at around 4.00am following a night of partying.
Authorities believe they have found her clothes on a sun bed on the Dominican Republic beach where police think she was going for a swim, reports ABC News.Featured Image Credit: Defensa Civil Dominicana
