"The rank on my shoulders—the gleaming, silver eagle of a U.S. Air Force Colonel—has always felt lighter than the constant, crushing weight of motherhood. I am Colonel Ava Hayes. To the world and my subordinates, I am a woman who commands a wing of advanced reconnaissance aircraft. I deal with classified intelligence, high-stakes geopolitical maneuvering, and decisions that can shift the course of national security. But my greatest fear, the one thing that keeps me awake when the base goes quiet

On July 24, 2025, Phoenix resident Ascencio Largo left his four young children in a parked car with the windows up and engine off while he went into The Adult Shoppe. The outside temperature exceeded 100 degrees, and the interior of the vehicle reached about 125 degrees. A bystander noticed the children crying and called 911. Responding officers found the kids drenched in sweat and overheated, immediately moving them into a patrol car with air conditioning. Largo reportedly had alcohol on him, l