breaking overnight.

a teenaged boy accused of killing four family members in new mexico. the details we're learning this morning about what happened. lawmakers continue raising questions about the mystery drones in the skies over new york and new jersey. a rare tornado touches down in california, injuring at least five people. meteorologist michelle grossman is here tracking the new system heading toward the west coast. plus the wet weather soaking the east. an exclusive sit-down with the woman accusing rappers jay z and sean "diddy" combs of rape. sticking by her allegations while acknowledging some inconsistencies. and how a north carolina community devastated by hurricane helene came together to make sure this year's nutcracker performance still went on. it's monday, december 16th. "early today" starts right now. good morning, i'm frances rivera. we begin with breaking news. a 16-year-old boy in new mexico

has been charged with murder after four of his family members were found dead in their home. it happened in the small town of belen, 33 miles south of albuquerque. the boy turned himself in, and police say he told the dispatcher that he had, quote, killed his family. a gun was found in the home. the four victims are two adults and two teenagers. the suspect was extremely intoxicated when he surrendered and had to go to the hospital for detoxification. it's not clear if he has a lawyer yet. now to the fight to extradite ceo murder suspect luigi mangione. it's intensifying, a source telling nbc news that a grand jury could be asked to hand up an indictment this week. the possible indictment would strengthen the case for extradition by making the charges official. >> we expect that to be issued any day now. and it's, the second that happens, i'm issuing a warrant

for extradition. >> mangione's attorney has vowed to challenge extradition while a high-powered new york defense attorney has also joined the team. mangione is due back in a pennsylvania court next monday on charges related to a 3d-printed gun and fake i.d. lawmakers continue to push for more answers about the mysterious sightings in the northeastern skies, as people report seeing dozens of drones flying overhead. the government is deploying a new tool to find out what's really going on. maya eaglin is following the story. >> reporter: growing calls for action over the mysterious objects in the skies over new jersey and new york. >> there's another one over there. >> reporter: an fbi official says they've received thousands of reports over the past few weeks, with less than 100 of those warranting further investigation. but whatever it is people are seeing, local lawmakers want answers. >> our local people who have questions about these drones should not have to shake an eight ball to get an answer.

>> reporter: senate majority leader schumer urging them to use technology like the robin radar. >> determine what the heck is going on. >> reporter: new york governor kathy hochul says federal partners are sending a drone detection system to new york. and alejandro mayorkas says there is no sign of foreign involvement. >> i want to assure the american public that we are on it. >> reporter: people we spoke to want more answers. are you skeptical when you hear that? >> it's a security threat to the whole world. >> reporter: meanwhile, reports of mysterious objects in the sky are being reported across the country. and some local law enforcement are taking action. boston police arresting two people who they say were flying a drone dangerously close to logan airport. in new jersey, the sheriff's office showed us how they're using their own drones to keep a close eye on above.

>> maybe see where they're taking off from or where they're going to. >> reporter: adding to the concerns in the air, the faa saying they've received multiple results of people shining lasers at aircraft. >> i've started seeing a green flash around the cockpit of the plane. >> reporter: ken deets says in his 30-plus years of flying he's never experienced a laser pointed at him. >> they were definitely tracking me. >> same spot as last night. >> reporter: for some residents, answers about the growing confusion can't come soon enough. >> why haven't they, like, found the origin of the drone? i don't know why that's a hard thing to do. >> reporter: and senator schumer pointed out that a faa rule change in 2023 that allows people to start flying drones at night could be one contributing factor to all of this. robert f. kennedy jr. will be the next trump cabinet pick to visit capitol hill.

he will likely face tough questions from senators this week. he faces scrutiny over his past comments over vaccines. and a lawyer helping rfk jr. petitioned on a polio vaccine. >> say hello to your smile and hello to polio. this is a man who wants to stop kids from getting polio and measles shots. he's welcoming a return to polio, a disease we nearly eradicated. >> senator mitch mcconnell, a polio survivor says this is dangerous. kennedy said the polio vaccine should be available and thoroughly and properly studied. the battle over reproductive health continues in the lonestar state. the texas attorney general has sued a new york doctor for allegedly providing abortion pills to a woman in texas. the lawsuit says it is illegal

for out of state doctors to use telemedicine to prescribe abortion-inducing drugs to texas residents. they could face civil penalties. the doctor did not respond to request for comment. at least 11 people have been confirmed dead after a cyclone hit the french island territory off the coast of southeast africa. because of the widespread destruction, a top official told local tv he expected the death toll to run into the several hundreds, perhaps even thousands. it is the strongest storm to hit the area in nearly a century. it has now struck mozambique, causing damage to homes, schools and healthcare facilities. no word yet on casualties there. now to another pending disaster overseas where at least one person was killed yesterday when a russian oil tanker

carrying thousands of tons of oil split apart during a storm, spilling oil into the kerch strait. a second tanker also sustained damage and was adrift with 14 crew members on board. let's turn to claudio lavanga. good morning, claudio. >> reporter: good morning, frances. that's right. that oil tanker literally split apart as it was navigating between russia and crimea, is the region from ukraine that russia annexed in 2014 when it was caught in a storm. there is footage posted on social media that allegedly showed the detached boat sinking while waves are crashing. they launched a distress signal, there was massive rescue operation, 50 rescuers, helicopters, tugboats rushed to the scene. in the end they managed to save 12 crew members and took them to the hospital. but one of them, at least, has

died. at the same time, as you mentioned, a second oil tanker ran into trouble in the same area at the same time because of that storm, and also launched a distress signal after it sustained serious damage and run adrift. as early this morning, there was still an ongoing rescue operation. it was made difficult by the bad weather conditions. now both tankers are said to be carrying at least, more than 4,000 tons of oil products. and that's why the authorities now are doing their best to try to mitigate the oil spill. at the same time, they open an investigation into whether there were any safety regulations that were broken and that may have contributed, either to the incident or caused the incident. >> claudio, thank you. now to a rare, violent tornado hitting northern california over the weekend, damaging homes and businesses in the town of scotts valley. one person is in critical

condition, according to officials. most of those injured were in cars that were thrown off the road by the tornado. nearly 9,000 customers lost power, which has since been restored. california averages about 11 tornados a year. and it is a wet start to the week along the east coast. let's turn to nbc meteorologist michelle grossman who is tracking that front. michelle, good morning. >> great to see you. we are wet in the east this morning, also in the west. both coasts looking at storm systems. we're going to see higher elevation snow out west. this is what radar looks like. you can see the rain falling in portions of the northeast, even some snow and wintry mix in some spots. we're going to see a pair of systems moving onshore and higher elevation snow in the cascades and northern rockies. that's the big story today. also looking at rain from the great lakes to the ohio valley into the tennessee valley. you can see those darker colors indicating where we're expecting

more rainfall and this extends to the south central states and active in the west once again. you see the whites and blues. that's where the snow will be falling and the heavy rain along the coast. by wednesday we're going to keep it wet in the west. notice the east as well, from new england all the way to the mid atlantic, the south central states looking at wet weather as well. we'll dry it out for the most part ofridayn parts of the nor. as we head to the south, looking at stormy weather in dallas, little rock and memphis. for all the cheese heads out there, asking wherefore art thou, romeo, try the end zone.

>> packers try to do the same. third and five. love putting it up top, back in the end zone! what a catch! romeo dobbs. >> romeo dobbs made an incredible catch for his second football. on sunday night that effectively iced the contest against the seahawks. they lost geno smith to injury in the third quarter. coming up, malcolm is back in the middle. the new revival for the classic sitcom. but first a nbc news exclusive. jay z's accuser speaks out about the inconsistencies in her story that have his lawyers saying the case sthud be thrown out. ♪♪ these sulfate-free formulas deeply penetrate and replenish nutrients. to boost hair health in just one wash.

♪♪ all without the salon naturals price tag. ♪♪ ♪♪ it's supercharged herbal essences. ♪♪ mom's gonna love this! alright kids come on. it's time for bed! ( ♪♪ ) good morning, mr. snuggles. make breakfast special with the cocoa and hazelnutty goodness of nutella. ( ♪♪ ) (♪♪) refresh your senses with a wave of tropical lime flavor. mountain dew baja blast in stores now. we are back with a nbc news exclusive interview with a woman who alleges rappers jay z and sean "diddy" combs raped her.

but she admitted to some mistakes in her story. and jay z is now pushing to get the case thrown out, but she still stands by her story. chloe melas reports. >> reporter: jay z fighting back against the rape accusations. his attorney filing a letter to the judge asking to dismiss the case against his client. >> you should always advocate for yourself. >> reporter: it comes after our interview with a 38-year-old mother from alabama who accuses sean "diddy" combs and shawn jay z carter of raping her when she was 13 years old. she asked us not to reveal her identity. what made you want to come forward? >> because i think that i've been quiet long enough. >> reporter: she says that she went to the mtv music video awards in 2000. she spoke to combs' limo driver who invited her to an after

party. >> i'm talking to benji about his tattoo. >> reporter: in a statement, a representative for the maddens confirmed they did not attend the 2000 vmas. she said she had a drink that made her feel woozy and that combs and carter then raped her. she said she ran to a gas station where she called her father who picked her up. her father said he could not verify the claims. i feel like i would remember that, and i don't, he said. when we asked the woman about the contradictions in a phone interview on friday, she said she stands by her statements. i have made some mistakes, she said, in remembering what happened 24 years ago. honestly, what is the clearest is what happened to me. in a statement to nbc news, shawn carter said this incident didn't happen. true justice is coming. we fight for victory, not from victory.

a representative called it a shameless money grab. is any part of you scared about coming out against such powerful people? >> i'm scared about what could happen, but i'm more afraid of letting it eat me alive from the inside-out. >> reporter: chloe melas, nbc news. still to come, malcolm in the middle fans expected nothing but are anything but let down. he e weavthfirst details on the sitcom revival coming to disney+. this week on chewy, shop and get a $30 egift card to use on treats they want, toys they love or food they devour.

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do i hear people? >> those aren't people. >> you guys? we got this. >> bring it on! >> "moana 2" knows the way to stay at the top of the box office. the animated sequel took in another $26 million in its third week at number one.

"wicked" repeated as runner-up with $22 million in its fourth weekend, and sony's spider man spinoff, craven the hunter with $11 million debut. so it's tough, there's a hustle and bustle of everybody getting together and getting ready for the holidays. i'm wondering how long these will stay. during the christmas break i would love to be able to go back and do "wicked" and "moana 2." >> now to a long-awaited update on one of tv's favorite families. a revival of malcolm in the middle is coming to disney+. frankie munoz appeared and bryan cranston. they are expected to reprise the roles. no word on whether reese and dewey will check in, they won a

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in a north carolina community devastated by hurricane helene. our hallie jackson has the story of how the town fought against the odds to bring back its production of the nutcracker. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: the familiar notes. ♪ ♪ the glittering costumes. ♪ ♪ these lovely leaps heralding the triumphant return of the nutcracker. this weekend's sold-out show? ♪ ♪ nothing short of a miracle for the asheville ballet company. that's because so much ever the city was wiped out when hurricane helene hit in september. >> this could be the end of how this all goes. >> reporter: including the company's rehearsal space, floors flooded and ripped apart.

costumes battered. mold growing. >> piano was in the corner. >> reporter: but its director, ann dunn says while their space was destroyed, their spirit remained strong. >> but you never see anything like this ever, ever. i thought, i've got to pull this together somehow. i've got to. because everybody needs it. everybody needs the nutcracker this year. >> reporter: the ballet company got to work. dancers and volunteers putting the space back together. >> people would show up, about a dozen a day and get it cleaned out first, cutting drywall, ripping out the floors. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: rehearsing on weekends in a borrowed studio. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: dancer crystal foreman's home was hit hard, too. trees down, no power for weeks. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: but it was the magic and joy of this show, she says, that helped her and so many others here endure. >> it took me just saying, like,

i'm here. i have a voice. and i have something to share that's going to help, you know? and i want people to come and be, like, i can do it. ♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] >> an extra special holiday tradition for them this year. our thanks to hallie for sharing that story. santa claus is running through town. hundreds hit the streets for the santa run to raise money for a good cause. in budapest, a horde of half-naked santas braved the cold with proceeds going to a children foundation. and in paris, thousands dressed up as elves, and o

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