>> reporter: josh's sister jennifer graves told us just this week that as a child she was wary of him, too. when josh was a boy he was troubled in some ways, wasn't he? >> there were some issues, yeah. >> reporter: jennifer says much of the problem stemmed from her father, josh's father. she is estranged from him today. their mother divorced him hadyears ago and in court papers alleged he was abusive. >> i was about 14 when i kind of woke up and realized, my dad is wacko. he's just on a different trajectory and not a good one. >> reporter: she is talking about steven powell. you're going to learn much more about him later. >> what was it about his trajectory that bothered you for disturbed you? >> he just had a really negative outlook on life. he was down on, you know, just everything. >> reporter: an outlook he seemed to have passed on to josh, which paradox ickally seemed to attract susan. >> i think she felt sorry for him. he didn't have many friends, and i think she felt she could make him happy and that he would change. >> reporter: they're married in the mormon church, and certa

jennifer graves is powell's estranged sister. >> the thought of those babies suffering, they must haveeren't dead when they -- when the explosion was done. they suffered and they died. >> that was miguel almaguer reporting. police say the social worker who brought the boys to the house and called 911 did everything she could. like many others connected to the case, she is now working with grief counselors. pat? >>> hotel workers in new york will soon have a new measure of security. a new agreement gives them panic alarms to summon help in case of an emergency. officials say the move is not prompted by the case of a maid who accused the former head of international monetary fund of rape. that case was dismissed. the panic alarm's proposal is part of a labor contract set for a union vote next week. the rule would have to be implemented at hotels within a year. >>> a woman who submitted nearly $10,000 worth of fake cancer treatment claims will spend close to nine years on probation. 52-year-old debra brown was sentenced tuesday in pennsylvania after pleading guilty to submitting the claim

jennifer graves was not worried about him seeing the boys because the visits were supervised. last weekend, he locked the social worker out of the house when show arrived with the boys. he attacked his children with a hatchet and blow up his house. >> josh did this. and to blame anyone else for him taking a hatch tote their neck and blowing -- hatchet to their neck and blowing them up and causing them to suffer for their last breath. that is wrong to say that anyone else is at fault here. >> graves believes her brother killed his love and would have been charged with her murder. >>> and chilling video from inside a georgia wal-mart. a man grabbed a seven-year-old girl and tried to kidnap her from the store. the mother was a few aisles over. things could have ended badly. britney baxter fought back. >> and he grabbed me and dropped me and ran off. >> kicking like this. and trying to kick as hard as i can. >> the deputies arrested thomas wood an hour later and he claims he was not at the wal- mart. woods is on parole after a manslaughter conviction. the police are calling britne

jennifer graves is powell's estrained sister. >> the thought of those babies suffering and they mustbecause they weren't dead when the explosion was done, they suffered and they died. >> the heart ache and panic from sunday still vivid for that social worker too. >> he just opened the door. the kids were one step ahead of me, they're 5 and 7 and he slammed the door in my face. >> the social worker's husband says his wife is devastated at the loss of charlie and branden. >> she the had bonded with these boys. she had taken them to a number of visits before and was very close to them. and as i say, it was devastating to her to have had this happen. >> police say the social worker who called 911 and who brought the powell boys here to this home did everything she could. as you mentioned, tamron, the funeral for the boys will be held on saturday. it's open to the public, certainly expected to be a very emotional event. >> thank you. a date line friday night, keith morris will have the latest details on the powell family tragedy friday at 109s:00/9 central on nbc. up next on "news nation"

jennifer graves is josh's estranged sister. >> the thought of those babies suffering, and they must have because they weren't dead when the explosion was done. they suffered and they died. >> reporter: the heartache and panic from sunday, still vivid for that social worker, too. >> he opened the door. the kids were one step ahead of me. they're 5 and 7. they were one step ahead of me and he slammed the door in my face. >> reporter: the social worker is devastateded. >> she had bonded with the boys. she had taken them to a number of visits before and was very close to them. as i say it was devastating to her to have had this happen. >> reporter: police say the social worker who brought the boys here and called 911 did everything she could. the funeral for the powell boys will be held on saturday. ann? >> all right, miguel almaguer, thank you so much. a quick programming note, "dateline" will have a look at the powell case friday at 10:00/9:00 central time on nbc. >> let's head to the news desk for the top stories of the morning. natalie, good morning to you. >> good morning. a major break