brenda heist turned herself in to authorities in key largo, florida, last week telling them she thoughtmight be wanted in another county. heist had been last seen in february 2002 dropping her children off for school. the former neighbor shocked to learn she's still alive. police say she had been living on the streets in key largo. >> she's pretty much at the end of her rope down there living on the streets. i mean, i think she just has had it. her health wasn't good. and she was just tired of running. >> what a shock. what a shock. but i'm glad she's alive. >> now heist admits she simply walked out on her family. so far no charges have been filed. >>> now to the high-tech front lines. what if your child was in surgery, you were not in the operating room, but you got a text about how it was going? that's exactly what is in the works. our laurie seagal brings us the story. >> dr. bailey's performing a two procedure right now and there wasn't enough room in the o.r., so we're following on twitter. >> live updates aren't just for tv shows like "grey's anatomy". >> your child is now asleep

brenda heist turned herself into authorities in key largo, florida, last week telling authorities sher county. heist later admitted that she had simply walked out on her family. her daughter, morgan, was only 8 years old at the time. and a tweet this week, the now-19-year-old morgan says her mother can "rot in hell." morgan had even more to say to our piers morgan last night. >> i think when i was 8 i didn't really know what to feel. i mean, i was -- i thought she would come home because that year i made her a mother's card -- mother's day card. so obviously i thought in the back of my mind she was coming back. and now, i mean, now i have a lot of different emotions. i'm mad. so. >> do you want to see her? >> as of right now, i don't. i don't think she deserves to see me. >> police say heist had been living on the streets of key largo and will face no charges. >>> parts of florida are under water this first week in may. streets flooded in ft. lauderdale when a powerful storm moved through. the area was under a tornado warning at one point. a possible tornado damaged a shop in boca rat

i just feel very lucky to be alive right now. >> elbow reef, key largo, florida.h a diver and sends him to the hospital. >> instantaneously it hurt. it was almost like a firecracker going off in my mouth. >> for more than a decade, diver dave marcel has been leading scuba tours for curious thrill seekers. >> working with wild animals in their natural habitat is something that most people only could dream of. >> the reef is teeming with life. fish of all shapes and sizes, beautiful coral, a rare chance to interact with some of the planet's most interesting characters. >> we had numerous animals. we had nurse sharks, barracudas and goliath groupers and green moray eels. these are my pets. most people have cats and dogs. i have animals under water. >> the sea pro gives his clients a little something extra, physical encounters with sea creatures that strike fear into the saltiest seafarer, like the 300-pound nurse shark. dave feels the key to the carnivores' trust is physical affection. >> whenever you hold a nurse shark, they typically just go to sleep. they're one o

children, 11 years after she went missing, brenda heist showed up at the sheriff's office down in key largowas last friday. take a look at the picture. this is heist from 2002. that was her on the left back 11 years ago. picture on the right is her today age 54. now, her daughter was 8. her son was 12 when heist chose to walk away from her life. you'll soon hear at least why she says she did it. the mother's disappearance launched a swarm of local, state, and federal investigators questioning dozens and dozens of people. her husband, lee, at one point even became a suspect. >> there were people in the neighborhood who would have not allowed their children to play with my children because of what they perceived i might be. >> on the phone with me now is detective sergeant john scofield from the police department in pennsylvania. detective, my goodness. i know you have been on this case ever since she vanished 11 years ago, and before we get into, you know, the back story, here is a woman who up and left her family. they at one point definitely thought she was dead. here she is okay. you've b

. >> the now 53-year-old turned up in key largo, florida, this week.d herself in looking frail, as you can see, with bleach blonde hair. she confessed to officers they traveled there on a whim, that day meeting a group of homeless hitchhikers in a park. >> she was pretty much at the end of her rope down there, living on the streets. i mean, i think she just has had it. her health wasn't good. and she was just tired of running. >> heist had two children who that day never thought they'd see their mother again. the children say they're shocked and angry to learn that their mother is alive. they've told their mother they are not ready to speak with her. heist's daughter tweeted, "i don't think anyone could understand my pain for the past 11 years, but i'm strong. and nothing, like brenda c. heist, will take me down." it's a tragedy that seems to get worse. heist's former husband who police even considered a suspect for a while in her disappearance told cnn he has no plans to speak to his ex-wife. as for brenda heist, police say she's expected to stay with

last friday she turned herself in in key largo.hile the media focuses on this one woman found in florida, the ability of local governments to actually govern in the state is said to all but disappear. under cover, the big government swagger of florida house republicans. state gop lawmakers are looking to limit the power of local government. a series of bills circulating from the florida state legislature would leaf it up to the state it implement policy. the measures undercut a number of issues from gun ordinances to environmental protections. and forbid establishing a local living wage or paid sick leave. this is hypocritical by the gop's own principles. so hey, miami, you can't establish a local minimum wage. law makers in tallahassee will do that for you. it is a back door boone doggle for special interest. we'll be right back with click 3. arrison ] is there anything you would not do for your family? punch it. ♪ [ male announcer ] back here on earth, your family is your crew. you would do everything in your power to protect the

the picture on the right is what she looked like when she turned up last week in key largo.er family was stunned to find out she was alive. she had been declared legally dead years ago. she told police she walked out because she was distraught over money problems. she described a life of hard knocks in southern florida, living as a homeless person. tonight for the first time, another piece of her story is coming out. that's heist on the right in this picture. the last three years she was living in northern florida, where she was known as lovey smith. she had a place to live, including friends, the woman on the left is sandra forester and she joins me tonight. how did you first meet brenda? >> hi, anderson. i met lovey through a neighbor, his name is justin. basically i was asking for -- if he had any suggestions for housekeeper and he gave me her name. he spoke very highly of her. he actually used her for a babysitter as well. that was sometime in 2010. >> so that was 2010. what did she tell you about herself? what was she like? >> you know, when you're visiting someone's ho

last week she walked into the key largo sheriff's office.urvived by living under bridges and eating food that was thrown away. >>> an autopsy is planned today for rapper chris "mac daddy" kelly. he's part of a duo kris kross. their hit song was "jump." he was found unresponsive in his home. his death is being investigated as a drug overdose. he was just 34 years old. >>> u.s. population air prices are tag. tickets slash if you're heading to tampa. here in new york and washington too. and the average cost of a flight to chicago is 18% lower than last year. the answer? lower demands. some may be taking advantage of europe's economic slump. >>> and the "washington post" says europeans are seeing an invasion of beer. in the past three years beer drinking in germany has been slip. they hope if they brace high end american beer that will turn things around. >> who knew beer consumption was down in germany. >>> the other day we read a story about a shirt that supposedly never needs to be washed and doesn't wrinkle. is it the end of laundry as we kn

. >>> a mother of two from pennsylvania has been found alive in key largo, florida.heist last seen in pennsylvania in february 2002. she was worried about financial issues and an impending divorce when she left her family behind many. >> pretty much at the end of her rope down there. living on the streets. i mean, i think she just has had it. her health wasn't good. and she was tired of running. >> what a shock. what a shock. i'm glad she's alive. >> detectives say heist spent years sleeping your honunder brd in tents and eating food out of fast food dumpsters. >>> a potential case of human trafficking at the virginia home of a saudi diplomat. the probe involves two women from the philippines who's claim they were mistreated. they were removed from the home by federal agents. the saudi arabian embassy has not responded to request for comment. >>> an american has been sentenced to 15 years hard labor in north korea. kenneth bae was in north korea on a tourist visa, and the united states said he should be leased on humanitarian grounds. but he has been sentenced to pri

key largo, florida.e scuba guide stuns the crowd getting up close and personal with nurse sharks. >> he likes to kiss them for whatever reason. >> he has never had a problem before. but that's about to change. >> the shark kisses back. in this case he has a lot of teeth. >> shark teeth are suddenly gripped into his mouth and severed the top of his lip. he had 285 tiny stitches. the lesson is don't kiss sharks. i don't think we even really needed to learn that lesson. >>> an amateur daredevil stunt goes down in flames and up in smoke. july 2007, sydney, australia. want-to-be stunt man plans to ride his bicycle off a roof and land into a pile of mattresses. into a pile of mattresses. and if that isn't dumb enough, while on fire. >> he is preparing for the jump and we have some company there. >> he panics, dousing himself with gas. >> lights himself on fire, pedals towards the ramp, goes over the ramp and straight down. >> clearly, brian didn't pay attention in physics class because he want even close. >> r

a 53-year-old mother of two from pennsylvania has been found living as a homeless person in key largon february, 2002, developing two children off at school. heist was worried about financial issues and an impending divorce when she left her family behind. >> i was shocked. our department was shocked. because i will tell you, i was convinced something horrible happened to her years ago. she said she thought of her family and children every day and her parents. however, she never acted on that and never made any phone calls. not one. >> detectives say heist spent years in florida, sleeping under bridges and tents and eating food thrown out of fast food restaurants before turning herself last friday. that is a long, long time. >> a bizarre story. >>> another bizarre story. mountain dew under fire for an ad some are calling the most racist ever. >> i don't think i can do this. >> just point to him. >> i'm a player. >> no. >> he's wearing the do rag. >> come on, the one with the four legs. >> thought she was going to kiss me. keep your mouth shut. keep your mouth shut. >> the ad createded

trace, a 53-year-old mother of two from pennsylvania has been found living as a homeless person in key largoflorida. can you believe it? brenda height disappeared on february 8, 2002. she was last seen dropping her two children off at school. police say she was worried about financial issues and impending divorce when she left her family behind. >> i was shocked. our department was shocked. because i will tell you i was convinced something horrible happened to her years ago. she said she thought of her family and her children every day and her parents, however, she never acted on that and never made any phone calls, not one. >> that is one of those wow moments. we're sitting here dumb founded. detectives say heitz spent years in florida sleeping under bridges and tents and eating food thrown out at fast food restaurants. br finally turning herself in last friday. >> all right. 19 minutes after the hour right now. coming up, a major retailer apologizing to customers. jcpenney's new effort pleais pl with customers, come back, please! milies and businesses is our business. we've reduced taxes a

and there are dangerous rip tides from tampa -- i should say from key largo all the way on up into northernlorida along the eastern seaboard there. that's what's going on. we'll get to your local forecast in just a moment. but first, this message. [ blows ] [ poof! ] wooo! hey there! i'm your rav4 genie. got any wishes? i wish my son was safer. well, this rav4 has a blind spot monitor and 8 airbags. whoa! how about when he's not in the car? right. [ snaps fingers ] [ laughter ] oh, no. oh, yeah. wooo! use your knees. [ male announcer ] the all-new rav4. toyota. let's go places. >> and that's your latest weather. >> thank you so much. >>> coming up -- an emergency on the high seas. a major fire on board a cruise ship. just the latest in a wave of incidents for the cruise industry. >>> also ahead, you've seen the ads promising easy treatment for men dealing with what's called low-t or low testosterone. now some are raising serious questions about the medications involved. but first, this is "today" on nbc. >>> coming up, rutgers university and the headlines >>> coming up, rutgers university i