Hutchinson

Advocate for disabled Leroy Bell dies

Leroy Bell, who worked with and lobbied for the disabled, died Monday after suffering a heart attack at his home. He was 56.

As an advocate for the disabled, Bell lobbied officials in Reno County and Topeka, participated in Americans with Disabilities Act marches and protests, and helped make Hutchinson-area Spangles restaurants compliant with ADA.

Bell, who contracted polio as a child and used a wheelchair, worked since June 1998 as an independent living specialist at the Prairie Independent Living Center in Hutchinson, reducing his hours in recent years because of his health.

Survivors include a son, Eric, of Hutchinson; and a daughter, Andrea Donovan, of Lawrence.

Topeka

Four people missing after house fire

A mother and infant escaped but another woman and three children were missing Wednesday after fire destroyed their home in a rural area southeast of Topeka, authorities said.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Department identified the missing residents as Traci Grady, 41; McKenzie Grady, 7; Christopher Grady, 4, and Clayton Grady, 2.

Firefighters arrived at the house, about 10 miles southeast of Topeka, shortly before 4 a.m. Wednesday and found it engulfed in flames, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Lacey Grady, 19, escaped by jumping from a second-floor window with her 2-month-old son in her arms, sheriff’s spokeswoman Martha Lutz said. They were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.

Lutz said the Kansas Highway Patrol used an infrared camera in a half-mile radius around the house looking for sources of heat that could represent survivors, but did not find any.