>> midsummer forecast. thanks for joining us. lester holt is next with nightly news. >> we will be back at 6:00. tonight, breaking news a hurricane threat as severe flooding triggers a state of emergency in louisiana. downtown new orleans flooded from almost ten inches of rain and it could get a whole lot worse in the region as the threat of a tropical storm, even a hurricane, increases in the days ahead. will the levies be able to hold the water back high anxiety tonight in the big easy and beyond nbc news exclusive. a new accuser says billionaire jeffrey epstein sexually assaulted her when she was 15 >> did jeffrey epstein rape you >> yeah, he raped me forcefully raped me. >> and president trump's labor secretary defends his involvement as a federal prosecutor in a lenient plea deal for ep years

ago. the stunning announcement about an american scientist found dead on a greek island in a tunnel now an urgent search for her killer and that mystery deepens. our reporting on sexual assault and other abuse on migrants in arizona, as we get a first look inside another government holding center in texas. is there enough oversight? families desperate to have children, devastated by a fertility clinic mixed up, after they say the clinic implanted the wrong embryos. and a heroes' welcome for the women who won the world cup. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt good evening there is breaking news as we come on tonight. a hurricane watch posted now for parts of coastal forecasters tracking a tropical cyclone

likely to intensify into a named storm, barry, as it turns towards the gulf coast. in new orleans, triggering a flash flood emergency and leaving neighborhoods underwater our morgan chesky is in new orleans tonight. >> reporter: tonight, louisiana under a state of emergency, after a fast-moving storm. >> whoa! >> reporter: threw water spouts and flash flooding that brought new orleans to a soggy standstill in some areas, nearly ten inches of rain in just two hours >> disabled cars all over the road. it's like a hurricane. it's actually like a hurricane. >> reporter: canal street living up to its name >> i'm stuck, i'm stranded out here. i don't know what to do >> reporter: when it comes to keeping the city dry, these drainage cancals are crucial. only problem, they can only handle so much water, leaving low-lying neighborhoods at risk with nothing more than a few inches of rain the tropical stormcasting a shadow as far as texas. >> be prepared for this particular storm. this is the time to

start getting prepared >> we need to get things together before this hurricane that has no name comes here >> reporter: with the storm system only getting stronger, that name may come soon enough morgan cheskchesky, nbc news, new orleans. >> and we're keeping a close eye on this developing threat. nbc meteorologist dylan dreyer is tracking the storm dylan, what are you seeing >> good evening, lester the heavy rain is already starting to make its way along the south coast of louisiana. right now it is still a potential tropical cyclone number 2 as early as tomorrow, it could become a tropical storm on friday there's a chance it could become a category 1 hurricane. we need to closely watch the track as it takes that turn to the north. either way, it does look like we should see at least ten inches of rain, especially along southwestern louisiana. so that is why we have to focus so much on the flooding potential, lester. >> all right, dylan, thank you. under fire for his lenient handling of the jeffrey epstein sex trafficking case,

labor secretary aleks x a acosta is defying calls for his head stephanie gosk reports. >> we did what we did because we wanted to see epstein go to jail he needed to go to jail >> reporter: today, labor secretary alex acosta, former u.s. attorney in florida, says accused sexker jeffrey epstein wouldn't have served any time in jail a decade ago if his office hadn't stepped in >> simply if you tell, the palm beach attorney's office was ready to let epstein walk free, no jail time, nothing. >> reporter: because of a deal struck in 2008, epstein pleaded guilty to state charges including soliciting prostitution from a minor, in exchange for avoiding federal prosecution. he was sentenced to 13 months, forced to regi ax offender, and make financial restitution with victims what some critics have called the deal of the

century. in that agreement, the u.s. attorney makes it clear that his office and the fbi were investigating much more serious federal charges, including the ones epstein has pleaded not guilty to this week in new york. sex trafficking and conspiracy but acosta says given the evidence they had at the time in florida, going to court would have been, in his words, a roll of the dice. >> one of the tough questions in these cases, what is the value of a secured guilty plea with registration versus rolling the dice >> reporter: the labor secretary also argued that today's juries and judges are more sympathetic to sexual assault victims. >> today's world does not allow some of the victim shaming that could have taken place at trial 12 years ago. >> reporter: lester, late today the former florida state attorney issued a statement saying that acosta's recollection of the matter is,mplely wrong, and that if acosta was that concern about the

case then he should have proceeded with federal charges. >> all right, stephanie, thank you now to our exclusive nbc news interview with a new accuser who has come forward with allegations against epstein. she is not part of the indictment in new york against the billionaire who has pleaded not guilty she says epstein raped her when she was in high school. savannah guthrie has her disturbing story please let me warn are are you if you have young children in the room, some of the descriptions are graphic. >> reporter: in 2001, jennifer araoz was 14 years old, a freshman at this new york high school, when one day she says a woman approached her outside. >> the first time she brought up the name jeffrey epstein, how did she describe him to you >> that he's a great guy. she was just saying, he's helped me, i've similared. to me. >> and when you think of her now, you used the phrase, you said the kreutrecrui recruiter >> oh, for sure, yeah. >> reporter: araoz said weeks later the

recruiter brought her to epstein's ho sh as araoz left, she says she was given $300 by a secretary. after a few weeks of visits, araoz says she went alone to epstein's massage room where he pressured her into giving him a massage. >> but at the same time i was scared. i kind of just followed, you know i would have my underwear on, that's how he liked it. and i would just get massages back. and then he would potentially, later on, turn over and play with himself then he would finish himself off and then that would be the end of it. and he would still give me the $300 >> how often do you think you were there >> like once a week, twice a week, my freshman year. >> reporter: after araoz turned 15, she says things took a turn >> you know, just take your underwear off and get on

to and he, umm, you know, very forcefully, umm, kind of brought me to the table. i just did what he told me to do. i was really scared. i was telling him to stop, please, stop >> and did he? >> no, he did not stop >> reporter: araoz says she didn't tell anyone immediately about her interactions with epstein she said she was too scared to go to the police but she eventually confided in four people. all told nbc news that that's what she had told them all those years ago. >> did he rape you >> yes, i forcefully raped me, knew exactly what he was doing, and i don't think cared. what hurts even more so is if i hadn't been afraid to come forward sooner, maybe he wouldn't have done it to other girls >> reporter: in previous discussions with araoz's lawyers,

epstein's lawyers have challenged her credibility. >> what would you say to those who say a civil suit, lawyers, this is about getting money? >> he hurt me badly. i prefer not to -- so, you know, this is one way for me to get justice. >> today, lawyers for jennifer araoz told a new york court they intend to file a civil suit against epstein next, another nbc news exclusive, this one revealing shocking allegations of mistreatment of migrant children at a detention center in arizona, including accusations of sexual assault and retaliatio getting the first glimpse inside the government's newest holding center in texas. let's begin with nbc's jacob soboroff >> reporter: for the first time since a record surge of migrants at the border, conditions inside an arizona detention center are in the spotlight,

after nbc news obtained dozens of reports from the department of health and human services chronicling allegations of mistreatment of migrant children in custody. among the new allegations contained in these so-called significant incident reports from the yuma border patrol station, sexual assault a girl from honduras described a large bearded officer putting his hands inside her bra and gropg her. the girl's case manager writing she, quote, reported she felt embarrassed that the officer was speaking in english to other officers and laughing during the entire process in another report, a 16-year-old guatemalan boy said after he and others in his cell complained about the taste of food and water,officers took sleeping mats out of their cells in retaliation, forcing them to sleep on concrete although the allegations were made between april and june, the department of homeland security only now responding to our reporting. quote, the allegations do not align with common practice at our facilities and will be fully investigated

the allegation of sexual assault is already under investigation. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle responding too >> the top people at cbp ought to be fired now. >> i was there in april. i was at that yuma detention facility and they were doing the very best they could under terrible circumstances. >> reporter: tonight in yuma, questions remain, in particular whether the agent accused of sexual assault is still working at the station. jacob soboroff, nbc news >> reporter: this is gabe gutierrez in texas where tonight the government has given reporters their first tour of one of the largest holding processed by theigrant border patrol. >> liberty and justice -- >> reporter: here they're taught english and sleep in dorms until placed with sponsors or relatives. the cost to care for each child here is up to $800 a day, up to

$300 million set aside for this facility alone this year. is this too much, too late >> we're never too much, too late first of all, one of the things that is known about this program and influxes at the border, they're unpredictable. and our job is to be prepared >> reporter: the department of health and human services is also looking to open at least five more permanent shelters in atlanta, phoenix, dallas, houston, and san antonio. in san antonio, local officials are exasperated. they've opened a resource center for the hundreds of migrants arriving daily here by bus and it's already cost more than a quarter million dollars since march. should taxpayers in the city be footing the bill for this? >> in a perfect world, the federal government would own the entire process from start to finish >> reporter: here this nes holding more tha wilbe 1300, lester >> gabe gutierrez, thank you. president trump won a major legal victory today when a federal appeals court dismissed a lawsuit that alleged his

washington, d.c. hotel violated the constitution two democratic attorneys general had accused the president of illegally profiting from government guests at the trump international hotel. president trump celebrated the decision, calling the lawsuit ridiculous tonight the deepening mystery abroad after authorities in greece said they now believe an american scientist who had been missing for days was killed. her body discovered in a tunnel nbc's miguel almaguer has late details in the shocking case and the investigation. >> reporter: the body was discovered 100 yards from the closest road inside this abandoned world war ii bunker on the island of crete. a coroner in greece now announcing american suzanne eaton died as the result of a criminal act multiple media outlets reporting the scientist was apparently suffocated. devastating news for family and friends >> she really was an incredibly exceptional scientist and human being, who was so

well-loved by so many people >> reporter: a respected molecular biologist living in germany, eaton was in greece for a conference when she disappeared. her family thought she went for a jog, when her body was first recovered in this network of old nazi tunnels on the picturesque island now a much more sinister ending. tonight the hunt for a killer but police in greece have released few details. no suspects, no motive lester >> miguel almaguer, thanks thousands line new york city's canyon of heroes today to cheer america's world cup champions. our rehema ellis was there as the u.s. women's soccer team celebrated their victory and vowed to fight for equal pay. >> i woke up ready to get dressed at like 3:00 a.m >> reporter: she and her brother scrambled to dress and dash out the door to see their heroes joining 200,000 for the tickertape parade in new york, honoring

the world champs, the u.s. women's soccer team >> what does it tell you that women can do? >> it tells you don't give up. >> reporter: celebrating the women's victory on the field, they now want to see them get winning paychecks. >> equal pay equal pay! >> reporter: new york state moved the ball forward today with new equal pay legislation. the team's star player, megan rapinoe, called for changes nationwide >> this is my word to everybody. do what you can. be more. be better. be bigger than you've ever been before >> i want to be like them when i'm older. >> reporter: celebrating messages of unity, empowering the next generation. rehema ellis, nbc news, new york there's a lot more to tell you about tonight. ahead, outraged parents breaking their silence after they say a fertility clinic mixup led to their baby being born to a total stranger and investigates are trying to crack a decades-old cold case.

next tonight, new developments in a case we first reported on this week. a california couple now breaking their silence and accusing a prominent fertility clinic of a shocking mixup that led to another woman giving birth to two babies, one of them theirs today they spoke to where you jo ling kent >> reporter: any and ashot manukyan lived an unimaginable nightmare. >> i wasn't there for his birth. i didn't carry him i couldn't feel him kicking inside of me >> reporter: unable to conceive on their own, they went to cha fertility center they say one of their embryos, along with an embryo from a separate family, were can implanted in a total stranger, an asian woman who thought she was pregnant with two twins of her own she was shocked when she gave birth to two boys, neither of which

was of asian descent any a anni and ashot were blindsided when the fertility clinic gave them the news. not only that, the same clinic embedded one embryo in anni that wasn't hers, that she ultimately miscarried all three embryos were implanted in the clinic on the same day. >> they messed up three different families' lives, and it's not okay. >> reporter: the yuck yucks and the new york couple is now suing cha. the company declined our request for comment. the manukyans also had to file a separate lawsuit to bring their son home >> you first met your baby six weeks after he was born on mother's day weekend what was that like >> it was hard nobody should meet their baby in the lobby of a hotel >> reporter: they're telling their story, hoping no other family will have to endure their pain

jo ling kent, nbc news, los angeles. we'll take a short break. then coming up, what investigators home to find in 19th century tombs at the vatican

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this is nissan intelligent mobility. ♪ we're back now with that tip investigators hope is the key that finally helps them crack a cold case at the vatican that's baffled them for decades n nbc's keir simmons is there tonight. >> reporter: is the result of a 30-year mystery buried here in vatican city tomorrow morning investigators will open two tombs in this ti tiny cemetery, searching for the remains of emanuela orlandi. her brother anxious tonight. my mother still lives close by, he says. emanuel disappeared in 1983 without a trace, last seen leaving a music lesson multiple conspiracy theories were

promoted if we found her remains there, her brother says, the vatican would have to investigate a murder the vatican is finally responding, the family says, but they say for 36 years they were ignored. the vatican has always denied any knowledge of what happened lester >> keir simmons tonight, thank you a remarkable scene at a highway near atlanta. that is money all over the road and people who stopped to pick it up. police say an armored car spilled as much as $175,000 but they warn it's not finders keepers, and they're asking people to return that cash. up next here tonight, the inspiring moment that brought a whole graduating class to its feet.

in tonight's inspiring america, the high school student and the touching tribute he received from his entire graduating class here's nbc's kevin tibbles. >> reporter: a quiet place is a safe place for jack higgins the 21-year-old has autism and for him, loud noise is unbearable but it never stopped him from taking classes at carmel high school in putnam, new york parents barbara and pat wanted him to graduate >> he's one of our three kids and we wanted him to have the same experience. >> reporter: now, we all know graduation can be a raucous affair but when it was jack's turn, the principal had a special request just for him >> i would like everyone to not clap and not cheer. >> reporter: and so it was. >> jack higgins, please come to the stage and receive your diploma. >> reporter: plugging his ears, anticipating a racket, jack was met with silence and smiles >> maybe the most moving moment of my life it was really fantastic. >> i barely saw it

because i was crying >> reporter: sometimes silence speaks volumes. kevin tibbles, nbc news >> congratulations to jack and a tip of the hat to his classmates too. that's "nightly news" for this wednesday. i'm lester holt. for all of us stop people from hopping onto b.a.r.t. without paying, but are they doing any good? what our cameras captured at this bart station. plus, buying a home is getting harder. what one study is revealing about first-time home buyers in the area. first a controversial hire has a lot of people questioning it. resurfacing. the news at 6:00 starting right now. thanks for joining us. >> a state police officer fire

ed was fired and now the video has resurfaced. there's a growing concern over that particular officer, robert. >> reporter: that's right. it's all centered around this i have owe and people are looking at it, trying to decide for themselves if the officer's actions were justified or not. regardless, we need to warn you, the images are disturbing. >> sh. lower your voice. i need your name or i'm going to take you to jail. >> reporter: in 2016 he called about a man who was accused of watching porch in the library and acting crazy. >> what's your birth date. >> i can change it. >> no. give me your real birthday. >> i don't have one, i swear to god. >> stand