Schwarzenegger Orders Review of Sex Offender Case

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered a review Friday of the way the state handled a molestation case involving a man who is now charged with murdering one California teenager and under investigation in another killing.

The order came a day after The Associated Press disclosed John Albert Gardner III could have been sent back to prison in 2007 for parole violations and evaluated for possible commitment to a state mental hospital as a sexually violent predator.

"We must learn from what happened in this case to make sure the public is protected from sexual predators," Schwarzenegger said in a statement detailing his order to the state Sex Offender Management Board.

Gardner, 30, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 17-year-old Chelsea King in San Diego County. He also is a suspect but has not been charged in the killing of 14-year-old Amber Dubois, who disappeared as she walked to school in Escondido in early 2009.

The 17-member board includes law enforcement officials, crime victims, treatment experts and others who advise the governor and Legislature on sex offender policies.

Gardner pleaded guilty in 2000 to molesting a 13-year-old neighbor. He spent five years in prison and three years on parole before being released from supervision in September 2008.

Parole records independently obtained by the AP showed Gardner could have been sent back to prison in 2007 and 2008 for violations that included living too close to a college daycare center.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has said it was trying to determine if actions regarding Gardner's parole were consistent with policy and law.

"We are taking every appropriate step to review these case factors to determine if these potential infractions warranted a return to prison on their merits," Corrections Secretary Matthew Cate said in a statement.

Oscar Hidalgo, spokesman for the department, previously said Gardner was considered to be a low- or moderate-risk sex offender, based on the assessment in use at the time.

He wasn't sent back to prison in September 2007 because he corrected the residency violation by moving away from the daycare center, Hidalgo said.

Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego, called for an investigation of the department and intends to hold public hearings before proposing legislation to increase penalties and oversight of sex offenders.

Assemblyman Pedro Nava, D-Santa Barbara, said he would amend one of his existing bills now in the state Senate to increase the penalty for a first offense of raping a minor to a mandatory 25 years to life in prison.

The current punishment is 15 years to life and also depends on the age of the victim. Nava is a former prosecutor who is running for attorney general.

Nava's bill also proposes creating a system to call the cell phones of residents in a specific area letting them know when a sex crime has been committed in their neighborhood.

Mom Allegedly Carves 'S' Onto Child's Buttocks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A mother allegedly carved a letter "S" onto her 15-month-old's buttocks, Sacramento police said.

Sergaye Lafayette, 23, remained in custody at the Sacramento County Jail on Thursday afternoon.

A doctor at the UC Davis Children's Hospital's CAARE Diagnostic and Treatment Center called officials about the scar.

The mutilation appears to have taken place about a week ago, according to a police report.

The child has been placed into protective custody, police said.

Police said she had been taking care of her three children, who she does not have custody of. The children were taken to the medical center for standard check-ups. That's when the doctor found the "S" carving on the 15-month-old.

It's unknown what kind of instrument was used to make the wound.

According to police, Lafayette was pulled over Aug. 10 near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 40th Avenue. She had outstanding warrants, including a felony burglary charge and a felony charge for unlawful use of personal identifying information.

She was booked on a felony charge of endangering the life or health of child.

Lafayette is being held at the Sacramento County Main Jail on a $120,689 bail.

Mom's Boyfriend Arrested In Child's Death

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The boyfriend of a 5-year-old child's mother has been arrested in connection with the boy's death.

Eduardo Zamora, Jr. was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on two felony charges. He is facing charges of murder and assault resulting in the death of a child under eight years of age.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said the child was found unresponsive in a home in the 3600 block of South Port Drive. Zamora Jr. told paramedics he called 911 because the boy had stopped breathing.

The child was pronounced dead at the UC Davis Medical Center. Staff told deputies that the boy had injuries that indicated child abuse.

"The injuries were very severe. Both medical personnel, fire paramedics and our personnel were very affected by the injuries that this child had sustained," Sgt. Tim Curran said.

Deputies said Child Protective Services had not been to the location before on any previous calls.

Zamora Jr., 31, is not the child's father.

The boy's 25-year-old mother was also questioned in the case.

Sources tell KCRA 3 that the father is probably in state prison.

The child's death is under investigation.

Zamora Jr. is being held without bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on June 22.

Thousand-Pound Slab Kills Pest Exterminator

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A concrete porch collapsed and killed a termite exterminator Monday afternoon in Curtis Park.

Capt. Jim Doucette, with the Sacramento Fire Department, said two workers were underneath a vacant house on the 2800 block of 27th Street at about 1:30 p.m. when the porch fell on them.

"In my experience, almost 30 years, it's a freak accident," Doucette said.

Rescuers used air bags to lift a 4-foot by 6-foot concrete slab, weighing at least 1,000 pounds, off the victim. Although crews got to the home within minutes, it took nearly a half-hour to pull the man from under the massive slab. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"He was a good man, a good provider," said Leslie Osterhoudt, the victim's wife.

She identified the man as Russell Osterhoudt, who has a current pest control license with the state of California.

Doucette said it's not clear why the porch collapsed, but he said the house probably was built in the 1920s.

Osterhoudt was removing dry rot at the time, according to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The agency said it could take up to six months to complete its investigation into the worker's death.

The other worker under the house wasn't hurt.

A caretaker had been living at the home until recently, but the owner passed away several months ago. Family members were trying to get the home ready to sell.