FindLaw |

Find a Lawyer. Find Answers.

California's new law designed to bring much-needed transparency into the process of disclosing information about child deaths falls short of legislators' intent.

The L.A. Times describes how the law known as Senate Bill 39, aimed at allowing public scrutiny of fatal child abuse and child neglect is unevenly enforced and leaves many unaccounted for.

A Florida woman, Chrystina Lynn Mercer, was arrested and charged Thursday for taking part in the abduction of her the 7-month-old daughter. The child's babysitter, Susan Elizabeth Baker, was also charged in the alleged conspiracy.

Mercer was charged today with giving the infant to Baker, a woman who was a suspect in the disappearance of her own son 22 years ago, according to ABC News. 

The missing baby, Shannon Lea Dedrick was found alive in a large box under Susan Elizabeth Baker's bed.

Jaycee Dugard was allegedly abducted, sexually abused and held captive for 18 years in a concealed compound at the back of residence of convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido.

Now, a new report released by a governmental watchdog agency blasts parole officials who missed repeated opportunities to discover Dugard and Garrido's other victims.

A 14-year-old boy from Central Valley California faces charges as an adult for killing 4-year-old Alex Christopher Mercado and stuffing him in a dryer.

The Associated Press reports that Raul Renato Castro told investigators he drowned Alex Christopher Mercado, his 4-year-old neighbor, in a bathtub then hid the murdered boy in a dryer because the child was going to reveal the teen molested him, according to an affidavit released when he appeared in court Wednesday.

Instead of mentally ill people awaiting trial behind bars or on the streets, Miami-Dade courts are taking a different approach.

The courts have rolled out a new pilot program for mentally ill people which allows prosecutors to drop felony charges if defendants finish one year of treatment.

The program is featured in the Miami Herald, which explains how it works.

Convicted Ohio rapist Anthony Sowell was ordered held without bond today during his first appearance in court on charges for five aggravated murder counts.

So far, a total of 10 bodies have been discovered in the basement, buried in the backyard, in an upstairs living room and in the crawl space of his Clevland home, the Associated Press  reports.

After Sowell's court appearance authorities said they will continue their investigation and tear apart walls inside the house in search of more evidence or bodies.

As Sowell was a registered sex offender required to keep regular contact with police, many are wondering how he may have been allowed to embark on such a gruesome series of murders, keeping bodies stashed all over his property, and not have anyone notice.

This week Jessica's Law, which was designed to keep convicted sex offenders from living near parks or schools, is coming under review by the California Supreme Court.

The law severely restricts where sexual offenders can live after they are released from prison.  Those convicted of rape or child molestation or even misdemeanor indecent exposure cannot live within 2,000 feet of a school or a park under its provisions.

The state Supreme Court is looking at the cases of four ex-convicts as it considers whether the residency restriction contained in Proposition 83 is so broad and intrusive that it violates the constitutional rights of registered sex offenders, the San Jose Mercury News  reports.

The California Highway Patrol is cracking down on cyclists under the influence.

Police have begun to cruise streets looking for bicycles (and cars) being driven erratically or in a way that suggests impairment, such as weaving or crossing a center line.

CHP officers recently charged seven bicyclists with riding under the influence during a one-night crackdown in Sacramento, reports USA Today.

Anna Nicole Smith's former long time boyfriend, Howard K. Stern, along with two of her doctors, will stand trial later this year for illegally supplying the deceased star with drugs.

The Playboy model died of an overdose from a cocktail of prescription drugs in 2007. Smith died in a hotel room in Florida shortly after the birth of her daughter Dannielynn and the death of her adult son Daniel also from a drug overdose. She was 39.

See this previous post for information on the charges originally filed against Stern and two doctors who treated Anna Nicole -- Khristine Eroshevich, 61, and Sandeep Kapoor, 40.

As reported by the L.A. Times, after a 13 days of preliminary hearings, the judge in the case ruled that all three defendants will stand trial. It should be noted that the level of proof prosecutors must to show in order to proceed to trial is far lower than what they will need to prove to secure convictions.

The gang rape and beating of a 15-year-old girl after a Richmond High School homecoming dance has caused a lot of pain not only for the victim but for the entire community.

The case sparked nationwide media attention and public outrage after learning that as many as 20 people witnessed the rape or knew about the incident and did not report it.

No one called police until a woman who was several blocks away heard people who heard people discussing what was occurring and notified the police.

Now, students and teachers will have to find a way to come together and heal.

Some educators say, bringing bystander-awareness programs to schools is a good start.