Chelsea King is 17. A senior in high school. Straight A student. A runner. A world of possibilities on her doorstep.
Last week she decided to go for a run after school. So she parked her car at a park, locked the doors, and probably even stashed her purse in the trunk. But she never came back.
Yesterday police arrested John Albert Gardner III, after physical evidence led them to believe that Gardner had raped and killed the still missing Chelsea. This story sucks. It is the sort of tragedy that is so vile that it’s almost unbearable to think about. It makes my stomach hurt and my heart twist into a knot and my eyes well up when I think of my two precious daughters.
But it was a punch in the gut to read this part of the story:
Gardner is a registered sex offender convicted of committing a lewd or lascivious act on a child younger than 14, the Union-Tribune said. Details of a 2000 criminal San Diego Superior Court case he was involved in were not available, the newspaper said.
What the heck was a man who committed a lewd or lascivious act on a child doing out of prison? Child rapists give up their government protected rights when they decide to commit the most disgusting and perverted act known to man. Lock them up and throw away the key. What the heck good is requiring them to register and making their addresses known to anyone through sites like Megan’s Law? A site with a disclaimer that specifically states: Anyone who uses this information to commit a crime or to harass an offender or his or her family is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability.
I just looked up my neighboorhood, and there’s a man living a mile away from me that’s been charged four times with “lewd of lascivious acts with children under 14,” or “oral copulation with persons under 14 by force.” Now what am I supposed to do with this information? Skip his house at Halloween? It’s not like I can stick a sign in his front yard that says, “Beware of Child Rapist!” That might hurt his feelings or something.
Something is wrong with our system when the sex offenders have more rights than Chelsea King did. Because of all the protection awarded to convicted sex felons, her young life was unprotected. A list of addresses is not enough. Obviously.
Headless Mom says:
Truly disgusting. I can’t even wrap my head around it.
Yeah, and they want to let more of these creeps out? There’s got to be a better answer.
March 1, 2010, 1:35 pmGrossed Out says:
It’s amazing how far we’ve come (Date Rape used to not exist in the minds’ of law enforcement) but on the other hand how far we’ve come (rapists have more rights than their victims). When 48% of sexual abusers recommit acts after their prison term then we have to think of permanent solutions. So if lifetime imprisonment is not an option then why not some sort of castration? And I’m serious if HALF of them are going to commit a sexual crime again then why on earth are they let back out on the streets?
March 2, 2010, 9:58 amThe usual arguer says:
I actually really agree with you on this. I believe everyone deserves a chance to become rehabilitated, but I think 6 years is way too short, I would say at least 20 years before they ever are allowed to roam society. I also believe they should be branded across the forhead with a tattoo that says “CHILD RAPIST”. Lastly I believe they should be castrated or have their sex drive hormone removed.
March 3, 2010, 11:15 amMommentator says:
If a person suggests that they do not have shame for their crime, as was the case in this situation, the defendant should never, and I do mean never, have been let out of prison.
While I agree that in an imperfect world there are some horrors which we cannot foresee or mitigate, this is one one of those scenarios.
March 6, 2010, 5:15 pm