Update on abandoned baby girl
A baby girl abandoned Sept. 28 at Steel Lake Presbyterian Church, 1829 S. 308th St., has been united with her father.
The infant, approximately 12 hours old at the time of her abandonment, was left at 2:16 a.m. and found at 7:54 a.m. by church personnel. She was taken to the hospital in fair condition.
The baby was turned over to her father when he was contacted in Wisconsin while training with the National Guard. The Auburn man reported he did not know his ex-girlfriend was pregnant.
The baby will be left in the care of the man’s mother while he is deployed in Iraq for the next 10 months. The infant’s mother turned herself into Federal Way police shortly following the incident and could face charges for child abandonment.
Man gets 23 months over infant son’s death
On Oct. 3, Federal Way resident Albert Rios was sentenced to 23 months in prison after pleading guilty in the death of his 7-month-old son.
The infant died from burns and smoke inhalation suffered after he fell into a fire pit in the family’s backyard June 22. Rios, 39, had been drinking and had fallen asleep with the infant on his chest, reports said; he woke up to discover the baby deceased.
In August, Rios pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Rios first filed a not-guilty plea July 9 on the advice of his lawyers.
Rios is residing in the United States illegally and was told he will be deported after his sentence. He was previously deported from the country three times, the last time being in 2001.
King County Superior Court Judge Richard McDermott issued the sentence for Rios.
Backpacks full of coke
Leroy Carr, 47, Federal Way, was convicted Friday of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
Carr was arrested Sept. 15, 2007, after contacting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Aug. 7 about two blue backpacks full of cocaine he had stashed in the brush near the United States/ Canadian border, according to an Oct. 3 United States Attorney’s Office press release.
Carr told the agents he stored the drugs near a Boy Scouts of America camp near the border Aug. 3, but found the drugs gone when he returned to retrieve them and smuggle them into Canada the next day, according to the release. He described the packs and said they contained 31 kilograms of cocaine, according to the same press release.
He then requested the ICE agents issue a press release stating the drugs had been seized by the government. His apparent reason for the request was to avoid retaliation from the smugglers he worked for, whom he believed likely would think he stole the drugs himself, according to the press release.
On Aug. 21, a camp director called the Northwest Regional Drug Task Force and reported finding two blue backpacks full of what appeared to be cocaine. Tests were conducted and results show the bags contained 31 kilograms of cocaine, according to the press release.
At trial, Carr admitted to the conversation with ICE agents, but claimed he had made up the story and never possessed the cocaine. Carr faces up to 10 years in prison. He is scheduled for sentencing Jan. 16.
Star Lake Elementary anniversary
Star Lake Elementary School will turn 50 years old this year. Staff will host a celebration and open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at 4014 S. 270th St. Former students and staff members are invited.
For more information, call (253) 945-4000.
Correction: POll stations
In the Oct. 4 edition of The Mirror, it was mistakenly reported in an article titled “Want to vote? Better act fast” that this is the last year polling stations will be available in the state.
In fact, this is the last year they will be available in the county, King County Elections spokeswoman Megan Coppersmith said. She is unsure if Pierce County will continue to offer polling stations post-2008.
