Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

A5
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 2 august 2017
Dad admits killing 5-year-old son in court

slaying set off a two-month Anaheim, where Disney-
search. land is located.
Investigators believe the Andressian told investiga-
young boy was killed on tors that he drove to the
April 21. His father was lake the day his son was
found passed out in a park killed. Investigators had
the next day, sparking an searched the lake several
intensive search for the times before the boy’s re-
boy. Andressian had taken mains were found.
prescription pills and was Prosecutors called the evi-
found in a car in the park dence in the case over-
doused in gasoline in an whelming but have re-
apparent suicide attempt, fused to say how Aramazd
sheriff’s officials have said. Jr. died. “This is a tragedy.
Andressian’s attorney de- Cases like this really tug at
Aramazd Andressian Sr., appears in Los Angeles County Supe- clined to comment when your heartstrings,” Deputy
rior Court in Alhambra, Tuesday Aug. 1, 2017, to change his plea asked why Andressian District Attorney Craig Hum
to guilty in the killing of his 5-year-old son, Aramazd Andressian
Jr. The prosecution announced during the plea hearing that An- killed his son but said the said outside Los Angeles
dressian will face a term of 25 years to life when he’s sentenced slaying was “not planned” County Superior Court in
on Aug. 23. and his client told investi- suburban Alhambra.
(Al Seib/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool) gators where to find the Andressian’s attorney, Am-
boy’s body. brosio Rodriguez, said his
By MICHAEL BALSAMO 35, had his hands shack- The boy’s body was found client pleaded guilty part-
Associated Press led at the waist and spoke on June 30 near Lake Ca- ly to avoid the possibility
ALHAMBRA, Calif. (AP) — softly when a prosecu- chuma outside Santa Bar- of prosecutors adding a
A father acknowledged tor asked him if he willfully bara — about 145 miles charge that could result in
he killed his 5-year-old killed his son, Aramazd Jr. (233 kilometers) away from the death penalty.q
son after a bitter custody Andressian simply replied,
battle with his estranged “Yes.” He pleaded guilty to
wife, who gripped an urn first-degree murder in the
with the boy’s ashes and April death of the boy after
sobbed uncontrollably a family trip to Disneyland.
Tuesday in the front row of Authorities said Andressian
a California courtroom. wanted to get back at his
Aramazd Andressian Sr., estranged wife, and the

Suspect in killing of Navajo

girl pleads guilty to murder

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS “He finally admitted it
Associated Press today.”
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Asked if he had a message
— A man charged with for Begaye, Mike paused,
murder, sexual assault and tried to hold back tears
other counts in the death and said, “I can’t now.”
of an 11-year-old girl on the New Mexico Gov. Susana
largest American Indian Martinez said in a statement
reservation changed his that she hoped the guilty
pleas to guilty Tuesday plea brought some peace
in a case that prompted to the family.
calls to expand the Amber “But sadly, nothing will ever
Alert system and the undo what was done,” the
death penalty to tribal Republican governor and
communities across the former prosecutor said. “It’s
U.S. critical that we continue
More than a year after to do more to protect our
Ashlynne Mike was killed in children.”
Navajo Nation, Tom Begaye Among the charges against
entered his new pleas at Begaye were aggravated
a hearing in U.S. District sexual assault resulting in
Court in Albuquerque, New death and kidnapping
Mexico, as family members resulting in death.
of Mike cried. Prosecutors say Begaye
Her father, Gary Mike, said lured the girl into his van
after the hearing that the in May 2016 and sexually
guilty pleas were a turning assaulted her. She was
point for the family that has reported missing, but an
struggled since the killing. Amber Alert didn’t go out
“We all know that this in the state until the next
person is guilty,” he said. day.q