Lost Girls, by Caitlin Rother (Kensington Publishing Corp., New York, NY, 2012, 372 pages).
Book Review by Dennis Moore
November 10, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--New York Times Bestselling author Caitlin Rother, a San Diego resident and journalist, has written a true-crime book that I am sure will resonate with all parents: Lost Girls. Pulitzer-nominated author Rother delivers an incisive, heartbreaking true-life thriller that touches our deepest fears. It is the story of John Gardner, who raped and murdered local San Diego teens Chelsea King and Amber Dubois.
Rother dedicates her book to the memories of King and Dubois, and all other girls and boys who have been lost to sexual predators. She feels that by shedding light on these dark events, she can only hope that it will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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March 18, 2011 (San Diego) -- His phone rings in the middle of the night. He works around the clock tracking down killers. Now after 29 years on the job, Lt. Dennis Brugos is trading in his badge for the laid-back lifestyle of a retiree. His last day is on March 30th.
Lt. Brugos came face-to-face with many horrendous crimes during his time on the force. His work is difficult, but he says nothing is more gratifying than bringing a killer to justice and closure to families who have lost loved ones.
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March 3, 2011 (San Diego) -- Chelsea King never got to finish her run at Rancho Bernardo Community Park on February last year, when convicted sex offender John Gardner murdered her. This Saturday, March 5th, Sheriff Bill Gore and Sheriff’s Department employees will participate in Finish Chelsea’s Run at Balboa Park starting at 7:30 a.m.
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September 9, 2010 (San Diego) -- At a ceremony today in Balboa Park, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1844 into law. The bill, named for slain Poway high school student Chelsea King, provides life-without-parole sentences for California’s most dangerous sex offenders, including first-time offenders. It also lengthens parole terms for those who commit crimes against children under age 14, restricts sex offenders from entering public parks, and provides other protections.
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August 24, 2010 (Sacramento)-- Assembly Bill 1844, Chelsea's Law, passed the California State Senate today by unanimous vote. The measure, carried through the Senate by Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, (R-Murrieta) was authored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego). The bill aims to strengthen protections for California children from violent sexual predators.
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June 3, 2010 (Sacramento) By a unanimous 65-0 vote, the state Assembly today passed Chelsea’s Law, AB 1844. Named for murdered Poway High School student Chelsea King, the measure toughens penalties on child predators and creates a one-strike law for the most serious offenders.
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May 11, 2010 (Sacramento) – The Senate Education Committee has passed SB 1290 by a unanimous vote. The measure, authored by Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), would allow self-defense training for middle and high school districts to provide self-defense training for boys and girls as part of the standard physical education curriculum.
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April 22, 2010 (San Diego) – Assembly Bill 1844, known as Chelsea’s Law, passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Tuesday and now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill is authored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego), who has worked closely with the family of slain teen Chelsea King to craft legislation aimed at protecting children from violent sexual predators.
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April 17, 2010 (San Diego, California) -- In a surprised development, John Albert Gardner pled guilty to the murders of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois “with premeditation and deliberation,” special circumstances for both murders while engaged in the act of rape, and the attack and attempted rape of Candice Moncayo.
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March 24, 2010 (San Diego) --Violence against women has plagued the world for centuries, and recent events in San Diego County remind us just how much more needs to be done in California.
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March 9, 2010 (Poway) – Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) is working with the parents of slain teen Chelsea King to enact legal reforms aimed at protecting children from violent sexual predators. Fletcher’s district includes Poway and Escondido, homes of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois, murdered teens whose bodies were both found in the past week.
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VIEW THE ONLINE REGISTRY AT THE MEGAN'S LAW WEBSITE
March 8, 2010 (San Diego's East County) - The tragic murders of Amber Dubois and Chelsea King highlight the need to protect ourselves and our children from known predators in our communities. Many people are not aware that you can you view photos of sex offenders in your neighborhood, learn their addresses, and read descriptions of past crimes on the Megan's Law website (http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/), named after slain child Megan Kanka.
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March 7, 2010 (Escondido) – The county medical examiner’s office has used dental records to positively identify remains found Saturday as those of Amber Dubois, the 14-year-old teenage girl who went missing while walking to Escondido High School on February 13, 2009. Her disappearance resulted in a massive search over more than a year and made headlines nationally.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
March 3, 2010 (San Diego) --In the wake of the case of murdered Poway High school student Chelsea King and the arrest of convicted sex-offender John Gardner who lives in Lake Elsinore, the subject of “Megan’s Law” and what it is supposed to do is once again in the news.
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Self-defense tactics helped first victim escape; learn how you can fight back if assaulted
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Suspect may also be linked to Amber Dubois disappearance
March 2, 2010 (Rancho Bernardo) – A body has been found by authorities in a shallow grave near the water’s edge at Lake Hodges. In a press conference at 4 p.m. today, Sheriff Bill Gore said, “There is a strong likelihood that we have found Chelsea.” Poway High School honor student Chelsea King went missing while jogging around Lake Hodges.
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March 2, 2010 (Rancho Bernardo) – The search for Chelsea King continues, despite the arrest of John Gardner, a registered sex offender booked on suspicion of rape and murder. Sheriff Bill Gore has said he holds out hope that Chelsea may yet be found alive – and volunteers are needed for daily searches starting at 9 a.m. and continuing throughout the day.
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February 28, 2010 (Poway) – John Albert Gardner III, 30, a registered sex offender, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. today by the San Diego County Sheriff’s fugitive task force.
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February 26, 2010 (Rancho Bernardo) 6 p.m. – Chelsea King remains missing, more than 24 hours after she disappeared while jogging around Lake Hodges near the Rancho Bernardo Community Center on West Bernardo Drive, where her locked car was parked. The Poway High School honor student is described as “responsible, conscientious, loving, intelligent, cherished by all who know her,” according to an e-mail sent on behalf of the family today.
NOTE: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children says her hair is dyed red; family site says strawberry blond --- early news reports said blond.
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February 26, 2010 (4 a.m.)Sheriff Bill Gore has activated more than 100 Search and Rescue volunteers and deputies to locate missing Poway teen Chelsea King. King was reported missing by her family late Thursday after she did not return home from a run in the north Rancho Bernardo area.
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Lost Girls, by Caitlin Rother (Kensington Publishing Corp., New York, NY, 2012, 372 pages).
March 18, 2011 (San Diego) -- His phone rings in the middle of the night. He works around the clock tracking down killers. Now after 29 years on the job, Lt. Dennis Brugos is trading in his badge for the laid-back lifestyle of a retiree. His last day is on March 30th.
September 9, 2010 (San Diego) -- At a ceremony today in Balboa Park, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1844 into law. The bill, named for slain Poway high school student Chelsea King, provides life-without-parole sentences for California’s most dangerous sex offenders, including first-time offenders. It also lengthens parole terms for those who commit crimes against children under age 14, restricts sex offenders from entering public parks, and provides other protections.
June 3, 2010 (Sacramento) By a unanimous 65-0 vote, the state Assembly today passed Chelsea’s Law, AB 1844. Named for murdered Poway High School student Chelsea King, the measure toughens penalties on child predators and creates a one-strike law for the most serious offenders.
May 11, 2010 (Sacramento) – The Senate Education Committee has passed SB 1290 by a unanimous vote. The measure, authored by Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), would allow self-defense training for middle and high school districts to provide self-defense training for boys and girls as part of the standard physical education curriculum. 
April 22, 2010 (San Diego) – Assembly Bill 1844, known as Chelsea’s Law, passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Tuesday and now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill is authored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego), who has worked closely with the family of slain teen Chelsea King to craft legislation aimed at protecting children from violent sexual predators.
By Kristin Kjaero
By Senator Christine Kehoe
March 9, 2010 (Poway) – Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) is working with the parents of slain teen Chelsea King to enact legal reforms aimed at protecting children from violent sexual predators. Fletcher’s district includes Poway and Escondido, homes of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois, murdered teens whose bodies were both found in the past week. 
VIEW THE ONLINE REGISTRY AT THE MEGAN'S LAW WEBSITE
March 7, 2010 (Escondido) – The county medical examiner’s office has used dental records to positively identify remains found Saturday as those of Amber Dubois, the 14-year-old teenage girl who went missing while walking to Escondido High School on February 13, 2009. Her disappearance resulted in a massive search over more than a year and made headlines nationally.
PUBLIC MEMORIAL SET FOR CHELSEA KING MARCH 13
By E.A. Barrera
February 26, 2010 (Rancho Bernardo) 6 p.m. – Chelsea
King remains missing, more than 24 hours after she disappeared while jogging around Lake Hodges near the Rancho Bernardo Community Center on West Bernardo Drive, where her locked car was parked. The Poway High School honor student is described as “responsible, conscientious, loving, intelligent, cherished by all who know her,” according to an e-mail sent on behalf of the family today. 
February 26, 2010 (4 a.m.)Sheriff Bill Gore has activated more than 100 Search and Rescue volunteers and deputies to locate missing Poway teen Chelsea King. King was reported missing by her family late Thursday after she did not return home from a run in the north Rancho Bernardo area.
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