Rob La Gatta is a Seattle-based writer who covers local crime at Seattle Crime Blog (www.seattlecrimeblog.com) with fellow journalist Mike Baldwin. They can be reached at seattlecrime@gmail.com.

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Father, Illegal Immigrant Held for Child's Death

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June 26, 10:23 AM

by Rob La Gatta & Mike Baldwin, Seattle Crime Examiner

By now, I am sure everyone has heard of Alberto Rios, the father who awoke from his intoxicated sleep to find his seven-month old burned to death in the family's fire pit.

Now, some new details have emerged around Rios, an illegal immigrant who was deported three separate times over the last 15 years and has a series of alcohol and drug-related arrests since 1990.

His status as an illegal immigrant really has nothing to do with this case, although I am sure it will be a headliner, as it was in my article, but what Rios did is both negligent and sad.

Rios made a poor decision and he paid for it by doing something no parent should ever have to do: burying a child. Rios, who also goes by the name Calderon Martinez, has told Federal Way police that he consumed up to six beers during a party leading up to the infant's death and that he fell asleep with the infant on his chest. When he awoke, the child's charred corpse was in the fire pit.

Rios is being held on $1 million bail. After he is prosecuted, he will undoubtedly be deported and he will undoubtedly come right back to America.

This case is going to digress into an argument for the talk-radio hosts over illegal immigration. The true tragedy is not Rios' status as a citizen, but the death of his child, who never had a chance.

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14-year old Carnation girl starved to less than 50 pounds

9 comments

October 14, 12:07 PM

It's one of those cases you truly wish weren't true. A 14-year old girl in Carnation was starved by her step-mother and father to the point that when detectives found her, she weighed less than 50 pounds. To put how little that is in perspective,... Read More
Topics: Rebecca A . Long , Carnation child abuse , child starvation , CPS

UW police lawsuit reveals hidden racism of Seattle

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October 12, 12:45 AM

Six former members of the University of Washington police department have filed a civil lawsuit against the department, leveling racial discrimination within the department.Amongst the claims leveled are that officers left swastikas on a Jewish woman's... Read More
Topics: Rebecca Griego , UW police , racial discrimination

Report: Mental health system contributed to Shannon Harps murder

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October 9, 7:50 AM

When a mentally ill man who was released from state care 10 days earlier and was known to not be taking his medication violently murders a young woman because of his psychotic hallucinations, do you really need a report to confirm that the state's mental... Read More
Topics: Isaac Zamora , Shannon Harps , state mental system

Sick coward films sexual assault in Kirkland

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October 6, 11:49 PM

An intruder who tied up a 63-year-old woman in Kirkland in order to take pictures of himself sexually assaulting her is still on the loose.The coward of a man who decided to the commit this act was apparently armed with a knife and was wearing ... Read More
Topics: Sexual Assault , Criminals , Kirkland

Abandoned child reunited with Iraq-destined father

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October 6, 11:23 PM

Mariah Verle Stevens, the infant who was abadoned by her mother last week at a Federal Way church, has been united with her father, Clark Stevens.Stevens was apparently not aware that his ex-girlfriend was pregnant, as he was training with his National... Read More
Topics: Mariah Verle Stevens , Clarke Stevens , Abandoned

Father of infant in fire pit death gets two years

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October 5, 10:47 PM

41-year-old AlbertoRios, the man who's infant son fell into a fire pit and burned alive, has been sentenced to two years in prison.Rios fell asleep after consuming "six to nine beers" during a barbeque with coworkers, while holding his seventh-month... Read More
Topics: Alberto Rios , Infant Death , Manslaughter

Police don't have to pay for damage during raids

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October 3, 7:48 AM

The state Supreme Court, in a split decision, ruled Thursday that police departments do not have to pay for damage accrued to propery during drug raids.Leo Burtsche was asking for $5,000 in damages to properties he owned that were damaged by police in... Read More
Topics: meth lab , drug raid , Kent police

Isaac Zamora charged with six counts of aggravated murder

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September 29, 6:01 PM

Isaac Zamora, the mentally ill man who terrorized a neighborhood in Skagit County, killing six people in the process, has been charged with six counts of aggravated murder, amongst other charges.Aggravated murder of the first-degree is the only crime... Read More
Topics: Murder , Washington Law , Seattle Crime , Isaac Zamora , Skagit County , Shooting Spree

Lake Washington boating death leaving more questions than answers

1 comment

September 28, 11:23 PM

The collision between a speed boat and a sailboat on Lake Washington that left a 37-year-old woman dead has captivated local media, but left more questions than answers as to what really happaned.What we do know is that a speedboat piloted... Read More
Topics: Lake Washington boating death