Our community has suffered the loss of a daughter. I am heartbroken. A beautiful girl with a bright future is gone.

By all accounts, Chelsea King was an amazing girl, a sweet daughter, intelligent, funny and talented. Her disappearance after going for a run struck a chord with everyone, not just in our community, but throughout the city and the nation. It is, of course, every parent’s worst nightmare. All of us hugged our kids a little tighter and prayed for Chelsea’s safe return.

At the volunteer center, I spoke briefly with Chelsea’s dad. I was struck by his strength, and saw the pain he and his wife were suffering. My dad, brother and I helped search a canyon area with other volunteers. In our search group were people aged 19 to 65, men and women from a variety of backgrounds joined together to help where we could. Some lived in our community, while others came from farther away. Both at the search location, and at the volunteer center, it was heartening to see so many people giving their time to help find Chelsea. It is confirmation that while there are some monsters in this world, there are many more good and decent people. 

We have such a wonderful community that could turn out so many volunteers. Local businesses donated food and supplies for the volunteer center. Hundreds of search parties went out through canyons and open space, while others went door-to-door. In fact, friends of Chelsea and those who never met her passed out fliers to businesses everywhere. 

However, a judicial system that allows someone like this predator to not serve a full sentence, a sentence that is too lenient to begin with, is broken beyond recognition. A process that protects the rights of a convicted child molester over the rights of a girl to be able to go for a run cannot continue. These child predators cannot be “rehabilitated.” They should get the death penalty. District attorneys need to demand it, and judges need to enforce it. When a predator harms a child, there should be swift and sure punishment. This vicious predator, and the others like him, should never get released from prison.
 
Those who are entrusted with great responsibility in our criminal justice system should not get a free pass when it comes to dealing with these predators.

We will always remember Chelsea. We will remember the efforts of so many to find her, and the kindness of so many in our community. We will also remember the loss of innocence that
something so terrible could happen here, and that a young life is gone. Rest in Peace, Chelsea.

Maienschein served two terms as a member of the San Diego City Council. He can be reached at bmaienschein@uwsd.org