In this week’s issue of the Journal interns Travis Turner and Preston Drake-Hillyard report on the tragic case of Claudia Pedreros, the McKinleyville woman accused of drowning her 2 1/2-year-old daughter Sophia in the Trinity River last weekend.
Here we offer supplemental material that we were unable to include in the print edition. In the video above, Arcata defense attorney Russell Clanton, who is representing Pedreros, urges people to keep an open mind. He spoke to reporters outside the courtroom Tuesday afternoon after Pedreros’ arraignment hearing was postponed until June 1.
Clanton’s comments imply that his client may plead not guilty by reason of insanity. “She’s obviously had some mental health issues in the past,” he says. “It’s clear that those problems are part of this case.” Later, perhaps in reference to Pedreros’ alleged confession, Clanton urges the media “to refrain from accepting rational conclusions from irrational statements.”
Following Clanton’s comments, Robert Parker — Pedreros’ husband and father to Sophia — tearfully reads a statement to reporters.
For photos by Drake-Hillyard, click “more.”
When an interpreter told Pedreros the charge against her, she laughed briefly.
A neighbor of the Parker/Pedreros family, Ben Steffen, told the Journal that on the day before Pedreros went missing he saw her walk across the street bare-footed with a framing hammer, which she placed in a black plastic bag with grass trimmings. Steffen had heard Pedreros arguing with her father-in-law earlier in the day.
This article appears in Summer of Fun! 2011.
SO INCREDIBLY DISRESPECTFULL to publish videos by your rag newspaper. Give them the privacy they deserve.
The father read a “prepared statement” to numerous reporters at the county courthouse. He was expecting to be questioned and didn’t avoid it. Nobody ambushed him paparazzi style. This is hardly a situation where I’d say anyone was disrespecting the family’s privacy. Frankly, its unrealistic in a case such as this to expect much privacy. The NCJ, in my view, actually gave the family and their legal representative the opportunity to share their side of the story about a situation that the community will be watching.
And they’re not even good photos and video. Of course hiring flunkie college kids is cheap (or free) but you get what you pay for. Except in this case, it’s the family that’s paying. Remember that college kids are best used for jobs that have no real responsibility, like bagging groceries or waiting tables. And also remember that there are pros in our community that would love to do a better job if only the NCJ would only stop trying to be a mainstream version of Savage Henry.
There is nothing wrong with the photos. And how exactly does the family “pay” for the photos and video being bad?
Send your stuff to the NCJ, McKhee! If your photos are anywhere close to as good as your attitude, I’m sure everyone there is super pumped to work with you.
hmm. “[F]lunkie college kids . . . are best for jobs that have no real responsibility” Interesting perspective. Do you know these particular students? Are they really irresponsible flunkies? And I see plenty of freelance work being printed in the NCJ. A local company creating opportunities for students to work in their area of training is usually considered a responsible community service, not just being “cheap.”
Video Interpreting is a quick, convenient way for deaf and hearing people to communicate with the assistance of a fluent video interpreter.
Flunky? Possibly. In college? Yes. Kid at 35? Don’t let my dapper youthful appearance fool you McGhee. Thanks for the compliment though.
Parker have to be investigated, I have a bad feeling about the husband and his selfishness.