Masked gunmen rob 10 San Fernando Valley
restaurants
WOODLAND HILLS “”mdash; Thieves are feasting on diners in upscale
San Fernando Valley restaurants.
Ten restaurants have been terrorized in the past three months by
two masked gunmen who barge in and rob customers of cash and
jewelry, police said Thursday. No one has been hurt, police Capt.
Al Michelena said.
The takeover-style robberies began Oct. 8.
“˜”˜I’m sure these guys came in and dined, or
sat at the bar, and watched where the cash goes in and
out,” said Victor Hugo, the manager of Piacere. The
Woodland Hills restaurant was robbed Dec. 22.
County launches independent investigation of
infant’s death
An independent county watchdog is investigating Department of
Children and Family Services handling of a case involving a
3-month-old boy and his mother, who was charged this week with the
infant’s death.
Latunga Nate Starks, 32, allegedly put her son, Michael Kelvin
Thompson, inside a washing machine Monday night before setting fire
to their south Los Angeles home. The cause of death hasn’t
been determined.
“˜”˜I will be looking at the death of the child to
determine if systemic changes are necessary to the Department of
Children and Family Services,” said Michael Watrobski,
the county’s acting children’s services inspector
general. He serves as an independent watchdog for the Board of
Supervisors.
The deaths of children who have had prior contact with the
county’s protective services are automatically investigated
by the inspector general. The mother allegedly has a history of
child abuse.
“˜”˜I just want to make sure the department did
everything they should have done,” Watrobski said.
“˜”˜If not, then maybe we can improve the system to
ensure that similar deaths don’t happen in the
future.”
A Jan. 20 hearing is scheduled for Starks, who is being held
with bail set at $1 million.
Compiled from Bruin wire reports.