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Cameron Brown killed his 4-year old daughter so he wouldn't have to pay child support

thehesbomb

thehesbomb

Trusted Member
LOS ANGELES — A father who had no interest in his 4-year-old daughter did the unimaginable — hurling her off a 120-foot cliff to avoid paying child support, a prosecutor said Monday during the man's murder retrial.

Cameron Brown, 47, was charged with one count of murder and the special circumstance allegations of murder while lying in wait and murder for financial gain in the death of Lauren Sarene Key in November 2000. Brown, a former American Airlines baggage handler, has pleaded not guilty and faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum said during his opening statement that Brown killed Lauren because he didn't want to pay about $1,000 a month in child support.

Defense attorney Pat Harris countered that it was an accident when the girl fell from Inspiration Point in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Hum portrayed Brown as an uncaring father who tried to shirk his parental responsibility at nearly every turn. After Brown learned the girl's mother, Sarah Key-Marer, was pregnant with Lauren, he first wanted her to have an abortion and then sought a paternity test that eventually proved he was the father, Hum said.

"Does he show any interest in the child he fathered?" Hum asked. "Absolutely not."

Only when he was forced to pay child support did Brown finally see his daughter — about three years after she was born, Hum said, adding that the total number of hours Brown spent with his daughter during her life amounted to about two weeks.

Hum argued that Brown and Lauren went out to the cliff where nobody could see them, and he "hurled" her into the Pacific Ocean.

"This man picked up Lauren, whom he fathered but was never a father to, and threw her off a cliff into the water below," Hum said.

Brown, wearing a dark suit and a red tie, stared at Hum during his opening statement and showed no reaction.

Harris gave a different account of his client's relationship with his daughter, insisting the case was nothing more than "character assassination." He dismissed the prosecution's contention that it was a "good-versus-evil" struggle between Brown and Key-Marer.

"It was two parents trying to work out arrangements so they could have a happy child," Harris said.

Harris said Brown carried a picture of Lauren in his wallet, gave her gifts and toasted with his friends when he learned he would get visitation rights. Two weeks before her death, Brown filed court documents seeking more visits with Lauren, Harris said.

"It doesn't make sense," he said.

The prosecution's first witness was Key-Marer, a British immigrant, who described her relationship with Brown as amicable but deteriorated during the child custody dispute after she said in court documents that he was showing little interest in Lauren's life.

Key-Marer testified that her daughter wouldn't share what she did with Brown and Lauren was upset the day she died once she learned Brown would pick her up at school.

"She said, 'No, no I don't want to see him today,'" Key-Marer said. "She was crying and I had trouble getting her out of the car seat."

In a wrenching moment, Key-Marer said after talking to her daughter on the phone she decided to leave work early and pick up Lauren. But she soon learned that Brown had arrived early and she wouldn't be able to get there in time.

She described waiting for Lauren that night, looking out her window for her daughter and Brown to return. Distraught, she and her husband decided to notify authorities because they thought Brown may have kidnapped Lauren.

"We knew something really bad had happened," she said.

Key-Marer broke into tears when she recounted how a female police detective told her that her daughter had died.

"I remember hearing the words 'cliff' and 'Lauren was dead,'" Key-Marer said before court recessed for the day. "I just couldn't believe it."

Brown was tried three years ago, but a mistrial was declared after a jury deadlocked on the severity of the crime. Some jurors favored a first-degree murder conviction, while others voted for second-degree murder or manslaughter.

Both sides intend to call experts to give their opinions on how Lauren died. Jurors will also take a trip to the cliff to see where the alleged crime occurred.

(This version CORRECTS UPDATES with afternoon testimony, details. corrects reference to number of times Brown visited daughter from 12 times to two weeks.)
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gPBYc1x2QINgpr-GmU59h1S69PUAD99N58180
 
poor child

Poor little angel Lauren. Dying over child support? I mean that is a lot of child support, but every action has a consequence. If he didnt want to father a child..... ya know what to do. Like the child asked to be born.
That is horrific that she didn't want to see him, was forced to and then the way she died. Ugggh.
Sooo sick thinking about the way she died.
 
The cock-sucker threw his daughter off of a cliff to save himself a few $$$???
Are you kidding me?

I hope the bastard gets the death penalty! :argh:
 
wow.... As I read this my jaw just fell... My oldest daughters father wasn't in her life till she was 5... then not again till she was 14. Now she doesn't want anything to do with him, thankfully, and he tries to confide in me that she doesn't but I have to support her. .... He has only paid, to date, 7 yrs of support (then I had his rights removed)... I can't imagine this mothers horror.
 
20090727_101117_cameronbrown2_200.jpg
20090710_065608_brown_200.jpg

Cameron Brown (In court on Monday) Cameron Brown (In Court November 2003)

I hope this jury sees him for what he actually is; Child Murderer and Selfish Brat!
 
Lauren%27s+School+Photo.jpg

Lauren Sarene Key-Marer (Pre-School Photo)

I just couldn't put this precious childs photo in the same post as her killer.
Lauren would've been 13 this coming August 29, Maybe in honor of her birthday, this jury will put him away for life without parole! I'll pray for that...
 
:(

Oh this story hurts my heart. Just like little Darcey Freeman. So sad.

If your kids balk and don't want to go with someone, especially someone they don't know well, then don't make them!!! :mad3:
 
I hope he rots in hell.

My heart goes out to her mother, I don't know if I could bear the situation. It is truly heartwrenching, knowing the child did not want to go.

What a bastard!
 
A 4 year old accidentally fell from here?
You don't say..
Especially considering that at birth there are 2 things we fear. Loud noises and falling.

RW4836_web.jpg


At birth or soon after, a baby has startle reflexes and avoidance
reactions, such as recoiling from pain, jerking at a loud noise or
gasping at the sensation of falling. These actions may be unconscious
to begin with, but they connect to conscious fears as the infant
matures.
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http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020803/windows/main1.htm

This is so incredibly sad
 
Last edited:
A second mistrial was declared Monday in the case of a former airline baggage handler accused of murdering his 4-year-old daughter by throwing her off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean.

The jury deliberated the fate of Cameron Brown for weeks before conceding another deadlock, with six jurors favoring second-degree murder and the other half supporting involuntary manslaughter.

The 48-year-old Brown was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Lauren Sarene Key in November 2000 in Rancho Palos Verdes. The charge included the special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain and murder while lying in wait, and carried a potential life prison sentence without the possibility of parole.

Brown was tried three years ago, but a mistrial was declared after a jury deadlocked on the severity of the crime.

Prosecutors declined to say whether Brown would be retried. Defense attorney Pat Harris said he wants the charges dismissed.
[...]

Jury foreman Mark Dreskin, 45, said jurors struggled over whether Brown deliberately killed Lauren or was a careless father who let his daughter roam near a harrowing precipice.

"Nobody thought he was not guilty," said Dreskin, a doctor who works for Kaiser Permanente."It was primarily a decision between if there was intent or not, not the method of the fall, the mechanism of the fall, as important as those things were, it wasn't the final sticking point. It was this question of intent."

The girl's mother, Sarah Key-Marer, was crestfallen following the hearing and declined comment.
[...]

Medical experts called by the prosecution testified that Brown must have thrown his daughter off the cliff because of the injuries she suffered. In addition, no children's footprints were found near the edge of the cliff, only adult-sized imprints, Hum said.

Brown has said the girl led him on a hike to the cliff that had no fences or barricades, but Hum argued Lauren was always careful and cautious wherever she went.

At least three witnesses who saw Brown and Lauren testified it was the father who was ahead of his daughter, Hum said.
[...]

Harris called Lauren's death"a tragic accident" and said involuntary manslaughter was probably a reasonable punishment in this case. However, the maximum sentence for the charge is four years, meaning if Brown was either convicted or agreed to plea guilty to involuntary manslaughter, he would be freed because of time already served in prison, Harris said.
[...]
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http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/state/ap/563366/Mistrial-in-case-of-dad-accused-of-girls-death.html
 
Wasn't the jury taken out to this cliff and see that a child wouldn't be playing around up there? A four year old girl, especially? Who takes a child there to play,anyway? A vengeful person, that's who, his name is Cameron Brown. I wish someone would push Cameron off a cliff and be done with him.....
Will Lauren Sarene Key-Marer ever get justice served? This is so disheartening, that all these jurors can't see the Truth in this crime! What is so mind boggling to them? I am just sick that there is another mistrial....:argh:
 
If they understand the mechanism, that she was thrown, what is so hard to get about the intent???? Did he think she would sprout wings or something? You throw a child off a cliff you are murdering them, intending for them to die. GRRRRRRRRRR>
 
MadeaBecBec said:
Wasn't the jury taken out to this cliff and see that a child wouldn't be playing around up there? A four year old girl, especially? Who takes a child there to play,anyway? A vengeful person, that's who, his name is Cameron Brown. I wish someone would push Cameron off a cliff and be done with him.....
Will Lauren Sarene Key-Marer ever get justice served? This is so disheartening, that all these jurors can't see the Truth in this crime! What is so mind boggling to them? I am just sick that there is another mistrial....:argh:
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It's because the jurors don't read DD and realize how evil people can be
They probably couldn't believe some one could be that heartless and evil
 
How is it second degree? Not first? I thought first degree was that the murder was premeditated. Obviously that is the case here.
 
A father is facing a third trial on charges he murdered his 4-year-old daughter by throwing her off a cliff in Los Angeles County.

A Superior Court judge on Thursday rejected a defense motion to dismiss a murder charge against 48-year-old Cameron Brown.

Brown's attorney, Pat Harris, says he will appeal the decision.
[...]

Brown was tried in 2006 and 2009. He remains in jail and is due back in court March 2.
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http://cbs2.com/local/Cameron.John.Brown.2.520348.html
20i9g4.jpg
 
I'm putting March 2nd on my calendar! I hope he is found guilty this time, Lauren Sarene deserves that much, at least..
The DA should have a different angle, too, like be more forceful and convincing, maybe???
 
By Denise Nix Staff Writer
Posted: 07/16/2010 05:34:28 PM PDT
Updated: 07/16/2010 05:50:53 PM PDT

The famed law firm that represented Cameron Brown in two trials for the Rancho Palos Verdes cliff death of his 4-year-old daughter will not be there for the third.

In Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, Mark Geragos and his firm turned over the nearly 10-year-old case to Glendale attorney Herbert Barish, according to Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum.

Barish is on a list of private attorneys available for appointment by the court in situations where the Public Defender's or Alternate Public Defender's offices cannot take a case.

Hum said he expected it would be about a year before the case goes to trial again.
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Link

--Al
 
You know, this kind of case does make me wonder. I don't know exactly what happened in this case, if they were using protection or the mom said she was on the pill or what. It was very obvious right from the get-go that dad didn't want a thing to do with the kid and was against it all along. Not saying that the mother entrapped him, but things likely would have turned out differently if he weren't forced to pay for a child he didn't want in the first place.

The child shouldn't have to pay in a situation like this, but at the same time, I can see the shitty end of the stick that men get. Woman says she's on the pill, oops, gets knocked up and you have NO RIGHTS at all...except that you're now responsible for half of that kids upkeep.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think dad was right here, she didn't deserve to die in any case. However, look at how so many women take advantage of this. Also, how many men get desperate and try to end the pregnancies, shoot the women or take out the kids. Maybe that's an indication that we need to start looking at doing things differently.
 
sheevaa said:
You know, this kind of case does make me wonder. I don't know exactly what happened in this case, if they were using protection or the mom said she was on the pill or what. It was very obvious right from the get-go that dad didn't want a thing to do with the kid and was against it all along. Not saying that the mother entrapped him, but things likely would have turned out differently if he weren't forced to pay for a child he didn't want in the first place.

The child shouldn't have to pay in a situation like this, but at the same time, I can see the shitty end of the stick that men get. Woman says she's on the pill, oops, gets knocked up and you have NO RIGHTS at all...except that you're now responsible for half of that kids upkeep.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think dad was right here, she didn't deserve to die in any case. However, look at how so many women take advantage of this. Also, how many men get desperate and try to end the pregnancies, shoot the women or take out the kids. Maybe that's an indication that we need to start looking at doing things differently.
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So then why didn't he sign over his parental rights? Why then, after the mom sued for child support, did he sue for visitation? If he didn't want the little girl, he went about things the wrong way.
 
I would suggest to all 'men' to use condoms/rubbers. If you don't want a child then use protection. Personally, if you don't want an std... use protection!

But who knows, the two parents in the case may have been in a serious relationship up until the birth even. Regardless, such a precious little princess lost her life because of a selfish prick. She was just adorable!
 
sheevaa said:
You know, this kind of case does make me wonder. I don't know exactly what happened in this case, if they were using protection or the mom said she was on the pill or what. It was very obvious right from the get-go that dad didn't want a thing to do with the kid and was against it all along. Not saying that the mother entrapped him, but things likely would have turned out differently if he weren't forced to pay for a child he didn't want in the first place.

The child shouldn't have to pay in a situation like this, but at the same time, I can see the shitty end of the stick that men get. Woman says she's on the pill, oops, gets knocked up and you have NO RIGHTS at all...except that you're now responsible for half of that kids upkeep.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think dad was right here, she didn't deserve to die in any case. However, look at how so many women take advantage of this. Also, how many men get desperate and try to end the pregnancies, shoot the women or take out the kids. Maybe that's an indication that we need to start looking at doing things differently.
Click to expand...

Sorry Sheevaa, I have to disagree with this. Birth Control nor condoms are 100%. I was on b/c & now have a daughter. Yes, sometimes men do get the short end of the stick, but they are just as responsible for the child as the mother. Everyone knows that when you have sex, no matter protected or not, there is a chance that the woman could end up pregnant or you could end up with an STD. And yes, there are a lot of woman who will trick men for whatever reason, but it's not the child's fault. I for one, am a very firm believer in child support. I don't care if the payer even see the kid, they should still at least pay for that kid.
I hate seeing stories like this. It's not the child's fault that they were conceived. People like this guy take it out on the wrong person.
 
No worries guys, I knew my opinion wouldn't be a popular one.

So then why didn't he sign over his parental rights? Why then, after the mom sued for child support, did he sue for visitation? If he didn't want the little girl, he went about things the wrong way.
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Well, from what I understand, the issue was about making the payments. The guy tossed the girl off the cliff. Doesn't he sound like a guy whose thought pattern would be "well, I have to pay for this I better get my moneys' worth"

[MENTION=3916]Proud wife[/MENTION] - Please don't think I'm lumping all women into the same category. There are some whose men are perfectly fine and then get cold feet and bolt, or what have you. I'm speaking of guys who get suckered in by the gold-diggers, or the ones who figure they can keep a man by getting pregnant. Once a woman is pregnant, what the man wants is of no importance, although his life is being completely altered as well.

What I suggest is to add to the law. Considering how much casual sex goes on these days, and you can never 100% trust anyone to be truly honest. Maybe something to the effect of lie-detector test, if the male has been misinformed. If she trapped him by getting preggers or If he doesn't want to pay, he doesn't have to. But he also gets no rights to the child, period, at all. That way, if the woman wants the baby, go for it, but you're on your own.

Something to that effect, anyway. I'm not a law-maker, but the guys need to be thrown a bone with these cases. Can you imagine how many "oops" pregnancies something like this would prevent? However, I realize this isn't perfect or anything. Just an idea to an imperfect law:/
 
What I suggest is to add to the law. Considering how much casual sex goes on these days, and you can never 100% trust anyone to be truly honest. Maybe something to the effect of lie-detector test, if the male has been misinformed. If she trapped him by getting preggers or If he doesn't want to pay, he doesn't have to. But he also gets no rights to the child, period, at all. That way, if the woman wants the baby, go for it, but you're on your own.
Click to expand...

[MENTION=2654]sheevaa[/MENTION] the problem with this, is.. the women that end up with no 'free meal ticket' will go whine to social services, and lo-and-behold, we tax payers are stuck paying for her fucking 'oops'... no. Personally, i think that if a woman 'oopses' a man to get a free ride, the child should be removed from her care, she should be forcibly sterilized and the child placed for adoption. FUCK this 'oopsin' the guy cuz you're too fuckin' lazy to get out and work like regular folk.

~shadow
 
Lookung at the top link in the similar threads below, is another reason to change what is happening. You don't even have to be the father and they will still nail you to the cross. If you watch a person who is behind on payment, you will see those figures get way out of line.
 
ceisdsgil said:
[MENTION=2654]sheevaa[/MENTION] the problem with this, is.. the women that end up with no 'free meal ticket' will go whine to social services, and lo-and-behold, we tax payers are stuck paying for her fucking 'oops'... no. Personally, i think that if a woman 'oopses' a man to get a free ride, the child should be removed from her care, she should be forcibly sterilized and the child placed for adoption. FUCK this 'oopsin' the guy cuz you're too fuckin' lazy to get out and work like regular folk.

~shadow
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Holy fuck? Really?

It takes two to make a baby. I don't know how much more simple I can make it. In this day and age every man over the age of 10 or so has to know that if he sticks his dick in a lady he may end up with a baby. That is how babies are made. Don't want a baby???

Don't have unprotected sex! Don't depend on the woman to cover the BC! Don't be a fucking dumbass! And if the lady gets pregnant you deal!
 
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