Man with knife, murder-suicide note arrested at Gardena day-care center

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_14986162

By Larry Altman Staff Writer

Posted: 04/29/2010 04:29:04 PM PDT

A man carrying a butcher knife and a note indicating he was going to kill himself and his 10-month-old son was arrested Thursday when he tried to kidnap the boy from a Gardena day-care center, police said.

Latron McDowell, 20, of Los Angeles was taken into custody when police confronted him at an in-home child-care business in the 13400 block of Wilton Place, Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast said.

When police arrived, he was in a physical fight with a female day-care provider, Prendergast said.

Officers ordered McDowell to stop, but he ran. Officers chased him down.

Police determined McDowell had arrived at the facility in a stolen vehicle that was taken earlier from a used-auto dealership.

"McDowell was in possession of a butcher knife and a suicide note indicating he was going to take his life, along with his 10-month-old son's life," Prendergast said.

McDowell admitted to detectives that he stole the car to drive to the day-care provider's home to kidnap his son.

"He also admitted he was going to kill his son, then kill himself," Prendergast said.

Prendergast said an earlier fight with the boy's mother prompted McDowell to attempt the murder-suicide.

He did not have custody rights to take the child from the day-care provider.

McDowell was arrested on suspicion of attempted kidnapping, attempted murder, assault and auto theft.

He was held at the Gardena jail on $1 million bail.

larry.altman@dailybreeze.com

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