Lauren Key
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| Lauren Key-Marer | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 29, 1996 Los Angeles, Orange County, California, USA |
| Died | November 8, 2000 Rancho Palos Verdes, California, USA |
Lauren Sarene Key-Marer (August 29, 1996 – November 8, 2000) was a four-year-old girl who was allegedly pushed off a 120-foot cliff at Huntington Beach in Rancho Palos Verdes by her father, Cameron John Brown.
[edit] Beginning
Lauren, a child born out of wedlock, lived with her mother, Sarah Key-Marer, a British immigrant who had a job on a work visa, in Orange County, California. Brown met with Key-Marer in Newport Beach. The two of them had only been dating a short while. Further into their relationship, Key-Marer told Brown she was pregnant with Lauren. Brown allegedly threatened to deport Key-Marer when she refused to get an abortion.
In April of 1997, Key-Marer filed for child support. The next month, Brown requested a paternity test as proof that he really was Lauren's father. When the test proved positive, the court ordered him to pay child support for Lauren.
On July 22, 1999, he filed a reduction cost of Lauren's child support and asked for 32% of visitation rights and joint custody of his daughter, although he had never seen her or met her. Brown didn't seek visitation for Lauren until she was three.
[edit] Aftermath
Brown has claimed that Lauren slipped and fell off the cliff, but prosecutors believe Lauren was murdered by Brown because he didn't want to pay $1,000 a month for Lauren's child support.
Two jurors voted to convict of first-degree murder, eight voted for second-degree murder and two for manslaughter. Brown's attorney is Mark Geragos, the same lawyer who has defended Scott Peterson among many other notable people. As of now, Brown's trial has lasted four months, beginning in June of 2006.
Since Lauren's death, a memorial plaque was placed at Inspiration Point, the cliff she fell from.
Lauren's mother, Sarah, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May of 2006.
