Rewards of $50,000 OKd in Child Kidnaping Cases

Gov. George Deukmejian, flanked by the somber parents of four abducted children, on Thursday signed urgency legislation authorizing state rewards of up to $50,000 for information leading to convictions in child kidnaping cases.

At a ceremony in his office, Deukmejian cited the parents of four kidnaped children standing near him and observed, “It is impossible, even if you have children, to appreciate the devastating worry and concern these parents have.”

The faces of the four sets of parents were drawn and nearly expressionless after months of ordeal. Their children, ranging in age from 8 to 16, were taken from various San Francisco Bay Area locations during the last year.

Allows Governor to Post Rewards

The bill, which took effect immediately upon Deukmejian’s signature, allows the governor for the first time to post rewards of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the kidnapers of children.

The measure by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) also boosts the maximum state reward for other major crimes from $10,000 to $50,000. At the ceremony were the parents of Micheala Garecht, 10, of Hayward, abducted last November; Amber Schwartz-Garcia, 8, of Pinole, kidnaped in June; Michael Masaoay, 16, of San Francisco, who disappeared in January, and Ilene Misheloff, 14, of Dublin, who also vanished in January.

“We do believe that this bill holds out hope that Micheala will be returned,” said her mother, Sharon Garecht.

“I have a reputation for being very careful with the dollar,” Deukmejian said, “but I would be delighted to see the state pay out these rewards.”