Man Held on Attempted Murder in Beating of 3-Year-Old Son

A 3-year-old Torrance boy allegedly beaten by his father was listed in critical condition Thursday at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Police said they arrested the child’s father, Glenn Earl Gambel, 25, on suspicion of attempted murder and felony child abuse after paramedics, who were called to the family’s Pacific Coast Highway apartment, found the boy unconscious with severe head and stomach injuries.

The boy, who was placed on life support systems in the hospital’s intensive-care unit, is expected to survive, said Sgt. Dave Smith. But emergency room doctors at the hospital told police investigators that the boy showed “evidence of past or chronic abuse,” indicating he had been severely injured before, Smith said.

Police also arrested Gambel’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Kimberly Deborah Harris, but she was released later Thursday. Smith said Harris was released because of her medical condition--she is eight months pregnant--and because detectives were focusing their investigation on Gambel.

Gambel remained in custody Thursday in lieu of $1-million bail. Detectives planned to ask prosecutors today to file charges in the case, Smith said.