Seattle child abuse suspect faked death by jumping off bridge then lived in LA

Suspected Child Sexual Abuser Found Living Under Alias in Los Angeles

A man suspected of child sexual abuse feigned his death by jumping off a Seattle-area bridge nearly two decades earlier – then spent the final years of his life under an alias and working as a Los Angeles apartment building maintenance man, according to authorities.

Investigation Reveals True Identity

The stunning truth about Christian R Basham surfaced after the Los Angeles county medical examiner’s office investigated his 26 February death.

Basham’s body arrived at the LA county medical examiner’s office under the identity of 56-year-old Mark Clemens, who was reputed to be the longtime handyman of a downtown apartment building. But investigators determined Basham’s true identity and on Wednesday notified police in Bremerton, Washington, about 65 miles (105 km) outside Seattle, because he had unresolved criminal charges there.

Unresolved Criminal Charges

1. Statement from Bremerton Police

A statement from Bremerton police on Thursday explained that the agency had arrested Basham on charges of second-degree child rape in 2008. He posted bail in the amount of $350,000 to be released from custody pending the outcome of the case, but he never waited to find out what that would be, police said.

Instead, on 29 March 2009, a witness reported to Bremerton police that Basham had jumped off a local bridge over the Puget Sound. Police later found Basham’s car as well as a suicide note. Authorities used a plane and boats to search for Basham, but they never found his body.

They said they presumed him to be dead, though he remained on a most wanted list and an outstanding warrant to arrest him was kept on file.

New Identity and Respected Reputation

None of that apparently prevented Basham from assuming the Clemens name, moving to LA and developing a respected reputation at the downtown apartment building where he lived and worked as the handyman for more than a decade.

“This was our maintenance guy,” building resident Tommy Cuellar reportedly told the LA news station KABC. “This was the guy who had keys to our apartments.”

While Cuellar described having generally positive interactions with him, he said the truth about the man known to him as Clemens was “very shocking” and “troubling to say the least”.

Cuellar said Clemens was already established as their building’s handyman when Cuellar moved in about 10 years earlier.

Investigation and Future Actions

Bremerton police said they had since closed the child sexual abuse case against Basham. But they also said that they planned to investigate Basham’s “movements and actions” after faking his death in 2009.

The police’s statement didn’t address how it would proceed if it determined that anyone helped Basham.

Cause of Death

Details about Basham’s death weren’t immediately available. Information online from the LA county medical examiner’s office listed his cause of death as “deferred”, or requiring additional investigation, according to the Associated Press.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children
   • Indicator 16.2.3: Proportion of young women and men aged 18-29 years who experienced sexual violence by age 18

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
   • Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities

Analysis

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   The article highlights a case of child sexual abuse and the suspect’s attempt to evade justice by faking his death. This issue is connected to SDG 16, which aims to promote peace, justice, and strong institutions. Specifically, Target 16.2 focuses on ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children. The suspect’s actions of child rape and faking his death are clear violations of this target.

   The article does not mention any specific indicators related to Target 16.2, such as the proportion of young women and men who have experienced sexual violence. However, the case itself serves as an example of the need to measure and address such indicators to track progress in ending violence against children.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   The article does not explicitly discuss issues related to SDG 10, but it indirectly touches upon the theme of reduced inequalities. Target 10.2 aims to empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all individuals, regardless of their age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic status.

   In this case, the suspect was able to assume a new identity and live under an alias for many years, seemingly without facing consequences for his alleged crimes. This raises questions about the effectiveness of systems and institutions in addressing inequalities and ensuring equal treatment under the law.

   The article does not provide any specific indicators related to Target 10.2. However, measuring indicators such as the proportion of people living below a certain income threshold by age, sex, and disability can help assess progress in reducing inequalities.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: theguardian.com

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