The State - News from Nov. 27, 1985

The state Board of Prison Terms rejected parole for one of three men convicted in the 1976 kidnaping of 26 Chowchilla children and their school bus driver. Frederick N. Woods, 34, of Woodside, will continue to serve his life sentence at Soledad prison at least for two more years before he gets a new hearing, the board decided. Woods and two brothers, James and Richard Schoenfeld of Atherton, admitted kidnaping the busload of children and confining them in a moving van buried near an old rock quarry. The captives escaped before any ransom was paid. Gilbert Saucedo, the parole board’s executive officer, said Woods’ bid was rejected “because of the callousness of the commitment offense and the fact that 27 people were involved.” Saucedo said the board also cited an unfavorable psychiatric report and Woods’ failure to enroll in prison rehabilitation programs.