Man Who Set Son on Fire Investigated in Threats

State prison officials are investigating reports that Charles David Rothenberg, who poured kerosene over his 6-year-old son and set him on fire in 1983, threatened to kill his ex-wife and her new husband and to kidnap his son after his scheduled release in December.

Investigators in the state Department of Corrections received information about two weeks ago that Rothenberg, who is serving a 13-year sentence for the attack on his son, made threatening statements in a letter to his former wife, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Thomas Avdeef, who prosecuted Rothenberg in 1983.

Avdeef said Tuesday that he would review the findings of the investigators and determine whether charges should be filed against Rothenberg, whose near-fatal attack inflicted third-degree burns over 85% of David Rothenberg’s body.

“I’ll be looking at them (the investigators’ findings) and seeing what validity, if any, there is to them,” Avdeef said. “I’m very interested in the alleged threats.”

The boy’s father confessed that he set his son afire in a Buena Park motel room because he feared that his ex-wife, who had custody of the boy, would never let him see the child again. He said he intended to kill himself along with his son, but panicked and fled at the last second.

If officials determine that Rothenberg made the threats, his scheduled December parole from the California Medical Facility at Vacaville could be delayed. Rothenberg was transferred to Vacaville from the state prison at Soledad in May.

State corrections officials were not immediately available for comment.

Avdeef said he had few details about the contents of the purported letter and did not know if it was actually mailed to Rothenberg’s former wife, Marie, who has since married a police lieutenant. But he added, “The threats came to her attention.”

Claim by Inmate

The Salinas Californian reported on Aug. 24 that a fellow Soledad inmate, convicted Orange County murderer Kenneth Hulbert, claimed that Rothenberg said he would murder his wife and her new husband and kidnap David when he is released from prison.

The Californian said Hulbert made the claim in a Monterey County Superior Court lawsuit that outlines a breakdown in his friendship with Rothenberg. Hulbert, who is serving a life term for murder, kidnap and rape, contends Rothenberg tried to get him into trouble with prison administrators. No trial has yet been scheduled for Hulbert’s suit against Rothenberg.

Rothenberg’s former wife could not be reached for comment. Her husband, Buena Park Police Lt. Richard Hafdahl, refused to discuss the alleged threats.

Deputy Public Defender Ramon Ortiz, who represented Rothenberg during his trial in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, said he has been in contact with Rothenberg since his imprisonment and had never picked up any hint of hostility toward the ex-wife and son.

‘Total Surprise’

“He says he’s getting along and has no problems. This is a total surprise to me,” Ortiz said. “I think he wants to make amends to his son . . . so his son won’t think he’s an animal. He wants to reacquire the love of his son.

“It doesn’t sound like him at all,” Ortiz said of the alleged threats. “His main concern is getting out (of prison) and keeping his nose clean.”

Ortiz speculated that perhaps Hulbert and Rothenberg “are having a tussle and (Hulbert) is trying to give (Rothenberg) trouble.”

But referring to the Department of Corrections investigation, Ortiz added, “I guess one can never be too cautious about allegations like this.”