Boy Suspected in Slaying of Mother Arrested

A 15-year-old Sun Valley boy, suspected of shooting his mother in the chest and leaving her dead in their kitchen, was arrested in southwest Washington state after he went to police there to report an alleged robbery, authorities said Wednesday.

The boy is suspected of killing his mother, identified by Los Angeles County coroner’s officials as Lois Marie O’Donnell, 51, in their Sun Valley home on Friday, then fleeing in her car on Saturday. He apparently took her automated teller machine card to get cash.

The teenager, whose name was not released by Los Angeles police, remains in custody in Kelso, Wash. Homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s North Hollywood station interviewed the boy Wednesday and were anticipating bringing him back today.

The teenager was staying at a Kelso motel when he went to police there to report an apparent robbery, including the theft of his mother’s car, said Mel Jewell, the court administrator for the Cowlitz County Juvenile Court. He went to police both to report the crimes and to seek assistance, Jewell said.

He was referred to the Department of Social Services and, while there, authorities discovered a warrant for his arrest.