County Checked on Boy Found Dead

Orange County social workers received three calls over eight months about possible child abuse at the home of a 4-year boy whose father allegedly confessed to drowning him in a bathtub this week, state records show.

The California Department of Social Services released a document Tuesday showing that the first call to county authorities was made Nov. 16, 2004, when someone expressed concern about the lack of care for Richard Omondi.

On July 12 and July 18, 2005, Orange County authorities again received calls that Richard was being neglected. The Department of Social Services investigated but was unable to determine whether the allegations were true, according to the report. The family was offered the assistance of county programs following the July incidents, but it was unclear whether they accepted.

The Orange County Department of Social Services declined to comment, citing confidentiality laws. It was not clear how many times county authorities checked on the boy’s welfare or whether the visits were made to his mother’s home or his father’s. The last visit took place Feb. 8, 2006, according to the records.

On Tuesday, Gideon Walter Omondi, 35, of Fullerton appeared in court and was charged with murder. Prosecutors added a special-circumstance allegation that he killed his son by lying in wait, making him eligible for the death penalty. Prosecutors have not decided whether to ask for the death penalty.

Omondi, 35, did not speak at the hearing. His arraignment was scheduled for Sept. 29. He is being held at Orange County Jail without bail.

Fullerton police say Omondi showed up at the police station Sunday night and confessed to drowning his son. Police found the boy at Omondi’s apartment, tucked in bed with a damp pillow. He had spent the weekend with his father on a court-ordered visit.

On Tuesday, details about Omondi’s troubled marriage to Hellen Omondi emerged from the couple’s divorce file. Gideon Omondi filed for divorce on March 18, 2005, citing irreconcilable differences.

Court documents show that the Omondis, natives of Kenya, both described their marriage as “turbulent,” with each accusing the other of domestic violence.

Gideon Omondi said he was “very bonded” to his son and asked for custody because he feared for the boy’s safety when he was with his mother, court records show. In a Sept. 6, 2005, declaration, he questioned his wife’s mental health.

Gideon Omondi said his wife had told Richard Omondi’s day care providers that she was considering suicide, prompting county Child Protective Services to investigate, documents say. The court file does not show the results of the investigation. Gideon Omondi said his wife also wanted to put Richard up for adoption.

Hellen Omondi described herself as “miserable” in America, where she toiled in a caretaker’s job for $800 per month. She accused her husband, a mechanical engineering student at Cal State Fullerton, of paying more attention to his studies than his family.

“He has made our lives miserable. He would hit me, push me, yell at me and call me names in front of our son,” Hellen Omondi wrote in an Oct. 14, 2005, declaration. “He brought me to America and made me work illegally to help him out with his education.”

According to Hellen Omondi’s declaration, she suffered in silence “due to my immigration status,” which was not explained in court records. Hellen Omondi said she told Fullerton police that her husband beat her and threatened to kill her if he were ordered to pay child support. Court records did not say when she filed her report or whether police investigated.

Hellen Omondi said her son’s conduct was influenced by his parents’ fighting. “The behavior affected our son so much ... he would act aggressively and the child care providers had to report it to us,” she wrote.

Gideon Omondi asked Judge Michael J. Naughton, who is presiding over the couple’s divorce, for a restraining order against his wife on Nov. 30, 2005. Gideon Omondi said he wanted Hellen Omondi to stop “calling me and abusing me on the phone [and] stop threatening me with child abuse charges.”

Naughton denied the request. The court worked out a schedule that allowed Richard to spend the week with his mother and alternating weekends with his father. Gideon Omondi was ordered to pay $300 a month child support and $100 a month spousal support.

On May 17, the court found “irreconcilable differences,” and both sides are waiting for the divorce to become final.

A group of Fullerton parents have established the Richie Omondi Memorial Fund. Contributions may be sent to the Fullerton Community Bank, 200 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, 92832. The money will be used to pay funeral costs.

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hgreza@latimes.com

mai.tran@latimes.com

Times staff writer Jennifer Delson contributed to this report.