Lori Pond's children taken into custody
09:18 PM PDT on Monday, September 8, 2003
From kgw.com Staff and Wire Reports
ESTACADA, Ore. - Three children of Lori Pond, the mother of slain Oregon City teen-ager Ashley Pond, have been taken into custody by the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office.
A school counselor in Estacada reported allegations of child neglect to the Clackamas County child abuse investigators on Friday, according to a news release released by the sheriffs department.
This investigation was initiated in response to allegations of alcohol and domestic violence-related issues, the news release said. This preliminary investigation does not appear to be in the pursuit of specific criminal charges at this time.

The children taken into custody were girls 12 and 8-years-old and a 1-year-old boy. The children were living with Lori Pond and her male roommate, James C. Keightley, in Estacada.
Ashley's remains were found stuffed in a barrel in the backyard of neighbor Ward Weavers yard in Oregon City in August 2002. Miranda Gaddis remains were found in a storage unit in the yard.
Ashley disappeared Jan. 9; Miranda was taken on March 8, prompting a nationwide search for the girls.
Since the discovery of the girls remains, Weaver has been charged in the killings of the two Oregon City girls.
Lawyers for Lori Pond announced in February they would file a wrongful death lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Human Services and would seek compensation for injuries Ashley suffered as a result of sexual abuse, physical abuse, kidnapping, and physical and emotional pain and suffering.
Miranda's mother, Michelle Duffey, has also announced she would file suit against the state.
Lori Pond also announced she would file a claim for her familys mental distress and grief as a result of Ashley's death.
Her parenting skills were criticized last year after revelations that police and DHS employees were frequent visitors to her apartment. In the summer before her death, Ashley told friends and family that Weaver, the father of one of her friends, had molested her. Three people, including one of her former teachers and a Clackamas County deputy district attorney, reported the accusations to DHS.
An internal investigation conducted by the state showed that DHS workers failed to take any steps to determine the validity of allegations that Ashley had been sexually abused by Weaver.
2003 Belo Interactive, Inc.





