For second time, DA declines to file charges against suspect in child murders

GLENDALE - The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office declined to file charges Tuesday against a 20-year-old woman who lives across the street from an elementary school where two boys were found beaten to death.

''We're not going to be filing pending further investigation,'' said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Gil Garcetti.

Cristina E. Kim of La Crescenta had been arrested for investigation of kidnapping and held in lieu of $500,000 bail until she was released after Tuesday's decision.

Kim's attorney, Eric W. Lee, had said her arrest was a result of the investigation into the July 23 killings of Blaine Talmo Jr., 14, and his friend, Chris McCulloch, 13, at the Valley View Elementary School playground.

But he emphasized Tuesday that she was not involved in the slayings.

''She didn't even know who the children were,'' he said.

Of the three people arrested in connection with the case, Kim is the second the DA's office has so far declined to file charges against .

Adam Walker, 19, of La Crescenta was arrested July 25 for investigation of murder but released a day later after those charges were dropped. He was booked again two days later in connection with an unrelated burglary in Burbank and was in jail Tuesday in lieu of $60,000 bail.

The only person charged in the killings in Michael H. Demirdjian, 15, of La Crescenta, who is charged with two counts each of murder and robbery. His attorney, Charles Matthews, entered a plea of innocent on Demirdjian's behalf on Tuesday.

Matthews said Demirdjian spent most of the afternoon and early evening of July 23 with Talmo and McCulloch and was at the playground where they died but was not involved in the killings.

''Based on what I know, I think the police were in error in releasing Mr. Walker,'' Matthews said.

Police have refused to discuss the arrests, saying they have imposed a blackout on information on the killings to keep their investigation from being compromised.