Dad Mulls Penalty For Son's Death

Unsure About Proper Punishment For Baseball Bat Slaying Of Son, 15

(CBS/AP) 

His name was not released because of his age. He remained in custody and was scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday.

If a judge finds the allegations are true, the boy could face a sentence ranging from probation to state custody until he's 25, said District Attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison.

Despite the Tuesday night fight and its tragic ending, the two boys had no history of problems, said Tony Trevino, who coached the Dodgers that night.

"That's what's so shocking and so appalling," he said. "What happened? What did we miss as a community? What did we miss as parents."

Earlier, the suspect had appeared upset about the game but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, said Trevino, a retired rehabilitation therapist. The boy was known for being competitive but did not have a reputation for being violent, he said.

Rourke was white and the suspect is black, but "racism had nothing to do with it," Trevino said. "This is a behavior problem, not a racial problem."

After the attack, Trevino saw the suspect standing against a fence with his parents. "He looked scared. He was in shock," the coach said.

All of Palmdale, California, a town of single-family houses that comes together over community sports, is now coping with this tragedy, reports Whitaker.

"It's like a family," said one neighbor who knew both boys.

Hundreds of people lit candles at twilight, praying to understand the incomprehensible -- why a scared 13-year-old used his bat as a weapon and why his 15-year-old friend lay dead.