Finish Chelsea's Run Attracts 6,000 Runners

The third annual Finish Chelsea's Run was scheduled for this morning, an event expected to attract about 6,000 runners and walkers to the Park West neighborhood to honor slain Poway High School senior Chelsea King.

Activities are scheduled to start at 7 a.m. at Sixth Avenue and Quince Street, on the west side of Balboa Park. Sixth Avenue and nearby streets will be closed while the race is on.

"It's a celebration of all the good that there is in the world," said Chelsea's mother, Kelly King.

Her father, Brent King, said it creates a voice for the community and shows that young people matter.

Chelsea, 17, was murdered by a convicted sex offender who accosted her while she was jogging alone in 2010 in the hills above Rancho Bernardo Community Park. Her body was found a few days later near Lake Hodges.

Her murderer admitted he killed Chelsea and also Escondido High School freshman Amber Dubois one year earlier.

Their deaths led to passage of a law in California that imposes life sentences for those who commit certain sexually violent crimes against children, and strengthens monitoring of sex offenders.

Brent King announced Friday that similar legislation has been introduced in Illinois and Texas, and will soon be brought before legislatures in Ohio, Massachusetts and Utah.

The event included a family festival on the west side of Balboa Park.

Proceeds of the event will go to the Chelsea's Light Foundation Sunflower Scholarship Fund.

—City News Service