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State news briefs
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BOY, GRANDMOTHER DROWN IN BACKYARD POOL IN VISALIA: VISALIA (AP) — A 3-year-old boy and his 50-year-old grandmother apparently drowned in a family pool, police said Wednesday.

Visalia police Lt. Brian Winter said officers were called to the home just after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and found family members trying to revive the woman and the toddler.

The Tulare County coroner's office identified the victims as Braiden Manning, 3, and Hollie Lilly, 50. Lilly was employed by Visalia Unified School District as a behavioral intervention aide at elementary schools.

Family members apparently discovered the two victims under the water in their swimming gear. They were taken to Kaweah Delta Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.

Neither the boy nor the woman had any obvious injuries, Winter said. The incident was being treated as an accidental drowning.

The coroner will perform an autopsy to find out if the grandmother might have suffered some sort of medical emergency in the water.

Hollie Lilly's husband, Dale Lilly, said his wife knew how to swim.  Calif. (AP) — Police are searching for a man they say sexually assaulted a 6-year-old boy in a public bathroom at the Berkeley Marina.

Berkeley police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss says police responded to the marina after receiving a call shortly after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. They immediately began searching for the suspect — described as an African-American man with blonde hair with green streaks.

The search included a helicopter and officers on foot.

Police say the boy went into the bathroom alone at the marina and told family members when he came out that a man had touched him.

WEST HOLLYWOOD AUTHORITIES SEEK STOLEN DOG STATUE: WEST HOLLYWOOD  (AP) — West Hollywood authorities are searching for a stolen dog — it's wearing sneakers, weighs 200 pounds, and it's pink.

The Los Angeles Times  says the resin bulldog is one of six sculptures that were placed on a street median last week in advance of the city's gay pride parade, which was held last Sunday.

The six pooches, in pink and red, were cast with sneakers on their front paws and had water bottles strapped to their backs. They were supposed to remain in place through September.

Authorities say a pink one was stolen Monday, perhaps as a prank.

Sheriff's deputies hope security video from nearby stores will help them track down the thieves.

TODDLER ABANDONED AT SD CRASH SCENE DIES: SAN DIEGO (AP) — Authorities say a critically injured 4-year-old boy allegedly abandoned by his father at the scene of a San Diego car crash has died.

City News Service reports Valentino Fabiani Arroyo had been pronounced brain-dead on Monday.

His father, 40-year-old Angelo Arroyo, has pleaded not guilty to felony counts of hit-and-run and cruelty to a child.

The California Highway Patrol says Arroyo was the driver of a Nissan pickup that hit a guardrail on Interstate 5 and ended up on its side atop a concrete retaining wall. Arroyo freed his son from his child seat, but the boy fell about 10 feet to a concrete sidewalk below.

The CHP says Arroyo ran and witnesses helped the boy.

STATE LAWMAKERS BACKING BEACH FIRE RINGS: NEWPORT BEACH  (AP) — California lawmakers have weighed in on the burning issue of banning fire pits at California beaches.

The Orange County Register says the state Assembly last month approved a nonbinding resolution supporting the protection of the fire rings, and the Senate approved it Monday.

The resolution actually supports general beach access, protection and traditions. But it specifically mentions fire rings, calling them a "time-honored" and "important beach attraction."

The resolution was authored by two Assemblyman from Southern California beach areas.

Newport Beach residents are seeking to ban the fire pits, saying the smoke drifts over and pollutes their homes.

Ban neighboring cities want to preserve them. The South Coast Air Quality Management District will consider several options next month, including creating a buffer zone between the rings and homes.