Father Denies He Dropped 4 Kids Off Bridge

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (AP) - The defense attorney for a man
accused of tossing four young children to their deaths from an
80-foot-tall coastal bridge said today his client was harassed into
making a false confession and did not kill them.
Lam Luong is charged with four counts of capital murder and was
ordered held without bond earlier today in Mobile.
Luong today met his appointed defense attorney, Joe Kulakowski,
for the first time. Kulakowski said Luong told him the four
children were taken Monday morning by a woman named Kim who claimed
to know their mother and would get them food and clothes. He said
they were not returned later Monday as promised.
Luong told Kulakowski Bayou La Batre police harrassed him into
confessing. He said officers should be searching for Kim and a
second woman who left with the children in a van.
Prosecutors said the 37-year-old Luong gave that account after
the children were reported missing Monday. But it turned out to be
full of holes and authorities said he later confessed.
Coast Guart Captain Ed Stanton said today his agency has
suspended the search for the children. State and local teams plan
to continue searching Friday morning.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)