The parents of San Diego County teenager Chelsea King have filed with the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board, a possible precursor to seeking compensation for the murder of their daughter.
Kelly and Brent King have not yet decided whether to seek such compensation but filed with the board to stay within a six-month deadline, a family spokeswoman said Thursday.
"We are just beginning to think through this issue and are factoring in a variety of opinions," the Kings said in a statement. "If any compensation is received in the future, it will be used to further Chelsea's dream of changing our world for the better."
Chelsea King, 17, an honor student at Poway High School, was raped and strangled Feb. 25 after going jogging along Lake Hodges in northern San Diego County.
In May, convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner III, 31, pleaded guilty to murdering King and 14-year-old Amber Dubois of Escondido a year earlier. In a plea bargain, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
On Friday, the Legislature is set to vote on AB1844, sponsored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego), called "Chelsea's Law," which would call for tougher sentences for sex criminals. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has promised to sign the bill.
--Tony Perry in San Diego
Photo: Chelsea King