BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The California City couple charged with killing Orrin and Orson West were served criminal protective orders Tuesday in connection with their other children.
Prosecutors sought to stop Trezell and Jacqueline West from seeing their two biological children and two remaining adopted children out of concerns the parents would influence them regarding the criminal case, attorneys said in court Tuesday morning.
An afternoon hearing on the matter was closed to the public. It’s unclear if the motion was granted in full, if it applies to only some of the children, or what exactly occurred.
While not stated in court, filing such a motion suggests at least one of the children may have witnessed a crime and be called to testify. Along with charges of murder and child cruelty brought against the Wests is an allegation that they induced a minor to assist in committing a crime.
A gag order has been issued in the case barring attorneys and others from talking about it. Superior Court Judge Chad Louie, at the request of attorneys, updated the gag order Tuesday to include all motions and other filings — as well all future filings — in the case.
Louie also ordered all motions sealed.
During the morning session Alekxia Torres Stallings, defense lawyer for Jacqueline West, told the court the Wests last year were allowed twice-weekly visits after their remaining children were taken into protective custody.
“During the last 13 months there have been no instances where either of our clients have spoken to their children about this case, or have influenced them, persuaded them, intimidated them, et cetera, which is what the people are alleging,” she said.
The Wests are supervised during the visits.
“Under no circumstances are they allowed to be alone with their children,” Torres Stallings said.
She said now that the Wests are in custody they would likely be limited to monthly visits which could be done in-person or virtually — and the Wests were willing to take the latter option.
Prosecutors have said Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, were killed three months before the Wests reported them missing. Their bodies have not been found.
Trezell West, 35, told authorities the boys were playing outside their California City home while he gathered firewood Dec. 21, 2020. He said he briefly went inside and when he came back out they had vanished. Jacqueline West, 32, backed up his version of events.
Information received a week later led to the involvement of the Bakersfield Police Department, which eventually took over the investigation from California City police. Dozens of searches were conducted and authorities dug at sites in California City and Bakersfield.
