SB police arrest child abuse suspect

The Seal Beach Police Department was involved in a car chase that resulted in the arrest of a 25-year-old child abuse suspect.

On June 22 at about 3:37 p.m., Seal Beach police officers were dispatched to the area of Heather Street and Guava Avenue in Seal Beach regarding a welfare check of a young child located in the neighborhood without any parents or guardians in the vicinity.

Officers arrived on scene and observed visible injuries to the 4-year-old child’s face and body. Officers requested paramedics to respond and began a child abuse investigation.

While paramedics were conducting a physical assessment of the child, the alleged abuser responsible for the child’s injuries was observed driving in the neighborhood and an investigative traffic stop was initiated.

The suspect fled from the traffic stop in his vehicle and a pursuit ensued.

The pursuit continued through the city of Garden Grove, onto the northbound 405 freeway and was ultimately terminated by officers who could not determine if the suspect vehicle had continued northbound 405 or onto the northbound 605 freeway.

Approximately three minutes later, the suspect vehicle was involved in a traffic collision in the city of Los Alamitos. The suspect fled from the vehicle on foot. With the assistance of Los Alamitos and Cypress police officers and the Huntington Beach police helicopter, the suspect was located and taken into custody.

The child was transported to a local hospital and Child Protective Services was contacted.

The suspect was identified as Cody Rohlfing, age 25, of Seal Beach. It was later determined that the suspect was not biologically related to the child but lives with the child’s mother at the residence in Seal Beach.

Rohlfing was later transported to Orange County Jail to be booked for felony child abuse, resisting arrest, felony evading and felony hit and run resulting in injuries.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sergeant Gibson at 562-799-4100, ext. 1128, or jgibson@sealbeachca.gov.