(Thumbnail image: Family Photo/Department of Justice)

"Today, sadness and sympathy are giving way to a different emotion -- anger.  The suspect is a registered sex offender.  John Albert Gardner III molested and battered a 13-year-old girl and spent just five years in prison.  Last week, he may have found his way to a park where Chelsea had gone for a run." (CBS)

The arraignment of a convicted sex offender in the death of a California teen is raising questions about the value of Megan's Law.  The law requires sex offenders to register their address with authorities and alert police if they move.

We're looking at perspectives from Fox News, The Michigan Messenger, KPBS News, ABC and Modern Mom.

The suspect in the Chelsea King's murder, the suspect John Albert Gardner III, followed Megan's Law protocol by registering his address with the state of California.

But on Fox News, a child advocate says the self-registration requirement keeps the list from being comprehensive.

"More people should be on the list, not fewer.  There are lots of people who should be on the list that aren't, so that 700,000 number is a gross understatement of the real number of dangerous predatory sex offenders out there."

But an article from the Michigan Messenger counters that, saying the registry may actually be too broad.  An 18-year-old who had consensual sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend faced the same consequences as more serious sexual predators.

"He was required to register on the sex offender registry for a quarter century, and just like the most serious sexual predators, regularly report any change of address — along with a photo — for anyone with Internet access to see, including all prospective employers."

On San Diego Public Radio, a former district attorney points out the values of American society get in the way of protecting children.

"Whatever precautions are taken to protect a community from sexual predators, they will never be fool-proof unless we do not have a free society. In a dictatorial, totalitarian state we can tell people who have done their sentence and are back in the community what they can and cannot do. In a democratic society if you're not accused and not under a sentence and not under the jurisdiction of a court, you are free to travel in the United States."

The suspect spent time at his parents' home near the park where King went missing -- an address he wasn't required to register.  On ABC's "Good Morning America," the CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says follow-through on Megan's law is the issue.

"The law is good, but it's got to be implemented.  The reality is the most dangerous offenders seek situations where they can be anonymous, where nobody knows that they're there. Where they have easy and legitimate access to kids.  We've simply got to implement the laws that Congress passed."

But on the blog Modern Mom, a child safety advocate says implementation isn't enough -- more pro-active education is needed.

"Kids need to be taught how to recognize and defend their personal boundaries with adults they interact with. With smart prevention education in conjunction with Megan’s Law, we can offer each other a real solution to keeping our children safe."

Writer: Courtney Cebula

Producer: Nathan Giannini