Hudson Suspect Told Parole Agent He Was 'Baby-Sitting'

The convicted felon suspected in the slayings of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother, and nephew was arrested with crack cocaine in his car in June, but authorities declined to return him to prison on a parole violation. A judge dismissed the charge for lack of probable cause in July, but under the strict rules of the state's parole program, William Balfour could have gone back to prison just for the arrest.

Records show that Balfour missed a meeting with his parole agent on Friday, the day of the shootings and the day 7-year-old Jason went missing. Reached by phone that afternoon, Balfour told the agent he was "baby-sitting on the West Side of Chicago." The agent said he thought he heard a child in the background during the call. Jason was shot multiple times, the coroner said today. (More crime stories.)