An unnamed Las Vegas four-year-old boy was left hospitalized after escaping his house and being struck by a passing SUV. At the time, the boy’s father’s girlfriend, Tanisha Williams, was with him at the house and was charged with child neglect. However, the charges have since been dropped.
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According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), the incident took place at approximately 6:22 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14. Officers arrived at the scene, located at the intersection of West Lake Mead Boulevard and Jeanne Drive. Evidence showed that a Mitsubishi Endeavor was traveling westbound on Lake Mead Boulevard when it struck the four-year-old.
Reportedly, the boy had been running on Jeanne Drive at the time of the collision.
“The front right of the Mitsubishi struck the juvenile, projecting the juvenile in a northeast direction,” the LVMPD said.
The four-year-old was transported to the University Medical Center’s Trauma Center. He sustained critical injuries. The Mitsubishi driver, who did not show signs of impairment, remained at the scene and cooperated with the police investigation.
“A couple of broken bones, which is not good, but it could have been a lot worse,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson told KSNV. “This child could have lost his life.”
During the police investigation, 37-year-old Tanisha Williams, the boy’s father’s girlfriend, was arrested. At the time of the incident, she had been watching the boy, who, unexpectedly, managed to open the house’s door. However, according to Williams, who spoke with Fox 5, the doors were locked at the time.
“I haven’t seen him open doors like that,” she told the outlet.
Charges Dropped
At the time, Williams was charged with child abuse/neglect resulting in substantial bodily harm, as per KSNV. Court records, however, show that, after appearing before a judge on Thursday, May 15, her charges were dropped.
“We didn’t have the entire case file,” DA Wolfson said. “Our ethical obligation requires us to only file charges if we can prove those charges in a courtroom beyond a reasonable doubt. So sometimes we need more time. That’s the practical part of this situation.”
The investigation continues, and Wolfson said that they will look into various aspects of the case. More specifically, he mentioned the boy’s father, who he said was “primarily responsible.”
“It’s his child he had left, but he still has primary responsibility as to who’s watching over his child, and what the circumstances are,” Wolfson added.
While talking with Fox 5, Williams said that after she found out the boy was outside the house, her “life was upside down from there.”
“He is like my own,” Williams said. “So, of course, I was sad. I didn’t know what to think. I was praying, that’s all I could do, was pray and pray that he was still alive. It’s hard to talk about it.”