LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas babysitter allegedly shook a 4-month-old in her care, leading the child to suffer long-term injuries, police said in documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
Priscyla Dominguez faces one count of child abuse and neglect with substantial bodily harm, records showed.
On Monday, Aug. 7, police responded to a report of a child with a brain bleed who was in the care of doctors at Sunrise Hospital, documents said. The child suffered hemorrhages to both his eyes and his head, police said.
Dominguez, who police identified as the child’s babysitter, told officers she saw the baby turn blue while choking after eating in an apartment on Sahara Avenue near Fremont Street, documents said. Dominguez told investigators she then ran out of the apartment when she “tripped and fell onto the ground while holding the child.”
The child’s mother later told police that Dominguez had watched her son since May and that he had no medical issues prior to Aug. 7, documents said.
On Aug. 12, detectives re-interviewed Dominguez, who repeated her story, they said. Dominguez then took part in a reenactment, showing police she “held [the child] over her head, with her hands around both sides of his ribs, and shook him front to back several times,” police said.
With more information from doctors, police determined Dominguez’s statements were not consistent with regarding the child’s injuries, police said.
Police reinterviewed Dominguez on Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Metro Headquarters. Dominguez told police she was concerned about the child’s recovery but that he was released from the hospital. Police explained to Dominguez that the injuries were caused by shaking.
Dominguez told police she shook the child, but could not say how many times or how hard, police said.
It was unclear Thursday if Dominguez actually fell with the child as she stated. A doctor told police the baby’s injuries appeared to be from shaking and not from a fall. Police also said some of the child’s injuries appeared to be two weeks old.
Dominguez posted bail and was due in court in September, records showed.
