Couple facing abuse charges after young boy suffers cardiac arrest
A pregnant woman and her boyfriend were arrested after Las Vegas police accused them of severely abusing the woman’s young son.
Dominique Richard, 33, and Charles McKay, 32, were arrested May 25 and Wednesday, respectively, after Richard’s son was hospitalized in late April for cardiac arrest and had injuries that included a pelvic fracture, a skull fracture, kidney and liver trauma, and a belt mark on his right leg, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.
On April 29, the child was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Richard told police that her son was not eating, went limp and fell backward and hit his head on the floor, according to the report.
A doctor told police that the injuries the boy suffered could not have been caused by such a fall. Many of the injuries occurred several days prior to his being admitted to the hospital, according to the report.
In addition, the boy had “growth arrest lines” on his femur indicative of a child “experiencing traumatic events in his life,” according to the report.
The boy’s age was redacted, but the report stated that Richard was in the process of potty training him. The report also noted that Richard was pregnant.
Police reviewed cellphone records that included Richard texting McKay on April 17 a photo of the boy with a bruised face, swollen forehead and skin peeled from his forehead with the message that the boy was “acting like a wounded animal,” according to the report.
The following day Richard sent McKay another text message, according to the report, in which she wrote, “Take it ez on the discipline please, he needs to heal, and it be taking way to long on his skin.”
Richard faces five counts of child abuse with substantial bodily harm and one count of allowing child abuse. McKay’s charges include five counts of child abuse with substantial bodily harm, according to Las Vegas Justice Court records.
Both remained in custody as of Friday and are due in court Monday, court records show.
Contact David Wilson at dwilson @reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.
