Parents of 2-month-old girl arrested in Las Vegas on abuse, neglect charges

The parents of a 2-month-old girl were arrested after the child was admitted to the hospital for coughing up blood, according to a police report.

Further examination showed a series of injuries, some of which could be a month old, according to the report.

Las Vegas police were dispatched to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in reference to an abuse and neglect case about 5:45 a.m. Nov. 28.

The 2-month-old girl, whose name has not been released, was taken to the hospital about 1:30 a.m. and given a chest x-ray. The doctor discovered a fractured rib.

The baby’s parents, Marilyn Manzo, 20, and Bryant Antunez, 18, told police that they were the child’s primary caregivers and that neither of them had any knowledge of how the injury could have happened.

Antunez told police that he awoke about 1 a.m. to a gurgling sound, woke up Manzo and began CPR per her instruction, according to an arrest report.

Manzo told police that Antunez woke her up because he noticed the baby was spitting up blood. She later told detectives that she observed large amounts of mucus in the baby’s mouth and began using a sucking device to remove it. That’s when she said the baby was not breathing and instructed Antunez to start CPR.

Manzo’s mother picked them up and took the child to the hospital, the arrest report said.

Manzo and Antunez were arrested on charges of abuse and neglect and booked in the Clark County Detention Center. Manzo is scheduled to appear in court Friday, and Antunez’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19.

A C-scan revealed additional injuries to the child such as air outside of the lungs and in the chest area, with fractures to the left shinbone and left arm. A bone survey determined that the injuries were from nonaccidental trauma. The fractures could be anywhere from weeks to a month old, the report said.

Also, the baby had a penetrating injury to the back of the throat that is likely secondary and separate from the fractures, the report said. A doctor noted that the injury is likely the cause of additional air and blood in the baby’s vomit.

On Nov. 29, after the baby’s heart rate dropped, she was intubated and scheduled for an MRI. On Dec. 1, detectives were notified by the hospital that the child had a brain bleed.

When asked about the baby’s demeanor, Manzo told police that she “was a happy baby,” according to the report.

Manzo was investigated by Child Protective Services when the baby was born because of possible methamphetamine exposure at birth, the report said. The investigation was closed Nov. 8 unfounded, the report said.

Contact Lawren Linehan at llinehan@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0381. Follow @lawrenlinehan on Twitter.