Bail reduced for accused mother

A judge on Tuesday lowered the bail for a woman accused of killing her 15-year-old chronically ill son by not providing him with proper medical care.

The woman will probably be released from custody after spending almost three months in jail pending her trial.

District Judge James Bixler lowered 40-year-old Lena Anderson's bail from $275,000 to $50,000, an amount she can make, said her attorney, Deputy Public Defender Dan Silverstein.

Anderson has no criminal history and worked as a cashier at Red Rock Resort.

Her other teenage son, who is with family friends, is living in Las Vegas.

"Does she pose a threat or a danger to anybody? No," Bixler said. "Is she going to show up (to her next court date)? She's got no reason not to show up. I mean, where's she going to go? She's only got one son left. And she's been here her whole life."

Anderson, who was dressed in a navy blue prison uniform, broke out in tears after Bixler agreed to lower her bail.

"Thank you very much," she said.

Anderson's son Patrick Atkins died in February after suffering from a chronic kidney disorder he had had since he was 4.

Silverstein has said Patrick, who attended Western High School, essentially stopped taking his medications because he wanted to live out his last few years as a normal boy.

The medications, which included human growth medicines, were making him sick, Silverstein said.

Prosecutors said Anderson was repeatedly warned that not caring for Patrick would result in his kidneys failing.

Authorities said she is criminally liable for her son's death because she willfully withheld medical treatment from Patrick.

In June, Anderson was bound over to District Court, where she faces charges of murder and child abuse.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.