Conrad pleads guilty in nephew’s drowning
In the middle of his trial on a felony charge of child abuse in connection with the drowning of a toddler, a 27-year-old man agreed Tuesday evening to plead guilty.
Sean Conrad pleaded guilty to child abuse and neglect with substantial bodily harm and, under the terms of the plea deal, is to be sentenced Dec. 17 to five years of probation, prosecutor Vicki Monroe said. If Conrad successfully completes the probation, his record will include only a gross misdemeanor for the case. If not, he is to serve eight to 20 years in prison, Monroe said.
"The family (of the drowned child) is OK with it," Monroe said of the plea bargain.
Conrad agreed to the deal after four witnesses had testified for prosecutors in his trial and many tears had been shed by Conrad and members of his family, Monroe said.
"It's a very tragic case," she said.
Conrad's 21-month-old nephew, Logan, drowned in his grandparents' backyard pool on the morning of Feb. 16. Authorities believe Logan crawled out a doggy door and fell into the pool.
According to Las Vegas police, Conrad had come home to his parents' house about 5 a.m. after a night of abusing cocaine and prescription drugs, including hydrocodone. His mother asked him to watch Logan, his brother's son, while she went to her hair appointment.
Conrad said he fell asleep with Logan while watching television.
Before the trial began on Tuesday, Monroe told District Judge Stewart Bell that Conrad had admitted to crime scene analysts that he had opened the doggy door to let the dog out.
Conrad told investigators that he didn't shut the doggy door because he didn't think he would fall asleep, according to Monroe.
Conrad's father testified that he had made sure to shut the doggy door and had child-proofed other potential hazards before leaving the house that day. It was during that testimony that Conrad decided to agree to plead guilty under the terms set out by prosecutors.
Contact reporter K.C. Howard at khoward@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-1039.
