Couple accused in death of boy, 4, will stand trial

A man accused of killing his girlfriend's 4-year-old son and staging a car accident to cover it up will face a trial in connection with the slaying.

North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Natalie Tyrrell ruled Tuesday that 21-year-old Trevor Carter will stand trial for murder by child abuse in the slaying of Trenton Quick on Dec. 18.

Tyrrell also ruled that Trenton's mother, 24-year-old Amber Scott, will face trial on charges of child abuse and neglect.

Carter, who is in custody, and Scott, who is out of custody, attended the hearing on Tuesday. Both wept occasionally during the hearing, which exceeded five hours. Carter often shook his head when witnesses testified against him.

Michael Bodnar, a North Las Vegas homicide detective, said Tuesday that he interviewed Carter on Dec. 18 after Trenton was found dead at the scene of the vehicle accident near the Las Vegas Beltway and Losee Road.

Bodnar said Carter changed his story several times. At first Carter told police that the back window to his vehicle was damaged when Trenton's head hit it. But he later told police that he had shot it out, Bodnar said.

Carter at first denied abusing Trenton. However, he later told police that he had struck Trenton at the apartment he shares with Scott before the vehicle accident, Bodnar said.

Bodnar said he interviewed Carter for about an hour. During that time, Carter told him that he physically disciplined Trenton, his 6-year-old brother and his 3-year-old sister.

Carter said he once lined up the three children and hit them with a belt, Bodnar said.

Another North Las Vegas police detective, Sayoko Fay, testified that she also interviewed Carter on the day Trenton was killed. Fay said Carter told her that he had disciplined Trenton that morning because he found feces on the bathroom floor of the residence and on a towel.

Carter also said he disciplined Trenton for playing on the top of a bunk bed, Fay said. Carter told police that he gave Trenton a "chop to the gut" when he found him in the bedroom, she said.

A medical examiner with the Clark County coroner's office said Trenton died from trauma to his abdomen. Trenton's death was ruled a homicide.

Carter previously said that Trenton injured his abdomen when he fell from a bunk bed onto a toy box.

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