Former foster mother indicted for child abuse, endangerment
A former foster mother, whose friend was charged last year with beating a 2-year-old foster child, was indicted on one count of child neglect or endangerment with substantial bodily harm, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Kasondra Martinsen, 36, had left Osbaldo “Nanno” Sanchez, 22, to babysit the boy in November 2012 at an apartment at 7101 Smoke Ranch Road, near Tenaya Way.
Sanchez was arrested after shaking Alexander Laws so severely the boy’s brain swelled, Las Vegas police said.
Alexander suffered a stroke and a series of seizures. Part of his skull had to be removed at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center to make room for the brain swelling, according to a police report.
Martinsen initially tried to cover for Sanchez by saying that she was giving the boy a bath and he slipped and hit his head when she left the bathroom, the police report said.
Martinsen later admitted that Sanchez was taking care of the boy while she worked a 12-hour shift.
She never got required approval from the Clark County Department of Family Services to have Sanchez babysit the child.
Martinsen’s foster parent license was suspended following the incident.
Sanchez told police the 2-year-old slipped and fell on water in the bathroom. He said he ran to the bathroom, picked up the boy and “shook him” to try and calm him down, according to the police report.
When police asked how he shook him, Sanchez gave a cradling/rocking motion with his arms, the report said.
When Martinsen arrived home, she noticed the boy couldn’t open one eye, police said. He was then taken to a hospital.
Sanchez never called 911 — he told police there was no phone in the apartment, although investigators noted that he had a working cellphone.
Sanchez, who has pleaded not guilty, is set to stand trial March 10. He faces one count each of child abuse and child neglect.
Martinsen remains free on $40,000 bail. An arraignment hearing was set for Dec. 5 before District Judge Doug Herndon.
Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.
