Mother to face charge of murder

A Las Vegas mother who told authorities she was in the bathroom when her unattended 23-month-old daughter drowned in a backyard pool in June will face murder charges.

Sheri Badosky was indicted Tuesday by a Clark County grand jury for second-degree murder and child abuse and neglect with substantial bodily harm. The 24-year-old is being held on $100,000 bond at the Clark County Detention Center.

Badosky told investigators that on June 30 she left her daughter Chrissa Mathews and her 5-year-old blind son who has developmental issues alone by the above-ground pool while she went inside to use the bathroom.

Chrissa was taken off life support the next day, dying three days shy of her second birthday, July 4.

A doctor told police Chrissa was likely underwater for at least 10 minutes. Badosky told police she was only in the bathroom for two minutes.

Badosky had an extensive case history with the Clark County Department of Family Services, and her mother was the legal guardian of the children, according to Las Vegas police. Badosky was investigated on complaints of abuse, neglect and lack of supervision involving her son.

The drowning happened at Badosky's mother's house on the 5200 block of Yellow Dawn Court, near Ann Road and Decatur Boulevard.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.