At about 7:30 p.m., police were called to investigate after medical staff at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center noticed “signs of abuse” on a 5-year-old girl.
The girl had been taken to the hospital from an apartment complex at 9599 W. Charleston Blvd. in Las Vegas, Nevada after having gone into cardiac arrest.
She died at the hospital of multiple blunt force injuries. Police said the little girl had bruises on her torso, legs, and abdomen when she was examined by doctors.
The victim was identified as 5-year-old La’Rayah Patra Nicole Lamont Davis.
Prosecutors said an autopsy on the child revealed a large liver laceration. She had at least 100 bruises on her body, 20 broken ribs, a lacerated liver and contusions on other vital organs.
Her mother, Amy Taylor, initially was arrested only on one count of child abuse or neglect and had posted $5,000 bail, but was rebooked into the Clark County Detention Center on the murder charge.
Her boyfriend, Cierre Wood, faced charges of murder and child abuse or neglect.
On August 13, 2024, Wood was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years for the murder charge.
Clark County District Court Judge Jacqueline Bluth also ordered him to serve between 28 months and six years for the child abuse charge. He must serve the sentences consecutively.
The sentencing came after Wood, a former NFL and Canadian Football league running back, reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty in April to second-degree murder and felony child abuse.
Prosecutors dismissed the remaining felony counts of child abuse that they initially had filed against Wood. He entered what is known as an Alford plea, a formal admission of guilt in criminal court that allows a defendant to still claim innocence.
Thomas Ericsson, Wood’s lawyer, argued that his client did not inflict the injuries that led to La’Rayah’s death but should have protected the child more.
He blamed Amy Taylor, La’Rayah’s mother, for sitting on the girl’s chest and holding her down. Wood was at work at the time and didn’t know she had done that.
Taylor also pleaded guilty earlier this year to second-degree murder and felony child abuse as part of a deal with prosecutors.
On July 30, Taylor was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years for the murder charge and eight to 20 years on the abuse charge.
