LAS VEGAS (Scripps Las Vegas) — Authorities are investigating after a three-year-old was found stabbed early Wednesday morning.
Crime scene tape. (Scripps News Las Vegas)
According to Lt. Robert Price with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the investigation began at around 3:30 a.m. when a man called 911 saying a babysitter had just stabbed his child and then ran away.
As of Wednesday afternoon, police sources say the suspect in the child’s killing is 41-year-old Marketta Lucresha Phillips.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the man and his three-year-old daughter, who was suffering from multiple stab wounds. The daughter was taken to a local hospital, where she was ultimately pronounced dead.
Officers canvassed the area and located the babysitter, who was arrested.
“This is an isolated incident; it’s a just a very tragic and unfortunate incident,” Price said.
Locals in the area expressed shock and disbelief upon waking up to crime scene tape and police cars lining their neighborhood.
“That was really sad to me in the morning, hearing that a child’s life was taken here where I live,” Anthony Dominguez told Scripps News Las Vegas’ Alyssa Bethencourt.
Dominguez tells us his neighborhood is normally peaceful.
“Since I found out, it just really hit home, hit the heart,” Dominguez said. “And I feel really bad and give love and prayers to that child and to the families and people that are affected.”
Another neighbor expressed concern for the child’s family.
“I hope God helps them because this must be horrible for them,” they said. “Must be horrible.”
Phillips is expected to appear in court Thursday at 9 a.m. The police investigation is ongoing.
This story was originally published on Scripps News Las Vegas, an E.W. Scripps Company.
