Death penalty possible in Vegas boy’s body-in-freezer case

The loss of life penalty can be thought-about within the case of a Las Vegas man accused of kidnapping and killing a 4-year-old boy and hiding the physique in a freezer whereas retaining the boy’s mom captive, a prosecutor advised a choose throughout a short schedule-setting listening to on Friday.

Clark County District Court docket Choose Tierra Jones postponed Brandon Lee Toseland’s arraignment till no less than April 15 on 10 fees together with homicide, kidnapping and youngster abuse within the loss of life of the boy and felony home battery alleging that he choked the kid’s mom.

Toseland appeared by video hookup from the Clark County Detention Middle, the place he has been held with out bail since his arrest Feb. 22. Protection lawyer Augustus Claus mentioned exterior court docket Friday that Toseland, 35, will plead not responsible to all fees.

Police mentioned they discovered Toseland in a automobile with the boy’s mom after the boy’s 7-year-old sister gave her instructor a handful of sticky notes from the mom that mentioned she was being held captive and thought the woman’s brother was lifeless at Toseland’s home. Police mentioned additionally they discovered handcuffs with the lady within the automobile.

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The boy’s frozen physique was present in a freezer within the storage, wrapped in plastic and bearing what police mentioned have been seen accidents of bodily abuse.

An indictment that added 4 counts in opposition to Toseland was filed Thursday, shifting the case from native to state court docket for trial.

Brandon Toseland, a suspect within the loss of life of a kid, seems in court docket, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, on the Regional Justice Middle in Las Vegas.
(Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Assessment-Journal by way of AP)

Claus mentioned Friday that he had not acquired a medical expert’s report and post-mortem on the kid, who in line with the indictment died of inner accidents.

Prosecutors Michelle Fleck and Christopher Hamner declined exterior court docket to remark.

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The Clark County coroner’s workplace mentioned rulings on a trigger and method of the kid’s loss of life have been pending.

“We plan on defending the case vigorously,” Claus mentioned in a short interview. “There’s a complete alternate model of occasions that hasn’t been given a voice. We plan on being that voice.”

The mom’s lawyer, Stephen Stubbs, alleges she was bodily, sexually and emotionally abused by Toseland and that her kids have been bodily and emotionally abused and saved other than her more often than not.

Brandon Toseland, a suspect within the loss of life of a kid, seems in court docket, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, on the Regional Justice Middle in Las Vegas.
(Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Assessment-Journal by way of AP)

The Related Press isn’t naming the mom or kids to keep away from figuring out a sufferer who alleges sexual abuse. Stubbs has mentioned the mom doesn’t need her identify made public.

The boy’s father died in January 2021 of a respiratory sickness. Stubbs mentioned the mom and her two kids moved into Toseland’s dwelling final March.

One other lady, Marylee Ruiz, who mentioned she had two kids with Toseland earlier than ending her relationship with him about 5 years in the past, watched in court docket on Friday. Ruiz mentioned she was involved about what her kids, now ages 7 and 5, skilled whereas dwelling in the home.