LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas father is facing second-degree murder and child abuse charges after his daughter drowned.
According to an arrest report, the incident happened on Oct. 21 at 3:16 p.m. at an apartment complex near Stewart Avenue and North Nellis Boulevard.
The report states the father — identified as Alex Pantoja — changed his story several times during their interview. According to the report, Pantoja told officers his daughter was crying because her diaper was dirty and that he placed her in the shower to calm her down and put her in her shower chair. He also told police he positioned the showerhead so the water was hitting her from the chest down, and she had a few toys with her.
That's when he said he went into his bedroom and fell asleep. Police said he told them he "knocked out" for an estimated 20 to 30 minutes. According to the report, another child got over the child gate and entered the bathroom. When Pantoja woke up, he told officers, "I saw him in the hallway all wet, dripping water, and I was like, oh no."
He went into the bathroom and said the floor was wet, and his daughter was floating on her back with "part of her body above the surface of the water." Pantoja said he grabbed her and attempted to perform CPR before running to a neighbor's apartment for help and to call 911. The report states Pantoja got the children at 8:45 a.m., and 911 wasn't called until 3:16 p.m.
Neighbors told police they heard a "frantic knock" and saw Pantoja holding the baby. When they attempted CPR, they told officers the baby had a "lavender complexion and mucus coming out of her nose," and they saw her eyes were open, but "nothing was there."
The baby was taken to Sunrise Children's Hospital and was pronounced dead at 4:09 p.m.
According to the report, Pantoja told police he knew it was unsafe to leave babies in the shower, and when he was asked why he left his daughter in there, he said nothing like that had really happened before with his other kids or his siblings. He also told police that "I know I'm 100% responsible" and "I feel like I'm not responsible enough for babies."
Pantoja was arrested and is scheduled to be in court on Tuesday.
