LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County Department of Family Services says it received five reports of possible child abuse connected to 1-year-old Sayah Deal before her death on Oct. 5 inside of a car parked at a residence on H Street.
The child’s father, 27-year-old Sidney Deal, was arrested and charged with child abuse. He claims that he accidentally locked his daughter in the car and thought she was only sleeping.
Tiffany Tyler-Garner, the executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, says this is a heartbreaking situation.
“It highlights the peril of the economic time that we’re in. Where you see a young father choosing between his ability to do his car repair and ensuring his daughter’s safety,” she said.
REPORT: Father seemed more concerned about damage to car than child
According to the report from the CCDFS, they received three allegations of neglect in July and September of 2018, one in January 2019 and one in June 2020.
Child Protective Services says that all of the allegations were found to unsubstantiated.
“I’m not surprised that there were a number of previous contacts, particularly if the goal of the system is to have families stay intact or reunify where appropriate," Tyler-Garner said.
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Deal was granted bail on Thursday by a Las Vegas judge. His next court hearing is set for Dec. 3. Currently, Deal is still in the Clark County Detention Center.
This is not the first time that a child has died after an investigation about possible child abuse.
13 Action News Chief Investigator Darcy Spears looked into the issue in 2018 after a toddler named Dejah Hunt was reported missing and found dead near Lake Mead.
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