LAS VEGAS — A Las Vegas woman was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after she was convicted last year of killing a 5-year-old boy she was babysitting.
Lauren Courtney, 23, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, according to KSNV. She will be eligible for parole after she serves 20 years of her sentence.
According to court records obtained by KSNV, Courtney pleaded guilty in October to first-degree murder.
Courtney was arrested in March 2021 for the death of Ryan Peralto, 5. According to an arrest report from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department obtained by KSNV, Courtney was watching Ryan and another child. Courtney called Ryan’s father and told him that the child was not doing well.
Ryan’s father went back to the house and watched surveillance footage from inside the house. According to KVVU, the footage reportedly showed Courtney beating Ryan.
Courtney was interviewed by investigators, according to an arrest report obtained by KVVU. Courtney reportedly told them that she babysat for the family three days a week. She reportedly told police that Ryan had an accident and needed to take a shower and when he was showering, she heard a noise. Courtney then told investigators she saw a bruise on his head.
According to an arrest report obtained by KVVU, Courtney reportedly assumed that Ryan fell in the shower and he got sick because of the fall. Courtney then reportedly told investigators that the father may have been abusive towards the kids. However, the video footage that investigators obtained showed her dragging the boy into the bathroom after taking off his underwear.
Police confronted Courtney about the footage and according to KVVU, she continued to deny anything happened. However, she eventually told investigators that she possibly “blacked out” from anger after Ryan had his accident, stating that it was the final straw.
Medical staff examined Ryan’s injuries and found a skull fracture, a brain bleed and a fractured spleen, according to KSNV. His cause of death was ruled by the Clark County Coroner’s Office as a homicide due to blunt force injuries to the head, chest and abdomen.
No further information has been released.
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