Dad arrested in 3-month-old son's drowning death; allegedly lied to investigators (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Dad JONATHAN LOPEZ SR. has been arrested in the drowning death of his 3-month-old son. Seems Daddy changed his story several times, apparently to cover up the fact that he had been drinking. He's been charged with child neglect with substantial bodily harm.

http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/23619813/detail.html

Vegas Father Arrested After Son's Drowning
Police: 25-Year-Old Lied To Investigators

POSTED: 8:03 am PDT May 20, 2010

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas Metro police said a father changed his story several times when questioned about the death of his 3-month-old son, who drowned in a baby bathtub last November.

The child, Jonathan Lopez Jr., was pronounced dead at Mountain View Hospital Nov. 26.

According to an arrest report, the boy’s father, 25-year-old Jonathan Lopez Sr., told investigators he had put the child in the tub with the faucet running at around 2 a.m. and went to grab a towel.

When he returned, Lopez Sr. said he saw the tub overflowing, according to the report.

But police said the father changed his story twice that same day, saying he was giving the boy a bath when he fell asleep, and later saying he had stepped away to do laundry for 3-5 minutes before coming back to find the boy underwater.

The child’s mother, 31-year-old Emilia Franco, and a roommate, told police they didn’t know what happened.

In late January, authorities conducted a second round of interviews with the couple. Detectives noted in their report that several beer cans had been found in a trash can at the couple’s home on Harvest Valley Avenue, near Gowan Road and El Capitan Way.

During the second interview, Franco is quoted telling police Lopez Sr. was drinking the night their son died, but she didn’t think he was drunk.

Detectives said they didn’t believe Lopez Sr.’s description of the incident, noting that the baby tub had a safety opening to prevent overflow, and didn’t overflow when the faucet was left on for 10 minutes.

Lopez Sr. then admitted, according to the report, that the couple was drinking and possibly drunk when he put the boy in the tub.

He is quoted telling detectives he fell asleep for about 15-20 minutes, and lied at first because he was afraid.

Lopez Sr. was arrested this week is charged with child neglect with substantial bodily harm. He is being held at the Clark County Detention Center.