RENO, NV – A Nevada man has been arrested for allegedly abusing his 2-year-old daughter over several days and delaying emergency medical attention, leading to her tragic death.
Nicholas Loving, 35, is facing child abuse charges in connection with the death of his daughter, Izabella Loving, at their Cold Springs residence, approximately 20 miles from Reno. According to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Loving is being held in the Washoe County Jail on a $10 million bond.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the family’s home on April 3, shortly before 7 a.m., to find Izabella unresponsive. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators soon uncovered evidence of severe physical abuse inflicted upon the child.
Court documents obtained from a probable cause affidavit indicate that in the days before her death, Izabella’s mother witnessed Loving kicking the young girl in the genitals and dragging her by her sweatshirt. The mother, who has not been charged, also reported that Izabella had been vomiting blood and mucus in the days leading up to her death.
The night Izabella died, her body temperature was alarmingly low, prompting her mother to bathe her. Despite appearing fine afterward, Loving allegedly forced her to sleep in a locked, makeshift cubby in her room, which detectives described as measuring roughly 5 feet by 5 feet.
According to the affidavit, Loving admitted that Izabella was at times kept in the cramped space, and while he locked her inside once, his wife primarily placed her there. In the early hours of April 3, one of the couple’s other children alerted them to Izabella vomiting inside the cubby. Loving reportedly found her unresponsive two hours later but delayed calling for help, opting instead to devise a plan to avoid responsibility.
Initially, Loving allegedly proposed fleeing with his family after burying Izabella in the backyard. Subsequently, he and his wife decided to stage a scene and fabricating explanations for the child’s injuries, including stories of falls or playroom accidents.
The affidavit also details that Loving attempted to attribute some of Izabella’s injuries to their other children, claiming they had accidentally struck her with a toy bat. Investigators documented multiple injuries on Izabella’s body, including facial bruising and lacerations, as well as injuries to her pelvis and genitals.
The medical examiner has yet to determine the exact cause and manner of Izabella’s death. Authorities have suggested the possibility of additional charges for Loving and potentially his wife. During the investigation, Izabella’s mother reportedly indicated she felt culpable for not intervening to save her daughter, stating that both she and Loving deserved incarceration.
As the community reels from this horrific incident, the case continues to develop, with further legal action looming on the horizon.