Child-care provider charged with failure to report abuse

Friday, May 1, 1998 | 9:58 a.m.

A child-care provider who faced child abuse charges was recently charged with failure to report child abuse by the district attorney's office.

Roda Rustomji was first charged with child abuse by the district attorney in August. The charge stemmed from an incident in which a 5-year-old girl in Rustomji's care allegedly had a two-inch square of hair yanked from her head.

The Child Care Licensing Board said the girl reported that Rustomji is the one who pulled out her hair, and asked the Las Vegas City Council to revoke her child-care license.

Five parents showed up at the council meeting in support of Rustomji, and the council voted 4-1 to override the Child Care Licensing Board's recommendation and Rustomji continued to operate as a child care provider.

On April 6, a criminal complaint was filed against Rustomji for failure to report child abuse in the same incident, and last week the child abuse case against Rustomji was dismissed.

Rustomji's attorney, Kevin Kelley, wouldn't comment on the case pending, or the case dismissed. The district attorneys involved with the case could not be reached for comment.