Dad accused in baby’s drowning can post bail

Kim Smith

Tuesday, June 6, 2000 | 10:58 a.m.

A Las Vegas man accused of allowing his daughter to drown will be allowed to post $75,000 bail and remain on house arrest until his case is resolved.

Justice of the Peace Jennifer Togliatti set Johnny Avila's bail at $75,000 this morning after learning that the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service does not have a hold on him as originally thought.

Should Avila be able to post the bail, he will be placed on house arrest, and he is not to have contact with any children.

According to authorities, Avila's 11-month-old daughter, Katie Cortes, was found facedown in the bathtub by her mother on May 28.

The mother had returned home after she became concerned when no one answered the phone at the Jones Boulevard apartment she shared with Avila and the baby.

When she walked in the door, Chief Deputy District Attorney Vicki Monroe said, the mother found the tub overflowing and the apartment flooded.

Avila told police he put the child in the tub because she had a fever and then he fell asleep.

Avila faces charges of second-degree murder and felony child neglect.

A July 5 preliminary hearing date has been set in the case.