LV couple is charged in child’s drowning death

Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001 | 10:36 a.m.

Involuntary manslaughter and child abuse charges have been filed against a Las Vegas couple in the death of a 5-year-old girl who drowned in May.

Gregory S. Jones and Rovelyn Aban were charged Sept. 19 in connection with the death of Aban's daughter, Ammacyn.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Dan Bowman said the girl asked the couple if she could go out and play by the pool and they said yes, despite knowing the girl could not swim.

The couple closed their screen door so their cats could not get out, and they found the girl at the bottom of the pool 15 minutes later after realizing they could no longer hear her playing, Bowman said.

While numerous other children have died by drowning or after being left in sweltering cars, Bowman said the distinction in this case is that the parents weren't merely distracted or forgetful.

The couple, who lived near Durango Drive and Alta Drive at the time of the incident, will appear in court Oct. 30.

Bowman said he agreed to issue a summons for the couple rather than arrest them because Aban was nine months pregnant at the time he approved the charges.