Charge in baby’s death dropped

Kim Smith

Friday, April 12, 2002 | 9:29 a.m.

A murder charge has been dismissed against a Las Vegas man accused of killing an 8-month-old girl in March 2000.

District Judge Michael Douglas agreed to dismiss the case against Antowin Rankin, 31, Thursday after Chief Deputy District Attorney Vicki Monroe said she could not proceed with the evidence available to her.

Monroe said that despite the fact Areonna Padilla's eyes showed signs of petechial hemorrhages -- tiny, pinpoint spots that sometimes signify suffocation or smothering -- forensic pathologists in Kentucky and Missouri could not determine what caused her death.

Rankin left the courthouse immediately following the decision and could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Deputy Special Public Defender Dayvid Figler, said his client was obviously relieved by the decision.

Figler said a Clark County coroner could not figure out what caused the baby to die, but ruled the case a homicide eight months later after speaking with detectives.

Monroe sent the autopsy results to other experts, Figler said.

"I think the state did the right thing in this case," Figler said. "I thought they were very fair and thoughtful in the way they handled it."

Figler said that three weeks after Rankin moved in with the baby's mother, Rankin laid down on a couch with the baby to take a nap. He immediately called 911 when he awoke and found her not breathing.

The baby had been taken to the hospital in the past for breathing problems, Figler said.

The child's mother was not in the courtroom during the brief hearing.