Father arrested after 2-month-old stabbed in neck

Monday, Nov. 25, 2002 | 11:14 a.m.

A 2-month-old boy stabbed in the neck Thursday night was released from Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in good condition on Sunday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Metro Police allege Roberto Rodriguez stabbed his son with a metal fingernail file during an argument with the boy's mother while they were in a Jeep parked in the 1000 block of Griffith Avenue.

Rodriguez, 25, fled the scene and was found hiding in a house near Maryland Parkway and Tropicana Avenue about 2:45 p.m. Friday, police said.

Rodriguez was charged with attempted murder and felony child abuse, police said.

Sgt. Russ Shoemaker said police got a tip that Rodriguez lives or used to live in the neighborhood around Maryland Parkway and Tropicana. Officers then talked to neighbors and zeroed in on a house on Dalton Street.

Shoemaker said officers waited until the resident came home, then asked him if they could search his house for Rodriguez. The resident was acquainted with Rodriguez, and agreed to let police search.

"Lo and behold, he was there hiding in a bedroom," Shoemaker said.

He was arrested without incident and taken to the Clark County Detention Center.

Shoemaker said more than 50 officers from various units were involved in the search for Rodriguez. The gang unit, problem solving units of the area command posts, abuse and neglect detail, sexual assault unit and missing persons unit lent manpower.

Shoemaker said he was pleased Rodriguez was found so quickly. He attributes it to good police work.

"Part of our job is to chase every lead down, no matter how flimsy or fragile," he said.