Henderson man faces charge in son’s suicide

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 | 11:09 a.m.

District Attorney David Roger said his office today will file a felony child neglect charge against a Henderson man whose 12-year-old son killed himself using a loaded gun that the father allegedly left unattended at his home.

Roger said he and a case assessment unit consisting of five senior prosecutors has reviewed reports from Henderson Police and charges should be filed today against 35-year-old Geoffrey Wells in connection with the Aug. 26 death of Syber Wells in the 300 block of West Basic Road in Henderson.

Wells is expected to be charged with child neglect causing substantial bodily harm. That category B felony is punishable by probation or two to 20 years in prison.

The issue of access to guns in Wells' home was raised by his ex-wife during child custody hearings before Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss in April.

Maria Wells and her lawyer told Moss that Geoffrey Wells left loaded guns around his home where they were readily accessible to the children.

The couple's 8-year-old and 10-year-old sons said in statements to the Family Mediation Center that the safe in which Wells was to have kept the weapons locked was, in fact, unlocked because he had lost the key.

In addressing the gun issue on April 13, Moss said, "I don't see a problem with the gun issues as long as, I guess, they are trained as a military family. They grow up like that. It's a unique situation."

After reading the affidavits of the 8-year-old and 10-year-old in court on Aug. 8 in which the boys said loaded guns were unlocked at Wells' home, Moss took Wells' word at face value that the loaded guns were locked up.

Moss awarded Wells joint custody of Syber Wells and his two younger siblings, with each parent having the children every other week.

That arrangement changed when Syber Wells died.

Clark County Child Protective Services is currently conducting an investigation into allegations of abuse and/or neglect of Maria Wells' children while under the care of Geoffrey Wells. She will maintain full custody of her 8-year-old and 10-year-old until CPS grants permission for joint custody to continue.