Bail set for man accused of tying up tots to watch sports

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 | 10:58 a.m.

Jonathan Weaver, 20, appears in court Tuesday morning.

Jonathan Weaver

Bail has been set at $400,000 in the case of a man who police say left his girlfriend’s two toddlers bound and gagged in a southwest valley garage for more than two hours last week so he could watch a basketball game with friends.

Jonathan Weaver, 20, is charged with two counts each of child abuse and endangerment, kidnapping and attempted murder after police entered an apartment complex garage in the 10000 block of South Spencer Street at about 8:15 p.m. June 9 and found the 1- and 2-year-old children tied up in their car seats, Metro Police said.

“These charges are significant in terms of scope and the conduct which is alleged … it's something hard to imagine if proven to be true,” Justice of the Peace Thomas Sheets said in a status hearing Tuesday morning.

Weaver reportedly told police he didn’t think leaving the children in the garage was a big deal because they have had “camp outs” there in the past. He told authorities he tied the children up so they couldn’t injure themselves on nearby tools. His girlfriend, Amy Beltran, told police she often asks Weaver to watch her toddlers while she attends night school and has no concerns about his parenting skills, according to a police report.

Deputy Public Defender Amy Johnson, who represented Weaver today, asked for standard bail and for Weaver to be released under intense supervision to his parents, who attended today’s hearing. She said Weaver, who lives with his mother, is a lifelong Las Vegas resident with strong ties to the community, is in a stable household and “not so much as a traffic ticket” on his record.

She characterized Weaver’s actions as a “terrible mistake,” but argued that the charges of kidnapping and attempted murder were too severe because he didn’t intend to keep the toddlers from their mother, who knew the children were in his care, or cause them harm.

But Chief Deputy District Attorney Craig Hendricks said the steps Weaver took, such as taking the car seats out of the car and binding the children with twine so tightly red marks remained hours after they were found, signaled cause for concern.

“It’s a miracle that these children did not die, did not suffocate. It’s not just a simple case that he neglected them and left them alone,” Hendricks said. “I’ve got concerns for (the children). The mother may not, but the state and I have concern.”

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By timemist

6/16/09 at 12:17 p.m.

Suggest removal

Have you lost your minds, turning this guy loose. We in the United States need to tighten up on these type people. If he thinks this is ok maybe next time he will kill them. Come on!
By Judy

6/16/09 at 12:33 p.m.

Suggest removal

Stupid, idiotic and selfish yes, but kidnapping and attempted murder is pushing it.
By DMCVegas

6/16/09 at 12:43 p.m.

Suggest removal

While he did certainly endanger the lives of the children, the prosecutor probably won't be able to make the Attempted Murder charge stick unless it can be proven that he set out to try and take their lives and failed to do so.

As for the kidnapping, absolutely he'll be convicted. He was supposed to be watching the children inside of the house. The moment he moved them to another location and held them against their will by tying them up, that's kidnapping.
By gmag39

6/16/09 at 1 p.m.

Suggest removal

Somehow I do not think he'll be babysitting any more kids and tying them up in the garage while out on bail, assuming he can post it. His IQ must be quite low.
By skemp311

6/16/09 at 2:07 p.m.

Suggest removal

This guy is a top notch loser. I'm anti-abortion but if I was his preggo girlfriend, I'd consider it.
By ANGELLEE

6/16/09 at 3:34 p.m.

Suggest removal

This is horrible. He should spend the rest of his life in prison. How is that in our society it is not considered bad to treat children worse then dogs? That mother doesn't have any concerns??? What the HE**?? She should lose her children and have forced tubal ligation!!!! Anyone who can excuse this behavior as a simple mistake has serious mental issues.
By KillerB

6/16/09 at 6:51 p.m.

Suggest removal

Judy -- I'm with you on that.

Where is the crime?? No injury was intended, nobody was hurt, people! The original article said the children were sent to the hospital "with non-life threatening injuries." Turns out the only injuries being mentioned now is red marks from being tied up.

This is the local family Gestapo begging for relevance to keep it's budget, that's all. And they don't care who they victimize to keep their jobs.