Mom charged with supplying alcohol for teen hotel room party

By Jeff Pope

Friday, May 29, 2009 | 1:59 a.m.

The mother of a 15-year-old Coronado High School student has been charged with 21 misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after police said she provided her child and 20 other minors with alcohol at a party in a Henderson hotel room.

Another adult also is also facing similar charges in connection with the teen party.

Cindy McCormick, 36, and Gerret Elizondo, 26, were in the room at Homewood Suites, 10450 S. Eastern Ave., on May 15 when police arrived after receiving a complaint of a juvenile disturbance. The two told police they supplied the alcohol, police spokesman Todd Rasmussen said, and were arrested.

When police arrived, investigators found liquor and beer bottles in plain sight in the room, which McCormick had signed for, Rasmussen said.

Several of the teens in the hotel room were known to be at the scene of a car crash that claimed the life of Coronado sophomore Olivia “Lynn” Hyten on Nov. 14, 2008, according to court documents.

Police have said alcohol was a factor in that crash.

Police did not cite the minors in the hotel room and allowed their parents to take them home.

Elizondo also was arrested on a gross misdemeanor count of abuse, neglect and endangerment of a child after police determined he left his gun unattended in the hotel room, Rasmussen said.

McCormick and Elizondo were booked into the Henderson Detention Center but have been released on bail.

McCormick’s arraignment is scheduled for June 8. Elizondo was arraigned May 26 in Henderson Municipal Court on the 21 misdemeanor counts and a trial date was set for July 8.

The district attorney has not filed a formal charge on the gun-related count, according to court records.

The Henderson Municipal Court did not have an attorney listed for McCormick and she could not be reached by phone.