Woman charged with neglect after kids fall from balcony

By Tiffany Gibson

Published Wednesday, April 7, 2010 | 3:42 p.m.

Updated Thursday, April 8, 2010 | 8:58 a.m.

Metro Police said a woman was asleep and possibly intoxicated Wednesday afternoon when her daughter and granddaughter fell from a third-story balcony in the southwest valley.

Nicole Taylor, 37, of Las Vegas, was arrested and taken to the Clark County Detention Center in connection with two counts of felony child neglect with substantial bodily harm. The two young children were hospitalized Wednesday night in serious condition, police said.

Metro Police spokesman Bill Cassell said two people passing by found the 3-year-old and 1-year-old girls on the ground at 2:54 p.m. at Arbor Pointe in the 8800 block of West Arby Avenue, which is near the intersection of Durango Drive and Warm Springs Road. They knew where the children lived and returned them to their residence, police said.

The children were treated by medical personnel at the scene, then taken to University Medical Center in serious condition, authorities said.

Investigators with Metro's Abuse and Neglect Detail said the toddlers gained access to the balcony by opening a sliding glass door while in the care of Taylor. Police said Taylor is the mother of the 3-year-old and the grandmother of the 1-year-old.

Authorities said Taylor was asleep inside the apartment and wasn't aware the children had fallen. She was possibly intoxicated, police said.