Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Sentencing delayed for foster mother in child’s death

OchsSentencing

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Melanie Ochs, center, sits in court waiting for her sentencing hearing to begin before District Court Judge Michael P. Villani on Jan. 28 at the Regional Justice Center. Sentencing was delayed until Feb. 4

Ochs Sentencing

Melanie Ochs, center, sits in court waiting for her sentencing hearing to begin before District Court Judge Michael P. Villani on Jan. 28 at the Regional Justice Center. Sentencing was delayed until Feb. 4 Launch slideshow »

The sentencing hearing for a foster mother found guilty of murder in the 2006 death of her foster son has been rescheduled.

Melanie Ochs, 42, was convicted in October 2009 on a first-degree murder charge in the death of the 7-month-old child, called Baby Boy Charles. She was set to be sentenced Thursday morning on the charge but her attorney, Robert Langford, requested more time to review a pre-sentencing investigation report.

She is now scheduled to be sentenced at 8:15 a.m. Feb. 4. She faces a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison.

Ochs, who had been free on bail, was taken into custody after the jury returned the verdict. She testified at her trial and said the boy fell on the floor of her northwest valley home after she set him on the washing machine. When she walked away for a moment, the boy fell.

Prosecutors contended throughout the trial that the death wasn’t accidental and said abuse was involved.

She initially had told authorities her older children had injured the boy.

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