A Las Vegas babysitter has been accused of kicking and beating a five-year-old boy to death because she was angry that the child had urinated in his pants – and then getting a McDonald’s meal with her boyfriend.
Ryan Peralto died in the hospital on March 12, a day after suffering a slew of injuries, including a skull fracture, brain hemorrhage, and damage to his liver, spleen, pancreas and intestines, while in the care of his 22-year-old babysitter, Laurren Courtney.
The woman was initially arrested on counts of child abuse or neglect with substantial bodily harm, but after the Clark County coroner’s office ruled Ryan’s death a homicide, prosecutors this week charged Courtney with first-degree murder.
Laurren Courtney, 22 (left), has been charged with first-degree murder and child abuse or neglect for the March 12 beating death of five-year-old Ryan Peralto (right)
The fatal beating was recorded on surveillance cameras that Ryan’s father, Kaiea Paralto (right), had installed after his daughter (center) accused their babysitter of hurting Ryan (left)
According to an arrest report cited by KLAS, Ryan’s savage beating was captured on surveillance cameras, which his father had installed inside the family’s home after his seven-year-old daughter told him their babysitter was hurting her brother.
The report states that police arrived at the Peralto family’s residence in the 5100 block of South Jones Boulevard on March 11 after getting a 911 call about an unresponsive child.
Ryan’s father, Kaiaa Peralto, told officers that while he was at work earlier in the day, he got a call from Courtney telling him that his son ‘was apparently not doing good and coughed up blood.’
Peralto reviewed footage from the surveillance cameras inside his home using an app on his home and saw his son lying motionless on the couch.
When he and his wife arrived home, the babysitter left.
Ryan’s death has been ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head, chest and abdomen. The boy suffered a skull fracture, brain hemorrhage, and damage to his liver, spleen, pancreas and intestines
On March 11, Peralto got a call from Courtney, telling him Ryan (left) was not doing well and coughed up blood
Ryan was rushed to University Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with severe internal injuries and passed away the next day.
An autopsy later found that Ryan died from blunt force trauma to the head, chest and abdomen.
During interviews with the police, Courtney, a self-described ‘entertainer’ who had been watching Peralto’s two children since last August, allegedly admitted to inflicting some of the injuries on the child out of frustration.
The 22-year-old apparently had exploded in rage after Ryan came to her and said that he had urinated in his pants.
‘[Courtney] stated this is a continual problem and she is tired of having to clean up after him multiple times, week after week,’ the report stated. ‘According to [Courtney], when Ryan urinated himself today, that was the final straw that triggered her anger.’
Courtney allegedly admitted to shoving Ryan and hitting him after he told her he had urinated in his pants
After initially denying any wrongdoing, Courtney allegedly admitted to shoving the five-year-old harder than she should have, which caused him to hit his head on the floor.
She said she may have ‘blacked out’ and did not remember how he ended up in the bathroom.
Courtney was also quoted as saying that she dragged Ryan from the bathroom to the living room and ‘popped’ him in the mouth. She claimed to have been suffering from mental health issues.
Police have not released the surveillance video capturing the attack but described the harrowing footage in the report, saying that Courtney kicked, slapped, punched and berated him over the course of 2 minutes.
‘Officers observed [Courtney] pulling Ryan by one arm through the doorway of the bathroom,’ the report states. ‘Lauren (sic) states “I know you are faking it.” [Courtney] is observed kicking Ryan in the face with her foot, punching his face, and slap his chest. [Courtney] then takes off Ryan’s underwear and drags him into the shower.’
In the video, Ryan does not react when kicked and his body appears limp.
Video from the house reportedly showed the babysitter kicking, punching, hitting and dragging Ryan (right), who can be heard crying and moaning
The report describes how Courtney allegedly struck the child several times, screamed at him and let him fall and hit his head again.
Towards the end of the recording, as described by the police, Ryan can be heard crying and main in pain as Courtney turns on the shower and walks out.
The woman’s boyfriend told police during an interview that after leaving the Peralto family’s home, Courtney picked up some food from McDonald’s for the two of them.
Police said in the report that when investigators told her during an initial interview that Ryan may not survive, she expressed no emotion.
Courtney is being held at the county jail without bail. She is due back in court on May 18.
Meanwhile, a friend has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the Peralto family lay their son to rest.
‘His bright smile and contagious energy brightened up any room he entered,’ the description of the fundraiser read. ‘He was a wonderful, silly, and joyful little boy, who touched the lives of many with his energetic personality.’
