Before sunrise on March 5, a North Las Vegas apartment complex erupted in chaos as neighbors woke to a woman screaming and a baby being taken from the unit. Multiple 911 calls sent officers rushing to the scene, where arrest paperwork later alleged the child's father threatened to kill his 10‑month‑old daughter and "commit suicide by cop" while she was in his care. Police ultimately found the infant unharmed and took the man into custody. He now faces several felony charges.
State AMBER Alert shows where the search began
The statewide alert system quickly kicked in. The Nevada AMBER Alert portal identifies the child as Leilani Williams and lists the missing location as 1200 West Cheyenne Avenue, with a reported last-seen time of about 1:40 a.m. and the alert posted near 9:18 a.m. The bulletin includes a suspect description and highlights a blue 2017 Chrysler 200 tied to the case, directing anyone with information to contact North Las Vegas police.
How investigators tracked the suspect and recovered the child
According to KTNV, arrest paperwork states officers pinged the father's phone and traced it to a friend who lived near Las Vegas and Nellis boulevards. That friend told investigators he urged the man to bring the baby back and ordered an Uber, which later dropped the suspect at his apartment at about 5:40 a.m., according to the report. A neighbor also told police they overheard the man say that if the child's mother contacted authorities she would "see both of them...on the news," the documents state.
Charges and what comes next
Court records show the man is charged with first-degree kidnapping, child abuse or neglect, and domestic battery, and his next preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 24 at 9 a.m., according to FOX5. Police said the infant was located unharmed and the suspect was taken into custody without incident. Prosecutors have not released additional information and the investigation remains active.
Neighbors, injuries and community concerns
Police documented injuries to the child's mother, including a contusion and several abrasions, according to the arrest report reviewed by KTNV. Neighbors say the episode rattled the complex and spurred the flurry of 911 calls that helped sharpen the search. Anyone with information is asked to contact North Las Vegas police at 702‑633‑9111.
