LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — An arrest report for the parents of a boy who died on Saturday has been released.
27-year-old Leon Gritz and 28-year-old Christine Gritz were arrested after the boy’s death.
According to the arrest report, a 9-1-1 call was received shortly after 2 a.m. March 20. Leon Gritz said his 8-year-old son was taking a bath and put his face under the water in an attempt to kill himself.
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He then said he removed the boy from the bathtub and he was on the living room floor and did not have a pulse.
When medical personnel arrived, Leon and Christine were performing life-saving techniques on their son, Isiah Gritz.
On the way to the hospital, medical personnel removed a doo-rag and piece of gauze and discovered the child had a large head wound. The paramedics initially believed it was a gunshot wound.
The boy was pronounced deceased at University Medical Center.
Several other injuries were discovered at the hospital, including injuries to the boy’s left eye area, elbows, torso and back.
Numerous scars and other injuries in various stages of healing were also visible.
Additionally, there appeared to be a large linear horizontal bruise on the boy’s forehead and bruising on the boy’s neck.
Bite marks were also observed on the boy’s forearm and right ankle and there were multiple “U” shaped bruises on the boy’s left leg.
Christine Gritz told police that the boy injured himself and admitted she was neglectful for not taking Isiah to the hospital for his injuries. She denied causing any of the injuries and requested an attorney.
She also said the boy had been seeing a therapist before the pandemic. When the therapist wanted to continue therapy via telephone because of the pandemic, the boy refused. She described the boy as violent and said that he had hit her in her stomach when she was pregnant and was violent towards his siblings. She told police that Isiah was traumatized because he was bullied at school.
She insisted the boy began banging his head when he was in the bathtub and injured himself.
Leon Gritz told police that his wife called him at work and told him that Isiah was hitting himself and would not listen to her.
He said that he found the boy in the bathtub with his head underwater. He said he was afraid of his wife and he failed to protect his son from being abused by Christine.
According to the arrest report, the police did not believe the parents and believed they made up the story about him being suicidal.
They are facing an open murder charge and charge of felony child abuse.
