LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Community members are rallying around a Las Vegas woman who lost her daughter and is still hospitalized amid the ongoing investigation into an intense domestic violence incident in Spring Valley.
In a media release shared with Channel 13, Christian Morris Trial Attorneys identified the woman as Nichole Charese Drummond, the head of the law office's human resources department.
Wednesday would have been the 15th birthday of Drummond's daughter, Aven Ny'elle, who police say was killed by her mother's boyfriend during a violent attack on August 10.
Nichole Drummond is "fighting for her life in the burn unit at University Medical Center," her colleagues stated.
Police have said Drummond was burned and shot by her boyfriend, 48-year-old Jason Simmons, during the attack inside the family's home on Pigeon Point Court, near Peace Way and Buffalo Drive.
On Wednesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shared graphic audio from Nichole Drummond's desperate call to 911, where she told dispatchers that her boyfriend had a blowtorch and was "attempting to light her one fire," police said.
When police entered the home, they found Drummond's daughter Aven unconscious and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
They also encountered a locked door to one of the bedrooms. When Officer Zaira Venegas-Hernandez attempted to kick it down, police say Simmons fired multiple rounds from behind the door, striking her. Venegas-Hernandez was hit in the chest and hospitalized, but survived her injuries.
After Venegas-Hernandez was shot, officers called in SWAT and crisis negotiators, who found Simmons dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
"There is no excuse for domestic violence," Nichole Drummond's colleagues wrote. "These terrible, unjustified acts happened to a generous, loving, and lovely familiy."
The release notes that Nichole's surviving daughters, Eden and Nevaeh, are "standing strong at their mother's bedside, ready to help her get through this. Love is stronger than hate, and they will not let hate destroy their family."
"Now, more than ever, Nichole, her family, and her beloved pets need the help of our community," the release states.
Nevaeh Thomas has organized a GoFundMe page to raise money for Aven's funeral expenses, Nichole's medical care, and the continued support of the family's dogs, Dolly and Cora.
"This tragedy was the result of domestic violence — an act of violence committed by someone the family loved and trusted," the fundraiser states. "No family should ever have to experience this kind of heartbreak, and we hope that by sharing our story, we can not only support Nichole and her daughters through this devastating time, but also help raise awareness about domestic violence and the importance of preventing it from happening to others."
