Babysitter charged with murder of boy with Maui ties | News, Sports, Jobs

Ryan Peralto loved camping, fishing, playing with his sister and visiting family on Maui, according to a GoFundMe page organized for the family. — Photo courtesy of family GoFundMe page

A babysitter has been charged with first-degree murder of a 5-year-old boy with Maui ties who was severely beaten in his father’s Las Vegas home, according to Las Vegas police.

Police said video footage from cameras in the home “shows a horrendous account” of how Ryan Peralto “was severely beaten during a two-minute time frame” on March 11.

The boy was unresponsive when he was transported to UMC Trauma Center with a skull fracture, brain bleed, fractured spleen, damage to his liver, pancreas and intestines, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrest report said.

Medical staff needed to immediately perform high-risk surgery, and the boy died the next day.

According to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up for the boy’s medical expenses, his father, Kaiea Peralto, is from Maui.

Family and friends remembered 5-year-old Ryan Peralto of Las Vegas as a “shining light” after he was allegedly beaten by his babysitter earlier this month and later died of his injuries. — Photo courtesy of family GoFundMe page

“I miss you so much Ryan,” he posted on his Instagram account. “Your in a safe place now among the stars. Rest In Peace.”

Police arrested Lauren Courtney, 22, of Las Vegas on March 11. A preliminary hearing for her was set for May 18 on charges of first-degree murder and multiple counts of child abuse with substantial bodily harm due to medical neglect and first-degree child abuse or neglect.

Courtney, who had been babysitting Ryan and his 7-year-old sister since August, went to his father’s home at 5:45 a.m. March 11 to watch the two children, according to the report. Peralto told police that Courtney called him at work and said Ryan was coughing up blood. He returned home at 12:15 p.m. to find Ryan’s mother there with Courtney. The babysitter left, and after learning Ryan was unresponsive, Peralto called police.

He told police he had recently installed video cameras throughout his residence after his daughter said that Courtney had hurt Ryan.

Police review of surveillance footage from 10:12 to 10:14 a.m. showed Courtney dragging a limp Ryan by his left hand into the bedroom toward the bathroom.

LAUREN COURTNEY, Charged with murder

She is seen kicking and hitting his head, according to the report. She tries to sit him up, then lets him go and the back of his head hits the bathroom floor.

Courtney drags his body into the shower and turns on the shower, leaving the boy moaning in pain, according to the report.

When a detective questioned Courtney, she denied stepping on or kicking Ryan.

She told the detective she became angry when Ryan urinated on himself and she shoved him, causing his head to hit the floor and likely causing the skull fracture on the back of his head, according to the report. She also reported having mental health issues.

Supporters of the family have raised nearly $45,000 to help with Ryan’s memorial fund. One fundraiser at www.gofundme.com/f/ryan-james-peralto-memorial-funds had brought in a little over $28,000 as of Friday evening, while another campaign at www.gofundme.com/f/ryan-james-peralto-memorial-fund had collected close to $15,000.

Friends organizing the fundraisers described him as a “shining light” with a big smile and lots of energy who loved camping, fishing, playing with his sister and visiting family on Maui, where he “would get so excited whenever he got to feed the little koi fishes at his Papa and Mama’s house.”

“Ryan was a young, bright light and touched so many people’s hearts,” according to a GoFundMe page. “He was taken from this world much too soon. His loss has devastated his family and all those around him.”

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.

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