RENO, NV – In a harrowing case that has gripped the community, a Nevada father is being held on a $10 million bond after allegedly subjecting his 2-year-old daughter, Izabella Loving, to prolonged abuse leading to her death, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Authorities responded to the family home in Cold Springs on April 3, where they found Izabella unconscious. Paramedics declared her dead on the scene. Investigators noted significant signs of physical abuse on the young girl’s body.
According to court documents, Nicholas Loving, 35, faces charges of child abuse. Records reveal a disturbing account, including allegations that he forced Izabella to sleep in a small box with a lock at times. The girl’s mother, who has not been charged, reportedly witnessed Loving dragging and kicking their daughter in the days before her death.
For nearly ten days, Izabella showed alarming symptoms, such as vomiting blood and a dangerously low body temperature. Her mother reportedly attempted to comfort her with a bath the night before she died. The affidavit alleges that Loving found Izabella unresponsive in the box around midnight but delayed calling for help, contemplating plans to elude authorities instead.
The child’s mother claimed Loving considered fleeing with their other children after burying the body. However, they eventually moved Izabella’s body and staged the scene to appear as if she had been found around 7 a.m., investigators reported.
Loving attributed some of the injuries to the couple’s other children, suggesting they hit Izabella with toys, including a plastic bat. However, investigators documented multiple severe injuries, such as facial contusions and bruises on her arms, pelvis, and genitals.
The county’s medical examiners are working to officially determine the cause and manner of Izabella’s tragic death. The possibility of additional charges against both parents remains as the investigation continues.
Amongst the heartbreaking details, the mother reportedly expressed her own culpability, indicating to detectives that she should also be held accountable. Her remarks underscore the complex and tragic nature of this case that has left a community in mourning and disbelief.