A Pahrump aunt faces charges of child abuse and neglect after losing her 5-year-old nephew for more than six hours.
According to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received a call about a missing child in the area of Betty Avenue and Lola Lane at approximately 3:17 p.m. on Sunday.
During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the 5-year-old boy lives with his father and was at the time left in the care and custody of his 26-year-old aunt, identified as Camille Sebolt, who was temporarily residing at the residence, according to Deputy Yoanna Sotello’s arrest report.
Sebolt became upset because the child was tossing pillows around inside the residence, according to the report.
“Camille was annoyed by the child so she went outside to get away,” Sotello stated in the report. “She heard the child calling out for her but she ignored him.”
When Sebolt no longer heard the child, she reportedly went back inside the residence, according to the report.
“Camille noticed the child was not there, but she was not concerned and went to sleep,” Sotello’s report said. “Camille woke up to the child’s dad stating that the child was not home. 911 was then contacted to report the child missing.”
Sotello’s report went on to state that while speaking to Sebolt, the woman showed indications of being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Sebolt, who admitted to smoking meth inside the residence earlier in the day, was taken into custody.
When asked to comment about the incident, Sheriff Joe McGill said there are more questions than answers in terms of how, when and why the child wandered off from his aunt’s care.
The boy’s father managed to track his son down in the area of Comstock Park, where the child was found in the custody of a friend of the father, the sheriff’s office said.
More to look into
“Whether this individual took the boy or the boy voluntarily went with him, is still under investigation, but we’re being told it was voluntary,” McGill told the Pahrump Valley Times.
More than a dozen area first responders, including Nye County Search and Rescue crews and K-9s, were involved in the day-long search for the boy, including community volunteers.
The Civil Air Patrol was also contacted for assistance.
McGill praised their efforts under grueling heat to help locate the child.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for everybody that was out there on what was so far, the hottest day of the year, searching under bushes. Their hard work is greatly appreciated.”
Sebolt faces one count of child abuse and neglect as well as allegedly being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Bail amount was set at $15,000.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes