Report: Baby thrown to her death from balcony fell more than 22 feet
The infant who was thrown to her death Saturday morning during a domestic dispute fell more than 22 feet, according to a newly released arrest report.
The baby, identified by the Clark County coroner’s office as London Martin of Las Vegas, died of blunt force head trauma, and her death has been ruled a homicide by the coroner’s office.
London would have turned 2 months old on Monday.
A GoFundMe page created Sunday by a relative of Nicole Poole, the baby’s mother, reads: “You will always hold a special place in all our hearts. You were treasured and loved before we even knew you sweet baby girl. Even if for only a short time, you were our beautiful little princess.”
London’s father, Clarence Martin Jr., faces charges of open murder, first-degree arson, torture of an animal and battery on a protected person in connection with the deadly dispute that unfolded around 3:45 a.m. Saturday at the Positano Apartments, 10115 Jeffreys St.
Poole could not be reached for comment on Monday, but according to her fiance’s arrest report, she told Las Vegas police that Martin has a history of “mental issues” and had not eaten or slept in the days leading up to the dispute. The two have been together for four years, but Poole said she had not “seen any issues” with Martin’s mental health until this month.
On the morning of the dispute, Poole told police, she woke up to Martin kicking her and London, who was asleep with her on the bed. Poole said she went into the living room with the baby, but Martin followed and took London from her.
According to the report, Martin stepped out onto the balcony with London. Seconds later, he returned without her.
“Poole ran outside and discovered her baby laying on the ground in the parking area,” the report states. “She ran down and picked her baby up, ran southbound through the complex because she thought Martin was chasing her.”
As Poole called 911, a neighbor performed CPR on London.
Meanwhile, according to the report, Martin set fire to the living room, killing his family’s poodle, which was found dead inside a cage.
As the apartment burned, the report states, Martin took off in Poole’s white Mercedes Benz. According to the report, a neighbor told police she heard Martin yell, “burn b——, burn,” as he climbed into his fiancee’s vehicle in the parking lot.
From there, Martin led police on a chase that would eventually end at McCarran International Airport. By the time he had abandoned the Mercedes at the airport, Martin had crashed the car at least three times, according to the report.
The most serious of the three collisions occurred on the 215 Beltway, near the airport connector tunnel, where the Mercedes had rolled over, police have said.
By about 4 a.m., the report states, Martin had ditched the car, entered the airport and crawled onto a luggage conveyor belt and into a “secure area of the airport.” Inside the secured area, Martin changed into a “TSA Security” shirt before walking out of the airport and toward the tarmac.
Martin was taken into custody soon after on the tarmac, according to the report, while yelling “burn b——! Jeffreys Street, Jeffreys Street!”
Last month, Poole posted a photo of her and Martin on her Facebook page. In the photo, Poole, dressed in a red gown, is cradling her baby bump as she holds hands with Martin.
“Congratulations… to you Both on the Birth of Baby London,” one person wrote in the comments section under the photo. “She’s Beautiful.”
Another person wrote, “One of my favorite couples.”
Martin’s initial court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday morning in Las Vegas Justice Court.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter. Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.