Vermillion has mixed pills, alcohol before, family says

It appears Kathleen Vermillion had an earlier incident mixing pills and alcohol.

Vermillion, who may have attempted suicide over the weekend, did something similar in fall 2010, according to what her 19-year-old son told KLAS-TV, Channel 8.

When contacted Wednesday, Vermillion's ex-boyfriend County Commissioner Steve Sisolak confirmed that her son called him to her Henderson home in 2010 because "he was worried about his mom."

Vermillion was on the couch "kind of groggy," Sisolak said. "There was a bottle of pills and a glass of clear liquid, which was vodka."

There was about an inch of vodka in the water glass, he added. He took the pills away and poured out the vodka.

Sisolak said he spoke with her doctor on the phone, who said her actions would not be fatal. The doctor spoke with Vermillion and had Sisolak count how many "little pills" were left in the bottle.

"She was conscious and alert the whole time I was there," Sisolak said.

Vermillion was hungry for chicken, he said, and he bought take out and brought it back to the house. Sisolak, who broke off the couple's five-year rocky relationship in October, said the two were not dating at the time of the incident.

Sources close to the family said Vermillion may have attempted suicide Friday, appearing to have overdosed on pills and alcohol. The former Henderson city councilwoman was found at home by her teenage daughter. The city Fire Department responded at 6:52 a.m. Friday to a 911 call from Vermillion's home. Details of that call were not available Wednesday afternoon, but the source said the call was made by the daughter.

The Henderson city attorney's office was reviewing the recording to determine whether it contains confidential medical information, a city spokeswoman wrote in an email.

Vermillion, 44, was hospitalized at the St. Rose Dominican Hospital's Siena Campus and kept in protective custody. She has since been released.

Vermillion called Henderson police from the hospital at 9 p.m. Friday. During the call she asked for an officer to make sure her 19-year-old son was not at her home or using her car, according to a recording. She identified herself as a former city councilwoman and said she was in the hospital under "protective custody."

Vermillion is being investigated by the FBI amid allegations that she misused funds from the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, a charity she started a decade ago.

Last month, she filed a lawsuit against county officials and Sisolak, accusing them of defamation and invading her privacy after she said drug test results were released revealing she tested positive for methadone. The test was requested by her charity's board of directors.

Sisolak then filed a report with Las Vegas police accusing Vermillion and her former legal team of criminal extortion for $3.9 million. An investigation into those allegations is ongoing.

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.