Nevada father who threw 7-week-old kid from balcony following ‘cheating’ row with fiancé sentenced for life

By Oliver

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Nevada father who threw 7-week-old kid from balcony following 'cheating' row with fiancé sentenced for life

Clarence Martin Jr., 37, was sentenced to life in prison after he brutally murdered his two-month-old daughter by throwing her from a second-floor balcony window before setting fire to his fiancé’s apartment, killing his dog as well.

At the prosecution’s request, District Judge Carli Kierny sentenced Martin to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 49 and a half years, after Martin’s defense attorneys claimed he was “suffering from a mental health crisis at the time.”

The arrest report for Martin describes a horrific scene. His fiance, Nicole, called 911 around 3:40 a.m., alleging that Martin threw her baby, London, from their second-floor apartment in October 2020.

The mother told police that Martin took the child and walked to the balcony, only to return moments later without the infant.

She dashed downstairs and discovered the baby on the ground, not breathing after a 22-foot fall. A neighbor performed CPR until medical help arrived, but doctors at a nearby hospital declared the child dead, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

A witness saw Martin leaving the apartment, shouting, “burn, (expletive) burn.” This is your punishment for cheating on me, according to KVVU.

In addition, he started a fire in the living room. A dog was discovered dead inside a cage, likely as a result of heat and smoke exposure. As the flames spread and filled the apartment with smoke, seven other units had to be evacuated while Clark County firefighters arrived.

While Martin fled the scene, causing additional damage to two vehicles on the road, police eventually caught up with him at the airport, according to Fox. According to an airport employee, Martin was not wearing a shirt when he crawled into a secure area via a luggage conveyor belt.

He allegedly discovered a TSA officer’s shirt in the breakroom. He put on the yellow safety vest but removed his pants. He was seen near the tarmac loading items into an American Airlines van before being apprehended by authorities.

Once apprehended, the suspect was heard shouting, “Burn (expletive). Jefferys Street, Jefferys Street.”

The fiancée, who had been with Martin for four years, told officers that she was aware of his previous mental health issues, but had not witnessed any episodes until three days before the incident. She added that Martin had not eaten or slept in the days preceding the murder.

On the day of the incident, she described waking up to Martin kicking her and the baby, and how he grabbed their daughter when she tried to flee to another room.

According to court documents, Martin has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, and his defense attorney, Betsy Allen, informed District Judge Carli Kierny that his condition worsened after he lost his job during the pandemic.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Parker Brooks acknowledged Martin’s severe mental health issues, but asked the judge to remember the victims, London and her mother. Brooks admitted that no action could have prevented the tragedy.

Judge Kierny expressed her shock, saying, “I don’t say this lightly, but this is the worst case I’ve ever seen. It boggles my mind.

Martin was initially found guilty by a jury in October of 13 different charges related to killing the infant.

The charges include two counts of child abuse, neglect or endangerment resulting in substantial bodily harm, first-degree arson, and cruelty to animals.

In addition, Martin faced three counts of battery with a deadly weapon, battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder with a deadly weapon.

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