Las Vegas Babysitter Charged With Murder Agrees To Plea Deal
The babysitter who was charged last year with murder of a child is now accepting a plea deal. 22-year old Laurren J. Courtney was arrested in March of 2021 and faced charges of first-degree murder and 8 counts of child abuse. Courtney was the babysitter of 5-year old Ryan Peralto, who died after being watched by Courtney.
The suspect was a regular babysitter for Kaiea Peralto, who hired Courtney to watch Ryan, and his 7-year old sister, 5 days a week during the summer. When the kids went back to school, Courtney still watched the children 3 days a week. Mr. Peralto had installed security cameras in the home after Ryan’s sister told her father that Courtney was hurting Ryan.
On the day in question, Mr. Peralto was at work and checked the security cameras. He saw Ryan lying lifeless on the couch while Courtney was cleaning a mess off the floor. Mr. Peralto called his wife to see if she knew what was going on. Then Mr. Peralto got a call from Courtney saying that Ryan was sick and coughing up blood.
Mr. Peralto rushed home to find Courtney and Mrs. Peralto there. Courtney took off shortly thereafter and, according to reports, got McDonald’s on the way back to her boyfriend’s house where she lived. The reports indicated she wasn’t acting out of the ordinary.
As reported by 8NewsNow, Courtney tried to blame Mr. Peralto when the police questioned her. But the surveillance videos showed that Courtney beat Ryan for a full two minutes after he wet himself. Courtney snapped and was seen kicking Ryan in the head several times as well as dragging him across the floor and yelling at him. Ryan was rushed to UMC but died from a fractured skull, bleeding in the brain, and damage to several organs.
Courtney was supposed to be in court October 17 but agreed to a plea deal. The deal includes a life sentence with possibility of parole after 20 years. She is still in custody at the Clark County Detention Center.
–Wendy Rush, 96.3KKLZ Las Vegas
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5 Easy Ways To Manage Stress When It Surfaces
Stress is a part of daily life. Maybe more now than it was before the digital age. With instant messaging, working from home and other technological advances, we are always available. That means expectations of us are high, and patience in those waiting on us is low. Having to manage stress has become the norm.
Before We Manage Stress, We Have To Know The Good vs. Bad
Now we can’t hate on stress itself. It’s not the bad guy. In fact, stress serves a very important purpose. When a stressor in our environment occurs, our bodies respond with a release of stress hormones. These are the little guys responsible for those bursts of energy that wins the race, or the adrenaline rush you need to lift a car off someone. In small doses, stress is awesome because it makes us capable of great things.
On the flip side, stress that never goes away is bad. Think of stress like your parents visiting for the weekend from their long-distance home. At first, it’s great to see them! You feel all warm and fuzzy when they show up on Friday night. But by Sunday afternoon, you’re ready to kick them out of the car without even slowing down.
Chronic stress, which is the kind that doesn’t go away, can have serious negative health effects. Chronic stress has been linked to things like diabetes, depression and cardiovascular disease. Some experts, including those at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, have even linked it to an increased risk for cancer.
Exercise Is A Great Option, But It’s Not For Everyone
Of course exercise is the first thing people suggest to bring those hormones down. Exercise releases endorphins that help you manage stressful situations more easily. Aerobic exercises like running, dancing, swimming or biking are some of the most beneficial ways to get those feel-good chemicals flowing.
But there are other, less rigorous methods that can be effective too. And some people have injuries or other limitations that make exercise a difficult daily task. So if you’re not a cardio buff like some of us (I’m NOT raising my hand here), here’s a list of other things you can do.
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Wendy Rush is the midday host on one of Vegas's top stations, 96.3 KKLZ. She has been with the station for ten years and comes with a diverse career background. In addition to being a radio host, Wendy has lived the Vegas life as an entertainer. She has been a celebrity impersonator, rock band singer, and improv comedian. As a content creator for 96.3 KKLZ, Wendy writes about music, celebrities, mental health and wellness, and life as a Las Vegas local.