Mother to remain jailed in child’s body in duffel bag case

A 29-year-old Las Vegas mother of four will remain jailed without bail pending her next court appearance in the death of a child girl whose body was found in a duffel bag in a closet in the woman’s apartment, a judge said Tuesday.

Aisha Yvonne Thomas’ court-appointed public defender, Sarah Hawkins, declined to comment about the case following the hearing.

Police have said the body matched the description of Thomas’ 3-year-old daughter, who authorities began searching for last Thursday after Thomas reported the girl wandered away as she walked her four children to grocery store near their home.

The Clark County coroner has not confirmed the identity of the girl or said how and when she died.

The child’s father, Don Edward Hunt Jr., 30, was arrested Aug. 19 on a California state parole violation by Las Vegas police investigating a domestic violence complaint at the same apartment, according to police and jail records.

Hunt is being held at the Clark County jail pending his transfer in custody to California.

Thomas’ three other children have been turned over to child welfare officials, police said.

Jail records showed Thomas also faces multiple warrants for unpaid traffic infractions and separate felony bad check and misdemeanor obstruction charges.

Thomas faces an Oct. 1 preliminary hearing of evidence in the murder case.