Man allegedly threw girlfriend's daughter off balcony because she was 'full of bad spirits'

LAS VEGAS (TCD) -- A man was arrested this week after he allegedly threw his girlfriend’s 5-year-old daughter off a balcony because he believed she was "full of bad spirits."

Clark County inmate records show Jarick Willis was charged with attempted murder and child abuse or neglect resulting in bodily harm.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, which cites the arrest report, police responded to a call at an apartment complex on Boulder Highway at 4:45 p.m. Sunday and found a young girl who landed face-first onto the gravel after being thrown from the third floor. Police reportedly said Willis was visiting his girlfriend’s residence for the first time that weekend.

KLAS-TV identified Willis' girlfriend as Angela Matthews. According to the arrest report cited by KLAS, Matthews said she and Jarick "practice and believe in African Spirituality and on Saturday Jarick started talking about how he believed (the daughter) was full of bad spirits."

Matthews reportedly "told him to stop talking about her daughter in that way." Willis allegedly apologized but later mentioned he believed the little girl was a "demon."

One of Matthews' other children reportedly started screaming and Matthews "saw Jarick leaning over the balcony," the Review-Journal reports. She told police Willis allegedly dragged her daughter by her hair and then threw her off.

Willis reportedly got in the shower, and Matthews allegedly retrieved a gun because she was "in fear for her life and her children’s lives," KSNV-TV reports. Willis allegedly tried fighting for control of the gun and she fired it.

KLAS reports Willis jumped off the balcony, naked and bleeding.

KSNV reports Willis was transported to a hospital with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

According to the Review-Journal, the little girl suffered a fractured pelvis, forearm, leg, and rib. She also reportedly has a collapsed lung and lacerated liver, as well as a possible fracture to her sternum.

KSNV reports the 5-year-old victim was last known to be in stable condition but is still in the pediatric ICU.

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