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Background: News footage of Roderick Duke during his first court appearance on March 10 (KVVU). Inset: Leilani Williams (State of Nevada AMBER Alert).
A Nevada man is in custody following the issuance of an Amber Alert for his baby daughter, who has fortunately been found unharmed.
Roderick Duke, aged 39, was taken into custody by the North Las Vegas Police Department on March 12, exactly a week after authorities sounded the alarm for his 10-month-old daughter, Leilani Williams. According to a statement on the department’s Facebook page, Duke was experiencing an “emotional crisis” and had allegedly threatened to harm both himself and his daughter prior to Leilani’s safe recovery.
Details from a police report shared by local ABC affiliate KTNV reveal that Duke had warned Leilani’s mother of dire consequences should she involve law enforcement, ominously stating that they would “see both of them… on the news.” This threat came during a phone call shortly after the mother fled Duke’s apartment in a panic around 1:40 a.m. on March 5.
Witnesses observed the distressed woman, who reported that Duke had assaulted her and seized Leilani, prompting them to call 911. Duke also allegedly confiscated the mother’s phone, leaving her with visible injuries including abrasions and contusions on her neck. She recounted to the police that Duke had physically assaulted her, pushing her against the wall.
In a bid to reach out, a neighbor offered their phone to Leilani’s mother, who then called Duke. The neighbor reportedly overheard Duke repeating his menacing threat about making the news.
According to reporting on the arrest report by local CBS affiliate KSNV, Duke allegedly “threatened to kill his 10-month-old and commit suicide by cop.”
The police were able to get in touch with a friend of Duke’s, who was able to contact Duke and tell him that “what he was doing wasn’t right.” The friend encouraged Duke to bring Leilani back. He ordered an Uber to bring father and daughter back to Duke’s apartment, and they arrived there at 5:40 a.m.
Duke and Leilani were still in his apartment when the Amber Alert was issued around 9 a.m., and police tracked them there. Police announced that Leilani was found unharmed and her father was taken into custody around 10 a.m.
When police interviewed Duke, he denied hitting Leilani’s mother because “he does not hit women.” He did admit that they got into an argument, but he left in the middle of it to “cool off.” According to the report, he said he brought Leilani to a friend’s house.
Duke made his first court appearance on March 10 and was charged with kidnapping, child abuse or neglect, and domestic battery. He is currently in custody at the North Las Vegas Community Correctional Center. His next court date is scheduled for March 24.