Uncle murders 2-year-old niece by suffocation while holding her

A man from Nevada will serve at least ten years in prison for taking the life of his young niece by suffocating her with his hands.

In January, Leo'oolo Tevaseu, 23, admitted guilt to the charge of second-degree murder for the April 2024 death of 2-year-old Fofogafeta Maluia Fields.

Last week, Judge Tierra Jones of the Eighth Judicial District Court approved the plea agreement, sentencing him to a prison term ranging from 10 to 25 years.

The tragic event occurred on April 18, 2024, in an apartment located on Mercury Street in North Las Vegas — a substantial suburban area just north of Las Vegas.

Around 11am on that day, the North Las Vegas Police Department responded to a call about a 31-month-old child who was unresponsive, as reported by Fox affiliate KVVU based in Henderson.

Emergency personnel discovered the little girl without a pulse, lying on a table in the dining room. She was rushed to the University Medical Center Hospital nearby, where unfortunately, she was pronounced dead.

The investigation was taken over by detectives after the child's passing, quickly leading them to suspect Tevaseu. 

Initially, he faced charges of open murder and child abuse resulting in significant injury.

As the probe continued, the accused admitted his role while providing conflicting accounts of the event, according to an arrest report obtained by Las Vegas CBS affiliate KLAS.

Tevaseu initially claimed to detectives that he was looking after his sister's children while she visited the Department of Motor Vehicles, when the young girl "suddenly collapsed" and could not be revived, as per the charging documents.

He mentioned that he did not witness the child putting anything in her mouth and was unaware of any existing medical issues.

At this point, he stated he contacted the girl's mother to inform her of the situation. The mother then instructed Tevaseu to place Fofogafeta on the table and start CPR.

In truth, Tevaseu did call her — after she had left the DMV and was on her way to a store — sharing this deceptive story. 

The account of the child falling was merely a tactic to obscure the reality, according to authorities.

Another version from him was that the girl was "unwell, though not severely" and "teetering," which led to her fall. Investigators challenged this version, noting injuries that did not align with a mere fall.

Tevaseu further claimed he "hit" Fofogafeta on her leg and face before striking her with a pillow, which supposedly caused her to fall down.

Yet again, this explanation failed to justify the child's tragic demise.

Ultimately, the convicted individual confessed that when the toddler wouldn't stop crying, he slapped her face and struck her with a pillow. 

Afterward, he cradled Fofogafeta and used his hand to cover her mouth for "about 30 seconds" until she was gasping.

Then, he placed her on the floor, noticed she wasn't breathing, attempted to offer water, and began performing CPR. After 5 or 10 minutes of these actions, Tevaseu contacted the mother.

The child's mother later informed police that the toddler was generally healthy and had no medical issues at the time of her death. 

She explained that her brother, Tevaseu, served as her primary caregiver while she worked night shifts and admitted he "sometimes gets overwhelmed with the girls."