By: Las Vegas Now Staff
The Clark County Grand Jury has indicted Colleen and Stanley Rimer for the death of their 4-year-old son, Jason, which means they will go to trial for his murder. The boy was left for 17 hours in a hot SUV.
The Rimers are facing 7 counts ranging from second degree murder to child abuse and neglect. Four of the counts are for other children in the home.
The five page indictment outlines the charges against Colleen and Stanley Rimer. Wednesday, the judge found there is enough evidence to move forward with the charges of second degree murder and child abuse.
The indictment reads that the Rimers “permitted or allowed Jason Timer to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering as a result of neglect or endangerment.”
Read the arrest warrant against Stan and Colleen Rimer
He died after being left in the family vehicle for about 17 hours. Because the 4-year-old had special physical and mental needs, he was unable to get out of the car himself.
The couple also faces six counts of child abuse for Jason and their other children. The indictment says the house was filthy and the children had untreated lice. It also says that they were subject to verbal and physical abuse.
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The Rimer family has a long relationship with Child Protective Services dating back more than 20 years. Jason's death has raised the question of whether the agency should have been able to prevent it.
The Eyewitness News I-Team has obtained the Rimer family's CPS records and has new information about what the agency did and didn't do during Jason's short life.
When a child involved in the child welfare system dies from abuse or neglect, the community questions whether the agency did enough. We don't have that answer. But what we can tell you is that the agency spent a lot of time with this family.
During Jason's short life, employees involved with the Rimers' cases met face-to-face with family members more than 20 times. Yet caseworkers never saw a need to remove the children from the home.
The allegations of abuse and neglect made against the family came from a variety of different people. The longest open case — seven months — involved Jason's medical needs.
Early on, caseworkers questioned his mother's ability to care for him. Notes describe Colleen Rimer as lethargic, depressed and unwilling or unable to follow his feeding instructions. Jason had to be fed through a tube as a baby.
Ultimately, it was Colleen Rimer who notified police of her son's death.
Records dating back 20 years note Colleen seemed overwhelmed and unable to manage her large family. At the same time, they detail Stan Rimer's aggressive and abusive behavior.
Family service director Tom Morton was unavailable for an interview Wednesday but has agreed to meet with us Thursday.
The next step for the Rimers is an arraignment that is scheduled for July 31, and it is there they'll get a chance to enter a plea on the charges.
Email your comments to Investigative Reporter Colleen McCarty.
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