Attorneys ask for delay in hearing for dad charged in infant daughter's death

Stacks of medical records to sift through — plus a delay in an autopsy report — led attorneys Wednesday to ask for a delay in the preliminary hearing of a man who is charged with murder and child abuse charges in connection with the Feb. 23 death of his premature infant daughter.

Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure reset the preliminary hearing for Justin Forsgren for 9 a.m. April 26 in Las Vegas Justice Court.

Forsgren, who appeared in court Wednesday morning, is being held without bail in Clark County Detention Center for the death of his 3-month-old daughter, Rayea Dawn Forsgren. He has been charged with one count of murder by child abuse and two counts of felony child abuse and neglect.

Forsgren’s attorney, Andrea Luem, who is with the homicide team of the public defender’s office, told the judge she was in the process of going through some 6,000 pages of medical records on the infant and going through transcripts of audio interviews to prepare Forsgren’s defense.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Staudaher also told the judge that the soonest the coroner’s autopsy report might be available would be April 16.

An attorney who appeared on behalf of Sunrise Hospital, handed over more medical records to the court. The attorney said the records were subpoenaed and that he did not have authorization from the patient for the records. Bonaventure accepted the records and said they would be provided to the district attorney’s office.

Outside the courtroom, Staudaher said his office was still gathering medical records on the infant, which includes the child’s birth records. Rayea was born prematurely and never left Sunrise Hospital for about two months of her three-month life, Staudaher said.

After that time, the infant was taken home, he said. And at the end of that third month is when the incident happened, he said. He also said the medical records show there were “lots of injuries” recorded in medical records before the day the baby died.

Police said they responded about 11 p.m. Feb. 23 to Forsgren’s home, 3370 Swenson St., where they found the infant in distress. Rayea was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center but died the next day, police said.

Hospital officials told police she was admitted with multiple rib fractures, a left clavicle fracture, severe cerebral edema and possible retinal hemorrhages, according to the police report.

Police said the fracture to the left clavicle was likely more than two weeks old.

Police said Rosgren told them he dropped the girl on her head and she quit breathing. He further said he thought the other injuries were the result of his attempt at CPR, authorities said.

However, police reported a doctor at Sunrise found that "given the patient’s constellation of findings, bruising to the face, old fractures, brain injury and highly specific retinal hemorrhage pattern, this child can be diagnosed as a physically abused child with abusive head trauma (including a component of violent shaking.) This child has medical findings of definite child abuse."

The baby's natural mother, Rosgren's girlfriend, Karen Marshall, was not at home at the time she was injured, police said.