Mom jailed in death of infant

The mother of a 4-month-old boy alleged to have died as a result of child abuse has been sent to jail where her boyfriend already awaits a court hearing on first-degree murder charges.

Justice of the Peace Doug Smith ordered Tajeria Rippke into custody Monday after hearing that she had been told by her father in Texas that he believed the baby was being abused.

Smith read from a report that indicated Rippke's father initially became concerned about some apparent pinch marks and then voiced his concern to his daughter the next day about new bruising on the baby, Anthony Rippke.

That night, according to the judge, Rippke and her boyfriend Ryan Lopez took the baby, gathered their possessions and left Texas for Las Vegas.

Rippke's father called Child Protective Services workers in Las Vegas with his concerns but the baby died before an investigation could begin.

Lopez was arrested the day after the baby's July 3 death but Rippke was allowed to remain free despite the felony child neglect charges filed against her on Friday.

But after Smith read that she had fled child abuse allegations once, he sent her to jail and set bail at $25,000. Bail for Lopez is set at $500,000.

Although a July 30 preliminary hearing is set for Rippke, authorities do not expect autopsy results to be finalized at that point. At that time prosecutors will have to decide whether to dismiss the case and refile it when the results are in or to proceed with a preliminary report from the coroner's office.

The coroner's report indicates the death appears to have been the result of shaken baby syndrome.

The defendants, however, maintain they are innocent and the boy's death resulted from medication he had been prescribed to control muscle spasms in his arms.

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