x
Breaking News
More () »

Arizona woman sentenced to 4 years for throwing child from moving vehicle

Melody Gwen Nez of Dilkon, Arizona, was sentenced to 51 months in prison on Nov. 21, 2022.
Credit: Pixel-Shot - stock.adobe.com

DILKON, Ariz. — An Arizona woman charged in a 2021 child abuse case in which a young child was thrown from a moving vehicle has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison following her previous guilty plea.

 On Nov. 21, Melody Gwen Nez of Dilkon, Arizona, was sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Arizona.

Nez, 32, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in the case.

The charges against Nez involve a 5-year-old child. Prosecutors say the child was in the care of Nez for several weeks in the summer of 2021, during which time the child suffered abuse at the hands of Nez.

The release said on Aug. 19, 2021 the culmination of the abuse occurred when, “Nez threw the child from a moving vehicle, seriously injuring the child.”

The abuse happened on the Navajo Nation, where Nez is an enrolled member.

The case against Nez was investigated by the FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alanna Kennedy and Alexander Samuels.

Up to Speed 

Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.

 

Silent Witness: 

Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities. 

The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media. 

Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous. 

Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case. 

Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000. 

Have a tip? Submit it on the Silent Witness tip form here. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out