A Nevada woman who admitted to drowning her two young children in separate bathtubs inside the family home has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Clark County District Court handed down the sentence to 38-year-old Jovan Trevino after she pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children, 4-year-old Christopher Fox III and 1-year-old Gihanna Fox.
The case, which dates back to July 2021, drew widespread attention because of the nature of the crimes and Trevino’s former role as a family services assistant for the Clark County Department of Family Services.
Crimes
According to prosecutors, the killings occurred on July 19, 2021, inside the family’s Nevada home.
Investigators said Trevino first brought her 4-year-old son into a bathroom and encouraged him to enter the bathtub by offering him glasses so he could look underwater.
Authorities stated that once the child was lying in the tub, Trevino held him underwater using her hand and leg until he drowned.
Prosecutors said she then went to another bathroom in the home, where her 1-year-old daughter was drowned in a separate bathtub using a similar method.
Court documents described both deaths as deliberate acts carried out one after the other.
Investigation
After the children died, investigators said Trevino wrote a suicide note and drove to Arizona.
She was later taken into custody at a medical facility in Bullhead City after reportedly telling hospital staff what had happened.
Law enforcement agencies in Nevada and Arizona coordinated during the investigation, which eventually led to murder charges being filed in Clark County.
The case quickly became one of the most closely followed criminal proceedings in the region because of the ages of the victims and the details outlined by prosecutors.
Plea
Trevino later entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Under the agreement, she pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, allowing her to avoid a potential death penalty trial.
In exchange, the court imposed the mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
The sentencing hearing took place before Clark County District Judge Carli Kierny, who formally finalized the punishment Tuesday.
During the hearing, prosecutors described the case as one of the most disturbing child homicide cases they had handled.
Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani told the court he would remember the case for the rest of his career.
Court
Judge Kierny acknowledged Trevino’s visible remorse during the hearing but said the severity of the crimes required the strongest possible punishment under Nevada law.
“I will remember your case forever,” the judge told Trevino before issuing the sentence.
The ruling means Trevino will spend the remainder of her life in prison with no possibility of release.
Nevada law classifies intentional and premeditated killings of children as first-degree murder, and prosecutors argued that the separate drownings in different bathrooms demonstrated planning and intent.
Family
Family members of the children also addressed the court during the sentencing hearing.
The children’s grandmother, Shawna Fox, spoke directly to Trevino and criticized her actions as a parent.
She expressed hope that Trevino would continue to remember the children and the impact of the killings.
The children’s father had previously testified during earlier proceedings that Trevino had shown signs of emotional distress and suicidal thoughts in the days leading up to the crimes.
According to testimony, she had allegedly expressed concerns about leaving the children behind.
Defense
Defense attorney Ryan Bashor argued that Trevino had been experiencing severe emotional struggles and relationship problems at the time of the killings.
He described the period before the incident as one marked by mental and emotional deterioration.
Trevino also addressed the court herself, saying she had been in “the darkest place” she had ever experienced.
While the court acknowledged those circumstances, Judge Kierny stated they did not lessen the seriousness of the crimes or justify a reduced sentence.
Impact
The sentence formally closes a criminal case that has remained active in the Nevada court system since 2021.
Legal experts note that cases involving the intentional killing of children by a parent often lead to the most severe penalties available under state law.
The outcome also highlights how courts weigh mental health concerns against evidence of planning and deliberate action in homicide cases.
Below is a summary of the case:
| Case Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Jovan Trevino |
| Victims | Christopher Fox III and Gihanna Fox |
| Ages of victims | 4 and 1 |
| Year of crime | 2021 |
| Charges | Two counts of first-degree murder |
| Sentence | Life without parole |
The case continues to leave a lasting impact on surviving relatives and members of the community who followed the proceedings over the past several years.
FAQs
Who is Jovan Trevino?
A Nevada mother convicted of killing her two children.
How old were the children?
The children were 1 and 4 years old.
What sentence did Trevino receive?
Life in prison without parole.
When did the crimes happen?
The drownings occurred in July 2021.
Did Trevino plead guilty?
Yes, she pleaded guilty to two murder counts.
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