ST. GEORGE, Utah Aug. 9, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A family friend has been arrested in the death of a 2-year-old girl in Washington County.
Randy Holt Lessing, 29, was arrested Tuesday night by St. George police and booked into jail on suspicion of child abuse homicide in the July 24 death of Emmaline Marie Mitchell. Lessing is the boyfriend of the child’s mother, according to court documents filed in 5th District Court in St. George.
A judge Wednesday morning signed an order holding Lessing without bail at the request of St. George police.
The child was found unconscious in the family home July 19 and taken to St. George Regional Hospital. Significant trauma to the head and brain was diagnosed and the child was flown to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada.
Multiple doctors at both facilities said the child’s injuries were “obviously consistent with child abuse,” according to arrest documents. Doctors at the Nevada hospital declared the child deceased on July 24.
Lessing told police he was alone with the child when she fell, saying “she must have flung herself backward off of her toddler bed” in throwing a fit, landing on her head to cause the injuries, according to a probable cause affidavit.
“Family of Emmaline that has assisted in this investigation have expressed their concern for their safety in fear that Randy will retaliate causing harm to them,” according to the affidavit.
Two GoFundMe pages have been set up for Emmaline’s family, the first shortly after her death. View one of them here. As in all cases, Gephardt Daily cannot guarantee funds will be used as stated.
Lessing also sometimes goes by the name of Randy Bowler, according to those pages and online comments related to his arrest.
