Photo: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; Facebook; Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
A former NFL player who inflicted fatal abuse on his girlfriend’s 5-year-old daughter, allegedly because she was “chunky,” has been sentenced to 10 years to life in prison. Cierre Wood, who had a career as a professional running back, was convicted in connection with the death of La’Rayah Davis, a child who endured brutal physical punishment at his hands.
La’Rayah died in April 2019 after being taken to a Las Vegas hospital. The little girl had over 100 bruises on her body, 20 broken ribs, and a lacerated liver, which authorities believe was the cause of her death. The horrific details of the case shocked the public when the news broke, with sources like News 3 reporting on the abuse that led to her untimely death.
Wood, who once played for the University of Notre Dame before going on to the NFL, was in a relationship with La’Rayah’s mother, Amy Taylor. Both were arrested and charged with the murder of the young girl. Wood reportedly used extreme exercise as a form of punishment for the child, making her run sprints, do sit-ups, and perform wall squats inside their apartment.
According to police reports, Wood claimed that his actions were motivated by concerns about La’Rayah’s weight. He was “trying to get her on the right path due to her being chunky,” Wood told authorities, as reported by the Review-Journal. On the day of her death, Wood forced the girl to do sit-ups after she failed to learn her letters and numbers. He claimed she fell backward and hit her head, though the extent of her injuries told a far more tragic story.
After his arrest, Wood entered an Alford plea in April, acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him of second-degree murder and child abuse. Though this plea allowed him to avoid admitting guilt, it also signaled the overwhelming strength of the case against him, told AP News.
Amy Taylor also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony child abuse as part of a deal with prosecutors. Her role in La’Rayah’s death, according to Wood’s lawyer, included her own acts of abuse. Taylor was sentenced in July to life in prison, with the possibility of parole, and received an additional sentence of eight to 20 years on the abuse charge.
The case highlighted the horrific consequences of child abuse, leaving a community in mourning for the innocent lives lost. La’Rayah Davis’ tragic death serves as a grim reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable children from such unspeakable harm.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
