'Horrific crime': Nevada woman sentenced for drowning children in bathtubs

Noble Brigham, Las Vegas Review-Journal on May 12, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

LAS VEGAS — A Nevada woman who drowned her two children by holding their heads under water in separate bathtubs apologized in court Tuesday.

“On Monday July 19, 2021, my babies’ precious, innocent lives were taken at the hands of their mommy,” Jovan Trevino told District Judge Carli Kierny, her voice full of emotion. “I truly was not in the right mind, in the darkest place that I’ve ever been, which is evident by the horrific crime that I did commit.”

Kierny then sentenced Trevino, 38, of Henderson, to life in prison without parole.

Trevino previously faced the death penalty and agreed to the sentence she received as part of a guilty plea agreement in which she admitted to killing Gihanna Fox, 1, and Christopher Fox III, 4.

Shawna Fox, the children’s grandmother, said Trevino acted selfishly and “failed miserably” as a mother.

“I hope you see their little faces every time you close your eyes and I hope you never forgive yourself for stealing their futures,” she said.

Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani called Trevino’s actions “unforgivable.” It was one of the most extreme cases of a mother killing her children that he had seen in his 15-year career, he said.

At the time of the killings, Trevino was dealing with “extreme life stressors,” including issues in her relationship with her children’s father, Christopher Fox, Chief Deputy Public Defender Ryan Bashor said after court.

“Ms. Trevino didn’t think she had a way out, and the ultimate desire was for her to take her own life,” he told the judge.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal previously reported that she was afraid of losing her job at the Clark County Department of Family Services and that she had asked for full custody of the children, citing domestic violence.

Christopher Fox, who was convicted of attempting to violate a protective order for Trevino, declined to comment after Trevino’s sentencing.

He previously testified that Trevino expressed suicidal thoughts days before the killings.

“She couldn’t leave the kids here without her being there with them,” he said. “I took it seriously. I told her that I will report her, told her I needed to. … If we didn’t get through this I would check her into some type of facility, but she said she was fine after we talked.”

At Tuesday’s hearing, Trevino asked the people gathered in the courtroom to seek immediate help if anyone expressed suicidal thoughts to them and spoke of her children in the terms victims’ relatives often use.

“Christopher and Gihanna’s beautiful little lives touched so many people,” she said.

Christopher was imaginative, she said, and kindhearted. She described Gihanna as free-spirited, self-assured and curious. The siblings were close, she said.

“Christopher and Gihanna should be alive and with us, attending elementary school, involved in sports and activities, visiting with their families and getting ready for their summer plans,” their mother said. “Christopher would be turning 10-years old and Gihanna would be turning seven this year.”

Kierny said she could sense Trevino’s sadness every time the defendant was in court. She said she could also sense that Trevino loved her children.

“I know that as you live out the rest of your life in a jail cell, you’ll probably see them at night, you’ll think of them,” the judge said. “That’s really the only tribute left that you can give them at this point.”

Shawna Fox, their grandmother, said she served as a leader in Washington state’s child welfare system.

She witnessed child abuse and the murder of children in that role, she said, but thought she was able to separate her work and personal life. After Trevino killed her grandchildren, the wall between the two areas of her life “came crashing down,” she said.

“I lost my belief in the power of the system to protect children,” she told the judge.

She took a demotion to start over in another public agency because, she said, “I didn’t trust myself to protect children anymore.”

Christopher Fox testified at the sentencing hearing that he has moved repeatedly to try to find a fresh start only to have the crime follow him.

“I just keep going day by day, just remembering who my kids were,” he said. He told the judge he wanted her to remember his kids as “joyous, loving children.”

“I will remember your case forever,” Kierny replied. “I want you to know there’s no such thing as closure, but this chapter will end and you will move on from this and you will figure out a way forward.”

If you are thinking about suicide, or are worried about a loved one or friend, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting the Lifeline network at 988. Live chat is available at 988lifeline.org.

___