On October 13, 2023, 9-year-old Amanpreet "Abraham" Alsubaihi was found unresponsive in a Motel 8 room on East Fourth Street in Reno, Nevada, after his mother, 37-year-old Ansonia Laws, called 911. Despite lifesaving efforts by police, firefighters, and paramedics, the child died at a local hospital. When pressed by an officer at the scene, Laws stated "I choked him." The investigation revealed the child was strangled with the cord of hair clippers. Laws reportedly told investigators she was "trying to protect him" from CPS or foster care. The child was autistic, and his father, Suleiman Alsubaihi of Modesto, California, had been attempting to gain custody. Laws was arrested and charged with open murder. There was one prior CPS report in September 2020 for medical neglect that was unsubstantiated.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple sources confirm the child was strangled. The fatality report states "It was learned that the male had been strangled." The KOLO article (Document 5) reports the mother told police "I choked him" and that "the strangulation was done with the cord of hair clippers."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
The fatality report (Public_Disclosure_1475659.pdf) lists prior history: "9/30/20 Investigation for medical neglect; Unsubstantiated." While the investigation was unsubstantiated, medical neglect was explicitly referenced as the subject of a prior CPS investigation.
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The child's biological mother, Ansonia Laws, was arrested for open murder. The KOLO article (Document 5) reports her body-camera statement: "I choked him." The 2News article (Document 3) states: "a woman was arrested as the suspected killer. She was later identified as 37-year-old Ansonia Laws and the victim was confirmed to be her son."
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
The KOLO article (Document 5) states that the father "had been attempting to overcome legal hurdles to gain custody of his 9-year-old autistic son." The disability-memorial.org page (Document 6) lists "Disability: Autism."
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report (Public_Disclosure_1475659.pdf) lists prior history: "9/30/20 Investigation for medical neglect; Unsubstantiated." This is an explicit record of a prior child protection report for this child or household.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Multiple sources confirm the mother was arrested and charged. The KOLO article (Document 2) states: "The Reno Police Department arrested his mother, Ansonia Laws, 37, on a count of open murder." The 2News article (Document 3) confirms: "Laws was booked into the Washoe County Jail on one count of open murder."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Multiple sources confirm the death occurred in a motel room. The KOLO article (Document 2) states: "A juvenile died Friday after being found injured in a motel room east of downtown Reno." The KOLO article (Document 5) specifies "The Motel 8 on E. Fourth St." The RGJ article (Document 4) also references "a motel room on East Fourth Street in Reno."
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The KOLO article (Document 5) states: "Laws says she suffers from Aspergers syndrome and claims to have been choked herself when she was young." Asperger's syndrome is a neurodevelopmental condition classified in the DSM under autism spectrum disorders and is commonly discussed within a mental health framework. While not a traditional mental illness, it is a recognized mental health-adjacent condition, and the mother's self-report of it is relevant to her psychological profile.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the sources. First, the KOLO article (Document 5) reports the father quoting the mother's stated motive: "She was saying she was trying to protect him. Not going to CPS or foster care or anything like that." This suggests the mother killed the child purportedly to prevent him from entering the child welfare system. Second, the strangulation was performed with a specific instrument — "the cord of hair clippers" (Document 5). Third, the father, Suleiman Alsubaihi, had been attempting to gain custody of his autistic son across state lines (from Modesto, CA) and stated: "This is the 3rd time I'd come to get my son from Reno... But this time I won't have him." This raises potential systemic questions about custody proceedings and access to protective intervention. Fourth, the mother self-reported Asperger's syndrome and a history of being choked as a child.
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