In brief: Baby sitter, 28, suspected of having sex with boy, 14

A 28-year-old Post Falls woman has been arrested following a seven-month investigation into an alleged sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy she was hired to baby-sit.

Summer Kelli Ashle Nelson was being held Monday in Kootenai County Jail on four counts of lewd conduct with a minor, according to jail records. Nelson’s bail is set at $50,000.

“Apparently, Summer had stated to others how she was in love with the 14-year-old boy and that she could not understand how it was wrong for the two of them to be together,” Post Falls police Lt. Pat Knight said.

According to police, Nelson was hired to baby-sit three children in August 2007. The children’s ages at the time were 9, 12 and 14.

Nelson allegedly had sex with the teen at the home in Post Falls on numerous occasions, Knight said.

The abuse was reported in December 2008, Knight said. “At this time, there are no other known victims. The investigation remains active.”

Jody Lawrence-Turner

Residents bound during armed robbery of home

A north Spokane home was robbed Sunday night while its residents were bound and held at gunpoint.

Several people were in the home on the 5000 block of North Maple Street around 11 p.m. Sunday when three to four people masked with bandannas entered the home armed with a handgun, the Spokane Police Department reported.

The robbers stole various items and fled, police said. None of the victims was seriously injured.

The victims called 911 at 11:17 p.m. after freeing themselves.

Police are still investigating. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Alison Boggs

Girl, 16, dies of injuries suffered in ATV wreck

A 16-year-old Spokane girl injured Sunday in a four-wheeler accident in Montana has died.

Monique Perea, who was visiting family friends, was driving an ATV in the Schwartz Creek drainage near Clinton, southeast of Missoula, when she lost control, the Missoulian newspaper reported.

She and a 15-year-old male passenger flew over an embankment on Moccasin Ridge and plummeted about 20 feet before stopping.

Missoula County sheriff’s Capt. Greg Hintz said Perea suffered major internal injuries in the crash.

The boy hiked out after the crash and told adults there had been an accident.

The group then returned to the scene, but didn’t call 911 until after reaching Perea, Hintz said.

That call precipitated a difficult search effort that also took significant time.

“There’s no cell phone coverage up there, so it was a difficult situation,” Hintz said.

Hintz said Perea was conscious and talking when the boy left her but was in serious trouble when he returned with the adults.

Missoulian