Tragedy in Las Vegas: Christina Todd-Dunn Blames Police Negligence After Son TayShaun Todd Drowns at Illegal Pool Party

LAS VEGAS, NV — July 5, 2025 — A Las Vegas mother is grieving the tragic and untimely death of her 19-year-old son, whose body was found in a backyard pool after an illegal house party in June. She believes his death could have been prevented — if only police had taken her desperate calls for help seriously.

TayShaun Todd, a student at the College of Southern Nevada with plans to start a teaching assistant role in August, was found dead on June 18 after being reported missing the previous day. His mother, Christina Todd-Dunn, says her repeated calls to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police were met with apathy, delays, and an incomplete response.

Now, as she mourns her only child, she is demanding answers — and justice.

A Night Meant for Celebration Ends in Tragedy

Todd was attending what was only the second adult party of his life on June 17, excited to be with friends and enjoy the night. But after police broke up the party, he never came home.

Concerned, his mother immediately began calling police. She told them about the party, the fact that it had been shut down, and that her son had not returned — but says her concerns were brushed off.

“I was begging them to go to the house and check,” Todd-Dunn told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “They didn’t go right away. And when they finally did, they didn’t even search properly.”

A Painful Delay

When Todd’s friend returned home from the party with his wallet, phone, and keys — but no sign of TayShaun — alarm bells went off. His mother rushed to the home where the party had taken place and knocked on the door. A man answered and told her the party was over and she needed to leave.

She called police again and waited. Officers eventually arrived, but according to Todd-Dunn, they didn’t treat the matter urgently and even questioned whether her son might be drunk or on drugs.

“That’s not like him,” she said. “I kept telling them that. I said, ‘Do you really think I’d be out here in pajamas searching for my son if this was just a typical night?’”

But the officers did not perform a full search of the property.

Body Found the Next Day — Too Late

On the afternoon of June 18, more than 12 hours after Todd-Dunn’s first 911 call, a man at the house contacted authorities to report he had found a body in the pool.

It was TayShaun.

According to the Clark County Coroner’s Office, he had been submerged in the pool for at least 12 hours, suggesting he drowned shortly after arriving at the party.

Todd-Dunn says she believes that if police had taken her seriously and done a full search of the property when she asked, her son might still be alive.

“They failed me. They failed my son,” she said. “Y’all should have turned that house upside down. It was a pool party. If he was missing, why not check the pool?”

A Promising Life Cut Short

TayShaun was more than just a student — he was a son, a friend, and a young man with a future. He was studying sports management and had just secured a job as a teaching assistant at a school in Henderson County.

“He had goals. He had heart,” said a family friend. “He wanted to work with kids, give back. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Todd-Dunn says the grief has been overwhelming. “I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I just want my baby back,” she said.

Party Host Charged, But Questions Remain

While TayShaun’s death was ruled an accidental drowning, the host of the party has since been charged with two misdemeanor counts related to hosting an unlicensed, illegal gathering.

However, Todd-Dunn says that’s not enough. She wants to see accountability from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for what she sees as a complete failure to act in time.

Calls for Accountability Grow

Community members, activists, and neighbors have rallied around the grieving mother, calling for an internal review of police response protocols. Many believe her experience reflects a broader issue of how authorities respond to missing persons reports — especially involving young Black men.

“This can’t happen again,” said a local organizer. “We need to make sure that every parent’s call is taken seriously, regardless of who the child is.”

Remembering TayShaun Todd

Plans for a public memorial service are underway, with the community expressing support for Todd-Dunn and honoring the memory of a life cut tragically short.

“He had so much ahead of him,” she said. “And I’ll make sure his name is never forgotten.”

If you have any information about the party or the events surrounding TayShaun Todd’s death, please contact Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.