'Full of bad spirits': Man accused of throwing girl off balcony believed she was a demon, police say

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A man accused of throwing a 5-year-old girl head-first off a third-floor balcony Sunday, September 12, believed the girl was a demon and "full of bad spirits," according to a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.

According to accounts in the arrest report, Jarick Willis, 32, allegedly grabbed the girl by her hair, dragged her to the balcony and threw her over. The girl landed "face first" on gravel below the balcony, according to a neighbor who witnessed the incident.

Police say the girl's mother, Angela Matthews, got a gun from her purse and confronted Willis, who was in the shower. They struggled over the gun, and Willis was shot. He left, bleeding and naked, lowering himself down from the balcony.

Police found him after following the trail of blood and took him into custody. Willis is in critical but stable condition at the hospital.

The girl's condition remains unknown. Witnesses said she was unconscious after the fall.

When police arrived on scene, they say they found Matthews hysterical because she believed the girl was dead. An older daughter and son were also in the apartment at the time.

"Angela said she and Jarick practice and believe in African Spirituality and on Saturday Jarick started talking about how he believed (the daughter) was full of bad spirits," the arrest report reads. Matthews told police Willis basically believed the girl was a "demon."

Willis has been charged with attempted murder, child abuse or neglect, child abuse or neglect with substantial bodily harm and domestic battery.