Trial set for man held in Vegas boy’s body in freezer case

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Dec. 5 trial date has been set for a Las Vegas man accused of killing his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son and hiding the body in a freezer where police found it in February after the boy’s sister gave notes to her teacher saying her mother was being held captive at the man’s home.

Brandon Lee Toseland has been jailed since his arrest Feb. 22 on charges including murder, kidnapping, child abuse and domestic battery by strangulation.

Toseland’s defense attorney, Craig Mueller, did not immediately respond Tuesday to messages seeking comment following a brief court appearance in Clark County District Court.

Toseland, 35, pleaded not guilty last week in the case in which prosecutors have said they may seek the death penalty.

Police said the boy’s frozen body bore visible injuries of physical abuse. An indictment attributes his death to internal injuries, but the Clark County coroner’s office has not released findings on a cause and manner of death.

A lawyer who represented the mother alleged that she was physically, sexually and emotionally abused by Toseland. The woman is not facing criminal charges in the boy’s death.