Babysitter arrested for fatally stabbing 3-year-old in Las Vegas: Police

A babysitter was arrested for fatally stabbing a 3-year-old while the child's father was at work, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

At approximately 3:36 a.m. on Wednesday, police responded to a 911 call from the father, saying his 3-year-old daughter had been stabbed by the babysitter.

When officers arrived on the scene, they located a "female juvenile suffering from apparent stab wounds inside of an apartment," police said in a statement on Wednesday.

Authorities attempted to save the child's life, but she was transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead, police said.

The father stated the "babysitter fled on foot and was somewhere in the area," Robert Price, the homicide lieutenant for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Officers canvassed the area in search of the babysitter, who was "located near the scene and taken into custody," police said.

Marketta Phillips, 41, was arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Center and charged with open murder with a deadly weapon, police said.

Phillips was "babysitting the victim while the father was at work," police said. Then, at some point, Phillips "stabbed the victim and then fled the area when the father arrived from work," police said.

"This is an isolated incident. It's just a very tragic and unfortunate incident," Price said during the press conference.

Phillips is scheduled to make her first appearance in court on Thursday, according to inmate records.

Police said anyone who has additional information on the incident should contact LVMPD's Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or email homicide@lvmpd.com.