Sparks Woman Convicted of Domestic Battery

A jury has convicted a Sparks woman of domestic battery, a case that began when a child called 9-1-1 asking for police.

Sparks City prosecutors secured a conviction against Denise Hernandez for one count of Domestic Battery, Second Offense, related to an incident reported Dec. 30, 2025.

According to the Sparks Police Department, dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call from a child who said, “Get police, my dad said to send police.” Dispatchers reported hearing a disturbance between a man and a woman in the background of the call.

When officers arrived at the home, they contacted Hernandez outside. Police said she was holding a television remote and showed signs of intoxication, including slurred speech, red and watery eyes, and a strong odor of alcohol.

Hernandez told officers that she and the man had only argued and denied that any physical altercation occurred.

The man told police he had taken their son from the living room to a bedroom to avoid Hernandez during the argument. He said the child later returned to the living room, where Hernandez began attempting to play YouTube videos about child abuse in an effort to show their son he was not an abused child.

The man said he tried to stop her from showing the videos, which led to a physical confrontation. He told officers that Hernandez kicked his left knee, and he kicked her leg in an attempt to get away. He said Hernandez then tackled him, prompting him to tell his son to call 9-1-1.

Police reported the man became emotional while recounting the incident and began sobbing as he spoke with officers. He told police the argument had continued since the previous day and that Hernandez had been drinking heavily.

The man said that when Hernandez drinks, she becomes violent and hits him if she gets close enough. He reported that after tackling him, she struck him several times while they were on the ground. Officers documented red marks on the left side of his abdomen that they said were consistent with his account.

The child also told officers that Hernandez had hit him across the chest, though he said he did not know why. Police reported no visible injuries on the child. The child also told officers he saw Hernandez tackle the man, describing it as “not in a nice way.”

Hernandez was given the maximum term of 180 days in the Washoe County Jail. The sentence was suspended for two years and ordered to run without interruption to a conviction tied to an Aug. 4, 2025, incident.

Under the sentence, Hernandez must serve 20 days in jail, complete 100 hours of community service, pay a $500 fine, and pay all administrative assessments. The court also ordered a $35 domestic violence fee, one year of domestic violence counseling classes, and an eight-hour class on the effects of violence in the home.

Hernandez must also abstain from drugs and alcohol, submit to regular testing, and obey all laws while on formal probation.