Storey County Woman Sentenced

Tom Darby

GOLD HILL, Nev. (Dec. 12, 2025) — A Nevada grandmother was sentenced Friday to up to four years in prison for helping confine her then-14-year-old grandson in a small room for approximately 18 months, a case that drew widespread attention after authorities found the teen malnourished and living in “extremely poor” conditions.

Nancy Hinds, 68, admitted to assisting her daughter, Tammy Hinds, in keeping the boy locked in a cramped space above the family’s Gold Hill garage. Deputies discovered the teen in May 2024 during a welfare check prompted by a concerned citizen.

Investigators reported the room lacked a bathroom, forcing the boy to use a bucket, and that it carried strong odors of urine and feces. Authorities said the door remained locked for up to 23 hours a day.

Nancy Hinds’ sentencing follows her daughter Tammy’s earlier punishment. Tammy, 34, pleaded guilty in Storey County District Court to being a principal to child neglect.

In court, she acknowledged she had “failed as a parent” and received a sentence of two to five years in prison for her role in keeping her son confined and malnourished.

Deputies arrested both women after the discovery, which also led to the removal of the boy and his sibling. The children are under the care of the Nevada Department of Child and Family Services.

The teen later spoke briefly in court, offering a statement about his mother as part of the sentencing proceedings. Nancy Hinds’ prison term marks the conclusion of a case that unfolded over nearly two years.