In Reno, a young girl named Shaila Hernandez-Rivas has made history as one of the youngest individuals to be imprisoned in Nevada.
At just 15 years old, Hernandez-Rivas faced a 50-year prison sentence after admitting guilt in the murder of her classmate from North Valleys High School, Chloe Edwards.
The tragic event unfolded when Hernandez-Rivas and Edwards, both 14 at the time, decided to engage in a fight on February 19, 2023. Within moments of the fight starting, Hernandez-Rivas pulled out a knife from her back pocket and repeatedly stabbed Edwards, leading to her death shortly after.
Following her sentencing, on March 15, Hernandez-Rivas was moved from the Washoe County jail to the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center in Las Vegas. This facility, established in 1997, has the capacity to accommodate up to 950 inmates.
Currently, Hernandez-Rivas is the youngest female inmate and the second youngest inmate overall in a Nevada prison, as reported by the Nevada Department of Corrections. The only inmate younger than her is a 15-year-old boy who is a few months her junior.
As of now, twenty inmates under the age of 18 are serving sentences across Nevada’s six correctional facilities. Among these, three hail from Washoe County, including Hernandez-Rivas and two others convicted of battery with a deadly weapon, with sentences varying from several years to 120 months.
The Nevada Department of Corrections estimates that around 200 inmates began their sentences in an adult correctional facility while still under 18, with the majority entering at 17 and the youngest at 14.
Hernandez-Rivas will not be eligible for parole until she has served 20 years of her sentence. By that time, at age 34, she will have spent a larger portion of her life behind bars than in freedom.
Despite her adult sentence, Hernandez-Rivas will stay with another juvenile and be separated from the adult population until she turns 18, as stated by prison officials. Her daily routine is still being determined as she undergoes the intake and classification process to assess her needs in education, medical care, mental health, and other programs.
During her sentencing, Hernandez-Rivas’s defense highlighted her struggles with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The prison offers a variety of programs, including substance abuse treatment, and provides education through the Clark County School District.