Stepmother serving prison sentence in same case
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas judge scheduled a trial date Thursday for a man accused of severely abusing his children and putting at least two of them in a dog cage.
The jury trial for Travis Doss, 32, was scheduled for Aug. 5. Last year, a grand jury indicted Doss on 38 counts of child abuse, two counts related to first-degree kidnapping, one count of sex trafficking and one count of living off the earnings of a prostitute.
In June 2023, Las Vegas Metro police found six children home alone while two of them were locked in a dog cage, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported. The oldest child was 11. Body camera video showed officers rescuing the children who all showed signs of abuse. Allegations dated back to 2019, according to the Clark County District Attorney’s office.
The family of nine lived in a one-bedroom extended-stay unit.
Before his arrest, Doss attempted to be a rapper under the name “Trap Montana.” He pleaded not guilty in August.
His wife, Amanda Stamper, 33, had called 911, which led to the children’s rescue. Stamper was also arrested.
In February, Stamper, the stepmother to the six victims, was sentenced to 7-18 years in prison for failing to intervene to protect the children.
Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Dena Rinetti said Doss kept one of the children locked in a dog cage for five days while also starving him. The child was severely malnourished.
Stamper pleaded guilty to three felony counts of child abuse, neglect or endangerment in December. A grand jury in Clark County previously indicted Stamper on seven counts of felony child abuse and neglect.
Stamper and Doss had one child together at the time of their arrests. Stamper gave birth to another child last December.
Stamper said Doss also abused her. She was identified as a victim in his separate sex trafficking case.
Rinetti pointed out that Doss had access to a vehicle and the opportunity to leave the home and call police or Child Protective Services. Doss had even texted Stamper a photo of one of the children who appeared to be dead saying that he killed him, according to Rinetti. The child survived. However, Stamper only called 911 after Doss had been cheating on her and she had sent Doss nearly 100 unanswered text messages, Rinetti said.
Stamper and Doss both had criminal histories when they were arrested. There was an active warrant for Doss out of South Carolina. He was wanted for aggravated assault, according to North Myrtle Beach Police. Two days before the warrant for Doss was issued in January, Stamper was arrested, according to police. This was in connection to a warrant for violating federal probation related to drug charges in Tennessee, police said.
During one court hearing, Doss shook his head at 8 News Now’s camera and tried to hide.
To report child abuse, visit the DCFS website. To reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline, call: 800-799-7233. For a list of local and state resources for domestic violence and abuse victims, visit this link.
