A two-month-old baby was found dead by local police, with “severe bruising” and signs of malnourishment – and the mother of the infant is in custody and has been charged with murder
A mother has been charged with the murder of her baby and is being held in custody after police found a dead two-month-old, and attempts to save the infant’s life were unsuccessful.
The police were called to a motel in Arkansas, US, where the infant was reported to be “unresponsive” at 2.30pm on June 14. Though they rushed the two-month-old to hospital, the baby was declared dead, and the medical team reported signs that the infant was malnourished and that there was “severe bruising” present.
The mother, Lacrystal Matthews, 24, from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was arrested and charged with murder in the first degree – the local press reports – and she remained in custody.
A bond of $200,000 (£147,425.76) has been set for her bail and she is being held at the W.C. Dub Brassell Adult Detention Center. Police asked anyone with information in the case to come forward and help them with their investigation.
The mother was staying with her child at the Sun Bridge Inn, a motel on 4600 Dollarway Road, Pine Bluff, police believed. Local police were called and were told that there was an unresponsive infant – though it has not been made clear who made the police report.
Upon their arrival at the motel and finding the child, they immediately transferred the baby to the Jefferson Regional Medical Center nearby.
The medical team reported police the serious bruising and malnourishment of the child to the police. It then became a criminal investigation – and after conducting interviews and gathering evidence, they arrested and charged the 24-year-old mum.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s website, she was booked at 9.07 pm on 14 June.
At a hearing Pine Bluff District Judge John Kearney ruled that there was probable cause and set Matthews’ bail, and assigned the Public Defender’s Office as her legal team – which occurs when someone cannot afford their own lawyer. It has not been reported when Matthews is due to return to court.
On a local Pine Bluff Facebook page, some residents who claimed to know the accused expressed disbelief the charges could be true – and in one a profile was tagged by one resident as being the 24-year-old, telling her to “keep your head up” as many people expressed their support for her despite the allegations.