Man and woman arrested in connection with murder in Crawford County

VAN BUREN — A mother and her boyfriend were arrested late Monday on first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of their 2-year-old son in June, according to Crawford County authorities.

According to Jan. 2 affidavits for arrest warrants against the couple, the child died June 17 from a persistent lack of oxygen to the brain. The manner of death was ruled a homicide, the documents said.

The deputy coroner Dr. Christy Cunningham said in the affidavits that the injuries on the toddler’s body “indicate inflicted injuries, not accidental injuries, and are suggestive of abusive trauma.”

Dakota S. Hays, 29, of Alma, was arrested on charges of first-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a minor, according to Crawford County Detention Center records.

Hays remained in custody Tuesday on $1 million bail.

Annastacia G. Atkins, 29, of Alma, was arrested in connection with first-degree murder and permitting the abuse of a minor.

Atkins remained in the Crawford County Detention Center Tuesday on $750,000 bail.

MULTIPLE INJURIES

The child’s cause of death is known as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE, which is due to prolonged lack of oxygen to the brain, the affidavits said.

Authorities also noted that the child had multiple injuries, including traumatic injuries such as head, facial and other injuries in various stages of healing, indicating repeated trauma over time, the affidavits said.

According to the affidavits, the boy also suffered blunt force injuries to the head and face, as well as pattern injuries. The affidavits said abrasions and bruises were noted, as well as “patterned bruising that was not consistent with an accidental injury.”

Autopsy results were released by the Arkansas State Crime Lab to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 14, authorities said.

SWIMMING IN THE POOL

It was June 14 when emergency responders were called to the Kibler-area residence of Hays and Atkins for a report of an unresponsive 2-year-old child, authorities reported.

Officials said the boy had visible signs of injury on his face and head, along with bruising, swelling and irregular breathing.

Hays told officers they had been swimming all day, the affidavits say. Hays said he suspected the boy had water in his lungs for an extended period of time from swimming, and he saw the toddler spit up water, authorities said.

Atkins also told officers that they swam all day, took a lunch break and then Hays and the 2-year-old went back into the pool, according to the affidavits.

Hays later told Atkins something was wrong and she observed the child shaking as if she was having a seizure, the affidavits say. She attempted CPR while Hays called emergency responders, she told officers.

CHILDREN INTERVIEWED

Two children, both under the age of 7, who also live with Hays and Atkins, were interviewed by investigators, the affidavits said.

One told authorities that Hays at times beat the 2-year-old child and other family members. The child also said the children were beaten by both Hays and Atkins, according to the affidavits.

(One child) said that (the toddler) had marks from being hit and stated that (Hays) was particularly hard on (the two-year-old),” the affidavit states. “(The child) later disclosed that (Atkins) witnessed the abuse and intervened by hitting (Hays) when she saw him (the two-year-old) being injured.”

The other child told investigators that Hays threw the toddler into the pool even though the boy did not want to swim, and that the child had to get the boy from the bottom of the pool, the affidavits said.

According to authorities, the second child said in an interview that Hays killed the 2-year-old.

“FREAK ACCIDENT”

Hays and Atkins claimed the boy’s death was related to swimming, the affidavits said.

“Dakota advised that he thought it was a freak accident and that he was scared because he had not been in trouble his entire life,” the affidavit states. “Dakota admitted in the interview that he would never hurt a child after being asked about the bruises on (the toddler).”

According to the affidavits, during an interview with investigators, Atkins was asked whether Hays had behaved differently since the toddler’s death.

“Annastacia stated that Dakota told her he was sorry and that he didn’t mean to,” the affidavit states.