Laureen McArthur Union City Tennessee mother charged w/ scalds toddler child to death in hot bath water, posting video asking for money for funeral.
A Tennessee mother is alleged to have done the unthinkable, scald her toddler to death in a hot bath water before posting pictures and a video of his funeral on social media pleading for money.
Laureen McArthur, 27, is accused of fatally injuring her 14-month-old son Dominique at their home on November 10.
Union City police in a Facebook post said officers began investigating the case after a child with severe burns was admitted to Arkansas Children’s Hospital on November 10. The toddler died four days later in an Arkansas hospital burn unit.
Investigators determined the boy had been ‘scalded by bath water over 47 percent of his body.’ After McArthur shared photos and a video of Dominique’s funeral along with issuing a plea for cash on her Facebook account, the mother was arrested and charged with negligent homicide and child abuse on December 2.
McArthur, who has a tattoo across her chest which reads, ‘family over everything’ posted a link to her Cashapp account the day after Dominique was admitted to hospital. It read, “If y’all wanna send me some money my Cashapp is $hannahp2000 any lil bit will help right now fr (IM NOT PUTING NOTHING ON FB BOUT IT AS OF RIGHT NOW.”
‘…so we are asking for ANYTHING that will help ease the pain’
Dominique’s death was announced by her on November 14, with the mother writing: ‘We love you baby boy’. McArthur also shared a link to a GoFundMe page which was set up under the name ‘China Smith” to pay for Dominique’s funeral and ‘help ease the pain and burden for the family’. The description in the fundraiser read as if it was set up by Dominique’s cousin.
‘This is Dominique, he is my cousin and he was in a tragic accident earlier in the week but today Nov 14th, 2020 he passed away with his family by his side. His family, Our family is in need of help to bury this sweet boy, as you can imagine nobody was or ever really is prepared for this to happen to them so we are asking for ANYTHING that will help ease the pain and burden for the family and help them lay this sweet baby to rest. If you can not donate we ask for your prayers instead and thank each and everyone who donates, shares, or says a prayer for Our family. Thank you !!’ it said.
Only $140 had been raised of the fundraiser’s set goal of $5000 meaww reports. McArthur shared multiple photoshopped images of her late son as an angel, and also uploaded videos of a balloon release held in his honor before getting arrested. She paid numerous tributes to Dominque on Facebook, writing “RIH” (rest in heaven). She also uploaded photos from the funeral which included snaps of pallbearers carrying Dominique’s small white coffin to his grave, and a video of a pastor conducting the service.
McArthur has since announced that she is pregnant with another child. The mother remains in Obion County Jail ahead of an upcoming court hearing WKRN reports.
