Erin Sauls, Little Rock, Arkansas daycare operator charged with capital murder of 8 month old boy, Elijah Flowerday after slamming the boy into the floor after becoming frustrated with child while changing infant’s diapers.
A Little Rock, Arkansas daycare owner faces a capital murder charge after admitting to ‘slamming’ the head of an 8-month-old boy she was caring for into a hardwood floor, fracturing the child’s skull and causing fatal brain bleeding.
Erin Sauls, 23, pleaded innocent Wednesday morning to a charge of capital murder in Little Rock District Court following her arrest at her 33 Clifton Drive home on Tuesday evening according to court records.
Family members identified the victim as eight-month-old toddler, Elijah Flowerday, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported.
Infant boy was in good spirits and health when his mom dropped victim off earlier that morning
Leading up to the assault, Sauls told police she had a headache and was changing Elijah’s diaper when she became frustrated and bashed his head against the floor three times.
An arrest report stated the boy becoming hot and sweaty after the assault, with Sauls giving the infant a bottle to see if the victim would get better. 15 minutes later when Sauls went to check on the boy, the infant wasn’t breathing.
Cops rushed to the Clifton Drive home around 11:14 a.m. to find the baby unresponsive, with first responders performing CPR while en route to a local hospital, according to Little Rock police.
At Arkansas Children’s Hospital, a scan showed that Elijah had a fractured skull and bleeding in his brain and eyes, A doctor told police it was likely the injuries occurred after 7 a.m. Tuesday, after Elijah was dropped off at the daycare.
The infant was pronounced dead at the medical center after suffering a skull fracture and brain bleed, KATV reported.
GoFundme fundraiser launched
The boy’s mother, Trinity Russell, would later say that her son was in ‘good spirits,’ the morning she had dropped her son off at daycare.
Not immediately clear is how long Sauls had been operating the daycare at her residence and the legal requirements the 23-year-old would have needed to have attained before being cleared by Arkansas state.
Read a GoFundme fundraiser in the aftermath; ‘Isaac Flowerday and his family are facing an unimaginable loss after the passing of their beloved baby boy, Elijah.
‘This tragedy has left Isaac, Trinity, and their son Laylon heartbroken as they grieve the loss of their son and little brother. The days ahead will be incredibly difficult as they try to find comfort and healing together as a family.’
Sauls remains held without bond at the Pulaski County Jail.
