Arkansas – An Arkansas woman was arrested and charged with capitaI murder in connection with the death of an 8-month-old lnfant who was in her care at a home-based day care in Arkansas. Authorities allege that the defenadnt, 23-year-old E. SauIs, caused fataI injuries to the chiId, identified by his family as EIijah, during an incident last week. She appeared in the District Court, entered a not guilty plea to the charge, and a judge denied her request for bail. She remains in custody ahead of a scheduled February court appearance.
Officers from the local police department responded to a medical call at the defendant’s residence around 11:14 a.m. that day, after someone reported that a baby in her care had stopped breathing. When officers arrived, they found the baby unresponsive and began emergency CPR before he was rushed to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Division were called in to investigate the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
According to police reports, the infant suffered a skuII fracture and multiple brain bIeeds. During an interview with investigators, the caregiver allegedly admitted that while she was changing the baby’s diaper, she struck his head against the fIoor of the home severaI times. She reportedly told police that she became angry during the diaper change and said she “had a headache,” offering that as an explanation for her actions. Law enforcement personnel determined that the injuries were consistent with homicide and placed the woman under arrest later that same day.
The investigation by the local police department included gathering witness statements and reviewing details of the woman’s care of the children present at the home daycare. Neighbors and parents who had children at the daycare told local media that she had been operating the daycare out of her home for months. Some neighbors estimated she was caring for no more than five children at a time, but at least one parent indicated that she may have had more in her care, potentially in violation of state regulations for an unlicensed operation.
One parent who had children at the daycare on the day of the incident provided screenshots of text messages from the woman sent after the police response. In those messages, she told the parent that the baby was sick before she laid him down and later became unresponsive, a description that the parent said was inconsistent with what authorities later determined to be violent actions. The parent also said that her own child witnessed the incident and that his behavior changed noticeably afterward.
The Department of Human Services and other relevant state authorities typically review daycare operations, but it was reported that her daycare was not licensed. Parents and neighbors expressed shock in the wake of the incident, noting that she had positive references and they had no reason to doubt her ability to care for children prior to the tragedy. One parent said she has since chosen another daycare provider after personally vetting the facility.
Family members of the baby have been identified in media reports as grieving the loss of their child, and a GoFundMe campaign was set up to assist with funeral expenses and support for the family. Meanwhile, the community continues to grapple with the implications of the incident, particularly concerns about unlicensed home daycare operations and child safety. Arkansas authorities have indicated that the investigation remains ongoing as they prepare the case for prosecution.
The woman’s next scheduled court date is set for February 27, 2026, where she is expected to appear before the court for further proceedings in the case.