Bail hearing reset in death of infant
Prosecutors haven’t decided on charge
BENTONVILLE — Prosecutors said they plan to decide by the end of the week what to charge a Springdale man accused of killing a 3-month-old boy.
Edward Alexis Martinez-Torres, 21, is being detained on suspicion of capital murder. Prosecutors haven’t filed a formal charge against Martinez-Torres.
Martinez-Torres appeared in court Monday morning for a bail hearing, but it was reset because prosecutors are still reviewing evidence. He is being held in the Benton County jail in lieu of $500,000 bond.
Drew Ledbetter, Martinez-Torres’ attorney, said he expects prosecutors to charge his client with first-degree murder instead of capital murder. Ledbetter believes it was necessary to reschedule the bail hearing until a formal charge is filed.
Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green reset the hearing for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 4.
Bethel Heights police and medical personnel went to 2923 Kings Drive on June 9 after a 911 call about a baby not breathing, according court documents.
The child — referred to as “J.R.” in a probable cause affidavit — was taken to Northwest Medical Center-Springdale and later transferred to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Children’s Hospital doctors determined he suffered a skull fracture. An autopsy by a medical examiner found the fracture was caused by nonimpact “compressive-force,” according to court documents.
Kanchana Montero, Martinez-Torres’ girlfriend, was the baby’s mother. She told police after the boy’s death that Martinez-Torres was good with her children, and he viewed the baby as his son and treated him as a son, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Martinez-Torres, who was baby-sitting, said he was in the kitchen preparing food and the child was in the bedroom crying. He said he couldn’t get the baby to stop crying. Martinez-Torres told police he slapped the baby on the face with an open hand, then grabbed him by the forehead, “palming and squeezing” it while pushing his head down into the mattress.