Plea in baby’s death draws 25-year term

Man admits slapping 3-month-old boy

BENTONVILLE — A Springdale man admitted he used cocaine before slapping a 3-month-old child and causing skull fractures that led to the boy’s death.

Edward Alexis Martinez-Torres, 22, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder. He was originally charged with capital murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge under an agreement attorney Drew Ledbetter reached with Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Carrie Dobbs.

Bethel Heights police and medical personnel went to 2923 Kings Drive on June 9, 2016, for an emergency call about a baby not breathing, according to court documents.

The child, referred to as “J.R.” in the redacted 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 the baby had suffered a skull fracture, and an autopsy found the skull fracture was caused by non-impact compressive force, according to court documents.

Martinez-Torres, who was baby-sitting, said he was in the kitchen preparing food and the child was in the bedroom crying, according to

the affidavit. Martinez-Torres was dating the infant’s mother, Kanchana Montero, according to court documents.

Martinez-Torres said he couldn’t get the baby to stop crying. He told police he slapped the baby in the face with an open hand, then grabbed him by the forehead, “palming and squeezing” it while pushing the infant’s head into the mattress, according to court documents.

“You slapped a baby hard enough to cause skull fractures?” Circuit Judge Robin Green asked Martinez-Torres.

Dobbs told the judge that law enforcement officers and the boy’s mother were in

agreement with the negotiated plea.

“No terms of years will bring her child back, but she’s hopeful it will bring closure and allow her to move forward with her life,” Dobbs said.

The judge said she would reluctantly accept the plea agreement, which she described as lenient.

Green sentenced Martinez-Torres to 25 years in the Department of Correction. He must serve 17 years before he is eligible for parole and must abide by a suspended sentence agreement for 15 years after his release from prison.

Martinez-Torres received 554 days of credit for the time he spent in the Benton County jail awaiting trial. He must pay $1,420 in court-associated costs.