Stepmother faces murder charge

Fort Smith police: Doctor found boy’s burns, cuts suspicious

FORT SMITH — A 23-year-old Fort Smith woman is scheduled to appear today before a Sebastian County circuit judge for arraignment on a first-degree murder charge filed against her Tuesday in the death of her 5-year-old stepson.

Rae Von Elizabeth Smith was arrested Friday after the boy, identified only as M.H., was declared dead on arrival at Mercy Hospital Fort Smith with injuries that the emergency room doctor described as suspicious when compared with the explanations that Smith gave for the wounds, according to police.

Smith has been held in the Sebastian County jail without bond since her arrest. Initially, she was booked on a charge of endangering the welfare of a minor.

Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Shue said in a news release that he had been asked about a motive in the case. He said he could not comment on the facts of the case but said the charge accused Smith of knowingly causing the boy’s death.

In general, he wrote, “acting knowingly” means a person is aware his actions would almost certainly bring about the result.

According to a police report and a probable cause affidavit, the hospital emergency room doctor found that the boy had multiple bruises, abrasions, burns and cuts.

Smith told police, who questioned her at the hospital, that the boy had fallen down a flight of stairs at their home in the 600 block of North 34th Street, Fort Smith, on the morning of Jan. 9 and again Thursday, the affidavit said.

Smith told police that she didn’t seek medical treatment for the boy because she didn’t have insurance. She treated the boy’s injuries with a shower, alcohol, antibiotic ointment and bandages, the affidavit said.

She told police that the first fall left cuts to the boy’s right eye and behind his left ear, multiple carpet burns on his face and caused his lower teeth to penetrate his lower lip, according to the affidavit.

Smith told police that the second fall didn’t cause any additional injuries but that the boy didn’t eat at all Thursday, the affidavit said.

The boy went to sleep about 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon, and Smith said she went to sleep about 6 p.m. When she awoke at 1 a.m. Friday, the boy wasn’t breathing, the affidavit said Smith told police. She started cardiopulmonary resuscitation, telephoned her brother and then called 911, the affidavit said.