Ex-Arkansas resident found fit to stand trial in 3-month-old son's death

HOT SPRINGS -- A former Hot Springs resident charged with capital murder in the death of his 3-month-old son was found fit to proceed to trial after a court-ordered mental evaluation.

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James Antonio-Carlos Page, 35, of Prattville, Ala., has remained in custody in lieu of $1 million bond since his arrest Nov. 6. He was charged with first-degree domestic battery at the time of his arrest, but the charge was upgraded to capital murder two days later when the victim, Zayden Page, died at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock.

If convicted, Page could face up to life in prison or the death penalty. A motion for Page to undergo a mental examination was filed Feb. 10. The examination at the State Hospital was completed May 26, and the report was sealed as part of an order limiting pretrial publicity.

Page appeared Monday in Garland County Circuit Court with attorney Clay Janske, who did not object to the findings of the report. A pretrial hearing is set for Oct. 31, with the trial to begin Nov. 8.

According to the affidavit, on Nov. 6, around 7:30 p.m., Dr. Karen Farst at Arkansas Children's Hospital notified Hot Springs police about a 3-month-old boy in the emergency room with injuries that included a burn around his neck, a broken collarbone, rib fractures and multiple bruises on his head and face.

Farst said the victim had been in the custody of his father, identified as Page, all day and that Page had said the injuries were from a fall. Farst stated in her opinion it was impossible the injuries could have been from a fall, the affidavit said.

According to hospital personnel, at one point Page said he was leaving the hospital and going back to his home state of Alabama.

Page later went to the Hot Springs Police Department voluntarily to provide a statement, police said. During the interview, Page said he had taken his fiancee to work that morning and arrived back at the residence around 10:30 a.m., reports said.

He said the baby was crying and continued to cry, so Page picked him up from his car seat and "shook him violently," the affidavit said. After some time, when the baby continued crying, Page said he threw the child into the car seat, where he continued to cry, the affidavit said.

The affidavit notes that Page is about 6 feet 2 inches tall and was standing when he threw the child into the car seat that was on the floor.

According to the affidavit, Page said that after approximately 30 minutes, he noticed the child was not breathing and he then took him to the hospital. The infant was initially taken to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs and then airlifted to Children's Hospital.

State Desk on 06/26/2016

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