FORT SMITH -- A 32-year-old man who admitted to fatally injuring his 2-year-old son by slapping him for crying has been charged with first-degree murder.
Terrell Powell entered an innocent plea to the charge Thursday in Sebastian County Circuit Court, according to a news release from the prosecuting attorney's office. He was ordered held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.
Powell was arrested Saturday after his unresponsive son was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital of Fort Smith, where he died.
A police probable-cause affidavit said Powell admitted to hitting the child twice in the face and head with the back of his hand because the child would not stop crying and screaming when Powell was trying to sleep about 4 a.m. Saturday.
After striking the child, the affidavit said, Powell said he carried the child, to quiet him, then placed him back in his crib. Shortly after, he heard the child having a hard time breathing, picked up the limp child, carried him around and tried to revive him.
When his wife returned home from work at 6 a.m., she called 911 and the child was taken to the hospital, the affidavit said.
State Desk on 09/29/2017