Deputies arrest Dollie Devaux, 29, charged with Domestic Battery 1st Degree
Malvern woman charged with battery of 3-year-old
STEVEN MROSS
The Sentinel-Record
A Malvern woman was arrested Monday evening on a felony battery warrant stemming from injuries sustained by a 3-year-old boy at a Hot Springs residence last summer.
Dollie Lenore Devaux, 29, who lists an address of 336 Dawson Road in Malvern, was taken into custody shortly after 5 p.m. in the 4700 block of Malvern Road and charged with first-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
She was still being held without bond Wednesday and is set to appear Jan. 14 in Garland County District Court.
The victim’s father, William Thompson, 34, of Hot Springs, is in custody in Dallas County on unrelated charges, and Garland County sheriff’s investigators have put a hold on him in anticipation of filing a battery charge against him in connection with the injuries to his son, but he had not been formally charged as of Wednesday.
According to the affidavit, on Aug. 24, 2013, the victim was transported by LifeNet from his residence at 150 Pinto Lane to Mercy Hospital Hot Springs to be treated for multiple injuries apparently sustained while at the residence and in the care of Thompson and his father’s girlfriend, identified as Devaux.
Doctors subsequently diagnosed the victim with a subdural hematoma or brain injury with severe swelling, multiple body abrasions with some “appearing to be belt marks and fingerprint marks,” belt marks on his left thigh, strap marks on his left hip-pelvic area, marks on his right thigh, fresh bruises on his left bicep and inner right thigh and cuts on his chin and right scrotum area.
That same afternoon, the victim was airlifted to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock due to the severity of his injuries, where doctors diagnosed his injuries as being the result of abuse, most notably “abusive head trauma.”
Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children investigator Suzy Roberts responded to Children’s and interviewed Thompson, who claimed the victim “must have” sustained the injuries falling off the sofa onto the floor.
On Aug. 26, GCSD investigator Mike Wright interviewed Devaux, who claimed she was not present when the victim was injured and that he was alone with Thompson.
Wright obtained a copy of the 911 call from the residence and noted Devaux was the caller. During the call, she reportedly stated she left the victim on the sofa and from what she saw he fell off and hit his head. Thompson could be heard in the background during the call.
Wright interviewed Thompson on Oct. 7, and he claimed he was not there when the victim was injured and that the victim was alone with Devaux. Wright notes he was unable to confirm Thompson was at any of the locations he claimed to be at when the incident occurred.
Wright obtained Thompson’s cellphone from his attorney and extracted text messages, including at least four in which Thompson admits that he was present and was the one who left the victim on the sofa.
Children’s doctors told Wright that the explanation given by Thompson and Devaux regarding the victim’s injures are not feasible and that he couldn’t have sustained such severe injuries “from a simple fall off the couch.”
Address/Location
Garland County Sheriff's Department
525 Ouachita Ave
Hot Springs, AR 71901
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 501-622-3660