Man arrested in connection with infant's death

Tremelle Deshun Overton
Tremelle Deshun Overton

Police arrested a Springdale man early Thursday in connection with the death of his 2-month-old stepson.

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STAFF PHOTO

Tremelle Overton, 828 Oakridge Drive in Springdale was arrested Thursday in connection with the Wednesday death of his 2-month-old stepson.

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STAFF GRAPHIC

Tremelle Deshum Overton, 23, of 828 Oakridge Drive was arrested in connection with first-degree murder. Charges have not been filed.

A hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31. Overton remained in the Washington County Detention Center on Thursday in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Medical personnel told police the baby wasn’t breathing when he arrived by ambulance at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, according Overton’s preliminary arrest report. The infant couldn’t be revived. Police reports didn’t provide the baby’s name.

Police questioned Overton and the baby’s mother, Ashley Overton. Ashley Overton, after being separated from Tremelle Overton, told officers she found a blanket wrapped around the baby’s head so tightly he couldn’t breathe, according to the report.

She said she unwrapped the baby but he wasn’t breathing and she called 911, according to the report. An ambulance arrived at the Oakridge Drive home at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday, according to police.

A woman was waiting outside when the ambulance arrived and handed the baby to emergency personnel, according to Fire Department records.

Overton said she was asleep and didn’t see Tremelle Overton wrap the blanket around the baby, but he was watching the baby at the time, according to the report. No other person was in the trailer, she said.

She demonstrated for detectives how the blanket was wrapped around the baby. The police report said a 2-month-old couldn’t have rolled into such a position.

Ashley Overton said she argued with Tremelle Overton on Tuesday night after she told him she was going to leave him, according to the report. She said he was angry and complained the baby cried too much, according to the report.

In Tremelle Overton’s interview with police, he said he and his wife found the baby wrapped in the blanket and he removed him from the crib, according to the report. A neighbor disputed his story, according to the report.

The baby’s body has been sent to the state crime laboratory for examination, according to police.

Overton’s criminal history includes possession of a controlled substance (drugs), domestic battery, aggravated assault and third-degree assault, according to the report.

Springdale police records show Overton was arrested March 6 in connection with felony domestic battery and misdemeanor third-degree assault. Springdale records include only those arrests that took place inside the city.

The records state Overton’s arrest in March came after Ashley Overton told police he threw something at her and hit her. Because she was seven months pregnant at the time, the battery charge was a felony. She was pregnant with the baby who died.

In Washington County Circuit Court, Overton pleaded guilty May 24 to a reduced charge of misdemeanor third-degree battery, according to court records. He was fined $1,330 and sentenced to 12 months probation. He was given credit for 78 days in jail waiting for trial.

In Springdale District Court, Overton was convicted April 27 of misdemeanor assault and given a 30-day sentence, according to court records. That’s the maximum sentence, said Jeff Harper, city attorney.

Overton was also arrested Thursday in connection with violation of probation or a suspended sentence.

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