BENTONVILLE — The parents accused of murdering their 6-year-old son appeared in court Thursday morning for a hearing concerning Cathy Lynn Torres' request for an order of protection against her husband.
Mauricio Alejandro Torres, 45, and Cathy Torres, 43, are being held without bond in the Benton County Jail. They were arrested April 6 in connection with capital murder, rape and battery in the first degree. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges against the couple.
Maurice Isaiah Torres, 6, was taken on March 29 to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. A medical examiner later determined that the boy suffered from chronic child abuse and his death was from internal injuries caused by being raped, acceding to court documents.
A few days before the couple’s arrest, Cathy Torres filed for a protection order against her husband. She did not want to have any contact with her husband and the request also extended to their 6-and-7-year-old daughters. The girls are in the custody of the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
Circuit Judge Tom Smith dismissed the protection after a short hearing. Smith did warn the couple that whatever they said during the hearing could be used against them in their criminal cases.
Smith found that the protection order was not necessary since the Torreses are being held without bond in the jail and their two children are in the custody of the Department of Human Services.
The Torreses only made a few short statements during the hearing, but none concerned the criminal case.
In her petition for the order, Cathy Torres claims their son died due to abuse from her husband.
Cathy Torres believes her husband "is the only man who had access to their son for an extended period of time on the days leading up to his death," according to a summary prepared for the petition. The children are homeschooled, and the family went camping the weekend before Maurice's death, according to the summary.
Cathy Torres claims in the documents she was scared to talk with police and answer questions because her husband has threatened to kill her, and he once told her he would bury her in the backyard. He also had put his finger to her head like a gun, according to the court documents seeking the protection order.
The Torreses are scheduled to appear 8 a.m. May 4 for their arraignments before Circuit Judge Brad Karren.