The special prosecutor investigating the death of a judge's son said Tuesday that his office is reviewing already collected information and awaiting more details, including the medical examiner's report, in the case.
Scott Ellington, the 2nd Judicial Circuit prosecuting attorney, was officially appointed Monday as the special prosecutor responsible for examining the July 24 death in Hot Springs of 1-year-old Thomas Naramore, the son of Garland County Circuit Judge Wade Naramore.
Thomas died as the result of "excessive heat" after being left unattended in a hot car for an unknown amount of time, a preliminary investigation showed.
Officers responded to the intersection of Fairoaks Place and James Street at 3:13 p.m. July 24 after the judge called 911, police said.
No criminal charges have been filed.
"We haven't set a timeline on this, and I can't guess at this point what it would be," Ellington said.
"I know it takes a while to gather information. I also know that folks are calling you guys and other media and calling my office and calling the police department; however, I believe that it's not out of the normal protocol nationwide in a case such as this that an investigation takes awhile."
Ellington, of Jonesboro, was announced as special prosecutor July 27 but on Monday signed the paperwork to make the appointment official.
A special prosecutor was assigned at the request of Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Terri Harris, who was Wade Naramore's boss when the judge served as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Garland County.
After his official appointment, Ellington said he met Monday with Hot Springs Police Chief David Flory and police department investigators, to discussed the case.
Staff members in his office had previously met with Hot Springs police last week, Ellington said.
"So far what I've seen, the Hot Springs Police Department has done ... a very thorough job," Ellington said.
The 911 recordings from the scene are part of the ongoing investigation and won't be released until the investigation is completed, he said.
Naramore was elected to the circuit court in November. He serves in the 18th East Judicial Circuit.
Naramore was not in court Tuesday, and Circuit Judge Lynn Williams was filling in for Naramore, a court office staff member said.
The other three circuit judges haven't requested the appointment of a special judge to assist them with the Naramore's caseload, Administrative Office of the Courts Director J.D. Gingerich said.
The logistics of the county's judicial district, with all four judges assigned to courtrooms in proximity to each other, enables Naramore's absence to be filled without the appointment of a special judge, Gingerich said.
The 18th East Judicial Circuit includes only Garland County.
"With a single courthouse and all the judges in one place, it can be handled in a different way than if there were six counties and nine courthouses and judges spread out everywhere," Gingerich said. "It's typical of an urban courthouse. The other judges, at least for a period of time, can handle what's scheduled."
Information for this article was contributed by David Showers of The Sentinel-Record.
State Desk on 08/05/2015