The mother of the four-year-girl who was punched in the face by the woman’s boyfriend last month has now been arrested and is facing charges for the incident along with abusing the child herself. Twenty-five-year-old Ashlyn Rae Shelton of Salem is facing two charges in case, including first degree battery, a class Y felony, the most serious crime in Arkansas not punishable by the death penalty.
Previously arrested was 23-year-old Austin Bryce Helms of Mountain Home on a charge of first degree battery.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the girl was taken to the emergency room at Baxter Health after she needed to go to the restroom but couldn’t see how to get there and went to her mother’s room crying. When her mother woke up, she saw her daughter’s eyes were swollen shut and her face and neck were red. Once they arrived at the hospital, her face had started to swell and bruising had started to occur on her face, neck, head and ears.
While they were waiting in a room in the emergency room, the girl’s mother asked her what had happened. The girl said Helms hit her, and then made a fist and made a motion towards her face.
After her examination, it was noted she also had bruising on her arms, hands, legs, back, bottom and feet. A CT scan an x-rays confirmed no broken bones or internal injuries.
The victim was released to the custody of the Department of Human Services and taken to Grandma’s House to be interviewed by an investigator with the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division. She told the investigator Helms had punched her and also said after she had broken his phone, he hit her hands.
A doctor at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock was contacted who insisted the victim be brought down for observation considering her injuries.
During an interview with investigators, Shelton says the girl was spanked for tearing down some blinds.
After being let out of the hospital, the victim was released to the custody of her aunt. The girl was given a haircut and it was discovered she had scabs on her scalp where it appears hair had been pulled out. The aunt also brought two articles to police that were found wedged between a mattress and wall in the victim’s bedroom. One was a child’s shirt with blood on it and the other was a wire fly swatter that matched a mark left on the child’s stomach.
In addition to the first degree battery charge, Shelton is charged with a felony count of permitting child abuse. Her bond is set at $150,000. She is being held in the Baxter County Detention Center.
Helms is being held in the Baxter County Detention Center on a $150,000 bond. He is also being held on a parole violation.
Helms has previous convictions for aggravated robbery, theft of property, criminal use of prohibited weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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