Elijah Flowerday (PHOTO: GoFundMe, Ian Flowerday)
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — A 23-year-old woman is in custody after an infant in her care was found unresponsive Tuesday in Little Rock, authorities said.
Little Rock police officers responded about 11:14 a.m. to a home on Clifton Drive following a medical call. Officers found the infant unresponsive and performed CPR while taking the child to a local hospital, where the infant was pronounced dead.
Detectives with the department’s Major Crimes Division launched an investigation. Authorities later determined the injuries were consistent with homicide.
According to an arrest report, Erin Sauls was operating a home daycare and was caring for the 8-month-old infant at the time of the incident. The report states Sauls admitted to striking the infant’s head against a hardwood floor three times during a diaper change, telling investigators “she was frustrated and had a headache.”
Authorities said the infant suffered a skull fracture and multiple brain bleeds. Following an interview with investigators, Sauls was charged with capital murder.
Family members identified the infant as Elijah Flowerday.