MORO, Ark. (AP) – The body of a 6-year-old boy was found buried under the floor of a house in eastern Arkansas and his mother and a man were arrested for his death, state police said Saturday.
A news release from police said the boy’s body was found Friday at the home in Moro, about 75 miles (121 kilometers) east of Little Rock, by Lee County deputies, who called for state police assistance.
Police said the boy’s body was found beneath a hallway.
A 6-year-old girl was also found inside the home with what police said were believed to be burns on her scalp. She was hospitalized in stable condition.
Police said the boy may have been dead up to three months and his mother, Ashely Roland, 28, and Nathan Bridges, 33, were arrested in connection with both his death and the girl’s injuries.
“This is a small, quiet town. Nothing, nothing like this has happened around here,” neighbor Glenda Farrell said in a video obtained by CNN Newsource.
“Sometimes you’d see kids outside playing but they really kept to themselves. You’d see them coming and going but really, nothing to be concerning that would make you think anything of that magnitude was going on,” Farrell said.
Court records did not show formal charges had been filed against either.
Police did not say what Bridge’s relationship with the children or with Roland is, nor Roland’s relationship with the girl.
It also was not clear why authorities had gone to the home.
State police declined to comment on Saturday, saying no further information would likely be released until Monday.