DECEMBER 17, 2022
The body of a 6 year-old boy was discovered buried below a hallway floor inside a Lee County home last night (Friday, December 16th). Special agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division were called to the scene by Lee County sheriff’s deputies about 10:45 PM. Agents are also investigating injuries, believed to be burns to the scalp, sustained by a 6 year-old girl who also lived in the same home located in the Moro community west of Marianna.
Ashley Roland, 28, the mother of the children, and Nathan Bridges, 33, have been arrested by the state police and are being held at the Lee County Jail. Both are charged with capital murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and endangering the welfare of a minor.
Based on initial findings, it’s believed the boy died from injuries sustained in the home, possibly three months ago. The state medical examiner will determine the manner and cause of death.
The injured girl has been transported to a Memphis hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.