Stone Co. couple charged with murder in child’s death
A Stone County woman and her boyfriend were arrested Wednesday afternoon on charges of first degree murder in connection with the death of her four year old daughter. Stone County Sheriff Lance Bonds says 29 year old Victoria Dycus and 31 James “Hagen” Glenn are being held in the Stone County jail on one million dollars bond each in connection with the death of Skylar Shellstrum.
According to the sheriff, Dycus and Glenn called the county 911 office the evening of November 19th to report the child was not breathing. An ambulance responded to the scene and transported the child to the Stone County Medical Center where she was declared dead. Bonds says the doctor believed the death was a homicide and the child’s body was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Medical Examiners office for autopsy.
Results from the autopsy where released on November 29 listing the cause of death as blunt force trauma. It also noted the body had multiple bruises and contusions in various stages of healing. December first a search warrant was executed at the couple’s residence on Herpel Road where items of interest were removed the investigators, according to the Sheriff.
The Stone County Sheriff’s department has been assisted in the investigation by the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division.
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Izard Co. man killed in logging accident
A logging accident has claimed the life of an Izard County man, 29 year old Cody Wayne Stewart of Mt. Pleasant. Izard County Sheriff Tate Lawrence says Stewart was logging with DJ Logging Company Friday in an area off West Road near Highway 58 in Izard County when a log being moved by a skidder hit him. Stewart died fro injuries to the upper chest and had, according to the sheriff.
Funeral services for Cody Wayne Stewart will be Wednesday afternoon at 2 at Eddie’s Family Funeral Home in Melbourne with visitation from noon until time of service at the funeral home. Burial will be in Barren Fork Cemetery.
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Two Mtn. Home residents arrested for stealing from vehicles
Two Mountain Home residents have been arrested by Mountain Home Police in connection with the theft of property from two vehicles parked in the lot of a local business. Mountain Home Police Chief Carry Manuel says 23 year old Stefani R. Carpenter and 26 year old Derek A. Hawes are each charged with two counts of felony breaking or entering and two misdemeanor counts of theft of property. Carpenter was released from the Baxter County Detention Center Friday morning after posting $10,000. Hawes remains incarcerated, and his bond was also set at $10,000.
According to the police chief, his department received two reports Saturday of items stolen from vehicles parked at in the lot of the same business. Through surveillance video of the parking lot, a female and male suspect were identified as Carpenter and Hawes. After breaking into the vehicles, both suspects entered the business. A debit card was recovered when officers arrested the couple at their Coley Drive residence.
Chief Manuel reminds local residents to lock vehicles when shopping, especially during the Christmas Holiday season.
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Homelessness exists in Mtn. Home schools
Homelessness is a constant struggle for survival. A struggle for food, shelter, safety and sanitation. Homelessness is a 24 hour a day, seven day a week struggle for survival whether it is a stray dog or cat, man or woman, family, child or teenager. And homelessness exists, right here in this community, says Mountain Home Police Officer, Bubba Jones.
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As the resource office at Mountain Home High School for the past 20 years, Jones has a unique perspective on homelessness among students, which he says has increased over the past five to 10 years.
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Dr. Jake Long, Superintendent of Mountain Home Schools recognizes the need and says the schools are looking for ways to help these students.
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But finding out where there is a need isn’t always easy, according to Long and Jones. Sometimes the school finds out when the child ends up in trouble, says Jones.
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Jones and Long say being homeless isn’t something students are willing to talk about with their peers or adults. But sometimes, they will confide in a teacher or counselor they trust, says Long.
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This was the first in a series on homelessness in local schools from KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot News focusing on the how these students become homeless and their determination to make it on their own.
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KTLO’s first news director recalls white Christmas
With warmer temperatures and a chance for showers Christmas Eve and Christmas Day it is unlikely a white Christmas is in the forecast for the Twin Lakes Area. According to the National Weather Service in Little Rock, the area saw some snow flurries in 2009, but hasn’t seen a substantial amount of snow since three inches fell in 2002.
KTLO’s first news director, Ray McDaniel of Gainesville, called the newsroom recently to talk about the weather. He says on December 22nd of 1967 Mountain Home saw more of a white Christmas than he wanted.
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McDaniel says one of the little girls he had to carry through the snow, at the time, was Mountain Home Junior High FACS Teacher Kathy Bishop. Approximately 18 inches of snow fell overnight. Baxter County had very little equipment to deal with such a large amount of snow and the area was at a standstill.
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His wife, like many in the area, couldn’t get home.
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McDaniels says the snow started to fall about 6:30 in the evening of the 22nd and stopped around 7:00 the next morning when he came to the KILO station to measure the amount and a white Christmas is possible after all.
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