Shawn Douglas Eaton who is charged with a number of offenses having to do with inappropriate sexual contact with young girls, was back in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday following his release by the Department of Human Services where he has been undergoing treatment for mental health problems.
His defense attorney has said that he strongly objects to the decision to send Eaton back to the Baxter County jail and wants the decision regarding his fitness to proceed in the cases against him and his confinement in the county jail to be reexamined.
Eaton was found not fit to proceed in early December last year, but in a letter to the court date July 18th, DHS officials reported that Eaton had completed his “inpatient restoration” and had been found fit to proceed in the two cases filed against him in this county. The letter also stated that, according to Eaton’s treatment team, “there is no clinical indication for continued hospitalization”.
After being found not fit to proceed, Eaton sat in the Baxter County jail until mid-May when he was finally transferred into DHS custody. He was returned after only being under treatment for a couple of months and booked back into the local jail shortly before 11 p.m. on July 19th after being found fit to proceed.
The 21-year-old Eaton faces charges of sexual indecency with a child and two counts of 2nd degree sexual assault. He was originally arrested in July last year after Mountain Home police were called to the Donald W. Reynolds Library. The victim in that case was an 11-year-old female who told police that a man — later identified as Eaton — came up to her in the library and touched her inappropriately. She told officers she pushed Eaton’s arm, he then stepped away a short distance and exposed himself.
There were other similar incidents involving 10-and-11-year-old girls at a local business and a residence.
Eaton is alleged to have told investigators that he engaged in such behavior frequently.
According to court records, in a guardianship case filed in late 2013, Eaton was described by a medical doctor as bipolar and a guardian was appointed due to his condition.
Both Mark Cooper, Eaton’s defense attorney, and 14th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney David Ethredge agreed that the county jail was not a proper place for Eaton to be confined. It was decided to hold a hearing later this month to gather evidence as to Eaton’s mental condition and to arrive at possible alternatives to the county jail to house Eaton.
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