Eaton faced 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 a man, identified as Eaton, came up to her in the library and touched her inappropriately. She told officers she pushed Eatons arm, and he stepped away a short distance and, exposed himself.
There were other incidents after that involving 10-and-11-year-old girls.
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.
Local Officials, including Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, say they’ve done all they can to get the transfer accomplished.
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Montgomery says two years ago he testified in Little Rock about another case where a man, in a similar position, was stuck in jail for 364 days before he was able to be transferred. He recalls many similar situations over his years as sheriff.
Eaton has to be isolated from other inmates due to his mental state. The cell is designed to hold two, so Montgomery says the problem is multi-facted. Eaton is taking up space which could be used to house another inmate, in an already crowded jail, and he is not getting the treatment he needs.
Baxter County Prosecuting Attorney David Ethredge agrees with Montgomery and says the situation is also unfair to jail staff who have to treat Eaton differently.
Both Montgomery and Ethredge say change is needed at the state level.
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Circuit Judge Gordon Webb wrote a letter to officials at the Arkansas Department of Human Services in late April in which he advised them Eaton remained locked up in the local jail despite being found not fit to proceed late last year.
In the letter, Judge Webb wrote the court had committed Eaton to the custody of the Department of Human Services, but the department had apparently taken no action in getting Eaton into a mental health treatment facility. Judge Webb requested that DHS take immediate steps to have Eaton committed.
The court had found Eaton to be a danger to himself and others, and he could not be treated on an out-patient basis in the local community. He ended his letter by commenting, the county jail is not a treatment facility and not an appropriate place for him to reside.
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