On October 24th, the Texarkana Police Department arrested two women, 19-year-old Haley Ann Nicole Blevins and 30-year-old Jacalyn Renee Cook, on multiple counts of injury to a child. The arrests stemmed from a report made by the children's mother, who alleged that her three sons had been abused while in the care of their roommates.
According to the mother, after leaving her sons with Blevins and Cook while she went to work, the boys reported that the women had become upset with how they were completing their chores. The children claimed they were beaten several times with a belt and a stick. Officers noted that all three boys exhibited bruises and welts on their buttocks and legs.
Detective Casey Schmidt was assigned to the case and sought assistance from the Texarkana Children's Advocacy Center to interview the boys. Based on the findings of the investigation, Detective Schmidt obtained arrest warrants for both women.
On Thursday morning, Officers Ben Thomes and Dewey Fleming located Blevins and Cook at their residence, where they were arrested and taken to the Bi-State Jail. Blevins faces three counts of felony injury to a child, while Cook is charged with two counts. Cook's bond was set at $200,000, and Blevins' bond was set at $300,000. The investigation is ongoing.
