Mother Accused of Felony Battery Against Child at Park in Jonesboro

JONESBRO, Ark. — Police arrested a woman for alleged battery of her child at a park this week in Jonesboro.

At about 5:40 p.m. on March 13, JPD officers responded to Parker Park on North Church about an assault that had taken place. Officers met with an independent witness, the PC affidavit said, who stated he had watched a woman strike a child with a backpack causing the child to fall into a piece of playground equipment, striking his head on the metal frame. The witness stated due to striking his head, the child bled “quite a bit.” The suspect then led the child to the neighboring Garden Manor apartments.

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The suspect gave police a description that matched that of Makayla Brown, whom officers had encountered during an unrelated call earlier in the shift. Police found her at the apartments. An officer asked her where her children were. Brown reportedly made the statement that she had “taken a picture of what I did.”

Brown went on to freely admit that she had struck her child with the backpack because she was agitated, the affidavit said, and the child was not walking fast enough. Brown told police when she hit the child, he fell into a piece of playground equipment, just as the witness had said.

Brown was taken into custody. She made comments about needing help with her mental health, leading officers to file a petition for a mental evaluation, in addition to the criminal charge.

Makayla Lashaye Brown, 22, of Jonesboro, was arrested for Second-Degree Domestic Battery Against a Person Over 60 or Under 12, a Class D felony. Bail was set temporarily at $2,500 cash or surety by Judge David Boling, pending a mental health evaluation.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.