Brookland Woman Faces Manslaughter Charge After 1-Year-Old’s Death

BROOKLAND, Ark. —A woman is facing manslaughter and child endangerment charges after her one-year-old son was found unresponsive in a bathtub and later died, Brookland police said.

Courtney Marie Newsom, 31, was arrested on October 11, 2025, for manslaughter, a Class C felony, and two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, Class B misdemeanors.

According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 7, 2025, Brookland officers were dispatched to Logan Street and Wagner Place apartments for an unresponsive infant. Officers found a one-year-old child unresponsive with the mother, Newsom, attempting CPR on the child. Brookland first responders continued to provide life-saving measures until the paramedics arrived.

Newsom reportedly said she was giving her son and daughter a bath, and she left the room for approximately 60 to 90 seconds. When she returned, she found her son lying on his back with the water over his lips and nose. She said she grabbed him out and started CPR.

On Sept. 13, Brookland officers were notified that the child had passed away at Le Bonheur.

Investigators asked Newsom to come to the police department for an interview on Sept. 18. After being read her Miranda rights, she agreed to speak and tell the investigator what happened.

The affidavit states Newsom said she woke up at 6:55 AM on Sept. 7, which is her usual morning routine. Both her children were sick, and although her son was better, she was going to call in to work to take him to the doctor. She said she put them in the bath and walked out of the room to put her daughter’s phone in her backpack.

The affidavit includes the following, verbatim:

“I then text my mom and thought I had only been out of the room for a minute, but I lost track of time cause I was gone for 14 minutes…”

She later realized she had been out of the room for 14 minutes after checking her phone, which showed she texted her mother at 7 AM and called her at 7:14 AM, when she found the child.

“So Courtney was out of the bathroom for 14 minutes and the children were unattended and had no one with them for that amount of time,” Officer Greg Lawson wrote.

A warrant was issued for her arrest on October 8, and she was arrested on October 11. A temporary bond was set at $35,000 cash or surety, which had not been met by her first court appearance.

While still in custody, Newsom appeared in court on Wednesday, October 15, for her bail hearing. She was represented by Attorney Ben Ross, who requested that her temporary bond be modified to $1,000 cash or surety, noting she had no criminal history. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Bryce Cook did not object, saying the charge was what it was and he had “nothing to offer.”

Judge David Boling instead modified bail to $15,000 cash or surety. The judge mentioned factors, including a lack of criminal history and the hiring of a local attorney. The judge acknowledged a large family presence taking up “about two rows” in the courtroom in support of Newsom. It was also noted that a 2-year-old child still resides in the home following a DHS investigation that was concluded in Newsom’s favor.

Newsom bonded out on Wednesday afternoon. She’s due back in court on November 25, 2025.

(a) A person commits manslaughter if:
(1)
(A) The person causes the death of another person under circumstances that would be murder, except that he or she causes the death under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance for which there is reasonable excuse.
(B) The reasonableness of the excuse is determined from the viewpoint of a person in the actor’s situation under the circumstances as the actor believed them to be;
(2) The person purposely causes or aids another person to commit suicide;
(3) The person recklessly causes the death of another person; or
(4) Acting alone or with one (1) or more persons:
(A) The person commits or attempts to commit a felony; and
(B) In the course of and in furtherance of the felony or in immediate flight from the felony:
(i) The person or an accomplice negligently causes the death of any person; or
(ii) Another person who is resisting the felony or flight causes the death of any person.

– Source: Justia

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