Mother Sentenced To Probation In 1-Year-Old’s Bathtub Death

BROOKLAND, Ark. — A woman who was arrested after her 1-year-old son was found unresponsive in a bathtub and later died has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and been sentenced to probation, according to court records.

Courtney Marie Newsom, 31, pleaded guilty May 28 to one count of manslaughter. Circuit Judge Randy Philhours sentenced Newsom to 60 months of probation and five days in jail, with credit for five days served, according to court records.

Two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a minor were nolle prossed, according to the sentencing order.

The order also requires Newsom to submit a DNA sample, pay costs and fees totaling $440 and enroll in parenting classes. If her probation is revoked, court records state she could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Craighead County Managing Deputy Prosecutor Gina Nelson, who prosecuted the case, provided a statement to NEA Report following the sentencing.

“While criminal negligence must be addressed under the law, the most devastating consequence of her conduct was the loss of her child. Given her lack of criminal history, probation with strict conditions was appropriate. We pray the family can heal and find peace,” Nelson said.

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Newsom was arrested Oct. 11, 2025, for manslaughter and two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a minor.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Brookland officers were dispatched Sept. 7, 2025, to Logan Street and Wagner Place apartments for an unresponsive infant. Officers found the 1-year-old child unresponsive while Newsom was attempting CPR. Brookland first responders continued life-saving measures until paramedics arrived.

Newsom initially told police she had been giving her son and daughter a bath when she left the room for approximately 60 to 90 seconds. She said she returned to find her son lying on his back with water over his lips and nose, then pulled him from the bathtub and began CPR.

On Sept. 13, Brookland officers were notified that the child had died at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

Investigators interviewed Newsom on Sept. 18 after reading her Miranda rights. According to the affidavit, Newsom said both children were sick and she planned to call in to work to take her son to the doctor. She said she put the children in the bath, then left the room to put her daughter’s phone in her backpack.

The affidavit states Newsom later realized she had been out of the room for 14 minutes after checking her phone, which showed she texted her mother at 7 a.m. and called her at 7:14 a.m., when she found the child.

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…”

“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 in the affidavit.

A warrant was issued for Newsom’s arrest Oct. 8, and she was arrested Oct. 11.

(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