JONESBORO, Ark. — A woman accused of holding an infant facedown against a mattress and choking the child’s mother during a Jonesboro disturbance faces felony assault and child endangerment charges, according to court documents.
Lubie Louise Larnce appeared before Special Judge Barbara Halsey on Nov. 4. Halsey found probable cause, and Larnce’s bond was set at $75,000 cash or surety.
Her first-appearance paperwork lists two counts of aggravated assault on a family or household member, first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and resisting arrest. The assault and child endangerment charges are Class D felonies; resisting arrest is a Class A misdemeanor.
Officers responded Nov. 3 to a residence on Haltom after a report of a disturbance. The child’s mother told officers she and Larnce had been arguing when the infant crawled into her lap, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The mother alleged Larnce grabbed the infant by the crown of his head, forced his face into a mattress and held him there.
When the mother pushed Larnce away from the child, Larnce began fighting and choking her, the affidavit alleges. During the struggle, Larnce allegedly grabbed the infant’s leg and pulled him off the bed, causing him to fall to the floor.
The mother told police she eventually broke free and called for help.
When officers tried to arrest Larnce, she allegedly turned toward them and pulled her hands away. Officers also reported that she tried to bite them.
The affidavit does not describe the infant’s condition or any medical treatment.
Larnce’s next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 16 at 8:30 a.m. in Craighead County Circuit Court.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
