Pine Bluff, Arkansas – A 2-month-old infant was pronounced dead shortly after being found unresponsive at a local motel. On Saturday, June 14, 2025, around 2:34 PM, officers from the Pine Bluff Police Department responded to an emergency call at the Sun Bridge Inn, located at 4600 Dollarway Road. Upon arrival, police discovered the infant in critical condition.
Paramedics immediately transported the baby to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, but tragically, the child was declared deceased shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Medical staff at the hospital noted that the infant had “severe bruising and signs of malnourishment,” which immediately raised serious concerns and triggered an investigation by the department’s Criminal Investigation Division.
Detectives interviewed the child’s mother, 24-year-old Lacrystal Matthews, shortly after the incident. Following their examination of her statements and the physical evidence collected at the scene and from the hospital, authorities concluded that Matthews was responsible for her baby’s death.
Matthews was arrested and has been booked into the W.C. Dub Brassell Adult Detention Center. She is currently facing a charge of First Degree Murder.
The Pine Bluff Police Department confirmed that this remains “an active and ongoing investigation.” Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward. Individuals can contact the detective office tip line at 870-730-2106, the main detective office at 870-730-2090, or the dispatch center at 870-541-5300.
