Woman Throws Baby to Run Away from Police in Arkansas

HELENA/WEST HELENA, AR – Authorities say a woman threw a baby, face down in the mud while trying to run from police.
According to a police report, an officer saw a woman getting into a car with a baby in her arms at a gas station in Helena/West Helena, Arkansas. The officer says he went over to ask the woman if she was going to put the child in a car seat, when she gave him a fake name.

After checking the woman’s real name, the officer says he discovered that a warrant had been issued for Shabrika Newsome. He says when he went to arrest Newsome, she was already walking away with the baby still in her arms. The officer says he tried to stop Newsome and that is when she threw the 8 month-old baby in the mud and ran away.

One of the arresting officers says Newsome knew she had outstanding warrants and says she did not want to go to jail.

According to the police report, the officers found Newsome hiding under a house a short time later and arrested her.

In In Phillips County, Arkansas, Newsome had warrants for speeding, driving on a suspended license and failure to appear in court in March 2006. In May of last year, Newsome was wanted again for driving on a suspended license and for failure to appear in court. In July of 2007, Newsome was arrested for writing bad checks and for failure to vacate a rental property. County

Over in Pulaski County, Newsome earned two warrants in 2007 for failing to pay fines for traffic violations and for failure to serve jail time. Newsome is wanted in Monroe County, AR for contempt of court.

A judge sentenced Newsome to 150 days, or five months in jail for running from officers, giving officers a fake name, and for writing bad checks.

Police say the baby has a small bump on its head but will be okay. The child was turned over into the state's custody.