Child's body found buried in Lee County home; second child injured

Special agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the death of a six-year-old boy whose body was found buried below a hallway floor inside a Lee County home Friday night.

A six-year-old girl, the boy's sister, was also found alive with injuries, believed to be burns to the scalp. She has been taken to a Memphis hospital, where she is in stable condition, according to a news release from the Arkansas State Police.

Police believe the boy died from injuries "sustained in the home, possibly three months ago." A state medical examiner has yet to determine the manner and cause of death.

The home in which both children were found is located in the Moro community west of Marianna, about 70 miles west of Memphis.

The children's mother, Ashley Roland, 28, and Nathan Bridges, 33, were arrested by state police, both charged with capital murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and endangering the welfare of a minor. They are being held at the Lee County Jail.

Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.