Conway Mother Charged with Burning 4-Year-Old Son

A Conway mother of four was arrested on Wednesday for felony first-degree battery after her 4-year-old son was discovered with second-degree burns over 12 percent of his body.

According to Conway Police, 23-year-old Marsha Nacole Oliver was questioned by detectives after her account of how her son became burned worried officials at Arkansas Children's Hospital.

The incident reportedly occurred at her home on Dec. 20.

During questioning, Oliver told police she put the 4-year-old boy and his 3-year-old sibling in a bath tub of running water but realized she needed to get clothes for the children. Oliver then stated that she took both children out of the bath and turned the water off at what she says was a "normal" level.

Oliver told police that about five minutes later she heard her 4-year-old son scream and found him in the tub of water. She said she got the boy out of the water and started applying Gold Bond powder to his peeling skin.
 
According to the detective, Oliver's story about how her son got the burns changed several times and she did not seek medical attention for him until seven hours after he received the burns.

Doctors reported that along with the fresh burns, the boy also had a black and swollen eye that had occurred recently along with old scars including healed burns, bite marks and facial bruising.

After further investigation and consultation with the prosecuting attorney, Oliver was arrested and charged with felony first-degree battery, and all four of her children were taken into custody by the Department of Human Services (DHS).
 
Oliver is currently in the Faulkner County jail and her four children remain in DHS custody.