Stepdad 'murdered boy, 2, by repeatedly throwing him in pool so he learned to swim'

Dakota Shawn Hays, 20, is alleged to person repeatedly thrown his toddler stepson into a swimming excavation and pinch his chemoreceptor earlier sinking to the bottommost past going backmost to the surface

A stepfather is alleged to person murdered his toddler stepson by repeatedly throwing him into a excavation to thatch him however to swim.

Dakota Shawn Hays, 20, and his woman Annastacia Atkins, 24, were apprehended earlier this week aft the kid died owed to a deficiency of oxygen to the brain. The mates from Van Buren, successful Arkansas, person since been charged with first-degree murder, according to an apprehension warrant.

Hays was besides charged with endangering the welfare of a kid while Atkins besides faces charges of permitting the maltreatment of a minor, according to situation records held by the Crawford County Sheriff's Office. The 2-year-old lad died connected June 17 past year, 3 days aft Atkins and Hays rang exigency services.

They said the kid became unresponsive aft swimming successful a excavation astatine his aunt's house, according to an affidavit for warrant of apprehension that was filed connected January 2, according to People. When officers arrived astatine the location they recovered the boy's assemblage was freezing and his "eyes were stuck," Atkins allegedly said according to an affidavit - a written connection utilized arsenic grounds successful court.

She stated the boy's bosom stopped and that helium was nary longer breathing and that she started to propulsion connected his thorax and that helium choked up h2o erstwhile helium did. Hays is alleged to person told deputies that helium was teaching the lad to aquatics alongside different boy, 4, and a girl, 6.

He continued: "The 3 kids would bent onto him connected the thorax and helium would drawback their noses and descend to the bottommost with them, beryllium there, and spell backmost up to the surface." The 4-year-old lad who is alleged to person told constabulary helium astir drowned aft Hays threw him into the pool.

The kid continued, adding some Hayes and Atkins would punish him by striking him implicit the caput with a stick. He alleged they would besides deed him connected his knees and feet. The miss added detectives said Hays would propulsion his stepson nether the h2o and that the toddler "did not privation to swim" but that Hays would propulsion him in. She added Hays would propulsion the toddler into the excavation connected respective occasions and that she would request to get him "from the bottom."

Atkins shared interest to officers astir Hays' alleged behaviour with her son. Hays is presently being held connected a $1 cardinal (£821,642) bond. Atkins is being held connected a $750,000 (£614,250) bond.

The Mirror has contacted Crawford County Sheriff's Office for comment.