Judge charged in son's death

11:59 a.m. update: The prosecutor in the case has issued the following news release:

"Scott Ellington, District Prosecuting Attorney for the Second Judicial District of Arkansas and Special Prosecuting Attorney for Garland County, Arkansas, announces the arrest of Garland County Circuit Judge Wade Naramore in the July 2015 heat-related death of his two-year-old son.

"Ellington authorized Hot Springs Police Detective Mark Fallis and Detective Sgt. Chris Hays to seek an arrest warrant for Judge Naramore on one count of negligent homicide, Arkansas Code § 5-10-105. The warrant is related to the July 24, 2015 death of son, Thomas Naramore, age 2, of Hot Springs. Naramore surrendered himself today at the Garland County Detention Center in Hot Springs where he was booked and released on February 11, 2016. He was released on $5,000 bond.

"The State is represented in this matter by Ellington and two of his deputies, Crittenden County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tom Young and Craighead County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Charles Finkenbinder.

"This release contains only allegations. Judge Naramore is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."

An arrest warrant has been issued for negligent homicide, a Class A misdemeanor, for Division 2 Circuit Judge Wade Naramore in the July 2015 hot car death of his 18-month-old son, Thomas.

The following is the text of the arrest affidavit:

On 07/24/15, at approximately 1510 hours, the Hot Springs Police Department Dispatch Center received a 911 call from Wade Naramore.

Naramore was requesting help at the corner of James Street and Fair Oaks Place.

Naramore stated, "My son was left in the car and I think, I think he's dead."

HSPD Officers responded to the area. While en route HSPD Dispatch advised responding units that a possible infant had been left inside of a car.

Officers arrived in the area and observed a maroon Toyota Avalon parked in the roadway with the driver's door open and no one around the vehicle. The homeowner of 120 Fair Oaks Place ran outside and directed officers to the inside of his residence.

Inside the residence, officers contacted Wade Naramore who was holding his infant son, identified as Thomas Naramore 01/31/14, yelling, "No my baby! No my baby!" Naramore placed Thomas onto a couch to be evaluated by EMS personnel. Naramore was asked how long Thomas had been left in the car. Naramore said he had been in the car for approximately five (5) hours. Naramore further stated numerous times, "I killed my baby!"

Thomas had signs of lividity in his lower extremities and was pronounced dead at the scene. Thomas' core temperature was 107 degrees, according to the Garland County Coroner Stewart Smedley.

At the time officers arrived on scene the outside temperature was in between 97.0 F and 98.1 F with a heat index ranging from 104.8 F to 106.5 F.

On 11/23/15, Wade Naramore came into the Hot Springs Police Department with his attorney, Patrick Benca.

Post Miranda, Naramore said, on 07/24/15, while driving to work, at approximately 0815 hours, he and Thomas said their morning prayers. He stopped at McDonald's for breakfast, which was out of the ordinary because he usually prepared breakfast at home. He said he also had a court case on this day he was worried about.

He said he went to work as he did each day. He got off work early, ran some errands, and went home. On the afternoon of 07/24/15 he was leaving his residence to go pick Thomas up from daycare. As he turned a corner he heard a noise in the rear of his car which caused him to turn around. As he turned around he noticed Thomas was in his car seat and he had not been dropped off at daycare. He said he immediately stopped the car, got Thomas out of his car seat, and called for help.

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