HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — On Tuesday, the Garland County circuit clerk confirmed that an Arkansas father who had been charged with killing his infant son was found not guilty.
According to reports, in December 2021, officers were called to a home on Bellaire Drive with reports of an unresponsive baby. The child was later pronounced dead after they were taken to the hospital.
The Arkansas State Crime Lab determined that the baby's death was a homicide and police later arrested the father, Cody Webb of Hot Springs.
Webb was booked into the Garland County Jail where he was held without bond. However, as the case progressed, Webb's attorney sought bail, stating that without bail it made it difficult to build a defense for his client.
In August 2023, Webb pleaded not guilty to the death of his son, but he had still been in jail since the death. A judge later set his bond at $750,000 and he has been out of jail since then.
He was ordered to have a weekly check-in with a probation officer and to wear an ankle monitor.
In July 2024, Webb was ultimately found not guilty for the death of his infant son.
Webb's lawyer, Erin Cassinelli, issued a statement regarding the not-guilty verdict:
“We are incredibly thankful for the jury who listened to reason and the indisputable scientific facts of this case to confirm what we have known all along – Cody Webb is innocent," Cassinelli said. "Cody served 611 days in jail—74 of those in solitary confinement—for a crime he did not commit. While justice prevailed today, false allegations of child abuse remain a systemic problem that must be addressed. Baseless suspicion, incompetence, and lack of objectivity tears families apart and harms our children under the guise of protecting them. The families of this State deserve better. Thank you to the community of Hot Springs for the unwavering love and support. Now, Cody and his family can finally mourn the loss of their beloved Hatcher Webb.”
