Arkansas Couple Sentenced to 70 Years for Child Deaths, Abuse

An Arkansas couple, Deja and Justin Rollins, have each been sentenced to 70 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree domestic battery following the deaths of their 2-year-old and 3-year-old children, and the abuse of a 4-year-old. The couple left four of their children, ages 2, 4, 7, and 10, locked inside a hot car while taking another child to a Little Rock hospital for urgent medical care. Medical evidence revealed that the two youngest children died from severe malnutrition, with one also succumbing to fatal heat exhaustion. The surviving 4-year-old was found to have physical injuries consistent with ongoing abuse, and officials described the case as one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking they have ever encountered. Prosecutors emphasized their commitment to holding individuals accountable for harming children. Local and state authorities and health officials assisted in the investigation and prosecution.