Parents charged in child's death in Bootheel living in 'deplorable condition'

STEELE, Mo. -- The parents of a 4-year-old child who died Sunday in Steele have been arrested and charged with child abuse/neglect resulting in her death.

Aaron Marcel Jackson, 30, of Hayti and Erica Pleasant, 32, of Steele are each charged with one count of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death and two counts of abuse or neglect of a child, according to Pemiscot County Sheriff Tommy Greenwell.

At 3:17 p.m. Sunday, Arbri Jackson, 4, of Steele was brought to the Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital in Hayti and pronounced dead.

"Evidence indicated the children were living in deplorable conditions," Greenwell said. "The home was infested with roaches, mice, lice and human and animal waste. It appeared the children had not been receiving basic hygiene."

An autopsy was conducted at 10 a.m. Monday in Farmington, and preliminary results show the child was very sick and had not been given medical attention, Greenwell said in a news release.

"Two other children were at the home and have been placed in the custody of the children's division," Greenwell said.

A 1-year-old female and 2-year-old male were given medical exams and released from the hospital, the sheriff said.

Pemiscot County deputies, Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators, Steele Police officers and investigators from the Children's Division continue working on the investigation of Arbri's death, Greenwell said.

Jackson and Pleasant are being held in the Pemiscot County Jail without bond. They will be arraigned at 10 a.m. Thursday in Pemiscot County Circuit Court Division II.