August 28, 2026

EMMET, Ark. —  The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division (ASP CID) has arrested a Hempstead County man following a joint investigation into the severe abuse of a 4-year-old girl.

James Richard Ivey, 33, was arrested August 28, 2026, by Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), U.S. Marshals Service and ASP CID Special Agents. He is being held at the Hempstead County Detention Center on felony charges including Rape, First-Degree Domestic Battery, and First-Degree Terroristic Threatening.

The investigation began around 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, when HCSO deputies responded to the emergency room at Southwest Regional Medical Center in Hope. Medical personnel were treating a 4-year-old girl who had been transported to the facility by ambulance from her home in Emmet.

The girl’s injuries included severe bruising, lacerations and electrical burns. HCSO requested investigative assistance from the ASP CID.

The child was subsequently transferred to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, where she remains in critical condition.

The investigation is active and ongoing. No additional details are available for release at this time.