Two women arrested after posting ‘disturbing’ video of toddler on social media

FORREST CITY, Arkansas – Two Forrest City women are in jail after a video posted on social media shows a 1-year-old child with her hands and feet bound.

“Friday evening we became aware of a video of a child in urgent need of assistance,” said Detective Sergeant Cody Jackson of St. Francis County.

Jackson told NewsNation partner WREG that the case is still under investigation, but the post depicting the alleged child abuse was “disturbing.”

“I think it was on social media,” Jackson said. “It’s making the rounds and you see a child tied up on the ground. That’s all I can say at this point.”

Jasmine Cate, the child’s mother, and Bruana Holland have been charged with serious crimes and are in prison.

Both were given bail of $100,000.

According to court documents, Cate and Holland admitted their involvement and said the video was intended as a joke.

However, police officers did not find what they saw in the video funny.

“Due to the extreme nature of the video, we wanted to act very quickly, which we did, to make sure the child was safe,” Jackson said.

The one-year-old and a three-year-old were taken to Le Bonheur with severe bruises. WREG has learned that the one-year-old is now with his grandmother.

DHS is aware of the situation and is actively investigating.

Both Cate and Holland are due to appear in District Court on October 14.