Cops wanted to check on her baby’s welfare. Sheriff says they’re looking for mom and son

Authorities are looking for a woman and her baby after she failed to allow investigators to check on the child’s welfare, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

In a court hearing involving custody of a different child, Martha Smith, 24, was asked to allow investigators to perform a welfare check on four-month-old Arthur Douglas Jackson, said Randy Warren, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

Since Wednesday morning, Warren said investigators have spoken to Smith and believe they know where Smith and the baby may be, but still need to physically see the child.

Smith was in court for a hearing involving custody of her older, 4-year-old child, who she does not currently have custody of, Warren said. He added she had not been following the case plan for that child.

During the hearing the judge learned Smith also had Arthur, and told her by court order to produce the infant for a welfare check, according to Warren. Smith told the judge the infant was in New York with the father, but when investigators spoke to the father, he said the infant was in Florida.

Investigators went to the last known address for Smith, but she was not there, Warren said.

Warren said the sheriff’s office, which handles child protection investigations in Manatee County, did not have an investigation running involving the infant, other than their involvement is the attempt to locate Smith and her son.

Smith was arrested on April 14, 2018, on a misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge and resiting an officer without violence, court records show. According to the probable cause affidavit, deputies were at her apartment for a CPS investigation after a domestic disturbance earlier that day and found marijuana. Smith told deputies it belonged to her and allegedly resisted arrest while shouting she was pregnant.

A field test indicated there was 3.1 grams of marijuana in the home.

She pleaded nolo contendere, adjudication was withheld and she was given credit for time served in jail, court records show.

Earlier that day, deputies were called Smith’s home after then-19-year-old Arthur Douglas Jackson allegedly twisted her arm and kicked out glass panels in a door during an argument, according to a probable cause affidavit. Smith told investigators she was seven weeks pregnant with Jackson’s child at the time and he knew because he had been going to doctor’s appointments with her.

Jackson was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery of a pregnant woman with knowledge but the case was dropped in May.

Smith and her son are believed to be somewhere in Manatee County, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office. Warren said the child will be removed from Smith’s custody when investigators see them in person.

Anyone with information about Smith’s whereabouts or other information can call the sheriff’s office at 941-747-3011.

Bradenton Herald reporter Jessica De Leon contributed to this report.

This story was originally published April 3, 2019 at 5:03 AM with the headline "Cops wanted to check on her baby’s welfare. Sheriff says they’re looking for mom and son."