Fort Eisenhower mom pleads guilty in infant’s death, awaits sentencing
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - An Army wife from Fort Eisenhower is waiting for sentencing after pleading guilty to stabbing her infant son while on post.
31-year-old April Evalyn Short of Fort Eisenhower plead guilty to murder in the second degree, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Short is subject to 20 years in prison financial penalties, and five years of supervised release following her prison term in her plea agreement.
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Short is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and a sentencing will be scheduled when a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services is complete.
In July 2024, Short’s lawyer said she plans an insanity defense in her murder case and she plead not guilty in May 2024.
Short was charged with premeditated murder in the death of her 11-month-old son on post.
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Short was indicted on charges of premeditated murder and felony murder over the Nov. 15, 2023 death.
She’s accused of cutting the child’s neck with a knife in family housing on the post, where her husband was a drill sergeant.
Short’s plea in May followed a report finding her mentally competent to stand trial after the court ordered a mental evaluation.
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The report said a doctor observed and evaluated her for two months.
The doctor said she “exhibited worrisome symptoms of psychosis” upon her arrival at a federal medical center in Fort Worth, Texas.
However, the doctor said she showed “dramatic improvement” after taking medication.
READ THE COURT PAPERS (WARNING: DISTURBING DETAILS ABOUT THE CASE):
Investigators wrote that before officers were called to the scene, April Short had two knives and said she was cutting the baby so he could “be with Jesus and God.”
In a federal court filing, Army criminal investigators say Short’s husband, Staff Sgt. James Short, learned something was wrong on the morning of Nov. 15 when he got a text message from her while he was at work.
The text message, among other things, stated that God said “the days of darkness are upon us,” and she and her husband would “be together again,” according to investigators.
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Staff Sgt. Short tried to his wife but was unsuccessful.
He then went to his on-post home on Apple Court and found his wife barricaded in the master bedroom, investigators wrote.
He couldn’t get in and called 911.
Officers soon arrived, and April Short left the master bedroom and home with two of her kids, an 11-year-old and a 6-year-old, and tried to drive away, according to investigators. She only stopped when an officer drew a gun, investigators said.
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While we wait for investigators to give us more answers, we were able to hear from neighbors who are shocked by this entire situation.
Staff Sgt. Short went into the master bedroom to look for the baby.
That’s when officers heard him scream.
An officer found the baby in a bathroom, wrapped in plastic and bleeding from the neck.
The child was rushed to Eisenhower Army Medical Center, but doctors were unable to save him.
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