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A U.S. Army wife stationed at Fort Eisenhower in Georgia has pleaded guilty to the murder of her infant son, whose lifeless body was discovered in a disturbing scene involving a shower curtain. April Evalyn Short, aged 31, faces a significant prison term following her admission of guilt in a case that has shocked the community.
Short pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by Tara M. Lyons, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Under the terms of a plea agreement, she will serve a sentence of 20 years in prison, along with financial penalties and a period of five years of supervised release upon her eventual release, as outlined by Lyons. It is important to note that there is no possibility of parole in the federal prison system.
The events leading to this tragic incident unfolded on the morning of November 15, 2023. Short had sent a series of alarming texts filled with biblical references to her husband, a U.S. Army staff sergeant, prompting him to return home from his duties. Concerned for his family’s safety, he found their 11-month-old baby gravely injured. The child was discovered bleeding from the neck and wrapped in a shower curtain within the bathtub.
Despite immediate efforts, the baby was declared dead upon arrival at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center.
In an unsettling twist, the couple’s two other children, ages 11 and 6, were present in an adjacent bedroom. Allegedly, Short warned them not to enter the bathroom, telling them that it might be “really scary,” as documented in court filings.
An autopsy highlighted the brutal nature of the crime. Col. Dori Mitchell Franco, a U.S. Army physician, established that the infant had sustained multiple stab wounds to the neck from two distinct knives—one of which was serrated. According to the autopsy report, this horrifying act was marked by severe violence.
After her arrest, Short purportedly told authorities that the initial knife she used was ineffective due to its dullness, which forced her to utilize a second weapon, as recorded in court transcripts.
Tara M. Lyons described the plea agreement as a challenging but necessary resolution to a case marked by tragedy. In her remarks, she emphasized the gravity of the homicide, which has left a deep impact on the community and the families involved.
Short continues to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall is set to preside over her sentencing after a pre-sentencing investigation conducted by U.S. Probation Services.
Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBI Atlanta division, expressed the sentiment that Short now has 20 years to reflect on her disturbing actions. He emphasized that the plea cannot erase the profound sorrow experienced by those who loved the child during his brief life.
This harrowing case serves as a somber reminder of the tragic outcomes that can arise within families. As communities grapple with the implications of such violence, the shared hope remains that those affected may find a path to healing in the years to come.
