A mother was found dead alongside her two children in an Arkansas home on December 3rd. It has now come to light that she had sought help from a state senator prior to this tragedy, as confirmed by him to local news.
The mother, Charity Bearis, had visited Republican Senator Terry Rice earlier this year, as stated by Rice. Bearis filed for divorce in March after an alleged incident in February where her husband, Dr. Randy Bearis, reportedly strangled her in front of their children, according to court documents.
During her meeting with Senator Rice, Bearis expressed fear for her life and her children’s safety. She had asked him to connect her with resources from the Arkansas State Police Child Crimes Unit, police reported. The final hearing for her divorce took place on December 2 at the Sebastian County Courthouse.
On December 3, police discovered the deceased bodies of Bearis and her six-year-old twins during a welfare check at a home on South 1st Avenue in Bonanza. According to the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, as of December 5, they did not consider Bearis’ ex-husband a suspect, as reported by local news.
Randy Powell, Bearis’ father, shared his devastation regarding the deaths of his daughter and grandchildren. He expressed feelings of heartbreak and disbelief, saying, “I thought maybe I was dreaming about someone having a nightmare like that. Maybe someone would wake me up, but this couldn’t be true.”
Bearis and her ex-husband had two children born in 2019. In court documents from March, Bearis sought full custody following charges of domestic violence against her ex-husband. At that time, Randy Bearis faced multiple charges, including aggravated assault and third-degree domestic violence, after reportedly strangling Charity.
Later, his charges were reduced to third-degree assault, and he pled guilty in October 2025. The court sentenced him to a one-year suspended prison term along with fines and court costs. He was also instructed to avoid contact with Charity and his family unless court-ordered for visitation.
On December 2, he was granted joint custody of the children, according to an email from his attorney, who mentioned that he is cooperating with the ongoing investigation by the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office directed inquiries to its public press release, and contact has been made with Senator Terry Rice for further comments.
