On the night of May 29, 2023, Garland County, Arkansas deputies responded to an apartment on Springwood Road for a reported shooting and found a 6-year-old girl ("CC") unresponsive with a fatal gunshot wound to the top of her head. Her father, Jordan Chadick, 44, who had been drinking heavily and allegedly using methamphetamine following a volatile argument with his estranged wife, claimed his Glock 43X pistol accidentally discharged. However, the autopsy ruled the death a homicide and determined his account could not be reconciled with the downward trajectory of the bullet. After an investigation, he was arrested in August 2023, charged with first-degree murder, and held without bond.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The hotsr article states investigators seized a "Glock 43X pistol" and found "A single spent shell casing," and the father said "the gun went off." The child died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The hotsr affidavit article describes a fatal gunshot wound: the child had "a quarter-inch by quarter-inch circular gunshot wound through the top of her head" with a "sharp downward, back to front pattern" that "created skull fractures, brain injury and massive blood loss," and the autopsy ruled the death a homicide inconsistent with the father's account of accidental discharge.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
KATV states "Jordan Chadick is the father of the 6-year-old girl who was murdered," and multiple articles report he was charged with first-degree murder in her shooting death. The hotsr article describes the shooting death "of his 6-year-old daughter."
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
All sources report Jordan Chadick, 44, was arrested and "facing a charge of first-degree murder" (kark) and "booked into the Garland County Detention Center" on a felony count of first-degree murder (hotsr).
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The hotsr article states the marriage was "volatile," that Jordan "held a gun to her head" to get Melissa to comply multiple times, and another sister reported "previous incidents where he 'put a gun to Melissa's head.'"
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The hotsr article notes court records show Jordan Chadick "pleaded no contest on Oct. 10, 2007, to driving while intoxicated, first offense" and "pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, 2012, to DWI, second offense," both misdemeanors predating the current incident.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The hotsr article reports Melissa Chadick said the marriage was "volatile due to his alcohol and drug use," that Jordan drank "five or six beers" the day of the shooting, and that he "has 'done meth' since he was 16" and was "using meth again" three months before the shooting.
Notable Details
The hotsr article notes unusual proceedings: the "Garland County prosecuting attorney's office recused" and special prosecutor Emily White was appointed. It also details that "Jordan gave different versions of the events," reenacting and diagramming the scene claiming the gun "'must have' discharged when it hit his leg," while the autopsy concluded his account "cannot be reconciled with the manner in which she died," and that he made three non-emergency phone calls immediately after the shooting and allegedly told his wife "We've got to get our stories straight."
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