Mother accused of trying to behead 11-year-old autistic son with bow saw
According to Montgomery County District Court documents, a 46-year-old mother has been charged with attempted murder after she allegedly tried to decapitate her 11-year-old son with a bow saw because she felt 'overwhelmed' by his autism diagnosis.
Kristina Naranch Petrie, of Aspen Hill, Maryland, has been accused of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree child abuse, and second-degree child abuse, with court documents alleging that she did not want her children to grow up to be a burden to society and that they 'needed to die.'
The victim, the 11-year-old's younger brother, had been playing video games on the TV when his mother walked into the room. The affidavit states that the mother asked the boy why he wasn't doing his homework before then raising the bow saw and chasing him.
The charging documents cited by Sky News state that she managed to outpace the victim and pinned him down in a 'kneeling position' as she 'jammed' the saw's teeth against the back of his neck, moved it back and forth multiple times and 'tried to kill' him.
The boy told police that 'he screamed out loud' and that his 5-foot-6, 175-pound mother, who was also crying and screaming, had tried to behead and kill him. He said he managed to grab the bow and escape, and that he protected himself until his father returned home from work later that evening.
When questioned by Montgomery County Police investigators trained in child victimization on the incident, the older brother corroborated the story and said that he returned from school to find his younger brother lying on the sofa, while his mother was alternating between crying and laughing.
The boy had also suffered injuries from the attack, police said. ABC News reported that they noticed he had 'several thin lines' and broken skin with 'scabbing' on his neck. He had also sustained red cuts and marks on his left shoulder, back, and left hand.
The boy was later taken to the MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney by the father, Andrew Petrie. He says his wife told hospital staff she felt overwhelmed and that he was not doing enough to help her with the children's autism.
When asked why she was at the hospital, she confessed she 'tried to kill her kids again' and that the children 'needed to die,' adding she felt they would be a 'burden to society because of their special needs.'
Neighbors said they were genuinely surprised at the drastic turn of events, with one resident describing Petrie as a 'lovely, stay-at-home mom' who he often saw working in the yard and taking her two children to and from numerous events.
Petrie had her bond hearing this past Tuesday and was forced to attend it via video from the jail. She was denied the bail by Judge John Moffet, who suggested that he would be open to reconsidering the decision if the defense provided additional documents.
She is currently scheduled for her preliminary hearing in Rockville, Maryland, on April 20. If found guilty on all three pending criminal counts, it's possible that the mother will be put behind bars for life. Her defense lawyer, Sharon Diamant, told local news that Petrie had 'absolutely no intent' to harm anyone and that she loved her children dearly.
Diamant argued that Petrie had been happily married to her husband for 15 years and that she had no prior criminal history, stating that certain critical facts will come to light in due time that would better explain her client's behavior. However, she refused to comment on Petrie's possible mental health issues.