Florida woman stabbed herself multiple times as she was 'tired of living in Trump’s country'
A Florida woman who was admitted to hospital after stabbing herself multiple times with a kitchen knife told police she did so because she was "tired of living in Trump country."
According to reports, police found the unidentified 46-year-old woman outside her home in Palmetto on Sunday with blood all over her legs, hands, and face. When the officer asked her what was wrong, she lifted her shirt and exposed her stomach.
"I observed three stab wounds," the officer’s report states, adding that the wounds were still bleeding.
The woman then responded saying, "I’m tired of living in Trump’s country, I’m tired of Trump being president."
Police found pools of blood on the floors of the woman’s home, including the kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Emergency services immediately transported her to Blake Medical Center, and she informed the police officials that she had been “Baker Acted before” because of self-harm.
Florida’s Baker Act, passed in 1971, allows people with mental illnesses to be involuntarily institutionalized for a period of 72 hours. The law can be invoked by doctors, mental health professionals, law enforcement and judges.
After an evaluation, the police concluded that there was a "substantial likelihood" that she "will cause bodily harm to herself and/or others." It was then recommended that the woman be involuntarily admitted to a mental health treatment facility.
According to a report from Canada's CBC News, mental health professionals have seen a rise in anxiety and political-related stress since Trump was sworn into office in January 2017.
Laws similar to the Baker Act exist in all states in the US and the District Of Columbia, although the criteria for admittance, type of facility for the hold and the length of the hold may vary from state to state.