Texas mother charged with attempted capital murder of 4-month-old child
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - A Harris County mother is charged with attempted capital murder of her 4-month-old child after she allegedly punched the child and placed a pillow over the baby's face.
According to court documents, a deputy responded to a Spring daycare on June 14 after a witness reported than an infant’s mother, 20-year-old Meredith Nicole Deen, had attempted to kill the child.
The witness, who is in a relationship with Deen, told deputies that while they were at their apartment on June 13 she told him that she punched the child and wanted to throw the baby against the wall, according to the court documents. Investigators say the witness also reported seeing Deen place pillows and blankets on the baby and sit on top of them. He told the deputy that he pulled the mother off of the baby, but that later in the night she again placed pillow and blankets over the baby and sat on top of them, court documents state. Investigators say he reported hearing Deen say "why don't you die, why are you still alive".
On the morning of June 14, court documents say the witness was driving Deen and the baby to daycare when she began punching and kicking the man in the vehicle. When he got to the daycare, the sheriff’s office was called. The child was taken to the hospital. According to deputies, a physician said the baby had no signs of injury.
Authorities say Deen was taken for evaluation after making statements of self-harm. Investigators say the woman admitted to punching the baby and putting a pillow over the baby’s face on two occasions. According to court documents, she told investigators that she could not care for her child alone and that she was sorry for hurting the baby.