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Monica Hammers, 41, faces a charge of attempted first degree murder after she allegedly tried to suffocate her 4-year-old son while he was at Erlanger hospital, according to Chattanooga Police Department.
The Hamilton County grand jury has indicted a Smyrna, Tenn., woman after police say she tried to smother her 4-year-old son at Erlanger hospital.
Monica Dawn Hammers, 42, was indicted on charges of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse Wednesday.
Police arrested Hammers after an Erlanger witness reported the alleged attack to security officers on May 6. She has been free on a $55,000 bond.
The boy was in the hospital for court-ordered medical testing. He had a broken arm that was scheduled to be set, according to an arrest report.
The report states that the boy began to cry and Hammers told him to shut up and put a pillow over his face for five to six seconds. She removed the pillow and ran into the hospital bathroom when she realized someone had seen her, the report states.
The boy has been placed in protective custody.
Hammers is scheduled for arraignment July 15 before Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman.
Todd South covers courts, poverty, technology, military and veterans for the Times Free Press. He has worked at the paper since 2008 and previously covered crime and safety in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. Todd’s hometown is Dodge City, Kan. He served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq before returning to school for his journalism degree from the University of Georgia. Todd previously worked at the Anniston (Ala.) Star. Contact ...
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