UPDATED Wednesday, August 29, 2012 --- 3:18 p.m.
Tasha Harmon appeared in Dane County court today. She waived her right to a preliminary hearing, and has been bound over for trial.
______________________________________
UPDATED Tuesday, August 28, 2012 --- 1:21 p.m.
Fitchburg Police confirm that the 6-year-old girl allegedly stabbed by her own mother has been released from the hospital.
_________________________________________
UPDATED Friday, August 17, 2012 --- 2:25 p.m.
Tasha D. Harmon appeared in court Friday afternoon. The Judge set a $500,000 cash bail. She is not allowed to have contact with her daughter. A preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday, August 29.
Harmon is charged with Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide. Detectives say she stabbed her 6-year-old daughter early Monday morning in their Fitchburg apartment.
According to the Criminal Complaint, Harmon told an officer at the scene "I went crazy and I tried to kill my daughter and myself."
Harmon had several lacerations to her neck and chest.
Another officer found a back-handled knife with a silver/aluminum blade near the child's feet. The blade appeared to be approximately six inches in length. According to the Criminal Complaint, the officer observed at least two wounds consistent with stab wounds on the front part of the child. When the officer asked her how she was doing, she replied "I am not doing so good." The child complained about back pain. The officer rolled her to her side, and he saw at least two puncture wounds to her back.
Excerpt from Criminal Complaint:
Officer Hale reports that he asked (child's initials) who had done this to her and she stated, "My mommy tried to killed me." He asked her why her mommy had done this to her and (child's initials) stated, "I don't know."
According to the Criminal Complaint, the mother knocked on a neighbor's door after the attack. She told her neighbor "I stabbed her." That neighbor did call 911.
A physician at UW Hospital updated a detective. The child had three stab wounds to the chest and four stab wounds to the upper back.
On Monday night, the detective interviewed Harmon.
Excerpt from Criminal Complaint:
The defendant stated that she had friends over the previous evening and that after they left around 9 p.m., she was sitting on (child's initials) bed while (child's initials) was in the living room. The defendant stated she heard breathing coming from beneath the bed and knew it was not the cat because the cat doesn't breath that hard. The defendant then got (child's initials) and told her they needed to worship in her room. The defendant turned on some "Jesus culture" and felt "God leading me all over the house, to clean the house." The defendant said this is spiritual cleaning and that she was walking about the apartment claiming that Jesus was the Lord and the angels are with them and not demons. The defendant called out the "spirit of fear" and turned off all the lights. The defendant stated that (child's initials) got scared and that the defendant started screaming at the top of her lungs "Jesus is my savior" and "get out in Jesus' name" from her room. The defendant stated she screamed so loud that it was not her voice coming out of her body; she didn't know if it was Jesus screaming or the demons.
The defendant stated she knows she should have just gone to sleep. She stated that when she shut her eyes, she could see hell and Jesus coming down to hell, which was in her body. The defendant stated that every time she did not believe that Jesus was stronger than the devil, that Jesus would go back to heaven. She stated she continued to fight this battle and felt like it was the end of the world. The defendant stated that (child's initials) was in bed with her at this time and sleeping.
The defendant stated she got out of bed and walked to the kitchen where she grabbed a knife out of the silverware drawer and ran back to the bedroom. The defendant stated she stabbed (child's initials) and heard it from the voices that it was not deep enough. She heard "God is love" and was screaming "no" and continued stabbing (child's initials). She then stopped and stabbed herself. [end excerpt]
_______________________________________________
UPDATED Thursday, August 16, 2012 --- 12:30 p.m.
From the Fitchburg Police Department:
The suspect in this case Tasha D. Harmon has been released from the hospital and has been transported to the Dane County Jail.
The victim remains hospitalized.
The victim’s condition remains “critical however expected to recover.”
Tasha Harmon has been booked into the Dane County Jail on charges of Attempted 1st Degree Intentional Homicide.
_______________________________________________
UPDATED Tuesday, August 14, 2012 --- 11:20 a.m.
From the Fitchburg Police Department:
The suspect in this case is identified as:
Tasha D. Harmon 30 years of age
5174 Anton Drive #11
Fitchburg, WI
Both the suspect and victim remain hospitalized. The victim’s condition remains “critical however expected to recover”. The suspect’s condition remains “serious but stable”.
It is anticipated criminal charges of Attempted 1st Degree Intentional Homicide will be referred to the Dane County District Attorney’s Officer later this week.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who may have information related to this incident should contact the City of Fitchburg Police Department. (608) 270-4300
_______________________________________________
UPDATED Tuesday, August 14, 2012 --- 7:35 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Police say the 6-year-old girl allegedly stabbed by her mother in Fitchburg is expected to recover.
The girl is in critical condition at University Hospital with multiple stab wounds to the chest, abdomen and back. Authorities say her mother sustained self-inflicted stab wounds and is under guard at the hospital.
Officials say the stabbing happened about 2:30 a.m. Monday. Fitchburg Police Lt. Todd Stetzer tells the State Journal (http://tinyurl.com/93vehcj ) the mother went to a neighbor's house and said she had stabbed her daughter.
Stetzer says there were no police calls about the child's welfare prior to Monday's incident.
------
Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj
_______________________________________________
UPDATED Monday, August 13, 2012 --- 3:24 p.m.
By NBC15's Chris Woodard
Police say they believe a 6-year-old girl who was stabbed by her mother will survive.
According to Fitchburg Police around 2 a.m. a 30-year-old woman stabbed her daughter while the girl was sleeping.
Lt. Todd Stetzer says, "All indication is that there was no interaction between the child and the suspect prior to the incident occurring."
The mother then went to tell a neighbor in the apartment complex what she'd done.
Police arrived to find the 6-year-old girl with multiple stab wounds to her back and chest.
Stetzer said the injuries were initially life threatening, but says after surgery the girl is expected to survive.
He says, "It's reassuring and refreshing for the officers. When you respond to a scene like that it's horrific. It's traumatizing for everyone involved so to hear the child is expect to recover is phenomenal. "
The mother also stabbed herself and is at the hospital in serious condition.
The mother admitted to police that she'd stabbed her daughter but police are still trying to figure out why.
Stetzer says they have not found any history of child abuse or domestic calls.
He says, "Nothing that we have as far as any indication of previous incidents of child protective concerns, anything like that that we've found yet."
Neighbor Hunter Walhovd says he never heard any arguing and never had any suspicions his neighbor was capable of something like this.
He says, "It just blew me away. How could it go that far with a mother and her own child. I just can't even comprehend it."
Walhovd says he's new to the apartment complex and hadn't met they 6-year-old girl.
He had met the mother and says she was "really polite" and "seemed like a nice enough person."
Police have not released the mother's name.
NBC15's Chris Woodard is following this story today. Watch for his reports tonight on NBC15 News at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
_______________________________________________
UPDATED Monday, August 13, 2012 --- 1:45 p.m.
From the Fitchburg Police Department:
As of 1:30 pm, today the medical staff has described the victim’s medical condition as “Critical however expected to recover."
_______________________________________________
UPDATED Monday, August 13, 2012 --- 7:25 a.m.
From the Fitchburg Police Department:
On August 13, 2012 at 2:23 a.m Fitchburg Police Officers responded to a stabbing at 5174 Anton Drive.
Upon arrival Officers located a 6-year-old female with multiple stab wounds to the chest and back. The victim was transported to an area hospital with life threatening injuries.
Officer also located the child’s 30-year-old mother at the residence. The mother acknowledged she had stabbed her daughter.
The suspect had multiple self-inflicted stab wounds and cuts. The victim was also transported to an area hospital with serious, however non-life threatening injuries.
No additional subjects are believed to have been involved in this incident.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who may have information related to this incident should contact the City of Fitchburg Police Department. (608) 270-4300
_______________________________________________
UPDATE: Monday, August 13, 2012 -- 6:55 a.m.
Fitchburg Police say a 30-year-old woman stabbed her 6-year-old daughter early Monday morning.
The young girl suffered life-threatening injuries.
Officers were called to an apartment on the 5100 block of Anton Drive in Fitchburg around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Police arrived to find the 6-year-old girl and the woman with stab wounds.
The woman suffered less significant injuries.
Police say they are not looking for any additional suspects.
_______________________________________________
UPDATED: Monday, August 13, 2012 -- 5:40 a.m.
A 6-year-old girl is in surgery after she was stabbed by a female relative, who police say may be her mother.
Officers were called to an apartment on the 5100 block of Anton Drive in Fitchburg around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Police arrived to find the 6-year-old girl and the woman with stab wounds.
The woman suffered less significant injuries.
Police say they don't believe there are any other suspects involved in the incident.
_______________________________________________
Posted: Monday, August 13, 2012 -- 3:40 a.m.
Police are investigating an early morning stabbing on the 5100 block of Anton Drive, in Fitchburg.
Dispatchers say there are two victims, including one child.
Stay with NBC15 and NBC15.com for more on this developing story.
