Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- A South Jordan woman was arrested Wednesday and accused of trying to kill her 3-month-old child.
- Police responded to a report of a "violent psychiatric" issue, finding the woman with self-inflicted injuries.
- The 31-year-old said her actions were influenced by fears stemming from the presidential election, police said.
SOUTH JORDAN — A woman who police say has a history of mental health issues has been arrested and accused of trying to kill her infant child — a decision police say was prompted by the presidential election.
Madeline Lyal Wright, 31, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Wednesday for investigation of attempted murder and attempted aggravated child abuse.
The investigation began Monday when South Jordan police responded to a report of a "violent psychiatric" issue. Officers arrived to find Wright "lying face down in the grass with self-inflicted lacerations to her throat and stab marks on her stomach" while her husband's hand had been cut with a knife and was bleeding profusely, according to a police booking affidavit. Officers said they also learned that Wright had ingested Drano.
As investigators sorted through what had happened, they learned from the husband that "Madeline had been having issues since the presidential election" and had attempted suicide on Friday, the affidavit states.
The husband was able to intervene and Wright was admitted to a hospital for a day. On Tuesday, as the couple was getting ready to put their 3-month-old child to bed, police say Wright suddenly took the baby and sprinted toward the bathroom and slammed the door.
The husband forced the bathroom door open and found Wright holding their baby and hunched over the bathtub, which had hot water in it as well as a toaster that was plugged in, the affidavit alleges.
The husband got the child away from Wright, but she then grabbed a knife and attempted to stab herself in the stomach before the husband was also able to get the knife away, according to the affidavit.
As the husband tried to get a second knife away from her, "he received severe lacerations to his right hand," the affidavit says. He called 911 and was advised to get out of the house with the baby. Police say she then made other suicidal attempts.
Later at the hospital, Wright told police that she wanted her child and herself "to be in a better place," the affidavit states. Police also noted that she told her husband that "due to the election, she was afraid of (her child) being molested or hurt. She also stated she was fearful of the loss of democracy," among other concerns.
Police also noted that "Madeline has previously been admitted to hospitals for mental issues, has had several manic episodes, and was convicted of disarming and assaulting police officers after breaking into a store."
