A mother in North Carolina has been arrested after she was accused of stabbing her 10-month-old baby to death and chasing a man down her driveway with a “fixed blade knife.”
Ciara Frederick has been charged with first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Buncombe County jail records viewed by Us Weekly. Frederick, 34, was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility on Thursday, March 26, and is being held without bond.
The incident that landed her behind bars took place earlier in the day on March 26. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement via Facebook that Frederick was at her home in Barnardsville, North Carolina, with her young son, Enoch Chappell, when she allegedly stabbed him “multiple” times.
Officers with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and emergency personnel reported to the home around 2 p.m. and found Enoch suffering from the stab wounds.
He was then brought to a nearby hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with everyone impacted by this tragedy,” Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller said in a statement. “Members of the Barnardsville Fire Department and Buncombe County EMS did everything they could to save this child’s life, and for that we are grateful. Our hearts are broken.”
After she stabbed her son, Frederick was accused of attacking a man with a “fixed blade knife” while “chasing” him down the driveway of her home, according to an arrest warrant viewed by Law & Crime. It is not currently clear who the man was or why he was at the home.
Frederick was arrested that same day and was taken into custody. She was scheduled to make her first appearance in court on Friday, March 27, and she is set to return to court on April 16.
It is not currently clear if Frederick has entered a plea or retained legal representation following her arrest. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the case.
Following Frederick’s arrest, Miller explained that the tragedy made a large impact in the community. “This touches people in a different manner. It touches us in a different way. The fact that it touches us different, we must do different,” he said, per WLOS.
Miller also said that the case was a reminder that many people struggle with isolation, whether it’s geographically or personally. “I don’t know that we take care or check on each other the way we did during the storm,” he added.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
