Michael Luke / Eyewitness News
ST. BERNARD, La. -- A Chalmette woman was arrested Saturday after attempting to kill her two children, according to the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Around 5:15 p.m., Sandra Lightell, 36, was arrested at her home on Charles Drive, according to sheriff’s office, for making threats to smother the children and placing her six-year-old and 10-year-old daughters in choke holds.
“St. Bernard Sheriff’s Deputy Byron Shoemaker went there (Lightell’s home) to investigate a call from another of the woman’s daughters who doesn’t live with her that the mother had left her a phone voice message saying she might smother the young ones,” said Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann.
When the deputy approached the home, he heard children crying inside, according to sheriff’s office. But when Lightell came to the door, she said everything was okay.
“The deputy, however, went in and the children said their mother had held both by the throat and had tried to put a pillow over the youngest one’s head, Pohlmann said. One child had a scratch and both were evaluated by medical technicians but didn’t require further medical treatment, he said. The mother and the two children were the only ones in the house,” said a statement from the sheriff’s office.
The children were placed in the care of an aunt, according to sheriff’s office. Lightell admitted she had been drinking alcohol and was on several medications. On the way to St. Bernard Parish Prison, Lightell broke a window in the police car.
She was booked with two counts of attempted murder, criminal damage to the patrol car and with resisting officers, according to sheriff’s office.
