Woman charged for stabbing mother, setting her on fire: documents
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A woman is being charged with assault with intent to murder after she allegedly stabbed her mother, and lit her face and hair on fire, according to a probable cause document obtained by News Channel 3.
Alexis VanDusen called 911 around 4:36 a.m. on Feb. 25, said Kalamazoo Township Police. VanDusen claimed she needed officers because her mother had a knife and was attacking her.
Police said they arrived to the scene on Melrose Avenue shortly after the 911 call.
- Feb. 25 Incident: K-twp. police say woman burned, stabbed by relative
Officers said they found VanDusen sitting on top of her 51-year-old mother, who was on the floor bleeding and moaning. The mother told officers she had been stabbed and burned by her daughter. The mother also told investigators that VanDusen was high on meth, which was why she was acting erratically.
According to the probable cause document, the incident began around 3 a.m. VanDusen's mother said she was in the basement with her daughter when she walked over to the bed to grab rolling papers for her daughter. As the mother began to do that, VanDusen squirted rubbing alcohol on her face, the document said. VanDusen was also using a lighter to set the alcohol on fire, according to the document. The mother said the stream of burning alcohol hit her in the face, and lit her face and hair on fire.
The victim said she started to take her clothes off and used them to stop the flames. As she did that, her daughter got on top of her and took a pocket knife out of the victim's bra. VanDusen then used it to stab her mother, the document said.
Police said the victim was stabbed in the back when she rolled over, but eventually got the knife out of VanDusen’s hands. VanDusen allegedly sat on her and prevented her from getting help for her injuries, said investigators.
VanDusen's mother suffered three stab wounds, but none were life-threatening, said the medical staff on scene. However, one was close to puncturing a lung. The victim said she was glad police arrived when they did because she could not breathe with VanDusen on top of her and feared she might die.
The victim said VanDusen told her all night long that she was going to kill her, the document stated.
VanDusen claimed she also had been stabbed, the report said. Although there was blood on her right pant leg, officers said they could not find an injury on her. VanDusen was medically cleared at Ascension Borgess Hospital. She was then taken to the Kalamazoo County Jail.
A search warrant was obtained for the home, where a pink-handled folding knife, a bottle of 100% acetone nail polish remover, and a bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol were all found on the basement floor, said investigators.
The victim lives in the basement of the residence, said police. VanDusen was visiting. VanDusen is also being charged with unlawful imprisonment.
