Ledyard man remains jailed after attack on mother
A 19-year-old Ledyard man remains incarcerated after police said he attempted to shoot his mother with a rifle, then stabbed her multiple times with a pocket knife Jan. 25 at their home on Country Club Drive.
Alec C. Chattin is being held in lieu of $250,000 bond at the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Institution on charges of attempted first-degree assault and second-degree assault.
At his arraignment on Jan. 26, Judge Omar A. Williams ordered Department of Correction officials to provide Chattin with medical attention and place him on suicide watch.
According to a police report, Chattin called 911 at 10:47 p.m., frantic, and said he had stabbed the victim, identified as Brenda Chattin, twice and tried to kill her.
Dispatcher Richard Kerlin kept Chattin on the phone, instructing him on how to assist the victim.
When police arrived, Kerlin instructed Chattin to leave the home without weapons and surrender with his arms up and palms open, the report said.
Chattin's clothing, face, head, hands and arms were covered with blood when Officer William Nott took him into custody without incident, according to the report.
Chattin told the responding officers he tried to shoot the victim with a rifle, but the rifle didn't work, and he stabbed her with a folding pocket knife.
Chattin said he had fallen asleep some time after 9 p.m., and the next thing he remembered was being on top of his mother, choking her with both hands.
He said he stabbed her with a "cold steel knife," then helped her into the living room and called 911 after realizing she was seriously hurt.
Brenda Chattin, who lost a lot of blood in the incident, was taken to the William W. Backus Hospital, then transferred to Hartford Hospital for treatment of six stab wounds to the head, hand and arms, according to the report.
She told police she was sleeping in her room when she woke up to see Chattin standing over her with a rifle pointed at her. She said he dropped the rifle, then jumped on her and began the attack.
Police recovered a .22-caliber rifle, loaded with one round, and found a .22 caliber round on the floor next to the victim's bed, according to the report. They also seized a pocket knife and several other items of evidence.
Chattin is due back in New London Superior Court on March 1.
k.florin@theday.com
Twitter: @KFLORIN
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