[StBernard] Chalmette woman charged with attempted murder of her daughters

[Westley Annis]

Chalmette woman charged with attempted murder of her daughters

wwltv.com
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 9:50 PM

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.