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Fairfield Woman Committed Tuesday After Early Morning Knife Incident

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — A Fairfield woman was arrested and given an emergency hospital committal Tuesday after she apparently mistook her mother-in-law for an intruder, slapping her and coming after her with a chef’s knife, police said.

A Pheasant Lane woman was arrested after police said she attacked her mother-in-law with a chef's knife Tuesday morning.

A Pheasant Lane woman was arrested after police said she attacked her mother-in-law with a chef's knife Tuesday morning.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern

The 35-year-old Pheasant Lane woman asked police who arrived at the scene, “What do I have to do to hurt someone and not get shot by police?”

No one was injured in the 6:45 a.m. incident, which was eerily similar to the domestic tragedy that occurred exactly a week ago at a home on nearby Mountain Laurel Road. Christopher Andrews, who allegedly attacked his wife and three children with a knife and a baseball bat on Feb. 16, was fatally shot by a police officer.

Police found the Pheasant Lane woman, who was no longer holding the knife, in her bedroom and her mother-in-law, who lives in the home, in her own locked bedroom.

She told police her mother-in-law does not live with them and, in fact, died years ago.

Family members told police that the woman is being treated for psychological issues and may have been on the sleeping aid Ambien when the incident occurred.

Ambien may cause serious side effects, including “more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression and suicidal thoughts or actions,” according to the federal Food & Drug Administration’s website.

Police have not publicly ruled out pharmaceuticals as a factor in the Feb. 16 incident. Andrews’ family and friends have said Andrews’ alleged behavior that day was completely out of character for a man they’ve described as a loving, involved husband and father.

The Pheasant Lane woman was charged with disorderly conduct and was given an emergency committal to St. Vincent’s Medical Center “for her suicidal/homicidal thoughts,” police said. She was released on a promise to appear in court on Feb. 24.

State Police officers, who are leading the investigation into the Feb. 16 incident, were not expected to release any new details Tuesday.

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