Montgomery County mother accused of trying to kill son with autism with bow saw

ROCKVILLE, Md. - A Montgomery County mother is facing charges after she is accused of trying to decapitate her son with a bow saw.

Kristina Petrie has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree child abuse and second-degree child abuse.

According to court documents, Petrie’s 11-year-old son returned home from school on March 12 and saw his younger brother crying on a couch while their 46-year-old mother was apparently laughing and crying.

The 11-year-old child, who has autism, went upstairs to his room to play a game before beginning his homework. A short time later, his mother came upstairs with a bow saw in her hands and asked the boy why he was not doing his homework. After telling his mother he would start his homework at a certain time, the boy reported that he left his room and went into the hallway after she raised the bow saw at him. The boy ended up in a kneeling position and the mother grinded the bow saw on the back of her son’s neck, according to the court documents.

The documents go on to say that the 11-year-old boy was able to get away from his mother while also getting the bow saw away from her. At some point, a neighbor and the child's father showed up to the home. Petrie's husband took his wife to the hospital where police were called.

The boy suffered injuries that consisted of “several thin lines with the skin broken and some scabbing.” The boy also had red cuts on his left shoulder, red marks at the top of his back and small cuts on one of his fingers.

According to an employee at the hospital, Petrie said that she felt overwhelmed and was not doing enough to help her children with their autism, court documents stated. She also said she did not want her children to grow up to be a burden to society and the children needed to die.

Petrie's attorney told FOX 5 that her client never intended to harm her child and cannot comment on the mother's mental condition.

Petrie is being held without bond and is undergoing additional evaluation.