Missouri Woman Pulled Butcher Knife From Purse, Tried To Stab Her Children While Driving Down Highway: Sheriff

A Missouri woman was charged with attempted murder after she took out a butcher knife from her purse and tried stabbing her children while driving down the highway, officials said.

On Feb. 23, deputies were dispatched to a domestic disturbance taking place on Interstate 70 in Columbia, the Cooper County Sheriff’s Office said.

Once at the scene, deputies found a male and two children on the side of the road.

The man told deputies that his wife, later identified as 41-year-old Jennifer Fangmann, had taken a butcher knife from her purse while he was driving and lunged at their two children in the vehicle, according to officials.

He told police that his wife had a “mental status change” and he heard her saying, “Please forgive me,” and “I can’t let them take or hurt the kids,” KRCG-TV reported.

The husband was able to intervene and stop Fangmann from assaulting the children, the sheriff's office said.

The man then pulled over and started removing the children, who had minor injuries, from the vehicle. He was able to get both children and the knife out of the vehicle. He suffered a cut on his hand during the struggle.

Meanwhile, Fangmann got behind the wheel of the vehicle and started driving westbound down the eastbound median.

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

The car stopped once it hit a concrete drain, and Fangmann exited and attempted to walk into traffic.

Deputies were able to get ahold of her before she was hurt. She was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital for a medical evaluation.

On Feb. 24, Fangmann was charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of domestic assault, two counts of attempted abuse or neglect of a child, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of armed criminal action.

She was booked into the Cooper County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond.