A Wisconsin woman of Russian heritage allegedly strangled her son while “amped up” over the war in Ukraine, officials say.
Natalia Hitchcock, 41, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide for allegedly choking her 8-year old son on March 30, who later died due to his injuries, and trying to drown her 11-year-old son in the bathtub the day before, according to a criminal complaint filed with the State of Wisconsin Circuit Court on Tuesday.
Hitchcock’s husband of 15 years told police he became concerned about her mental state as she watched Russia’s invasion of Ukraine devolve in recent days, according to the complaint obtained by Law & Crime.
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The husband said that Hitchcock had asked him to buy survival gear such as a camping stove and fuel, along with knives and guns. He added that he bought extra food and camping supplies to “make her feel safe,” but not the guns or knives.
Hitchcock also complained to her husband about not being able to book a flight to see her parents, who live in Russia, in the days leading up to the incident.
Officers who responded on March 30 reported that they found Oliver Hitchcock lying on his back unconscious with bruises on his neck. Oliver was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The complaint says Hitchcock confessed to police that she strangled her youngest son and held her 11-year-old son’s head underwater in a bathtub the day before.
Hitchcock told police that she had not slept in five days leading up to the assault and had taken half a bottle of Tylenol pills hours before, putting her in a state of “brain fog.”
The mother said she was paranoid in recent days that people were looking at her as if she were a Russian spy, which made her worry that her children would be taken away by people “on the dark web”
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Hitchcock also expressed concern about what would happen to her children if she committed suicide, deciding to “end his suffering with my hands,” the complaint read.
Hitchcock is being held on a $1 million bond and expected to appear in court on April 7.
