Mother tried to smother child 4 times in 15 minutes in hospital, police say

by: Glenn Counts Updated:

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A mother is accused of trying to smother her one-year-old boy with her hands and a pillow while at Levine Children’s Hospital, according to a police report.

Maggie Dixon, 32, faces attempted first-degree murder and felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury.


(Maggie Dixon)

Investigators said Dixon suspected that her 12-month old son had pneumonia.

The child was in the hospital for a respiratory condition, police sources said. Hospital staff were alerted to abnormalities in the victim's vital signs and fluctuations in the boy's breathing patterns, according to police.

Authorities said the hospital staff looked at video surveillance and saw Dixon attempting to suffocate the child. Police sources told Channel 9 that Dixon tried to smother the child four times within 15 minutes.

According to police, nurses noticed the child's oxygen levels dropped and then looked at the surveillance camera in the room and allegedly saw Dixon trying to take her son's life.

Officers said that prior to the incident, there were no signs that the child had been previously abused.

Police credited the quick thinking and actions of the nurses for saving the child's life.

Dixon was removed from the room by hospital staff and was taken to be interviewed by police.

The one-year-old remains at the hospital with other family members, but is expected to recover.

The Department of Social Services is assisting with the investigation. Channel 9 is hearing that a decision has been made to turn the child over to his father once he is released from the hospital.

Channel 9 has been told that the couple is separated. They are originally from Laurinburg.

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