Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- A 35-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly abusing her 7-year-old son.
- The boy, bloodied, sought help from neighbors by going door to door; his mother was later detained.
- The mother allegedly assaulted others and tried disarming an officer during arrest.
WEST VALLEY CITY — A 35-year-old woman who allegedly left her son bloodied and going door-to-door seeking help has been arrested.
Petrice Shirley Marie Gustafson was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Monday for investigation of aggravated child abuse, disarming a police officer and burglary.
The odd series of events happened Saturday when West Valley police were called to investigate the alleged abuse of a 7-year-old boy, according to police.
"Witnesses stated that the child was walking from home to home looking for assistance. The child was found by witnesses who stated the child was covered in blood and soaked with water," a police booking affidavit states.
Others also observed the boy's mother walking around the neighborhood looking for the boy.
"Witnesses heard (Gustafson) say, 'Somebody call 911, I just tried to kill my kid,'" according to the affidavit. "The victim child told witnesses that (Gustafon) had hit him with a statue and attempted to drown him. Witnesses and officers observed multiple deep lacerations and bruises on the victim child. The child had trouble moving and talking after the incident."
While neighbors were with the boy, Gustafson went back to her home, took off all of her clothes and then went into a neighbor's home uninvited, exposing herself to a child inside and assaulting another person in the house, the affidavit states.
After being taken into police custody, Gustafson "attempted to take the holstered firearm of a police officer, by reaching for it and touching it twice while saying, 'You're going to have to kill me' and 'Give me your gun, you're going to have to kill me,'" according to the affidavit.
As police continued to investigate, they discovered a video showing "the arrested party striking the child and right after asking, 'Do you want me to kill my son?' A search of the home found a large amount of blood on multiple levels, as well as a broken statue and a bathtub full of water. The bathtub was covered in blood," according to the affidavit.
The boy was taken to a local hospital to be treated for cuts to his head but has since been released, according to West Valley police.
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated the boy was 5 years old, based on information collected from West Valley police. He is 7 years old.
