Mother accused in stabbing released from hospital, taken to jail

Police: Child stabbed by her mother in Fitchburg

MADISON, Wis. — A Fitchburg mother accused of stabbing her 6-year-old daughter while the girl slept has been released from a hospital and transported to the Dane County Jail.

Police said Tasha D. Harmon, 30, has been booked into the Dane County Jail on charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide.

Harmon was hospitalized for self-inflicted stab wounds on her chest and throat, police said.

Fitchburg police said Harmon stabbed her daughter multiple times as the child slept. The girl is hospitalized in critical condition but is expected to survive.

Court documents give details about the incident, but they do not say why the stabbing happened.

“That’s probably the question of the hour — what would lead a mother to injuring their child, especially to this degree?” said Fitchburg police Lt. Todd Stetzer.

Police said they were called to the 5100 block of Anton Drive at about 2:20 a.m. Monday.

Police said Harmon went to a neighbor’s house, knocked frantically at her door and told the neighbor, “I just stabbed my daughter and myself.”

The neighbor ran into the apartment and found the child lying on a bed, covered in blood, according to court documents.

Police believe Harmon stabbed her daughter 7-inch-long steak knife multiple times as the girl slept.

Police said Harmon admitted to the crime. She told investigators on the scene, “‘I went crazy, tried to kill my daughter and myself,” according to court documents.

The girl told officers, “Mommy tried to kill me,” according to court documents.

Police said the 6-year-old underwent two surgeries to save her life.

Police said they have had contact with Harmon in the past, but there was nothing that suggested her daughter was in any danger.