FORT WAYNE, IN – A woman from Indiana may face several years in confinement after admitting her guilt in a harrowing hammer attack that almost killed her 10-year-old son.

Bethany Joy Fleming, 33, was arrested in October 2023 on charges of attempted murder and neglect of a dependent, resulting in serious bodily injury. Authorities allege that after striking her son on the head with a hammer, Fleming attempted to take her own life with a knife.

The gravity of the incident was underscored by a 911 call made by Fleming herself. She reportedly confessed to dispatchers, saying, “So I tried to kill him, I think I killed him, and I stabbed myself. Please my name is Bethany.”

Police officers from the Fort Wayne Police Department responded to the Tyler Terrace Apartments on Ralph Avenue on Oct. 3, 2023. The apartment complex is situated about 120 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Upon arrival, first responders found both Fleming and her son with critical injuries, prompting the involvement of the police homicide unit. Fleming was first hospitalized for her injuries before being taken into police custody.

Court records reveal a distressing narrative where Fleming told emergency dispatchers she believed that she and her son were at risk of being abducted and trafficked. She claimed she hit her son with a hammer to prevent this perceived threat.

As officers investigated, they found the boy in bed, in severe pain and distress. Despite his grim injuries, which included a fractured skull and brain bleeding, the boy survived. His condition was originally considered life-threatening.

Fleming reportedly reiterated her fears about being sold into sex slavery to the first responders and admitted to hitting her son with the hammer, believing she had no other choice.

In a plea agreement with prosecutors, Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of neglect of a dependent by reason of mental illness, which is classified as a level 3 felony. In return, prosecutors agreed to drop the more severe charge of attempted murder.

If the plea deal is accepted, Fleming’s total sentence would amount to 12 years. This includes seven years suspended, three years in Allen County Corrections Residential Services, and two years under home detention.

The agreement was presented by the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office and accepted by Fleming. However, it still awaits approval by Allen Superior Court Judge David Zent, who is expected to make a final decision at a sentencing hearing scheduled for Sept. 30.