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A female stranger threw an innocent young girl onto the tracks of the light rail train station while the train was approaching last Friday night, as reported by NJ.com. Fortunately, the police officers managed to stop the train from completely running through the girl in time. The police confirmed the girl’s status.
The woman, later known as 20-year-old Autumn Matacchiera of Hainesport, New Jersey, was not related in any manner to the girl. The five-year-old girl was with her mother and the mother’s boyfriend. The couple were taken by surprise by Matacchiera’s sudden act. She was charged with attempted murder by the police.
According to NJ.com, the whole terrifying episode occurred around 8:30pm. A Burlington police officer was notified by a concerned New Jersey Transit bus driver who said that the woman was behaving dubiously around the area between High and Broad streets.
Police said that officers immediately responded to the incident. They found Matacchiera and approached her. She eventually noticed that police officers were walking towards her. She then acted erratically and grabbed the victim and threw her onto the tracks. The train can be heard approaching the platform.
Police officers immediately jumped onto the tracks and signaled to the train to take a full stop. The mother’s boyfriend jumped after and picked up his girlfriend’s daughter. Police wasted no time in restraining Matacchiera. They took her into custody.
The young girl, on the other hand, was taken to Memorial Hospital of Burlington County. She suffered a few minor injuries such as a cut to her face and bruising on some parts of her body. Police said that once she was completely treated, the young girl was released.
According to NJ.com, Matacchiera was taken to Lourdes Medical Center after the police noticed that she might have some mental issues. She underwent a psychiatric evaluation. However, she still remained in police custody and in jail.
This horrible incident, which happens without the expectancy of its arrival, proves that it can be prevented when citizens and bystanders are alert and observant of their surroundings.
The City of Burlington Police Department and the New Jersey Transit Police encourages passengers to report “suspicious behavior” when they’re taking the public transportation.
Laura Matacchiera, Autumn’s mom, said, “She is not a criminal. She has mental health issues. It’s an ongoing problem.”
Laura confirmed that her daughter has mental issues and that she has “never hurt anybody,” according to NJ.com.
Laura also told NJ.com, “we as parents are thankful she’s okay.” Laura was pertaining to the young girl who was thrown onto the tracks by Laura’s daughter, Autumn.
According to an August 2016 report obtained by NJ.com, Autumn went to Chamberlain International School in Massachusetts. The school focuses on helping students with difficulties involving learning. Laura added, “If it wasn’t for Chamberlain, I wouldn’t know where my daughter would be.”
The Chamberlain school recently faced controversy regarding its alleged mistreatment of students.
According to Autumn Matacchiera’s Facebook page, she helped in therapeutic horsemanship lessons at Moorestown’s Majoda Stables. It also said that she left Chamberlain school in 2012.
Autumn also kept a personal blog to write about how she was going through with her situation. Nj.com retrieved some of the contents of her online blog.
She wrote on an entry posted on January 12th, “I have been in the mental health system for many years and seen some things change, [some] things stay the same. I want to help other people who are in it.”
Laura stated, “We as parents are not making light of this.” She also shared that her daughter Autumn relapses and had been entering and leaving mental health institutions for six years. Autumn’s condition wasn’t identified or given by her mother.
Suspects with mental health issues and had committed a crime tend to lead to debates on how to handle such cases appropriately. What Autumn did to the girl can be construed as a crime. However, her mental state complicates the judicial process and how she’s going to be tried for the charges given to her.
Hopefully, Autumn Matacchiera will be given the proper sentence according to what she can handle and with every circumstance from both parties considered. Matacchiera is currently in jail without bail.
