Freetown woman to undergo competency hearing after stabbing and manhunt for missing child

FALL RIVER — A Freetown woman arrested last week after a stabbing that led to a manhunt for a 2-year-old child was in court on Monday to face attempted murder charges. Her arraignment was postponed pending a mental competency evaluation and hearing.

A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of Angelleah Duarte, 25, of Freetown, in Fall River District Court on charges of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Duarte’s face was entirely covered by shoulder-length dark brown hair pushed forward, and her head bowed down. Duarte did not speak or move during the brief court appearance, and at times seemed to be held upright at the elbow by a court officer.

Duarte has been held since Friday’s arrest on $50,000 bail. Defense attorney Rene Brown requested Duarte undergo a 15(a) evaluation, an assessment to determine “whether a defendant in a criminal case is competent to stand trial or is criminally responsible by reason of mental illness or mental defect.”

Judge Kevin Finnerty agreed to the request, and Duarte is due back in court on Thursday, Dec. 22, to undergo the competency hearing.

Angelleah Duarte in court Monday.
Angelleah Duarte in court Monday.

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A stabbing and manhunt in Freetown

On Friday night shortly before 8:30 p.m., a Freetown resident reported police that a neighbor appeared at their door covered in blood. Upon arrival, police discovered the neighbor, a 61-year-old person, had been stabbed in the face. The victim told police that Duarte was responsible for the stabbing at a nearby home and had fled the house with a 2-year-old child.

The victim was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. A witness helped police locate Duarte shortly thereafter, and she was also hospitalized — but the child remained missing.

Freetown police, the K-9 unit and members of the Freetown Fire Department searched the area for the child, which included an emergency call to residents, search and rescue teams from the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council and a drone from Dartmouth Police equipped with a thermal-imaging camera.

According to Dartmouth police, the drone guided by Officer Justin Medeiros found the child's heat signature shortly after 10 p.m. in a wooded area a quarter-mile from where the child had last been seen; Medeiros guided Dartmouth Sgt. Scott Stanton to the area by radio. When Stanton found and recovered the child, police said, the toddler was taken to a local hospital for treatment due to exposure to cold and rain.

Angelleah Duarte in court Monday with defense attorney Rene Brown.
Angelleah Duarte in court Monday with defense attorney Rene Brown.

Duarte was arrested and taken into custody following her discharge from the hospital.

Dan Medeiros can be reached at dmedeiros@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Freetown woman to undergo competency hearing after stabbing, manhunt