Mahanoy City woman jailed after threat with knife

Apr. 30—MAHANOY CITY — A borough woman was jailed after allegedly threatening her granddaughter's boyfriend with a knife at their home Thursday night.

Mahanoy City police Patrolman Thomas Rentschler charged Debora A. Hettrick, 60, of 617 W. Pine St., with one felony count of aggravated assault and one misdemeanor count each of simple assault and possessing instruments of crime.

Hettrick was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post 10% of $10,000 bail.

Rentschler said he was called to the home at about 9:15 p.m. for a report of a disturbance and learned that Hettrick had told Asia Jackson, her granddaughter, and Chad Lytle that they were overfeeding their 2-month-old child. Lytle said he was going to give the baby a bottle, but the woman said if he did, she would take it from him, Rentschler said.

Lytle said he went to the kitchen to begin making a bottle when Hettrick entered the room, grabbed a 12-inch knife, raised it above her head and came after him, Rentschler said. The officer said Hettrick backed Lytle into a corner and began yelling until Jackson came in and Hettrick put the knife down.

Rentschler said Hettrick told him that Lytle called to her so he could punch her, prompting her to grab the knife and walk toward him to defend herself. He said Hettrick demonstrated how she held the knife above her head as she approached Lytle.

The officer said Hettrick was tired of Lytle's child care and living habits and that she had enough.

Hettrick will have to answer to the charges at a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker in his Shenandoah courtroom at a later date.