Woman accused of throwing knives at neighborhood children

A Lakewood woman accused of throwing knives at two children who lived across the hall allegedly told police she was aiming for their eyes.

The kids, ages 15 and 10, were able to get away from the woman and call for help.

On Friday, Pierce County prosecutors charged the 35-year-old woman with two counts of first-degree assault. She pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail.

The confrontation took place Thursday at the Lakewood apartment complex where they all lived.

“The victims said that earlier in the day the defendant kicked in the door to their apartment and tried to force her way inside and assault them,” according to charging papers.

The 15-year-old pushed the woman out of their apartment and shut the door, though it no longer latched properly and had a big dent.

Later in the day, the woman came out of her apartment and started yelling at a group of kids.

“The victims said the defendant went inside her apartment and returned with a handful of knives and began throwing the knives” at them, records show.

By the time police arrived, the woman had returned to her apartment, and the children were waiting for officers in the parking lot.

When officers asked the woman if she threw knives at the kids, she allegedly showed them four large knives and said she was trying to hit the children’s eyes.

The woman is believed to have been under the influence of drugs or to have mental health problems, records show. She was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Prosecutors said they might add additional charges, including first-degree burglary.

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Woman accused of throwing knives at neighborhood children."