(CNN) — A woman who tried to beat up her ex-boyfriend’s son with a five-pound dumbbell and smother him with a pillow is now facing an attempted murder charge, police in Maryland said Wednesday.
Helen Marie Newsome, 26, broke a home in Landover and hid inside for 10 hours before she attacked the 8-year-old in bed Saturday morning, Prince George’s Police Capt. Jimmy Simms said.
“Newsome grabbed a pillow and placed it over the child’s face and then began striking him in the head with a weapon,” police said in a statement.
The boy fought back and ran away. Police hailed him as a hero on Wednesday.
“Not only does he have the know-how to get away from the danger, but he sees who it is that attacked him and tells the police,” he said. “This young boy (is) only 8 years old and fought back to someone who was trying to take his life. It is a very heroic thing to do.”
The boy, who had multiple lacerations on his head, was treated and released from the hospital, police said.
CNN affiliate WJLA reported that woman had been hiding in a closet and attacked when the boy’s father left for work.
The boy’s father had broken off a relationship with her last week, WJLA said.
“She tried to hurt him by hurting me, ’cause he loves me more than anything, cause I’m his son,” the boy told the CNN affiliate.
Police say Newsome, who also has a 1-year-old child with the boy’s father, is charged with first-degree attempted murder and is being held on $500,000 bond.
“She has admitted her involvement in the assault,” police said in a statement. The suspect was remorseful when police arrested her Saturday, authorities said.
At her house, police found bloody clothing, items she allegedly stole form the house and the dumbbell she allegedly used to hit the boy, Simms said.
Newsome appeared in court for a bail hearing on Tuesday, court records show.
It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether there was an attorney representing her or whether she had entered a plea.
