Diners at a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, allegedly saw a mother abusing her children in the early morning hours of March 3, 2024. Chrystal Fennel, 41, appeared intoxicated while she allegedly physically attacked her young children at the restaurant at 14991 Old Hickory Blvd. in South Nashville. Witnesses called police, who arrived around 4 a.m.
Fennell allegedly pushed her children and swung at them with a whip, Breaking News Network reported. She reportedly appeared so intoxicated that police did not conduct a field sobriety test as they feared she would run.
More from CafeMom: Ring Camera Captures Mom Brutally Beating 3-Year-Old Son Because He 'Wasn't Listening'
The mother had two children with her at the restaurant.
Witnesses told police that Fennell arrived at the Waffle House in a white Chevy Suburban with her two children, aged 5 and 6, according to WSMV. While inside the restaurant, the mother allegedly pushed her children and was swinging a whip at them. The physical aggression prompted witnesses to contact police.
When officers arrived, they were cautious.
Police observed Fennell's erratic behavior and reportedly felt she was heavily intoxicated, BNN reported.
Officers began questioning her about the alleged abuse and found a whip among her belongings, but her behavior complicated the situation. After confronting the mother, officers feared she would run into traffic if they asked her to perform a field sobriety test, so they declined to do so.
The mother reportedly told police she'd been drinking.
During the interaction with police, she reportedly admitted to drinking alcohol, WSMV reported. Officers feared there was more to her behavior than just being drunk. She was reportedly extremely fidgety while speaking with police and, at one point, appeared to be conversing with people who were not there, per the news outlet.
Fennell was taken to a nearby hospital.
She reportedly complained of chest pains and was taken to Nashville General Hospital. She appeared heavily intoxicated and showed signs of potential cocaine or methamphetamine use, WSMV reported. The mother was reportedly paranoid and hallucinated. While at the hospital, she allegedly spat in an officer's face, according to the news station.
Fennell was arrested and charged.
Fennell was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with two counts of attempted assault on a child, assaulting a police officer, and driving under the influence with children in the car. It is unclear what happened to her children or if Fennell is still in jail.
More from CafeMom: Mom Arrested After Video of Her Allegedly Driving With Her Son in the Car Trunk Went Viral
Child abuse is an epidemic in the United States.
According to the National Children's Alliance, more than 600,000 children are abused in the US each year. Sadly, in most child abuse situations, the children are abused by their parents. Per the most recent data from 2021, 77% of substantiated abuse claims were against parents.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
