An elderly man was found covered in blood after he was stabbed in the neck by his son during an argument at an apartment in Waukegan, prosecutors said.
David K. Amoako-Dennis, 23, of Waukegan, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery to a victim over 60 and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The Waukegan Police Department responded around 12 p.m. on December 24 to the 1000 block of Lakehurst Road in Waukegan for a report of a domestic dispute.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Daly said officers arrived and found Amoako-Dennis outside of the residence.
Amoako-Dennis was covered in blood and made reference to stabbing his father, Daly said.
Officers detained Amoako-Dennis and went inside to find the 70-year-old victim covered in blood. There was also blood throughout the residence.
Daly said the father had a penetrating wound to his neck and was bleeding heavily from both his head and neck.
Paramedics transported him to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where he received stitches for his wound along with a head injury he received while falling during the attack.
The victim told officers he and Amoako-Dennis got into an argument and Amoako-Dennis grabbed a knife before saying he was going to kill his father, Daly said.
Daly said Amoako-Dennis tried to stab his father multiple times but was unsuccessfully initially as the victim was able to defend himself.
Amoako-Dennis then stabbed the victim in the neck, causing the large laceration, Daly said.
A neighbor heard screaming and knocked on the apartment. The victim opened the door but was pulled back into the residence by Amoako-Dennis.
Amoako-Dennis made suicidal statements after being arrested and was transported to Vista Medical Center East for a psychiatric evaluation.
He also told officers that he did not believe the man inside the home was his father but was instead an imposter, Daly said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Amoako-Dennis pending trial and a detention hearing was held earlier this month.
A public defender representing Amoako-Dennis said his client suffers from mental health issues.
Lake County Judge Charles Johnson granted the petition and remanded Amoako-Dennis to the Lake County Jail.
The judge called the nature of the incident “egregious” and said there were no conditions of release that could mitigate the threat Amoako-Dennis poses.
A status of preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.