LOWELL — Almost a yr in the past, Sebastian DeGout’s mom filed a petition, urging his necessary hospitalization. She warned that his psychological well being struggles and drug use made him a hazard to himself and others.
The petition was denied.
Now, the 38-year-old DeGout stands accused of stabbing his mom greater than 10 instances with a folding knife inside her 18th Avenue house in Dracut final Saturday.
These particulars, together with accounts of the violent assault, surfaced throughout DeGout’s 58A dangerousness listening to in Lowell District Court docket on Thursday. On the urging of the Middlesex District Lawyer’s Workplace, Choose William Travaun Bailey deemed DeGout a public menace and ordered him held with out bail because the case strikes ahead.
“There’s no question he’s a danger based on the facts of this case, your honor,” Middlesex Assistant District Lawyer Christina Morris informed Bailey. “You can’t stab someone ten times on their neck, their back, their legs. This indicates a prolonged incident. … He stabbed her again, again, and again.”
Through the listening to, Morris referenced Dracut Police Division incident reviews to stipulate the case. On the time of the alleged assault, at roughly 5 p.m., DeGout’s mom had been on the cellphone together with her sister in New York. The sister later informed police that, “out of the blue,” her sibling started screaming by the cellphone as if she was being attacked and pleaded together with her to name the police. The decision then disconnected. The sister tried to name her again, however was unsuccessful. Although a state away, she contacted authorities in an try and get assist for her sister.
The police report states that following the alleged assault, DeGout left the house on foot, whereas the alleged sufferer sought assist by banging on a neighbor’s door. Neighbors tried to cease the bleeding by tying sweatshirts round her wounds.
Police stated the 55-year-old girl suffered “at least 10 wounds,” together with lacerations to her neck, again, stomach, arm, and leg. Because of the severity of her situation, she was unable to speak with officers on the scene and was airlifted to Lahey Hospital & Medical Heart in Burlington in important situation.
Police stated within the report that there have been blood spatter and stains on partitions, flooring, and blankets contained in the house. Morris identified throughout Thursday’s listening to that blood smeared throughout a wall steered a violent battle came about.
Responding officers, in the meantime, discovered DeGout “walking at a fast pace” on Methuen Avenue and Beacon Avenue shortly after the alleged assault. Through the listening to, DeGout’s lawyer, Thomas Mixon, emphasised his consumer’s cooperation with police, noting that DeGout surrendered with out resistance and willingly knowledgeable officers that the knife they sought was in his pants pocket.
In line with police, the “multicolored metallic folding knife” recovered from DeGout had blood on it, whereas DeGout himself had blood stains on his arms, pants, and behind his proper ear.
The police report states that the girl underwent surgical procedure the evening of the alleged assault. She stays hospitalized.
Police stated of their report that DeGout’s brother knowledgeable authorities that DeGout had been dwelling with him in New York for a time frame. The brother disclosed that DeGout had made feedback and threats about harming their mom, stating he meant to harm her if she “keeps (expletive) with him.”
DeGout, at the moment recognized as a Dracut resident, has been charged with assault and battery with a harmful weapon inflicting critical bodily harm, and mayhem. Court docket paperwork present that on the time of this alleged assault, he additionally had an excellent arrest warrant for a drug-related offense.
Throughout Thursday’s listening to, Morris introduced up DeGout’s felony historical past, together with one other 2019 stabbing incident that came about in Lowell. Mixon, nonetheless, emphasised that the fees associated to that case have been finally dismissed.
Mixon went on to unsuccessfully argue that the prosecution failed to satisfy “a burden of clear and convincing evidence” to show that DeGout poses a hazard to the neighborhood.
“While there was blood on the scene and the alleged victim certainly suffered some injuries in this matter, it still remains to be seen what happened in that apartment,” Mixon stated.
If his consumer have been discovered to be a menace, Mixon proposed a number of situations for DeGout’s launch to make sure public security. These included searching for employment — Mixon famous that, although DeGout is at the moment unemployed, he had a job lined up in Lowell — reporting recurrently to probation, abstaining from alcohol and medicines, and present process a psychological analysis, which Mixon described as “crucial” for his consumer.
Mixon steered that DeGout’s psychological well being historical past, as detailed within the petition filed by the alleged sufferer — which was filed in New York in April 2024 — might play a important function in his protection. Mixon highlighted the petition’s descriptions of DeGout’s substance abuse and psychological well being, referencing diagnoses of “bipolar and schizophrenic disorders” as potential components to contemplate in evaluating felony duty.
DeGout is scheduled to return to courtroom for a possible trigger listening to on April 18.
Observe Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky@aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
Initially Printed:
