A shocking incident unfolded in Knoxville when 19-year-old Charles Coffman was implicated in a violent attack involving a plunger and bleach, subsequently kidnapping a child, according to statements made in police reports. 991 The Sports Animal obtained the police report, which detailed the grim findings of the detective on the scene, who reportedly found the victim in a bathroom at 1200 Mercer Street.
The detective arrived to perform a wellness check around 8:45 a.m. Sunday, after receiving a call expressing concern that Coffman might have murdered the man and abducted his 3-year-old daughter, as reported by WBIR. Police said they discovered the man naked, with serious head injuries and noted the absence of the child and a stolen Ford Expedition, which was found by officers in Sevierville, carrying both Coffman and the child.
Coffman now faces charges including aggravated kidnapping, attempted second degree murder, tampering with evidence, and theft. He purportedly admitted to police that he entered a physical altercation with the victim, utilizing a toilet plunger as a weapon and dousing the victim with bleach. “[Coffman said] he slammed the victim into the ground, struck him in the face multiple times with his fists, struck [the victim] with a toilet plunger and stuffed this plunger into the victim’s mouth. [Coffman] also admitted to dragging the victim into the bathroom, stripping him naked, and pouring bleach on the victim’s wounds,” according to the police report obtained by WVLT.
Adding layers to the convoluted case, the child's mother disclaimed any connection with Coffman, a fact that contradicts Coffman's earlier claim that he had been sent by her to collect the child, per police reports. His mother, while currently incarcerated, supposedly instructed Coffman from jail, with told meetings to claim the child and vehicle - a directive she denied ever giving, as per the statements gathered by authorities and reported by WBIR. Meanwhile, the victim, suffering from a subdural hematoma among other injuries, received urgent medical care and was unable to provide immediate testimony.
Subsequent to his arrest, Coffman, remaining in the Knox County Jail, wrote an apology letter to the victim, as shown by the documents. His bond had not been set as of yesterday afternoon. The child, fortunately, was unharmed and evaluated at East Tennessee Children's Hospital.
