A 37-year-old Mount Vernon man is recovering from a stab wound to the neck after a violent early-morning incident at a rural Bakerville Road home, and a 43-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the attack. Jefferson County deputies responded to the stabbing report before dawn, and by afternoon the case remained an open investigation with charges still being determined.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a stabbing report at 6:48 a.m. Wednesday, according to morningsentinel.com. Deputies located Christopher L. Hardig, a 37-year-old Mount Vernon resident, suffering from a stab wound to the neck at the East Bakerville Road location. His injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
Litton’s Ambulance Service transported Hardig to Deaconess Illinois Crossroads Hospital for treatment, per the same report. April L. Penrod, a 43-year-old Mount Vernon woman, was arrested in connection with the non-fatal stabbing and taken into custody at the scene before being transported to the Jefferson County Justice Center.
Charges Still Pending as Investigation Continues
As of Wednesday afternoon, criminal charges against Penrod had not yet been filed, per John Prudent. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said it was continuing to investigate the stabbing case, and no additional details about what led up to the confrontation had been released.
Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services responded to the Bakerville Road residence, where the agency processed the scene and collected evidence, the report noted. That evidence collection is expected to play a role in whatever charges investigators ultimately pursue against Penrod.
Address Also Tied to Earlier Burglary Case
The 10735 E. Bakerville Road address has appeared in law enforcement records before. Back on April 1, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 42-year-old April L. Penrod at that same address during a search-warrant operation tied to a burglary investigation, according to WPSD Local 6. In that earlier case, Penrod faced a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and investigators said evidence of criminal activity was collected at both locations searched that day, including the Bakerville Road property.
No information in the record connects the April burglary investigation to Wednesday’s stabbing beyond the shared address and the same individual. The sheriff’s office has not indicated whether the two cases are related in any other way.
