A 42-year-old mother from Michigan was arrested after allegedly biting her own daughter on the neck and strangling her before throwing her headfirst down a flight of stairs.
Jennifer Lynn Vargas was arrested earlier this month and charged with one count of assault with intent to murder and one count of first-degree child abuse, according to court documents reviewed by Law & Crime. Both charges have a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The incident occurred just before midnight on November 8, 2024, inside Vargas’ home in Blair Township, according to MLive. Blair Township is approximately 160 miles northwest of Lansing.
According to the report, Michigan State Police troopers arrived at the home and approached Vargas and the victim in the driveway. Investigators then interviewed both individuals separately.
Police confirmed that the victim is Vargas’ daughter, but they did not release her name or age.
The victim reportedly told authorities that Vargas attacked her, hitting her several times, strangling her, and then throwing her down a flight of stairs.
Authorities reported that the victim, who claimed that she and Vargas had fought over a knife, had at least one visible bite mark and a cut on her hand.
In addition to her visible injuries, the victim claimed that Vargas strangled her multiple times, causing her to lose consciousness.
Emergency medical personnel arrested Vargas and transported the victim to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City for treatment.
Court documents obtained by Traverse City NBC affiliate WPBN revealed additional information about the alleged attack.
The victim allegedly told authorities that Vargas physically assaulted her for more than an hour. The victim claimed Vargas strangled her and slammed her head into the floor before throwing her down the stairs headfirst, according to court documents.
The victim allegedly pretended to be unconscious after falling down the stairs. When Vargas turned away, the victim allegedly ran to a nearby bedroom and locked the door.
Vargas allegedly broke through the locked door, held the victim down on the bed, and strangled her again as she tried to escape through a window. Vargas allegedly told the victim while strangling her that “she was going to be sacrificed.”
The Grand Traverse County Jail is currently holding Vargas in lieu of a $250,000 bond. A judge ordered her to avoid contact with the victim and to stay at least 500 yards away.
On December 2, Vargas will appear in court for a preliminary hearing at 11 a.m.
