VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - A Valdosta woman was detained and taken to the hospital for evaluation Sunday night after a welfare check escalated into a tense standoff with police.

Valdosta Police say officers responded to a welfare check on East Park Avenue, where they encountered a woman inside an apartment holding a large kitchen knife. Officers attempted to speak with her, but she refused to open the door.

According to police, the woman began stabbing the window and told officers that if they entered the apartment, they would be hurt. Officers say she later held the knife close to herself and her infant’s neck, significantly raising concerns for the child’s safety.

At one point, police say the woman put the knife down and walked away. That’s when an officer forced entry into the apartment and took the woman into custody without injury. She was transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

The infant was unharmed and has been placed in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS).

“Our officers did another outstanding job during an extremely tense situation,” said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan. “Incidents like this are extremely stressful, but when small children are involved, it adds more stress to the officers. Many of them have small children as well, but they must put their feelings and emotions aside to get the job done. They quickly developed a plan and executed it perfectly, ensuring that neither the baby nor the mother was injured.”

The case remains under investigation. Stay with us for more updates.

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