Beach Park man charged in 9-year-old’s stabbing denied pretrial release

A Lake County judge Friday denied pretrial release for a Beach Park man charged in connection with the stabbing of a 9-year-old child.

Demetrius Fisher, 30, of the 3800 block of N. Manor Ave., is charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection with the Feb. 15 stabbing. He will appear in court again on March 12.

“Our entire office is thinking about the child that is currently undergoing medical treatment,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement. “We will support the child and the family, and we are glad to hear that this defendant will be detained during the pendency of the case.”

Authorities said, the 9-year-old’s mother was in a dating relationship with Fisher and was living in a home with him and the child. The morning of Feb. 15, officials at the child’s school called the mother asking why the child was not in attendance. When the child’s mother returned home, she saw Fisher leaving the house and Fisher ran away when he saw her, authorities said.

When the mother went into the house, she saw her child on the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds, authorities said.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the house around 10:45 a.m. Detectives learned Fisher got on a bus and likely was headed to a train station. Fisher was taken into custody at the Waukegan Metra station.

The child was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville Friday with critical, life-threatening injuries. Information about the child’s condition was not immediately available Saturday.