ALTON - A woman from Alton faces four felony charges after she allegedly “used her 2-year-old child as a human shield” while resisting arrest, fighting officers, and more.
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Chalyn R. Everage, 27, of Alton, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery and one count each of endangering the life or health of a child, criminal damage to property, and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
On April 19, 2024, Everage allegedly endangered her 2-year-old child during a heated confrontation in which she shattered the windows of an Alton home, fought with officers and more, according to a petition to deny her pretrial release.
“Defendant was identified as the suspect who shattered numerous windows of [a] residence,” the petition states. “When officers went to arrest her, the defendant refused to exit [the] residence, instead fleeing to a bedroom, where she used her 2-year-old child as a human shield to try to prevent her arrest.
“After officers carefully removed the child, she continued to fight with officers, repeatedly kneeing one officer in the groin, spitting on officers, then biting an officer's finger, causing injury.”
The state’s petition to keep Everage detained was later denied and she was granted pretrial release; according to a Release Order filed in this case, the state failed to sufficiently prove that no set of conditions could mitigate the threat Everage poses, and instead imposed additional conditions on her pretrial release.
According to the Release Order, Everage is not allowed to have any form of contact with the victims in this case, nor visit the residence she damaged. She is to be placed on electronic monitoring, has been ordered to home confinement, and is only allowed to travel to and from Jerseyville during specific hours for her childcare and employment. She must also refrain from possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon.
In total, Everage faces two Class 2 felonies for aggravated battery, two Class 4 felonies for criminal property damage and resisting or obstructing a peace officer, and a Class A misdemeanor for endangering the life or health of a child.
The Alton Police Department presented the case against Everage. According to Madison County court records, she waived her right to a preliminary hearing and her trial date has been set for June 10, 2024.
The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an indication of guilt. All subjects charged with criminal offenses are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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