REDFIELD, S.D. (AP) - Authorities say the man accused of holding a boy hostage in a hospital in a northeastern South Dakota community was able to breach a lockdown of the facility because a door lock failed.
Spink County sheriff’s deputies suspected Matthew Mathern was headed for Community Memorial Hospital Avera in Redfield Monday as they chased his vehicle with a 10-year-old boy inside. Officials say Mathern had been at the hospital earlier, appeared agitated and left.
Pursuing deputies notified the hospital to lock down and evacuate. The Argus Leader reports Spink County Attorney Vic Fischbach says Mathern entered the hospital because a magnetic door lock failed.
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The boy was released unharmed and Mathern eventually surrendered. He’s charged with aggravated assault, child abuse and aggravated eluding. It wasn’t immediately clear if Mathern had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
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Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
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