UTICA, NY – A 35-year-old Utica woman, China Butler, was arrested on Thursday on charges of first-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The arrest was the result of an investigation into an assault that occurred on Friday, May 5, in a residence on the 700 block of Court Street.
The Utica Police Department and Fire units reported that Butler attacked a male acquaintance during an argument.
She dumped a crock pot of stew over the man’s head, causing severe burns to his body and head, and then proceeded to strike him in the head with a baseball bat.
The victim was transported to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Syracuse due to the severity of his injuries. Butler was located and arrested by the New York/New Jersey Regional Marshall’s Task Force, which includes members of the Utica Police Department and Oneida County Sheriff Office.
