Mom of suspected Ukrainian refugee killer speaks out on the horrific attack
Topics: Crime, Mental Health, North Carolina, US News, Ukraine
Liv Bridge
Featured Image Credit: Charlotte Area Transit System
Topics: Crime, Mental Health, North Carolina, US News, Ukraine
A mom has broken her silence after her son stands accused of murdering a young woman on a train last month.
On August 22, Decarlos Brown Jr. allegedly stabbed and killed a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, while on a train in North Carolina.
Harrowing video footage appears to show Zarutska board the train and sit in front of Brown who moments later allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed her several times.
The 34-year-old has since been charged with first-degree murder over the unprovoked attack and is now facing federal charges as well.
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The justice department also confirmed Brown has been charged with causing death on a mass transportation system.
Now, Brown's family have been speaking out about the harrowing incident, claiming their family member had long struggled with his mental health and schizophrenia.
His half brother, Jeremiah, recently told the New York Post that the death could have been prevented.
Now, mom Michelle Dewitt has spoken out about the ordeal to the outlet and about her son, suggesting the local authorities failed Brown for turning him away when the family sought help for his schizophrenic fantasies.
Speaking to The Post, Michelle added that her son should never have been left to walk the streets as a free man due to his mental health rapidly plummeting.
“He shouldn’t have been released,” the 51-year-old said in reference to his prior arrest in January after which he was released on a 'written promise' to appear before a court.
The mom also claimed she had taken Brown to a homeless shelter just days before the horrific attack after he had reportedly become aggressive towards her and her husband.
“When you bring a person to mental health, and [they] tell you ‘We don’t have enough space’ or ‘Is he trying to kill himself or someone else?’ and I say no, then there is nothing we can do, you need to get a court order,” she said.
However, she refuted allegations that her son had attacked the refugee because she was white, saying he was 'definitely not racist' and that he had 'dated all kinds of girls.'
Instead, she suggested he had become convinced someone was controlling him with a 'chip' in his brain.
Prior to the death, Brown was arrested in January for 'misuse of the 911 system' during which he reportedly told cops 'man-made' materials inside him were controlling his body.
Brown was left 'upset' by the way police responded and called 911 when they were still there, which resulted in him being charged.
Despite this, he wasn't detained and was released the same day.
"He could do it again," Jeremiah went on to say of his brother's alleged crimes. "They should still treat him for his mental issues but there are consequences for his actions."
Meanwhile, Michelle said she's planning to visit her son from jail and 'let him talk' while trying to explain what's happened.
"I don’t think he understands what’s happening," she added, revealing that Brown thinks he'll be coming home soon.
United States Attorney General Pam Bondi has since said the authorities could be seeking the death penalty for Brown.