Mother faked autistic child’s death to leave him alone in a Clarksville motel — Vanessa Blanchard

In October of 2021, New Providence Middle School SRO Dwayne James contacted Vanessa Blanchard to inquire why her 12-year-old son was not at school, he was informed the child had died as the result of a seizure two days prior. The school announced the child’s death and had a fundraiser to pay for funeral expenses, which Blanchard said would be at Sykes Funeral Home. When the school contacted the funeral home to donate the money, they had no record of the family or any arrangements.

The school reached out to Blanchard again, and she explained the child’s body was at Tennova, awaiting an autopsy. Two weeks later, the child’s school-issued laptop was realized to be active at the Vacation Motor Motel.

Deputies responded to the location and found the boy in the room, but otherwise alive and well. Vanessa Blanchard admitted to leaving the child there alone and checking on him every other day, or so. Blanchard is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a child, and fraud – false impression of death. She remains jailed on a $5,000 bond.

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Woman charged with felony auto burglary after food fight — Lahajsia Unique Amos

20-year-old Lahajsia Unique Amos is free on a $5,000 bond after Clarksville Police say she got into a food fight with a female acquaintance of her child’s father, who was bringing a car seat to her house on Christmas Eve. She allegedly punched her in the head, pulled her hair, and assaulted her with a fountain drink and bag of food from Wendy’s, which she took from the victim’s car. The victim threw a yogurt cup back at Amos.

Since both parties were involved in the fight, and neither pressed charges, Officer JT Knoblock charged Lahajsia Amos with felony burglary of a motor vehicle, stating she took the bag of Wendy’s food used during the assault from the victim’s vehicle without permission.

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Domestic Violence Advocate charged in assault of her husband — Heather Goodmancave arrested

30-year-old Heather Goodman-Cave was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on Christmas Day, charged with the domestic assault of her husband, Justin Goodman-Cave, after she reportedly accused him of being unfaithful and assaulted him with her fists and a laptop. She is free on a $250 cash bond.

Goodman has worked with the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, and is a prominent figure in the domestic violence resource community, frequently being the public face of the organization at events. Police noted a history of domestic violence calls between the couple.

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