KNOXVILLE, TN – Police arrested a Knoxville man early Sunday after a violent assault left one man hospitalized and a young child missing, authorities said.
Officers responded to a residence on Mercer Street around 4 a.m. after receiving a request for a wellness check. Upon forcibly entering the home, investigators discovered a man suffering from severe head injuries in the bathroom. The victim was reportedly naked, and a three-year-old child and a Ford Expedition were nowhere to be found.
According to police, the ensuing search for the missing child and vehicle led officers to Sevierville, where both 19-year-old Charles Coffman and the unharmed child were located inside the vehicle.
Detectives said the victim, whose identity has not been released, was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment of significant injuries.
Authorities allege Coffman entered the home and initiated a physical altercation with the victim, during which he repeatedly struck the man, used a toilet plunger as a weapon, and forced the plunger into the victim’s mouth. Coffman is also accused of dragging the victim into a bathroom, stripping him naked, and pouring bleach over his wounds.
During questioning, Coffman allegedly told officers he was asked by the child’s mother to go to the home and pick her up using a rideshare service. However, police later contacted the woman, who denied ever speaking to Coffman or giving him permission to take her child.
Investigators said there is currently no evidence indicating the mother had any involvement in the incident.
Coffman now faces multiple felony charges, including aggravated kidnapping, attempted second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and theft.
The child was safely returned to his mother and is reportedly in good condition.
Court proceedings for Coffman are pending, and further details may emerge as the investigation progresses.