A woman who allegedly beat her two children to near death was arrested and booked into San Mateo County Jail Monday night after being medically cleared by a doctor.
Philomena Brown, 49, faces attempted murder charges and assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly attacking her two children early Monday morning, said Redwood City police Sgt. Sean Hart.
She also may have attempted to take her own life Monday afternoon before being apprehended by police.
Brown’s 23-year-old daughter is still in the hospital with a skull fracture but has been able to communicate with police, Hart said.
Brown’s 13-year-old son is out of the hospital. It was the son who called 911 just after 5:30 a.m. Monday after the children were attacked.
Police responded to the family’s home at 1010 Vera Ave. on reports of an assault. Brown’s daughter and son were injured and transported to Stanford Hospital.
The daughter had a skull fracture but police have yet to determine what weapon was used in the assault.
Brown was discovered at Pompanio State Beach near Half Moon Bay Monday afternoon. San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies spotted her car in the beach’s parking lot and found her at the beach at about 2 p.m.
“It appeared Brown tried to overdose with prescription meds,” Hart said.
She was not immediately arrested but instead taken to a hospital.
Police are awaiting the results of toxicology reports but could not confirm the mother may have tried to drug her children before allegedly attempting to kill them.
“We don’t know if they were drugged,” Hart said.
Brown and her daughter are both employed by Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City. It was reported a next-door neighbor said he was surprised by what happened and called the Browns “a regular, hard-working family.”