Father, 29, 'tried to drown his three young children by driving his SUV into a lake because CPS wanted to remove them'

  • An off-duty Durham County sheriff's deputy pulled two of the children – a three-year-old girl and a five-year-old girl – out of the lake
  • Their seven-year-old brother was able to get away and run for help, police said
  • 29-year-old Alan Tysheen Eugene Lassiter of Raleigh is being held in jail under a $2.25 million bond 

By Associated Press

Published: 09:46 EST, 21 September 2015 | Updated: 16:20 EST, 21 September 2015

A North Carolina man is charged with attempted murder after police say he tried to drown his three children in a pond.

Durham police said Monday that 29-year-old Alan Tysheen Eugene Lassiter of Raleigh was being held in jail under a $2.25 million bond.

He is charged with three counts of attempted murder.

A police statement says officers arriving Sunday night found that an off-duty Durham County sheriff's deputy had pulled the man's three-year-old and five-year-old daughters out of a pond at the center of an apartment complex. 

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Charged with attempted murder: Alan Tysheen Eugene Lassiter, 29, threw his three children into the lake near shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday

Charged with attempted murder: Alan Tysheen Eugene Lassiter, 29, threw his three children into the lake near shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday

Watery save: Lassiter's two daughters were only saved thanks to a passing off-duty cop who pulled them out of the lake 

Watery save: Lassiter's two daughters were only saved thanks to a passing off-duty cop who pulled them out of the lake 

In an emotional, 8-minute call, Lassiter, told a 911 dispatcher that he tried to drown his two daughters in a Durham lake because Child Protective Services 'wanted to take them away from me.'

'I just drowned my two daughters in the lake back there', he said. 'All I did was try to go get help. Instead, they [CPS] turned their back on me, the whole system, and tried to take my kids.' 

'Y'all take this and learn from me. When somebody asks for help, really help them, OK? Because y'all didn't help me,' he said. 

'You blame CPS for this. They're trying to take people's kids over dumb (expletive), and this is what you get! All I wanted was help … They wasn't there for me. Nobody was there for me … Nobody helped me.'

Tribute: 'It's very stressful for responders,' said Police Chief Jose Lopez. 'Whether you have children or not you're impacted by young lives placed in such a horrendous situation. We really feel for them'

Tribute: 'It's very stressful for responders,' said Police Chief Jose Lopez. 'Whether you have children or not you're impacted by young lives placed in such a horrendous situation. We really feel for them'

It was down to an off-duty Durham County sheriff's deputy to pull two of the children from the water and save their lives.

Officers performed CPR on the children until medical help arrived.

Police say Lassiter's seven-year-old son had escaped and run for help. 

The three-year-old girl is in critical condition while her five-year-old sister is in stable condition. The seven-year-old boy is with relatives, according to police.

Just before 4 a.m. Monday, investigators towed a white SUV from the scene.

Durham police held a press conference at around 11:15 a.m. on Monday.

'It's very stressful for responders,' said Police Chief Jose Lopez. 'Whether you have children or not you're impacted by young lives placed in such a horrendous situation. We really feel for them.'

 

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