Emotional testimony as former Hartford Officer recalls life changing attack

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) - An emotional hearing took place today after former Hartford Police officer pled with a review board to not move her attacker to a less secure mental health facility.

“I’ve lost everything because of her,” said Jill Kidik, Former Hartford Officer. “I’ve lost everything because of her.”

Kidik spoke out at the hearing after state Psychiatric Security Review Board moved her attacker Chevoughn Augustin to a less secure mental health hospital.

“There are 2 other men who saw her lunge an 8″ butcher knife through my trachea. So to hear my injuries listed as a “laceration” to my neck, my throat doesn’t work, I can’t swallow water without choking, I can’t eat a hamburger, I can’t cry because everyone seizes up. I got stabbed in the back of my neck as I was trying to run away from her and she found a cooking pot and knocked me unconscious after she hunted for that knife. This was not a crime of opportunity, she held me by my hair and dragged me across the floor to find that knife. I can still remember every spoon being taken out, ever spatula until she had the knife, was so satisfied in that moment. I still chose not to pull my gun, I showed no threat to her, I had every intent on helping her that day and getting her eviction thrown out because I could tell she needed someone and I was that someone stupidly enough,” Jill explained.

It has been four years since that attack.

Recently, Augustin went from Whiting Forensic Hospital, maximum security, to Dutcher Hall, enhanced security.

Kidik was alerted by email four days after Augustin was transferred.

“I wanna know when she gets out and this happens again, because she’s not compliant with meds, ‘cause she doesn’t like the weight gain like she did before, who loses their livelihood?,” asked Kidik.

A new law just passed last year to allow the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to make moves with patients without having a public hearing like this one.

The hospital is implementing it as they interpret it. Working with the board on that. It doesn’t mean that there won’t be continuous conversations about how we can make sure communication is crystal clear at all times,” said Mary Kate Mason, Dept. of Mental Health & Addiction Services Spokesperson.

“They can guess with how it’s going to go, but this is not a guessing game. You don’t guess with the safety of society,” said Kidik.

In the end the board decided to keep her attacker in Dutcher, the less secure facility.

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