A Lakeview woman with a lengthy history of violent behavior and mental health challenges appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court on Monday. Vanessa Renee Henschel, 35, has been charged with second-degree domestic battery and being a habitual offender following an October incident in which she allegedly struck her mother with a baseball bat.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Baxter County sheriff's deputies responded on October 27 to a Lakeview residence where Henschel's mother reported a “psychiatric episode” involving her daughter. The mother stated she had armed herself with a baseball bat to protect herself during an altercation, but Henschel reportedly shoved her, seized the bat, and struck her. Deputies observed injuries to the mother’s forehead and left arm.
In court, Henschel maintained her pattern of remaining silent, appearing via video from the Baxter County Detention Center. Her mother, who attended the hearing, expressed hopes to secure inpatient treatment for her daughter. She told Circuit Judge Andrew Bailey that Henschel had been making progress managing her mental health until the latest episode. Judge Bailey remarked that the court would assist in facilitating treatment and approved Henschel's release on her own recognizance. However, her release is contingent upon her direct admission to an inpatient treatment center arranged by her mother.
Henschel has a long history of criminal cases and disciplinary issues stretching back several years. Court records indicate numerous arrests for violent incidents targeting family members, jail staff, and others. During her incarceration, Henschel has faced disciplinary violations for actions including battery, disobedience, substance testing refusal, and assaults on fellow inmates. State prison records also reflect 30 major disciplinary infractions during prior sentences.
Significant past incidents include a 2020 case in rural Baxter County, where Henschel was accused of assaulting a homeowner with hedge clippers after using his pickup truck without permission. Investigators allege she also burglarized the home, stealing cash, clothing, and jewelry. Another noteworthy case occurred in 2016 when Henschel stabbed a friend in a Mountain Home motel room. While awaiting trial for the motel attack, she reportedly used a makeshift weapon to stab a fellow inmate.
Throughout her legal battles, multiple psychological evaluations have been conducted to determine Henschel’s competency to stand trial. However, many evaluations were inconclusive due to her lack of cooperation. Officials hope that inpatient treatment might address the underlying mental health issues fueling her violent behavior.