Mother says son was released from hospital day before he stabbed elderly woman

ATLANTA — The mother of a man accused of stabbing a grandmother as she used her walker to go for a stroll told Channel 2 Action News her son was not in his right mind at the time. The mother of 19-year-old Gerald Jones is also apologizing to the victim.

Sherry Roberts told Channel 2s Tom Jones she has been trying to get her son help, but has been running into one brick wall after another. "I been fighting. I been fighting. I've been asking people to help me and won't nobody help me," she said, fighting back tears.

[READ MORE: MARTA bus driver hailed as hero for stopping an attack on a woman]

Roberts said her son is mentally ill. She said everywhere she turns, help seems to elude her and her son. "And I don't know what to do other than them fixing to give him some years for something I feel is not all his fault," she said referring to the violent stabbing attack on 63-year-old Terri Bradley on September 9 on Ormond Street in Southeast Atlanta.

Bradley was out for a Sunday morning stroll when, officers said, Jones suddenly attacked her. Police said MARTA bus driver Winston Douglas got off his bus and stopped the attack and held Jones until officers arrived.

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"I apologize for what happened. My son is sick right now," Roberts said. She said her son is schizophrenic and bipolar.

Roberts said when he is off his meds, he is prone to hallucinations and violent attacks. She said days before the attack, she called police because her son was exhibiting those behaviors.

He was admitted to Grady Hospital. Roberts said she was surprised when Grady released him a day before the attack.

"He's telling ya'll he's seeing things on the floor. You know this all in the reports. So why did you release him, knowing his conditions? You guys knew his conditions," she said in anger.

Roberts said her son was respectful and so neat growing up and that he even folded his dirty clothes. She said he gave her no trouble and helped with his siblings.

Then, she said, he turned 16 and his mental health declined. Roberts said when he's on his medication, he goes back to normal. When he's off, he's another person.

She doesn't want people to judge him for the person he becomes when he's not medicated. "He's not the bad kid people are trying to paint him out to be. He is schizophrenic. He cannot control himself and his disease. It is a disease," she said.

[READ MORE: Emotional reunion between MARTA bus driver, woman he saved during violent attack]

A grand jury indicted Jones on aggravated assault, aggravated battery and possession of a knife during a felony.

He is being held without bond.

Bradley is recovering from her wounds. Her son said he had to take her back to the hospital because her pain was getting too intense. But he said she is back home now.

Cox Media Group