41-year-old Crystal Fennell was jailed on March 3rd after complaints of a woman pushing her kids and swinging a whip at them inside the Waffle House on Old Hickory Boulevard. Witnesses stated that Fennell had entered the restaurant with two children and began behaving erratically. During this time, the witness observed Fennell push both children and swing a whip at them. Officers tried to speak with Fennell, but she wasn’t making sense. From their professional experience, the officers believed that Fennell was under the influence of either meth or cocaine due to her behavior. Officers determined the abused children were ages 5 and 6 and belonged to Fennell. Officers also discovered that she was in possession of a multi-lashed whip.
Multiple complainants stated they saw Fennell arrive, driving a white Chevrolet suburban. Officers decided that it was unsafe for Fennell to perform sobriety tests due to her fidgeting and constant pulling away, fearing Fennell would run into traffic.
When Fennell was arrested, she began complaining of chest pains, to which officers requested an ambulance. While at Nashville General Hospital, she admitted to drinking some alcohol and then spat in Officer Heaton’s face. Crystal Fennell was taken into custody on March 3rd for assault on an officer, DUI with a child, and two counts of child abuse.