Man threatened son with meat cleaver for burning biscuits

A 43-year-old man is facing aggravated battery charges after he allegedly attacked his son with a meat cleaver earlier this week following an argument over burned biscuits. Harry A. Woods III of East Alton was charged on Monday in Madison County Circuit Court for knowingly using a deadly weapon and causing bodily harm to his 24-year-old son, Harry A. Woods IV. The elder Woods reportedly pressed a meat cleaver against his son's neck during an argument and threatened to kill him.

Sgt. Charles Keshner with the East Alton Police Department said a 911 call was received at about 12:50 p.m. on Sunday for a domestic dispute at the home. He said when officers arrived, they learned that the father and son had begun a verbal argument that turned into a physical altercation. Keshner said the elder Woods became upset after the biscuits burned in the oven. He said that the older man's teenage daughter had placed the biscuits in the oven and then left the house to go with her grandmother, but not before she reminded her family to remember to take the softened bread out.



Keshner said Woods got angry and started yelling and ranting and raving. "His son told him it was only biscuits, and they could make more," he said. He said Woods' temper continued to escalate, and the two continued to exchange words. Woods then grabbed a platter and broke it over his son's head. "The two started pushing one another, and the son pushed his dad against the wall to try and calm him down, and then he bit his son's finger," Keshner said.

He said the younger Woods let go of his father, and that's when the older man grabbed the meat cleaver lying on the counter and shoved it under his son's neck, threatening to kill him. Keshner said that Woods admitted that he crossed the line and his temper got the best of him. Keshner said Woods told him that he had reached his limit with his son and simply snapped. He said he felt his wife was coddling him too much, especially because their son still lived at home, and he felt he should be on his own. Woods' bond is set at $20,000.