Two parents have been charged with felony child abuse and neglect following an alleged assault on an 8-month-old child, which led to a day-long manhunt and a SWAT standoff in Collinsville, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Wayne Davis said the investigation began in the early morning hours of July 24, when deputies responded to a home on Norwood Drive for a reported assault and neglect of an infant. Upon arrival, deputies took the child’s mother, Nikki Angelina Walker, 32, into custody. She is being held at the Henry County Adult Detention Center on a $4,000 secured bond.
The child’s father, Chase Thomas Fielder, 32, allegedly fled the scene before deputies arrived. Authorities issued arrest warrants for both parents on charges of felony abuse and neglect of a child, and deputies began searching for Fielder.
Later that evening, at approximately 7:59 p.m., investigators received information that Fielder was at 63 Norwood Drive in Collinsville. Deputies responded to the residence, where Fielder allegedly slammed the door and began barricading himself inside in an attempt to avoid arrest.
Due to Fielder’s “known criminal history and escalating behavior,” Davis said, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team was activated. Deputies first attempted to negotiate a peaceful surrender, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
When the SWAT Team arrived, chemical munitions were deployed into the home in an attempt to force Fielder to surrender. Davis said the residence had been heavily fortified from the inside, with furniture and large appliances—including beds, couches, mattresses, a washing machine, and a dryer—used to block entry through both the front and back doors.
“Actually, we made an attempt to use a standard breach on the door,” Davis said. “It just was not possible.”
As a result, SWAT used a Lenco BearCat armored vehicle equipped with mechanical breaching tools to create an entry point through the front door and wall of the residence.
“That particular vehicle has multi attachments that can be used in a number of different ways,” Davis said. He added that SWAT members train with the BearCat nearly every month and that both he and members of the team have attended National Tactical Officers Association training, which includes armored vehicle operations for high-risk incidents.
Despite the breach, Fielder allegedly continued to resist. Additional chemical agents were deployed, and he eventually exited the home and was taken into custody without further incident, the sheriff said.
In addition to the existing child abuse and neglect warrant, Fielder was charged with obstruction of justice for his alleged actions during the standoff. He is being held without bond at the Henry County Adult Detention Center.
Davis said the swift and coordinated response from law enforcement underscores the agency’s commitment to protecting children and ensuring community safety.
“The abuse of an innocent child is one of the most disturbing and unacceptable crimes we face,” Davis said. “In Henry County, we have zero tolerance for those who harm the most vulnerable among us. Let this serve as a clear message: If you choose to violate the law, we will pursue you relentlessly, and we will bring you to justice.”
He also praised the deputies and SWAT Team for their professionalism and restraint during the standoff.
“A dangerous criminal was taken into custody without injury to law enforcement or the public,” Davis said. “That was due to the swift action, professionalism and unwavering resolve of our deputies and SWAT Team. The safety of our community depends on holding offenders accountable—and we will always rise to that responsibility.”
