Search for inmate’s missing spork after lunch led to her 6th charge of battery on officers, nurses

By LENNY COHEN

OCALA, Fla. (CohenConnect) – A woman who has been in and out of jail for the past few years is in more trouble, facing an all-too-familiar charge for what she’s accused of doing in jail almost a year ago.

Christina Maxwell is now charged with battery on a corrections employee for at least the sixth time; in this case, specifically, causing an employee “to come into contact with blood, masticated food, regurgitated food, saliva, seminal fluid, or urine or feces, whether by throwing, tossing, or expelling such fluid or material.”

Neither the affidavit nor court records explain why Maxwell was behind bars in Marion County, Florida; only that a correctional officer captain “was escorting Inmate Maxwell back into her cell when Inmate Maxwell spit at [another officer], striking her in the upper torso and face.”

SEE ALSO: ‘Angry and belligerent, puckered his lips, and proceeded to spit on me,’ cop says

That allegedly happened after a meal back on Sept. 14, 2023. Maxwell was just booked last Wednesday morning, Aug. 28.

The alleged victim told authorities, “She was attempting to collect Inmate Maxwell’s lunch tray, but said inmate repeatedly refused to relinquish it.

“[The captain] responded and Inmate Maxwell eventually surrendered the tray and cup, but did not provide the spork.

“Inmate Maxwell was removed from the cell, secured in hand restraints, and was held just outside the cell by [the captain] while she and [a sergeant] conducted a search for the missing spork.”

Then, they got out of the cell and the captain “began to escort Inmate Maxwell back into her cell.

“At that time, Inmate Maxwell turned her head and spit at [the officer], striking her in the side of the face and upper torso with spittle.”

According to the sergeant, “The spittle was visible on [the officer’s] glasses.”

The affidavit said “Maxwell admitted to intentionally spitting at/on [the officer], striking the other woman in the face.

“She claimed that, prior to being removed from her cell for it to be searched, [the officer] called her a ‘dirty w___e.’ Due to such, she chose to spit on the officer.”

Video reportedly showed the officer “wiping her face twice” while “Maxwell is clearly observed, through the glass of her cell door, smiling, waving at the camera, and making an obscene gesture by closing her left hand and extending her middle finger.

“She then clearly states, ‘I don’t know why she needs medical, it’s a little bit of spit.”

Finally, “Just before the end of the video, Inmate Maxwell states, ‘I’m normally a nice person … I know you don’t see that, cause I spit in your people’s face.’”

That was far from Maxwell’s first charge of battery in jail. She had a series of incidents outside Orlando, in Seminole County, for starters.

“Maxwell had been banging her head on the wall,” an arrest report from February 2020 said, and told a sergeant “she was angry and did not want to be in a confinement cell.”

She was handcuffed and taken to the clinic to have her head checked out, but, “As she entered the waiting area, Inmate Maxwell kicked a small medical tool tray over.”

Then, “Maxwell attempted to get up and resist the deputy’s efforts to control her. Inmate Maxwell kicked at [the deputy], striking her knee.” It took three officers to control her.

In a hospital emergency room in August 2020, an alleged victim told police “she was attempting to medicate Ms. Maxwell,” but “Maxwell refused treatment and began behaving differently.”

While on the computer, “Maxwell lunged at her and grabbed her by the right shoulder.” Maxwell had to be restrained and medicated. The victim suffered a sprained finger.

Maxwell must’ve gotten out because there was a warrant for her arrest for battery upon an emergency medical care provider. The arrest took place during “a civil disturbance” in October 2020, according to the sheriff’s office.

In jail in December 2020, the arrest report said a deputy went “to assist in placing Inmate Maxwell on suicide precautions when Inmate Maxwell swung towards her with a closed fist, kicked her on the right leg, and then grabbed hold of her hair at the scalp and would not let go, pulling several strands of hair off.”

Something similar reportedly happened in a medical isolation cell on July 1, 2021, while deputies were removing “Maxwell’s personal items so she could be placed on suicide precaution.” That’s when the report said “Maxwell attacked [a lieutenant], causing a bleeding wound to the left side of [her] face.”

Christina Maxwell was charged in Brevard County (from left). She served time in state prison before arrests in Volusia and Marion counties.Photo by(Brevard Co. Sheriff’s Office | Fla. Dept. of Corrections | Volusia Co. | Marion Co.)

A few weeks later, on July 25 in the Brevard County Jail, the arrest report said a nurse “was attending to Inmate Maxwell” when “Maxwell grabbed hold of [the nurse’s] hair and began punching her in the face and body.”

Six months later, Maxwell agreed to plead no contest to the felony charge, and she didn’t get any additional jail time.

Judgment and Sentence, Jan. 13, 2022.Photo by(18th Judicial Circuit)

Maxwell was sentenced to 210 days in jail with 210 days credit by stipulation, but she was ordered to pay more than $1,000 in fines, costs, and fees.

Order for Fine / Costs / Fees, Jan. 13, 2022.Photo by(18th Judicial Circuit)

In October 2022 at a convenience store in Daytona Beach, the charging document said Maxwell threatened “to kill herself by jumping into traffic and slitting her wrist. Maxwell did not say with what she wanted to slit her wrist. Maxwell advised that she no longer wanted to live because she is a drug addict.”

Then, while being searched, “Maxwell began to strike [an officer] multiple times in the back of the head with a closed fist. [Two officers] then placed Maxwell safely on the ground.” That time, there were no injuries.

That wasn’t the case just nine days later, in the Volusia County Jail. That charging document said Maxwell approached an officer at her desk and “asked her if she could go to the bathroom, which the victim denied because of the unit being cleaned.

“The defendant then stated she needed to go to the ‘state hospital.’” The victim asked Maxwell if she wanted to hurt herself or anyone else.

“At that point, the defendant tried to punch her in the face with a closed fist but the victim was able to grab her by the wrist and prevent that punch from landing. The defendant pushed her body against the victim’s, forcing her into the wall, and began punching her in the face with her left closed fist.

“The attack continued as the defendant punched her several times and began pulling her hair.”

Eventually, “After a prolonged struggle, the victim was able to stop the attack by using her department-issued MK-3 pepper spray to the defendant’s face. This caused the defendant to fall to the ground. While on the ground, the defendant tried to kick the victim but the victim was able to defend against it.”

The document noted, “Several inmates on the unit witnessed the attack and attempted to come to the victim’s aid.”

Maxwell spent six months in state prison, 2021-22, on the Seminole County charges.

Then, she was returned for another 21 months starting in late 2022 on the Volusia County charges.

Records show she was returned to Marion County this past Sunday, Sept. 1, for the almost year-old spitting incident.

Maxwell, who’s just 34, is due back in court on Oct. 1.