Mother accused of trying to smother child has medical background

CHARLOTTE -- A mother accused of trying to smother her 1-year-old boy with her hands and a pillow while at Levine Children's Hospital is scheduled to make her first appearance Tuesday afternoon in court.

Maggie Dixon, 32, faces attempted first-degree murder, and felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury.

READ MORE: MOTHER TRIES TO SMOTHER 1-YEAR-OLD AT HOSPITAL

Authorities said the child was in the hospital suffering from pneumonia.

WSCO reports Dixon, who was caught on surveillance video trying to smother her son, has a medical background as a respiratory therapist.

Reports show Dixon worked in the field from 2008 to 2011 but her license has expired.

Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App

Bill Croft, the executive director of the North Carolina Respiratory Board, taught at Sandhills Community College, where Dixon was one of his students.

"It's always a concern to me, you know...when a former student or a former colleague or anybody has a charge against them," Croft told WSOC. "It is a charge, not a conviction, so I'm holding out hope that, one, they find out there's not the issue that they charged her with and, if there is, then hopefully she gets help."

The child will be turned over to his father once he is released from the hospital.