Court records say Alicia Cheramie Cade also faces assault and resisting arrest charges.
SPRINGVILLE, AL — A Springville woman has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after authorities said she locked herself and her three minor children inside a running vehicle in a garage, according to court and arrest records.
Alicia Cheramie Cade, 42, remained held in the St. Clair County Jail after records showed she was booked May 22. The case has drawn attention in the Archers Cove area of Springville because the charges involve children, a home garage, a reported fire-related allegation and an officer who authorities said was struck during Cade’s arrest.
The incident happened April 14 at a home on Archers Cove Way in Springville, records show. Authorities allege Cade locked herself and the children inside the vehicle while it was running inside the garage. Court records also accused her of intentionally starting or maintaining a fire at the home. Cade was arrested April 16, and video recorded by a neighbor showed her on a stretcher after the arrest. Sharon Williams, who lives in the Archers Cove neighborhood, said residents were shaken. “I was really hurt about it,” Williams said, adding that parents in the area were troubled by what the children were accused of going through that day.
Authorities have not released the children’s names or ages, and records reviewed by local news outlets did not say whether they were physically injured. The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office listed three attempted murder counts, one for each child, along with resisting arrest, second-degree assault and a fire-related charge. Records also said Cade struck an officer in the jaw while the officer was trying to handcuff her. The officer’s name and condition were not immediately detailed in the public accounts. Investigators have not publicly described who called for help, how long the vehicle was running or how the children were removed from the garage.
The case moved through early court proceedings after Cade’s arrest. Records showed she had been charged with arson, but that charge was later dropped during an Aniah’s Law hearing April 28. Aniah’s Law allows Alabama judges to deny bond for people accused of certain violent offenses, though the available reports did not fully describe the judge’s findings in Cade’s case. ABC 33/40 reported Cade’s bond was set at $202,000. The same report said Cade had several prior charges on her record and had previously failed to appear in court on menacing and public lewdness charges. Those earlier matters are separate from the Springville case.
Springville is in St. Clair County, northeast of Birmingham. The Archers Cove neighborhood, where the April 14 incident was reported, was described by residents as a quiet residential area. Williams said the allegations left her thinking about whether neighbors would have tried to help if they had known the family needed support. “Being a parent, you’d never want to see your kids hurt,” she said. “You always want to be that person to reach out.” Authorities have not said whether child welfare officials are involved, where the children are staying or whether any family members have made public statements.
Cade’s next court steps were not immediately clear from the available public reports. Prosecutors will have to decide how to proceed on the attempted murder counts and related charges, and the case could move toward a preliminary hearing or grand jury review. Cade has not been convicted of the charges. The public records and reports available as of Wednesday did not list a defense attorney or a public plea. The St. Clair County court file is expected to guide the next phase of the case, including any bond changes, motions or scheduled hearings.
As of May 27, Cade remained identified in public jail and court accounts as the defendant in a case involving three children, a running vehicle and a garage at a Springville home. The next major milestone will be the next posted court action in St. Clair County.
Author note: Last updated May 27, 2026.