Mother: Son accused in robbery case may have had schizophrenic episode

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

UPDATE @ 5:09 p.m.: A 20-year-old Dayton man has a mental disorder and that may have played a role in his being involved in an attempted robbery, his mother said Thursday.

"I am sick right now, worrying about this situation," Camela Staten told News Center 7's Mike Campbell. "My son would never do what they're accusing him of."

Christgene (pronounced Christian) Staten remains in the Montgomery County Jail on charges accusing him of the crime. He appeared in court Thursday.

Dayton police accuse Staten of trying to rob a man, then breaking a flower pot over his head when the man refused to give him cash. that man fired a weapon in self-defense.

Staten’s mom said her son graduated with a 4.0 grade point average from Dunbar High School, but changed about a year later. She claims doctors diagnosed him with schizophrenia.

She said she believes he may have had an episode and scared their neighbor but wasn’t trying to rob the man.

"I think it's a misunderstanding," she said.

INITIAL REPORT

A man was shot Sunday night after he allegedly attempted to rob another man.

Christgene L. Staten, 20, of Dayton, was wounded and taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where he still is undergoing treatment. Staten is charged with robbery, according to court records.

The shooting happened around 11 p.m. in the 300 block of Kenilworth Avenue in Dayton.

Surveillance video from a nearby security camera captured the gunshots and a man running from the scene.

“My husband just shot somebody on my porch,” a 911 caller said. “There’s blood all over my porch.”

Dayton police said the shooting followed an incident where Staten allegedly demanded money from the victim.

“When the victim stated he would not provide the money, the suspect attacked the victim,” police said in a statement. “During the ensuing struggle, the victim shot the suspect.”

Both Staten and the victim required medical attention after the shooting and reported robbery.

A court date for Staten has not been set.

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