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West Virginia woman who woke from 2-year coma and named brother as attacker said he did it because he's ‘mean’ 

“When asked why Daniel assaulted her, Wanda stated that he was mean," according to criminal complaint out of Jackson County, West Virginia.
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The West Virginia woman who awoke from a two year coma and identified her brother as the person who put her in that state said he did so because “he’s mean,” according to a criminal complaint.

Daniel Palmer, 55, remained in a Jefferson County jail on Monday, charged with the attempted murder and malicious wounding of his sister, Wanda Palmer, two years ago, officials said.

She awoke from her coma last month and eventually identified Daniel Palmer as the person who beat her on June 10, 2020, leading to Daniel Palmer's arrest last week, court records showed.

Wanda Palmer was found severely beaten in her trailer just outside of Cottageville, so badly bludgeoned and covered in blood that responding officers assumed she was mortally injured, according to a complaint.

Wanda Palmer.
Wanda Palmer.Jackson County WV Sheriff's Office

“Wanda, while breathing, was making this sound commonly referred to as the ‘death rattle,’" the complaint said, citing colloquial language for the final coughing sounds a person may make moments from death.

She was taken to a hospital and remained in that comatose state for two years — until miraculously beginning to regain some consciousness last month.

Deputy H.L. Faber, on June 27, "was informed by the worker that Wanda Palmer had begun to utter some single words and seemed to appropriately respond when questioned," the complaint said.

"Wanda indicated [that] she recalled living in her trailer near her mother's place. She indicated she recalled being hurt there," the report added.

"She made mention of her head (the area of her body where she was injured). When asked who had wounded her she [stated] her brother. She then identified her brother as Daniel. When asked why Daniel assaulted her, Wanda stated that he was mean."

Court records on Monday did not show Daniel Palmer as having retained an attorney yet. He was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Palmer made his initial court appearance on Friday and became combative, forcing multiple deputies to drag him out of the courthouse.

Palmer has long denied any involvement in his sister's beating.

Investigators said the brother had always been a person of interest and that a witness stated "that he saw Daniel Palmer in the front doorway at Wanda's trailer at midnight on the night she was assaulted," according to the complaint.

Still, that account was not enough to have Palmer arrested until last week.

"Wanda Palmer, during the brief interview, appeared oriented to her situation," the complaint said. "Her [answers] to questions were coherent and relevant. She asked for prayer."