Girl, 3, attacked with machete in Philadelphia, police say; Mother arrested
PHILADELPHIA -- A mother is now behind bars after police said she attacked her 3-year-old child with a machete in Philadelphia on Sunday night.
Police were called to the 5900-block of Mascher Street just after 8 p.m.
That's when they found a 3-year-old girl suffering at least six stab wounds to the head, shoulder and knee. One cut was so deep neighbors said you could see the child's skull.
A neighbor, who is a nurse, stabilized the girl. She was then taken to Einstein Medical Center and was later transferred to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.
Witnesses said the mom appeared incoherent and was naked at the top of the stairs.
"All the girl kept saying was 'My mommy tried to cut my hair' that's what the little girl was saying," a neighbor named Pauline told WPVI. "I don't think she thinks her mother would hurt her. They're very close and it's sad."
Police said it appears as though the parent was under the influence of something.
Neighbors said it is the second time the police were at the house in recent days; they said the last time police retrieved weapons from the home including machetes after another member of the household assaulted someone.
It's unclear if anyone else was inside the home at the time of the attack.
The mother has not yet been identified.
