Grandmother charged with attempted murder after 7-year-old stabbed multiple times with kitchen knife

(NEW YORK) — A grandmother has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing her 7-year-old granddaughter multiple times with a kitchen knife.

The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when police were called to a home in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City regarding a 7-year-old girl who had allegedly been stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife by her own grandmother, according to ABC News’ New York City station WABC-TV.

Police found the young girl lying on the bed of her apartment and was immediately taken to Lincoln Hospital where she was listed in critical condition, according to WABC.

“[The police officer] came out running from where he was at with the little girl. The property that they have is a couple of houses away. So we just seen that he came out running,” witness Ana Martinez told WABC in an interview following the incident. “The cop car was right in front of my property. So he just put her right in the cop car. He didn’t wait for the ambulance.”

The girl’s grandmother, 65-year-old Mariza Yauger, was immediately taken into police custody as a person of interest and was later arrested and charged with attempted murder, attempted manslaughter, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child, according to WABC.

“I’m a grandmother myself,” neighbor China Aponte told WABC. “I just don’t even have words for it. My heart is broken. It is sad. Very sad.”

The girl’s uncle told WABC that she has since undergone surgery and is recovering in the hospital. There is currently no known motive for the attack.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.