Washington Township police are investigating after a woman was stabbed numerous times and hit in the head with a baseball bat by her son on Sunday morning.
According to a release, officers were dispatched to the 13100 block of Welty Road shortly before 11 a.m. after receiving a complaint from an individual reporting that their neighbor had been attacked.
The victim told the police she recognized the person of interest as her 16-year-old son, who had also allegedly stolen their vehicle. She was sent to Meritus Medical Center for treatment of alleged critical injuries. Her current state is unclear.
According to the complaint, the woman was stabbed 20 to 30 times with a butcher knife in an upstairs bedroom of the property. A trail of blood found throughout the house suggested that the woman was en route to a neighbor’s apartment to seek help. Authorities on the site also discovered a pair of bloody trails running from the property to where the victim’s car was parked.
After coordinating investigations with numerous law enforcement agencies, authorities issued a “be on the lookout” advisory for the fugitive kid and the stolen vehicle. At 12:11 p.m., investigators traced her son’s cell phone and found her missing vehicle in the Bedford area. He was apprehended by Pennsylvania State Police following a brief pursuit.
He was taken into custody and placed into the Franklin County Jail.
Law officials stated in the affidavit that he had a knife and a baseball bat laid out the night before, according to his stepfather, who reported he was acting strangely.
“Public safety is our highest priority,” said Washington Township Police Chief Jason Wolfgang. “We encourage residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately. Working together, we can keep our community safe.”