'I just wanted us all to be together': Chilling words of crazed mother-of-two 'who attacked daughter
- Maureen Mullin, 39, faces attempted murder and assault charges
- Daughter, 9, suffered severe cuts but is expected to recover; her 5-year-old sister was unharmed
- Anthony Mullin, girls' father, was able to stop bloody attack by unplugging gardening tool and holding wife in a bear hug
- Mrs Mullin has been taking medication for depression
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A Massachusetts woman is facing an attempted murder charge after police say she has attacked her 9-year-old daughter with a pair of electric hedge clippers, nearly severing the child's thumb.
Both the mother and the girl were hospitalized with serious but non-life threatening injuries following the incident that took place in the family's Westwood home early Monday morning.
Chief Jeff Silva said the 9-year-old's father stepped in to stop the attack reported at about 5am by the young victim, who told police that her mother was trying to kill herself. The couple's younger child who was in the house was unharmed.
Bloody scene: Police responding to a domestic disturbance report at this home on Pond Street in Westwood came upon a blood-spattered woman being held in a bear hug by her husband and the couple's 9-year-old daughter with a nearly severed thumb
Weapon: Maureen Mullin is accused of injuring her daughter with this set of electric hedge clippers
Maureen Mullin, 39, was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing at an arraignment on charges including of attempted murder, assault and battery on a child and mayhem at her bedside at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston on Monday.
Police received a call at around 4.51am Monday from a young girl reporting a domestic disturbance at her home at 126 Pond Street in Westwood.
When officers arrived at the house, they discovered that Maureen Mullin had attacked her 9-year-old daughter with a gardening tool. Both the mother and daughter sustained serious injuries and were taken to area hospitals for treatment.
An arrest report cited by the Boston Globe painted a horrific scene inside the Mullins’ residence, with blood staining the walls, floor and bedding of the 9-year-old’s bedroom and other rooms upstairs.
Police have credited the actions of Mullin's husband with saving his daughter from the brutal attack launched by his wife.
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ShareAnthony Mullin, 39, told investigators that he was awakened just before 5am by the screams of his two daughters, ages 9 and 5, coming from a bedroom. Moments later, he heard one of his children say, 'Why are you doing this, mommy?'
According to the arrest report, Mr Mullin also heard the sound of a machine running behind a locked door.
The father quickly jumped into action, forcing his way into the room, only to discover his wife holding a hedge trimmer next to the face of their 9-year-old child.
An orange extension cord ran from the wall to the gardening tool, so the 39-year-old man quickly unplugged it before wrestling the trimmer from his wife's hand.
The report states that Anthony Mullin then encircled his wife in a bear hug and led her downstairs into the living room.
Heroic actions: Anthony Mullin, the suspect's husband, heard his daughters screaming and was able to force the clippers out of his wife's hand
Motive: Mr Mullin said that his wife has been taking medication for depression
The couple's 5-year-old daughter escaped the gruesome ordeal unharmed, but her older sister sustained injuries to her hand, face and neck.
The 9-year-old suffered a severe laceration to her thumb, which was described in the arrest report as a 'near amputation.' She was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital.
Responding officers found both the girl and her mother covered in blood. The woman, still in her husband's embrace, was heard repeatedly saying, 'I just wanted us all to be together.'
According to Mr Mullin, before police arrived, his wife grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened to stab him and take her own life.
Police have yet to determine the motive behind the attack, but Mr Mullin said that his wife has been taking medication for depression and had an appointment for an unspecified mental health issue.
The family’s neighbors in Westwood were stunned by the sudden outbreak of violence in the quiet community, describing the couple and their girls as seemingly happy and friendly.
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