MIDDLETON, MASS. (WHDH) – A father accused of stabbing his wife and teenage daughter in their Middleton home has been ordered held without bail, officials said.
Officers responding to a report of a stabbing at the Stanley Road home just after 6 a.m. found a 13-year-old girl in her bed and a 54-year-old woman who were both in need of emergency medical treatment, according to Middleton Police Chief William Sampson.
Investigators said the girl’s mother tried to intervene on her behalf.
The girl was taken to Beverly Hospital and subsequently transported to Boston Children’s Hospital, where she remains in critical condition, Sampson said. The woman was taken to Beverly Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
The suspect, Paul Salvaggio, 54, was taken into custody and pleaded not guilty on two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, assault & battery on a child with substantial injury, and assault & battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury in front of a judge in Salem District Court, according to the Essex County District Attorney.
“It’s a tough situation for everybody,” Sampson said. “These aren’t typical things that we see in the town of Middleton.”
Video from the scene showed the home roped off with yellow police tape.
A neighborhood resident told 7NEWS that he was stunned to learn of the incident.
“It’s a very quiet neighborhood. We always see people walking, we say hi,” Arun Nargund said. “Shocked, shocked. I just wish that everything is fine.”
Sampson said that incident was isolated and that there is no danger to the public.
Salvaggio is due back in court for a dangerousness hearing on April 15.
No additional details were immediately available.
State troopers assigned to the DA’s office are assisting Middleton police with the investigation.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS for updates online and on-air.
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