WESTWOOD, Mass. (WHDH) — A Westwood mother was arraigned from her hospital bed on multiple charges after she harmed her nine-year-old daughter with a set of electric hedge clippers. The girl was hurt but expected to survive.
Police said the mother used a gardening tool to attack her own daughter. She faces a number of charges including attempted murder. The allegations were hard to believe for neighbors of the family.
“Unspeakable, pretty sickening,” said neighbor Rich Homer. “I know the girls, they play in their backyard often, play with my puppy, and just good family overall.”
“We moved in a year ago, she brought over flowers to us,” said neighbor Marsha Feldman.
Investigators said the mother attacked one of her two daughters inside their Westwood home around 5 a.m. Monday. The weapon was a set of electrical hedge clippers.
According to the police report, the father woke up early Monday morning to the sound of his nine-year-old and five-year-old daughters screaming. He heard a machine running in their room. Then he heard one girl say, “Why are you doing this Mommy?”
The father told police he forced his way into the children’s bedroom where he found his wife holding the hedge clipper next to his daughter’s face. He unplugged the tool and tackled her. The nine-year-old already had cuts on her face and neck. Her thumb was close to being cut off. The five-year-old was not hurt.
Westwood Police Chief Jeffrey Silva said the weapon inflicted a lot of damage, but the girl was expected to recover.
“We were able to treat wounds of the child and get the child transported to a Boston area hospital,” said Silva.
Police said her father stopped the attack.
“But for the action of the father this might be a very different story that we're reporting,” Chief Silva said.
“They are just cute little girls that always seem to be smiling always seem to have good time,” Homer said. “What do you hope for in a situation like this? Other than maybe get some answers. But, even once you have the answers what is that really going to do?”
The father told police his wife was being treated for depression. Both the mother and daughter were taken to Boston hospitals for treatment. The mother was arraigned in her hospital bed in Boston and was scheduled to appear in court next week.