A Pennsylvania community is reeling after police say a father stabbed his 3-month-old son and threw the infant into the snow in a shocking midday attack.
Authorities were called to an apartment complex in Coatesville around 11:36 a.m. on Feb. 11 following reports of a stabbing, according to a joint statement from the Coatesville Police Department and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
When officers arrived, they found a severely injured baby who had allegedly been stabbed in the abdomen.
Investigators say the child’s father, 44-year-old Michael Phillips, had made disturbing comments earlier that morning about needing to “sacrifice” the baby before allegedly attacking him with a knife.
According to police, the infant’s mother told officers she grabbed her baby and ran outside along with her 9-year-old son. She said Phillips followed them, took the baby from her arms and threw him into the snow.
The mother reportedly used her own body to shield the infant from further harm while her older child ran to get help.
First responders rushed to the scene and worked quickly to provide emergency medical care. The baby was initially taken to a local hospital before being airlifted to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Police later confirmed the infant was in very serious condition. In an update the following day, authorities said the baby was listed in critical but stable condition.
Phillips was arraigned on Feb. 12 and faces multiple charges, including attempted homicide, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, simple assault and reckless endangerment. He is being held without bond at Chester County Prison.
Neighbors expressed disbelief after learning of the allegations.
“He’s always been a quiet, nice guy,” neighbor Edward Rivers told NBC 10 Philadelphia, adding that he had seen Phillips earlier that same morning and noticed nothing unusual.
Another resident, Robert Boyd, said he had spoken with Phillips shortly before the incident and was stunned when he returned home to find a heavy police presence.
“I didn’t detect anything like that or anything going on with him,” Boyd said.
Danielle Gray, who lives nearby, described the family as “a good family” and said her son was friends with the couple’s older children.
Alcoholl? Drugs? Mental illness? Mental “break”? I hope they find out what made a seemingly decent and “stable” individual crack like that and do bodily harm to an infant. And I hope the baby full recovers. I can’t even imagine what the mother and older child must be thinking and feeling right now, witnessing all of that.
U.S. #1 country for non-institutionalized nutjobs walking the streets.
Satanic
I agree