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Six Month Old Baby Cut in Throat

Amherst Police brief reporters on attempted murder of six month old girl
WBFO News photo
Amherst Police brief reporters on attempted murder of six month old girl

By Eileen Buckley

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-842881.mp3

Amherst, NY – Amherst Police are investigating the attempted murder of a six month old baby girl.

Police received a domestic violence call to an apartment complex on Travers Circle in the early morning hours Thursday.

A 19-year old woman said she was assaulted by her boyfriend. Officers who responded to the scene say the woman was hysterical and bloody. The boyfriend was still inside the apartment. That's when police discovered the suspect holding the woman's 6-month old daughter with a knife to the baby's throat.

19-year old Jeffrey Hernandez of North Tonawanda attempted to cut the baby's throat despite repeated warnings from officers.

"Officers encountered the suspect who was holding a knife to the throat of the complaint's six month old daughter. After refusing repeated orders to drop the knife the suspect began to gut the throat of the child. The suspect was then tazed," said Amherst Chief John Askey.

Hernandez has been charged with attempted murder, attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon. The baby underwent surgery at Women and Children's Hospital and is said to be in stable condition. Police say the woman was severely assaulted. Police have few details on what they were arguing about. They say Hernandez has a criminal history.

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