Mother stabbed 13 times by intruder as kids slept nearby

ROXBOROUGH -- A Philadelphia woman said she heard a continuous noise outside her door Tuesday night and, when she went to check what it was, an intruder slashed his way into her home.

"It didn't seem like he wanted anything, he just started stabbing me," said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous. "He threw me right to the ground and I don't remember feeling being stabbed."

The woman was stabbed 13 times and her arms now bear the scars of defensive cuts. The intruder also punctured her stomach, just an inch away from her liver, according to doctors.

The victim recounted to Action News what she thought were going to be her final moments.

"My children were right there, and what if he took me over and got into the living room where my baby was sleeping?" she said.

Her three-week-old infant was just feet away and a 15-month-old was upstairs.

Attacked in her own Roxborough home, she tried to fight him off. Her panicked screams for help eventually forced the intruder to run away.

Police recovered the Swiss Army knife they say was stolen from the victim's SUV which was parked outside. Detectives said he tried to use that knife to open the door to the house.

"I'll never forget those eyes. He was just angry, very angry," she said. "He seemed like he was definitely under the influence of something."

The woman said she does not recognize the suspect from her neighborhood, but fears the intruder could repeat his violent behavior.

"Why did he have to do this? Why did he have to take away my safety?" she said. "My biggest worry is that he's still out there. The thought of another family going through what we went through, it terrifies me."

Police are checking for prints on the Swiss Army knife to track the suspect.