A six-year-old Spartanburg boy may lose his arm after he put himself between his mother and his three-year-old sister during an alleged knife attack, according to the children’s grandmother.
Jan Marie Mull, 59, told the U.S. Sun that her grandson, Dawson, took the brunt of the attack after stepping in to protect his little sister, Hazel. Mull said the two children were stabbed roughly 50 times combined.
Taylor Gosnell, 35, is facing attempted murder charges in connection with the attack. Breitbart News reported late last month that Gosnell allegedly left her two children alone inside their Spartanburg home for hours with severe knife wounds before returning to the scene, where she was arrested by deputies who had been called to the house.
Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputies were sent to the home after Mull called police for a welfare check. Mull said she had received a call from the boy, who told her only that he was hungry and that his mother was gone.
When deputies arrived, they found the home covered in blood, with televisions and mirrors broken, according to authorities.
Mull told the Sun that her grandson may need to have his arm amputated because of injuries he suffered in the attack.
Mull said she was stunned by what happened, saying she had never known Gosnell to hurt the children before. “I don’t know what happened,” she said, adding she never saw any bruises or other signs of abuse.
She said she was not surprised, however, that Dawson tried to protect his sister.
“Dawson’s got that kind of love for everybody. He takes after my son in that department. I think he was just probably trying to protect her,” Mull said.
Gosnell is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 12.
