NJ mother dies after stabbing attack in East Orange, suspect charged with homicide
A New Jersey mother stabbed alongside her two young kids inside an East Orange apartment has died from her wounds, authorities said Saturday.
Jihad Hagler, 27, is accused of carrying out the deadly Fourth of July attack inside a residence on the 100 block of Park Avenue around 1:30 a.m.
The woman, who’s believed to be in her 20s, and her two children, ages 1 and 3, were rushed to University Hospital in Newark after the carnage on Thursday, ABC 7 reported.
The mother and one of the children each suffered life-threatening injuries, while the other child was treated for non-life-threatening wounds.
Authorities on Saturday confirmed to News 12 New Jersey that the mother later died at the hospital, but did not provide an update on her kids’ conditions.
None of the victims have been identified.
In wake of the attack, Hagler, who was arrested Thursday night for an unrelated incident, was initially charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He’s now facing an additional count of homicide in light of the woman’s death, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Authorities provided few other details about the deadly attack. A motive for the stabbings and any relationship between Hagler and the victims remained unclear Saturday.
Hagler, a resident of Newark, is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility.
