Police: Mom, daughter attacked by man with knife

Mike LaBella and Allison Corneau, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·3 min read

Mar. 4—HAVERHILL — Police said a woman suffered life-threatening injuries when she and her pregnant daughter were attacked by a man with a knife while they walked their dogs in their neighborhood Wednesday afternoon.

A neighbor described the shocking incident as an assault by a young man who lives on the same street and who stabbed the woman several times for unknown reasons. The incident happened on Fairview Farm Road in the northwestern corner of Haverhill near the border of Salem, New Hampshire, the Essex District Attorney's Office said.

The victim was taken by helicopter to a Boston hospital and was alive as of 10 p.m. Wednesday, said Carrie Kimball, spokeswoman for District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

"At this time, investigators do not believe this was a random attack and there is no risk to the public," Kimball said early Wednesday evening.

Kimball said police have arrested Jake Kavanaugh, 23, of Haverhill. He is expected to be charged with armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, mayhem and negligent operation of motor vehicle, Kimball said. His arraignment takes place Thursday in Haverhill District Court.

Christopher Heywood of 2 Fairview Farm Road said Kavanaugh lives on that road and was driving his parents' car Wednesday around 4 p.m. when he came across another neighbor — a woman who was walking her dogs with her pregnant daughter.

Heywood said he was inside his home when he heard commotion outside.

"I don't know if he swerved to hit them (the women) or did hit them, but he jumped out of his car and got on top of the (older) woman and started stabbing her in the neck," Heywood said. "Her daughter ran across the street into Salem, New Hampshire. The daughter may have called police."

Heywood said his next-door neighbor ran to try to stop the assault and kicked Kavanaugh in the head, while another neighbor hit Kavanaugh in the head with an object.

Heywood said Kavanaugh's hands were around the woman's neck as police arrived. An officer got control of Kavanaugh and handcuffed him, Heywood said.

"The cop flipped the older woman over and she was not responsive," Heywood said.

Several hours after the incident as day turned to night, a heavy local and State Police presence remained in the residential area that has expensive homes. The neighborhood is off Route 97.

At 7:30 p.m., Haverhill and State Police detectives were seen photographing a vehicle that was at the edge of the road in the area of 5 Fairview Farm Road.

The investigation is being conducted by the District Attorney's Office and Haverhill and State Police, Kimball said.

Fairview Farm Road is off Liberty Street in the city's rural northwest section. It is west of Crystal Lake and close to the New Hampshire border.

Watch eagletribune.com and print editions of The Eagle-Tribune for more information in this developing story, including a court appearance by the man charged.