Texas Mother Kills 7-Year-Old Daughter By Stabbing Her Over 30 Times

A Texas woman, who was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of her 7-year-old daughter, reportedly stabbed the child over 30 times.

Troyshaye Hall, 23, faces a capital murder charge in connection with the death of her daughter, Madison Petry. She also faces a charge of aggravated assault in the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy, Associated Press (AP) reported.

Deputies were called about a stabbing incident at a residence on Frazier Street, southeast of Fair Park, Thursday afternoon. A witness at the scene told the officers Hall had stabbed both the juveniles, according to NBC owned-and-operated KXAS-TV.

Hall’s mother told the deputies she was taking a shower when she heard screaming, following which the former's brother told her his teenage friend had been stabbed, AP reported, citing an arrest affidavit.

The affidavit further stated Hall’s mother and brother tried to restrain her before she went on a rampage. Hall’s mother suffered cuts to her hand while trying to snatch the knife from her before she stabbed the children.

Madison was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to AP. It was determined in an autopsy the child was stabbed over 30 times. Authorities haven’t yet released a motive for the murder.

Hall was being held against a $1.5 million bond in Dallas County Jail. Court records showed Hall was serving eight years of deferred adjudication probation after pleading guilty in 2017 to aggravated assault in connection with the burglary of a house, the Dallas Morning News reported.

A woman, who lived in the same residence, rushed to a neighbor, who was an off-duty law enforcement officer, to help arrest the woman and get help for the girl, KXAS-TV reported. The officer was able to restrain Hall and arrest her.

"He was off duty. [They said] he had tackled the young lady. He had detained her, and then he put the baby, the 6-year-old in the car," community activist Lamont Levels said, KXAS-TV reported.