Source: Nia Noelle / Radio One Digital
NORTH COLLEGE HILL, Ohio —
North College Hill police are working to find out why a father would stab his 6-year-old son in the chest.
The boy ended up in the hospital with a punctured lung.
Now, the father is locked up in the Hamilton County Jail on several charges.
olice said the suspect’s mother told them he has mental health issues, but officers want to know what could have possibly triggered him to stab his own son.
“We’re just fortunate that the kid is alright, and he’s doing good,” Officer Andrew Mirizzi said.
Mirizzi is trying to figure out why a father would stab his 6-year-old son in the chest inside an apartment along West Galbraith Road.
Police said officers got a call at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital that the boy had been stabbed with a large kitchen knife at his grandmother’s apartment by Herb Price, 38.
“All of the sudden, she heard a whining, like someone was hurt in the back room. So, she walked into the back room and saw Mr. Herb Price standing over the victim with a knife,” Mirizzi said.
Police said no one called 911.
They told WLWT that instead the grandmother took the hurt child to his mother’s house and the mother then took the boy to Children’s Hospital where doctors found the boy had a punctured lung.
Investigators said he only needed stitches.
Police are working to figure out why the situation got so violent.
Officers said the grandmother told them Price has mental health issues.
“He was upset about not receiving money. She thinks that’s what led to the altercation that took place at her apartment,” Mirizzi said.
Police said Price was taken to a psychiatric emergency hospital.
They said they didn’t charge Price with attempted murder, instead opting for felonious assault and endangering children charges because his mental state is unclear.
“It’s a tragic event and we’re going to try our best to make sure everyone is OK,” Mirizzi said.
The grandmother declined to talk with WLWT about what happened.
Online court records show Price has a criminal history, including charges of disorderly conduct, aggravated robbery and having weapons under disability in past years.
Price is set to face a judge for arraignment in Hamilton County Court on Monday morning.
