A man accused of stabbing his 13-year-old daughter and wife in their home last month has been newly indicted on charges including attempted murder, prosecutors said Thursday.
Paul Salvaggio, 54, has been held without bail after allegedly attacking his wife and teenage daughter with a knife in the family's home in Middleton, Massachusetts, on April 8.
He was slated to appear in court Friday on charges of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. However, after the Essex County grand jury's indictment, his next court date was pushed to June 29 in Salem Superior Court.
At a previous court hearing, Salvaggoo's attorneys had agreed to the prosecutor's request to keep him behind bars.
Salvaggio's daughter was critically injured in the attack, and had been recovering in the hospital. An online fundraising page set up for her said her recovery would be "lengthy and extremely difficult."
Salvaggio's 54-year-old wife, who was stabbed trying to protect her daughter, was also injured and was later released from the hospital.
Prosecutors have said that Salvaggio's wife frantically called 911 around 6 a.m. on April 8, and officers arriving at the home found Salvaggio trying to drive away in an SUV. He was covered in blood and carrying a large knife that he dropped before his arrest, officials said.
In court, prosecutor Kate MacDougall said, "They went into the home, they were met by his wife who was hysterical and covered in blood herself. She directed them to her daughter’s bedroom where they found the defendant’s 13-year-old daughter suffering from multiple stab wounds.”
The woman was stabbed trying to protect her daughter, prosecutors said. In the second-floor bedroom, the teenager was found struggling to breathe, semiconscious and covered in blood.
"Tough situation for everybody, you know. These aren't typical things that we see in the town of Middleton. Or typical things we see at all. So yeah, it’s troubling," Middleton Police Chief William Sampson said last month.
Prosecutors have not commented on a potential motive. The district attorney's office said police had been called to the address at least once in the past year.
Neighbor Arun Nargund told NBC Boston he came outside when he heard the sirens on the day of the incident.
“Shocked, shocked. I just wish everything was fine," Nargund said.
"He does a lot in the backyard. He’s got one of those bouncy things for her. There was a pool back there for a while, so seems like a nice family,” another neighbor said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
