Woman charged with stabbing baby, woman in Center City attacks

Law enforcement officials have officials charged a 29-year-old woman after separate stabbing attacks in Center City Philadelphia left a 24-year-old woman and a 1-year-old baby boy injured on Saturday.

According to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, Takeira Hester, 29. has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault after she, stabbed a woman and a baby boy in separate incidents on Saturday in Center City.

The DA’s office said Sunday night that Hester has also been charged in a third attack on another individual, however, officials did not immediately provide further information on this additional incident.

Officials said the first incident was alleged to have happened shortly before 8 a.m. on Saturday when a 24-year-old woman was stabbed by an attacker — who officials now believe was Hester — as she walked along the 1300 block of Chancellor Street.

The victim was stabbed in her chest and hand before the attacker fled, officials said.

That woman was taken to a nearby hospital and, officials said, she was treated and released.

Yet, a few hours later, around noon, officials said, the same attacker is believed to have assaulted a couple who was walking with their 1-year-old twin children in a stroller along the 300 block of South 18th Street. In that incident, officials claim, Hester ran up to the couple and stabbed one of the babies — a 1-year-old boy — in both of his arms before running off as she was chased by the children’s father.

Following that incident, Hester is believed to have left behind a bag at the scene, officials said.

Officials claimed that Hester was armed with, what appeared to be, a large kitchen knife during these incidents.

Also, police said, Hester had a warrant out of New York City in connection to an aggravated assault that occurred a few days prior.

Hester has been in police custody since Saturday night. As of Monday morning, court documents for her charges had not yet appeared online.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.