Inset: Michael Phillips (WPVI/YouTube). Background: The Pennsylvania apartment complex where cops say Michael Phillips stabbed his infant son and “threw him in the snow” (WCAU/YouTube).
In a chilling incident in Pennsylvania, a father allegedly stabbed his 3-month-old son in the abdomen before discarding the child into the snow, claiming he needed to “sacrifice the baby,” authorities report.
Michael Phillips, 44, has been charged with attempted murder and other offenses following the attack on his infant son in Coatesville on Wednesday. This information was detailed in a statement released on Facebook by the local police and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
Police were dispatched to an apartment on the 2000 block of Smithbridge Drive at 11:36 a.m. after receiving reports of a stabbing. According to the statement, upon arrival, the child’s mother informed officers that Phillips had expressed intentions to sacrifice the baby and then attempted to stab the infant several times, succeeding once.
After the attack, the mother reportedly fled the apartment with her injured child and her 9-year-old son. As they sought safety, the older boy ran for help, but Phillips allegedly pursued them, attacking the mother and baby again before tossing the child into the snow, authorities said.
According to the report, Phillips grabbed the baby from the mother’s arms outside and threw him into the snow. The mother then shielded the child with her body until emergency services arrived on the scene.
First responders acted swiftly to transport the infant to the hospital, the report states. District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe praised the Coatesville Police and local EMS for their prompt actions, which he described as giving the infant a fighting chance for survival.
Police said in a separate release that the child was “in very serious condition” and was flown to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He was listed in critical but stable condition after being admitted to the ICU, per police.
“They just had a little baby three months ago,” a neighbor told local ABC affiliate WPVI about Phillips and the mother of his infant son, describing them as a “good family.”
An arrest affidavit obtained by WPVI describes how Phillips was captured on police body cameras making comments about sacrificing the baby while being taken into custody.
“I did it, God, I did it,” Phillips allegedly said. “This was all part of God’s plan.”
In addition to attempted homicide, Phillips is also facing charges of aggravated assault with intent to cause severe bodily injury and endangering the welfare of a child. He is due to appear in court on Feb. 20 for a preliminary hearing.
