Inset: Zeinab Abdi (Louisville Metro Detention Center). Background: The home where Abdi allegedly tried to kill her 6-year-old daughter (WLKY).
A 40-year-old woman from Kentucky is facing charges for allegedly attempting to kill her 6-year-old daughter using a hammer, reportedly hitting the child on the head multiple times in the presence of the child’s sibling.
On Tuesday, a Jefferson County grand jury indicted Zeinad Abdi on charges of criminal attempted murder, first-degree assault, and first-degree criminal abuse involving a victim under 12 for the incident in June that critically injured the child, as announced by Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney Gerina D. Whethers on their release.
Abdi had earlier gone to court for her arraignment on June 20 and entered a plea of not guilty to attempted murder and domestic violence charges.
According to a previous post-arrest complaint acquired by Law&Crime, officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department’s 2nd Division responded to a call about a “trouble incident” at a house located in the 2900 block of Wilson Avenue around 12:49 p.m. on Thursday, June 19. The report indicated that a mother had hit her child in the head with a hammer.
When first responders arrived, they found a 6-year-old girl inside the home, unresponsive and suffering from severe head injuries. Authorities reported the child had endured “multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds.”
The victim, whose identity has not been released by officials, was rushed by emergency services to Norton Children’s Hospital, where she was in critical condition.
Due to the nature of the child’s injuries, the department’s homicide unit responded to the scene and took over the investigation. Abdi was subsequently taken into custody in connection with the alleged attack on her daughter.
“During a post-Miranda statement, the listed suspect [Abdi] stated she frequently becomes extremely angry and has difficulty controlling herself,” police wrote in the complaint. “She stated today she became overly angry and struck the victim in the head with a hammer an unknown amount of times.”
Abdi’s son, whose name and age were not disclosed, provided a similar account of the harrowing attack on his sister.
“During an interview with the listed suspect’s son, he stated while restraining her after the assault, she stated to him ‘let me finish her’ while attempting to return to the victim,” the document states.
A police spokesperson told Lexington, Kentucky, Fox affiliate WDKY that the victim was released from the hospital this week and is staying with family.
Several neighbors who spoke to Louisville CBS affiliate WLKY after the incident said they were shocked about the allegations.
“I think it’s just terrible,” neighbor Donald Edison told the station. “I don’t know what type of pressure the child’s mother is under for her to do something like that.”
Brittany Lindell, who also lives in the area, told WLKY that news of the attack gave her “cold chills,” calling it “disgusting.”
“I don’t understand how someone could get to that point of anger,” she said, adding, “especially with an innocent child.”
Abdi remains in the Louisville Metro Detention Center on bond of $500,000. She is currently scheduled to appear in court to be arraigned on the indictment in Jefferson County Circuit Court on Monday morning.
