'Awful situation': 10-year-old girl stabs man attacking her mom in Houston, police say

Authorities in Texas are investigating after a 10-year-old girl stabbed a man who was reportedly attacking her mother.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported deputies with his department responded to an apartment complex in north Houston on Wednesday and found a man suffering from a stab wound to the leg.

The home is about 6 miles southwest of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

A preliminary investigation revealed a 10-year-old child intervened and stabbed the man as he physically assaulted her mother, Gonzalez said.

A motive in the reported physical assault on the child's mother was not provided by police.

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Man taken to hospital to be treated for stab wound

The sheriff said the man was taken to a hospital in fair condition to be treated for the stab wound.

The sheriff's office could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY on Thursday to say whether charges are pending in the case.

Officials have not released how either family member knew the man who allegedly attacked the mother.

"Awful situation for a 10-yr-old little girl to have to witness and experience," Gonzalez posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "Children who witness the abuse of their mothers, fathers, or other family members, are impacted."

The case remains under investigation, Gonzalez said.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior correspondent for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.