Warning: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.

A 10-year-old girl from Oregon displayed extraordinary courage when her father slashed her mother’s throat—stabbing him in self-defense, then hiding with her younger siblings to call 911. 

Her quick thinking ultimately saved her mother’s life.

The culprit, Manuel Jesus Huchin-Interian, fled the state after cutting his wife’s throat. He was found three years later and will be imprisoned for almost six years, according to a court report.

After witnessing her dad slashing her mom’s throat, she stabbed him with a blunt kitchen knife in self-defense.

Image credits: Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office

This incident took place on June 7, 2021, at the family’s home in Gresham—where the police arrived after multiple 911 calls from residents in the area. 

One of the calls was made by a scared 10-year-old child, exclaiming that her “parents were arguing and dad stabbed mom.”

But when she realized the knife was too dull to make an impact, she took her younger siblings and fled to another room. There, she locked the door and called 911. 

After her father fled the house, she stayed with her mom and 911 on the call until help arrived.

The first officers arrived to find the “lifeless” woman face down in a pool of blood, the report says. She had an 8-inch wound to her neck, but fortunately, she survived the ordeal. 

The woman corroborated her daughter’s story, telling the officers that Huchin-Interian attacked her after accusing her of cheating on him. 

After cutting her throat, he threatened to “finish her” and then “finish the kids,” the report said.

In Oregon, domestic violence remains one of the most reported crimes

Image credits: daniel-007 / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Huchin-Interian’s sentencing is scheduled for Monday, April 28.

Reports suggest he will be sentenced to five years and 10 months, and then 3 years of probation after pleading guilty to the crime. 

Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Robin Beck Skarstad, the prosecutor for the case, praised the daughter’s bravery. 

“This case underscores the devastating impact domestic violence has on children in the home,” Skarstad said. 

“The victim’s young daughter showed bravery and resilience that truly inspires us to work hard every day to interrupt the cycle of abuse and to keep families safe,” she added. 

This incident is part of a long-standing pattern of domestic violence in the U.S.

According to a 2023 study, domestic violence causes more than 15,000 deaths and 2 million injuries annually in the U.S. Close to 85% of the victims are women. 

In Oregon, one in three adults experiences domestic violence in their lifetime, as reported by the state’s Secretary of State Audits Division in 2023. Just a year before this incident, domestic violence programs reported servicing more than a thousand incidents in a single day.  

The Secretary of State Audits Division in Oregon notes that, despite high rates of domestic abuse, Oregon lacks a specific strategy or state task force to address this issue.

If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic abuse, help is available. The Safe and Together Institute provides international domestic violence resources.