NBC

Man Accused of Stabbing Girlfriend, Kidnapping Her Son Arrested in NY

Police said the child’s mother was stabbed more than 30 times.

The man who is accused of stabbing his girlfriend at least 30 times in Hartford and kidnapping her 6-year-old son on New Year’s Day has been arrested in New York.

Police said they obtained a warrant for the arrest of 23-year-old Edgar Manuel Maldonado and he was arrested at 5:30 a.m. by the members of the New York Police Department, 18th district.

Police said they obtained information this morning about his whereabouts in New York and police found Maldonado at a McDonald's in midtown Manhattan.

Maldonado is accused of stabbing his 43-year-old girlfriend in a vehicle early on New Year's Day before driving off with her 6-year-old son. The boy was found safe in Worcester, Massachusetts several hours later. Police said Maldonado has previously been arrested for domestic violence allegations over several years and his relationship with the victim was recent. 

Hartford police dispatchers received a 911 call at 1:55 a.m. Tuesday about a woman who was covered in blood, banging on doors on Natick Street and screaming for help, according to police.

"Someone rang my doorbell around 1:30, quarter to 2, this morning, frantic ringing my doorbell," Kathy Cooper told NBC Connecticut.

Cooper called the police for help.

"I hope that she survives. I'm sorry I wasn't able to help her out, but it's really sad to start 2019 off, you know, begging for your life," Cooper said.

Patrol officers, as well as Hartford firefighters and EMS responded, began treating the woman and learned that the victim and her 6-year-old son were in a vehicle with Maldonado and the woman was stabbed several times.

The victim was able to get out of the car and Maldonado fled, taking the victim’s son from a prior relationship with him, according to police.

The woman had been stabbed more than 30 times and was transported to Hartford Hospital, where she went through emergency surgery, police said.

"When I finally turned on the light in my living room, there was blood inside my screen door and on my front door, right outside my door there was blood and on the there was a pool of blood on my porch so my house was part of a crime scene for two hours this morning," Cooper said Tuesday.

Police said a nationwide alert was placed on the vehicle registration, surrounding towns were briefed about the incident and the boy was entered into a nationwide database as missing-endangered.

Around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, police in Worcester, Massachusetts contacted Hartford police and said they found the boy and the car after receiving a call about a child wandering on Providence Street, according to Hartford police.

Police said they had been in the process of entering an Amber Alert for the missing child Tuesday when he was located.

The little boy did not appear to be harmed but he was taken to an area hospital to be evaluated.

The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families took temporary custody of the child and have been working with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and the child’s family.

The mother is listed in critical, but stable condition, police said.

Maldonado's last known address is on Nilan Street in Hartford.

Police said a cooperating witness who knows Maldonado contacted police about his whereabouts and New York police contacted Hartford police around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday after Maldonado was located the New York McDonald’s.

Maldonado will be held as a fugitive until proceedings are held, then he will be turned over to members of the Hartford Police Department.

A judge of the Superior Court granted a warrant for Maldonado for the charges of attempted murder, assault, kidnapping and risk of injury to a minor, according to police.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us