Police in New York City made one arrest shortly after a hammer attack that killed a mother and left her two children critically injured, reports CBS New York.
The children are listed in critical condition with severe head trauma at Bellevue Hospital.
A spokesperson for the NYPD described the murder to USA Today as “horrific and senseless”
Liyong Ye, 47, has been charged with murder, criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of attempted murder and assault for killing Zhao Zhao, 43 and her 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter.
The murder reportedly happened after a dispute, but no further details are available.
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The horrendous incident has attracted the attention of city leaders.
“They are new immigrants coming here with very limited resources and financial pressure. The father has to work, thousand miles away, coming home once a month so he can provide the wife and two kids, and in a sharing space. That means they need to share the kitchen, the bathroom. It’s really not an ideal situation,” state Sen. Iwen Chu said to CBS.
She has offered to connect the family to community support and financial help with the funeral.
John Chell of the NYPD described the living space as “tight quarters.”
“The 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter are fighting for their lives,” he said to NBC. “On behalf of New York City, everyone here, our hearts go out to this family.”
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