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Inset: Michael Phillips (WPVI/YouTube). Background: The Pennsylvania apartment complex where cops say Michael Phillips stabbed his infant son and “threw him in the snow” (WCAU/YouTube).
A Pennsylvania father is facing serious charges after allegedly stabbing his 3-month-old son and discarding him in the snow, claiming he needed to “sacrifice the baby,” according to police and prosecutors.
The suspect, identified as 44-year-old Michael Phillips, has been charged with attempted homicide and other offenses related to the violent incident involving his infant son in Coatesville. This information was detailed in a statement released on Facebook by the local police and Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities were dispatched to an apartment on the 2000 block of Smithbridge Drive at 11:36 a.m. following reports of a stabbing. Upon arrival, the baby’s mother informed officers that Phillips had made disturbing remarks about sacrificing their child. He then allegedly attacked her with a knife, striking the infant once despite multiple attempts.
The mother recounted to police that after the attack, she managed to flee the apartment with her stabbed infant and her 9-year-old son. As they escaped, the older child ran to seek help, but Phillips reportedly pursued them, attacking once more and tossing the baby into the snow.
According to the press release, Phillips followed the mother outside, forcibly took the baby from her arms, and threw him into the snow. The mother then used her body to protect her child until emergency responders could arrive.
Cops and first responders arrived at the scene and “worked quickly to ensure the victim infant’s quick transport to the hospital,” the release says. “Coatesville Police and local EMS heroically worked to give this infant a chance to survive,” reported District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe in a statement.
Police said in a separate release that the child was “in very serious condition” and was flown to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He was listed in critical but stable condition after being admitted to the ICU, per police.
“They just had a little baby three months ago,” a neighbor told local ABC affiliate WPVI about Phillips and the mother of his infant son, describing them as a “good family.”
An arrest affidavit obtained by WPVI describes how Phillips was captured on police body cameras making comments about sacrificing the baby while being taken into custody.
“I did it, God, I did it,” Phillips allegedly said. “This was all part of God’s plan.”
In addition to attempted homicide, Phillips is also facing charges of aggravated assault with intent to cause severe bodily injury and endangering the welfare of a child. He is due to appear in court on Feb. 20 for a preliminary hearing.