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Background: The 4500 block of Southwest 23rd Terrace in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Google Maps). Inset: Daquan Delancy (Broward County Sheriff”s Office).
An 8-year-old girl from Florida is being hailed as a hero for her quick actions that may have saved her mother’s life during a violent incident involving her stepfather, authorities report.
According to court documents examined by Law&Crime, Daquan Delancy, aged 30, is now facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated child abuse. He remains in custody at the Broward County Jail with no possibility of bond.
The incident unfolded on a Wednesday afternoon at a home located on the 4500 block of Southwest 23rd Terrace in Fort Lauderdale. As per the authorities’ account, a heated argument between Delancy and his wife escalated into a physical altercation outside their residence.
Delancy reportedly rendered his wife unconscious, as detailed by Miami’s NBC affiliate WTVJ, escalating the threat by brandishing a knife and threatening her life.
“She was out cold,” remarked Tracey Linnen, the father of the victim, describing his horror upon learning of the assault while he was away celebrating his birthday. “He intended to end her life.”
As the suspect reportedly lifted a knife and began to bring it down toward his wife, her 8-year-old daughter rushed in, authorities said.
“He was coming down with the knife and the baby grabbed the knife, so he snatched it and … she got cut open, all the way to the bone,” said a clearly emotional Linnen.
Police responded to the residence and arrested Delancy. The mother and daughter were taken to area hospitals to be treated, with their family telling the local outlet on Thursday that they both were doing well.
The investigation was ongoing on Thursday. Court records do not yet list a scheduled hearing date for Delancy.