A horrific scene unfolded in Lake Worth Beach as a mother was attacked and stabbed multiple times in front of her young children. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) deputies arrived at the scene last Friday, shortly before 8 p.m., after reports of a stabbing, CBS12 reported. The victim, whose name has not been released, suffered numerous stab wounds to her neck and upper body and is currently in critical condition at St. Mary’s Medical Center.
The attacker, 25-year-old Courtney Anderson of Delray Beach, was captured on video surveillance charging at the victim and beginning to stab her as she arrived home with their two sons, aged approximately five and three. The children watched as their mother was assaulted; the eldest walked over to her as she fell. Anderson, who had been previously arrested for domestic battery by strangulation involving the same woman, used a knife that at one point became stuck in her body, according to the deputies' accounts. The victim was able to run to a neighbor's house after Anderson seemed to momentarily halt his attack, WFLX stated.
Subsequently, Anderson sought medical attention at JFK Medical Center, arriving with a sliced hand and wearing blood-spattered clothing matching the assailant’s attire in the surveillance materials. His diagnosed injury and the blood-covered steering wheel of the vehicle he drove to the hospital provided further incriminating evidence.
The disturbing case took a turn when Anderson, after being taken into custody, informed deputies that he hadn't been allowed to see his children or the victim since the issuance of a restraining order following his arrest earlier in February. When deputies asked Anderson to recall details of the event, he claimed to not clearly remember what had occurred. He faces charges of attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon, violation of a no-contact order, and aggravated stalking. He is currently being held at Palm Beach County Jail without bond on the attempted murder charge.
