Louisville, Kentucky – A 40-year-old mother has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly attacking her 6-year-old daughter with a hammer in front of the child’s sibling, according to police.
Zeinab Abdi was arrested on Thursday after officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department responded to a call about a child being struck in the head with a hammer. The incident occurred at a home on the 2900 block of Wilson Avenue around 12:49 p.m.
When officers arrived, they found the young girl inside the home with severe head injuries. According to the police report, the child had multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds. She was rushed to Norton Children’s Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
Due to the severity of her injuries, LMPD’s homicide unit took over the investigation. Police say Abdi was taken into custody at the scene.
In her statement to authorities, Abdi reportedly admitted to losing control and striking her daughter in the head with a hammer “an unknown number of times.” She told police she often struggles with intense anger and difficulty managing her emotions.
The girl’s older brother, whose age was not released, reportedly witnessed the attack and tried to intervene. While restraining his mother, he said she pleaded, “Let me finish her,” according to police documents.
Abdi has been charged with attempted murder with a domestic violence enhancement and is currently being held at the Louisville Metro Detention Center. Information regarding her bond has not been released. She was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on Friday.
Neighbors expressed shock and heartbreak after hearing the news.
“I think it’s just terrible,” said local resident Donald Edison. “I don’t know what kind of pressure the mother was under to do something like that.”
Another neighbor, Brittany Lindell, said the story gave her “cold chills.”
“It’s disgusting,” she said. “I just don’t understand how someone could get to that level of anger — especially with an innocent child.”
