DADE CITY, Fla. — DADE CITY, Fla. — Police in Dade City, Florida say a man facing charges for choking his girlfriend is recovering in the hospital after one of the victim's children stabbed him multiple times during the attack.
Police said the stabbing left Donald Terrence Parker, 39, with life-threatening injuries that required surgery.
Donald Parker No Contact Order by ABC Action News on Scribd
According to police, officers and deputies with the sheriff's office responded to Willingham Avenue and Hester Lake Way in Dade City on Tuesday in reference to the stabbing.
At the scene, officers said they learned a domestic dispute turned violent when Parker choked his girlfriend to the point that she passed out. Two children of the victim, a 12-year-old and a 16-year-old, were present at the time, police said.
During the attack, when one of the children tried to intervene, Parker attacked them and hit them several times with a broom handle, according to police. Then one of the children got a kitchen knife and stabbed Parker multiple times to stop him, police said.
The children are not related to Parker, according to police.
Parker ran from the home after a neighbor called 911. Police said he was found a short distance away. He was flown to a nearby hospital for treatment. He's expected to fully recover.
Police said Parker will be charged and booked into jail when he's released from the hospital.
We talked to neighbor who said this hits too close to home.
"I couldn't even do anything yesterday. I just cried. You know, I was in the hospital for a year for domestic violence... When I saw that yesterday, it brought me to tears because I was her. She is me," neighbor, Tabitha Taylor-Stevens, said.
We talked with The Spring of Tampa Bay which is a non-profit helping survivors of domestic violence and their children.
Domestic violence leaders said children witnessing domestic violence are also victims and it's unfortunate they were put in this situation to begin with.
"It's really important that we don't send messages that we expect children to be the ones intervening. Sometimes, they're going to write because of the circumstances, but they shouldn't feel like it's their responsibility to do that," Mindy Murphy, President and CEO of The Spring of Tampa Bay, said.
Murphy said it's important domestic violence survivors know they have support from neighbors, friends or family members.
Court documents showed Parker was just charged in April with domestic aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Donald Parker Affidavit 4-24-23 by ABC Action News on Scribd
In that case the victim, it's unclear if it's the same woman, stated Parker chased her with her car and tried to hit her three times before pulling out a gun and pointing it at her. She said she was in fear for her life during the incident.
A judge issued a no contact order the next day.
"I just pray for them. I keep them in my prayers all the time. I keep all my neighbors in my prayers and I just hope that eventually they will get some peace," Taylor-Stevens added.
