New Jersey Mother Charged with Murder for Allegedly Stabbing Infant Daughter to Death

New Jersey mother Kristhie I. Alcazar, 26, has been charged with murder for allegedly stabbing her 5-month-old infant daughter to death.

The Salem County Prosecutor’s Office (SCPO) said that late Friday night “police responded to an open 911 call with audible disturbance in the background” in Penn’s Grove.

A neighbor who chooses to remain anonymous told CBS 3, “The lady’s mom was over there screaming, and I knew something was wrong.”

Police were dispatched to Alcazar’s residence at the Penns Grove Gardens apartment complex, according to the NJ Advance. Once on scene, “they found Alcazar arguing with another person and the body of the deceased infant with visible stab wounds to the chest,” according to the SCPO.

Alcazar was arrested and charged with murder, and “multiple knives and additional evidence were recovered at the scene,” the SCPO states.

“When I first came out they were putting the lady in handcuffs. They were putting her in the car.” the neighbor told CBS 3. 

“The EMS went in there and when they came out and left I knew the baby was dead bcuz [sic] they would’ve transported her,” the neighbor explained. “She seemed like such a good mom, but they said she had post-partum and I have no idea what that’s like so I can’t judge.”

The infant’s father was not present at the residence during the alleged murder, according to the SCPO.

“It’s sad. It hurts. A baby,” neighbor Jose Quiles told CBS 3. “Especially a baby. It really hurts.”

The Penns Grove Apartment complex has been the scene of several horrendous incidents in recent history. 

The NJ Advance reported:

In 2019, Tayshon M. Hayward, 26, tried to intervene in a dispute at the complex over stolen cash and was shot in the face. He later died. Ordale R. Telfair of Bridgeton was convicted of his murder in September.

Last year, estranged husband Eugenio Severino killed his wife, Ruth Esther Reyes de Severino, and two children, ages 5 and 2, at their home in the complex, according to prosecutors. The man then hanged himself in a nearby wooded area. Reyes’ family has filed a lawsuit against the apartment owners.

Those with information regarding the latest incident are encouraged to contact the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office (856) 935-7510 or the Penns Grove Police Department (856) 299-0056.