“I stabbed our daughter;” 23-year-old woman died after her 57-year-old mother went to her bedroom and repeatedly stabbed her in the face, chest and back with a large knife; mother arrested
Pennsylvania – In a chilling act of domestic violence that has left residents in Pennsylvania shaken, a 57-year-old mother, identified as Diane G., stands charged with the brutal killing of her 23-year-old daughter, identified as Daniele G., and the stabbing of the family’s dog. The horrific attack unfolded in the early morning hours just days before Christmas inside the family’s home.
Diane has been charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree murder, third-degree murder, criminal homicide, possession of an instrument of crime, and aggravated cruelty to animals. She is currently being held without bail at the correctional facility and is next scheduled to appear in court on January 6.
According to the criminal complaint released by police, officers responded to a 911 call placed at 6:38 a.m. by Diane’s husband, identified as John G., who had returned home from an overnight shift at the airport. After picking up breakfast for the family, he arrived home to find a blood-soaked scene that began with the family dog greeting him at the door—its fur matted with blood. As John entered the home, he spotted his wife seated on the living room couch, holding a knife. What she said next would unravel the gravity of what had occurred: “I stabbed our daughter,” she told him. She also confessed to injuring the dog, which had lacerations to its abdomen.
John ran to his daughter’s bedroom, where he found Daniele lying on her back, unresponsive, with her eyes open. He called out her name several times but got no response. Returning to the living room, he called 911 and reported the attack. During the emergency call, he told dispatchers that his wife had begun stabbing herself in the chest, expressing a desire to die. As the 911 operator instructed him to flee for his own safety, he watched as Diane threw the knife toward the living room television and began stripping off her clothes, continuing to destroy items in the kitchen before police arrived.
When responding officers entered the home, they found Diane without clothes on and covered in blood. She had sustained superficial, self-inflicted stab wounds. Officers reported she resisted commands and had to be restrained. While being taken into custody, she said to police she should have stabbed herself first. Emergency medical responders attempted life-saving measures on Daniele, but she was pronounced dead at 7:07 a.m. Her body bore lacerations to her face, chest, legs, and back. The family dog survived and was transported to a nearby veterinary clinic for treatment. A search of the residence led to the recovery of a large stainless steel kitchen knife with a black handle lodged in a living room wall, stained with what appeared to be blood.
Authorities have not released a motive for the killing, and it remains unclear how long before John returned home the attack had occurred. Diane has not yet offered a clear explanation for her actions, and no history of prior violence has been publicly reported. The incident has left neighbors and community members stunned, particularly as it occurred so close to the holiday season. Daniele lost her life in the place she should have been safest. Now, as the legal process begins, a grieving father is left to mourn the loss of his daughter and process the unimaginable act committed by his wife. Meanwhile, Diane awaits trial, facing the possibility of spending the rest of her life behind bars for the brutal crime that has shattered her family.
