Girl, 4, Calls 911 to Report Mom Fatally Stabbed Days After Fleeing Father's Violence: 'Dad Killed My Mom'  By Samira Asma-Sadeque

The fatal stabbing of a woman fleeing her alleged abuse was reported to police first by the couple’s 4-year-old child.

The victim, 24-year-old Neilyann Ysam, was found dead in a Portland, Ore., home on July 19 by authorities responding to a report of a stabbing at the location, Portland Police said in a statement at the time.

S Mate Joseph, 28, was arrested later the same day in nearby Vancouver, Wash., per the statement.

Ysam’s stabbing was reported to police by her 4-year-old daughter, who told authorities: “My dad killed my mom,” according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KATU. The child also gave police her father’s name.

Joseph himself also called 911, and allegedly reported that he had stabbed a “loved one” and did not know if they were still alive, per the affidavit.

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Once police arrived at the scene, they found five children were in the home, unharmed, and removed them from the location, Portland Police said in their statement.

Four of the children were Ysam’s, KATU reported. Her aunt told authorities that Ysam and her children were staying with her after they fled alleged violence in the home Ysam shared with Joseph, per the affidavit.

Joseph had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Ysam when she was pregnant in 2019, according to Clark County court documents cited by KATU.

In 2020, he was found in a car with Ysam and cited for violating a protection order a judge had issued against him in 2019.

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Joseph has been charged with second-degree murder and first degree burglary, per Portland Police.

He has pleaded not guilty pleas in response to the charges, KATU reported.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.