Dad Slit Mom's Throat. But Daughter, 10, Fought Him Off, Got Siblings to Safety — and Saved Her Mother's Life

Police say a 10-year-old girl in Oregon saved the lives of her mother and siblings after her father threatened to kill the family.

On June 7, 2021, Jesus Huchin-Interian began fighting with the mother of his children and accusing her of cheating, according to a release from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office.

The victim told police that as the argument grew more heated, Huchin-Interian threatened the lives of both her and the children, saying he would “finish her” and then “finish the kids.”

At this point, Huchin-Interian began to physically attack the victim and eventually slit her throat, the release says.

At that point, his 10-year-old daughter sprang into action by grabbing a knife and stabbing her father, according to the release.

But the blade was too dull to be effective, so the child quickly changed plans and ran to get herself and her siblings to safety by barricading themselves in her bedroom, according to the release.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. 

Once barricaded, the girl called 911 to report the incident, and after her father fled the scene she emerged from her room to start rendering life-saving aid to her mother, according to the release.

Officers with the Gresham Police Department then arrived. Despite the fact that the victim appeared “lifeless” with an eight-inch cut to her neck, she was rushed to the hospital and she survived, the release states.

Meanwhile, Huchin-Interian was in the process of fleeing the state.

It was not until March of 2024 that authorities managed to track down Huchin-Interian in San Francisco after three years on the run, according to the MCDA.

Huchin-Interian has now entered a guilty plea to a charge of assault in the second degree constituting domestic violence, for which he will serve 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

That sentence is part of a deal between prosecutors and Huchin-Interian, with a ballot measure requiring any individual in the state found guilty of assault in the second degree receive a sentence of at least 70 months.

Huchin-Interian accepted a deal from prosecutors just days before his trial was set to begin according to Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Robin Beck Skarstad.

In announcing the news, Skarstad also made sure to thank the person who prevented the incident from potentially becoming a quadruple murder.

“This case underscores the devastating impact domestic violence has on children in the home,” Skarstad said. “The victim’s young daughter showed bravery and resilience that truly inspires us to work hard every day to interrupt the cycle of abuse and to keep families safe.” 

A lawyer for Huchin-Interian did not respond to a request for comment. He will be formally sentenced on April 28.

Authorities did not release the names of the victim or her children because of the nature of the crime.