August 16, 2002
Trenton,
NJ — An East Windsor man who stabbed his niece multiple times with a pair of
scissors was indicted today for attempted murder, Mercer County Prosecutor
Daniel G. Giaquinto announced.
Juan
Francisco Lopez (DOB 12/16/79), of the Windsor Castle Apartment Complex located
on Devonshire Drive, East Windsor, was charged in a multi-count indictment for
an incident that occurred on December 4, 2001.
Giaquinto stated that at approximately 8:40 a.m. that morning, patrol
officers from the East Windsor Township Police Department responded to two 911
calls for an unknown emergency at the defendant’s apartment complex.
Upon their arrival, the officers discovered an 18-day-old infant girl had
been stabbed multiple times with a pair of scissors.
Lopez, who was still in the apartment, was taken into custody at that
time.
The
infant was transported to Capital Health System, Fuld Campus, where she was
treated, stabilized, and subsequently medivaced to The Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia.
If
convicted of the attempted murder charge, a first-degree offense, Lopez could be
sentenced to 10-20 years in prison, Giaquinto said.
In addition to the attempted murder charge, Lopez was indicted on two counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and two weapons offenses. Assistant Prosecutor Jeff Rubin presented the case to the grand jury.
Lopez
is currently being held in the Mercer County Correction Center in lieu of
$50,000 cash bail. His next court
appearance will be for an arraignment/status conference.
No date has been set.
Despite having been indicted, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.