Defendant: Dayona Hammonds (DOB 11/30/86)

Aug. 4, 2020 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced Dayona Hammonds of Peekskill was arraigned today after being indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury for the stabbing of her eight-year-old child.

Hammonds appeared in County Court via video conference before Judge Anne Minihan.

Specifically, she was indicted on six counts:

• Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony
• Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C felony
• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a misdemeanor
• Menacing in the Second Degree, a misdemeanor
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a misdemeanor

Background
Prosecutors allege, on Feb. 17, 2020, Dayona Hammonds stabbed her child with a knife. They were in their Main Street Peekskill apartment at 7:40 a.m.

Peekskill Police received a call about a child in danger. They rushed into the apartment and discovered the defendant over the child, who had already been stabbed, still holding the knife.

The child was hospitalized with a puncture wound to the abdomen and a laceration to the liver. The child underwent emergency surgery and recovered from those wounds.

Hammonds remains on bail. Her next court appearance is scheduled Aug. 26, 2020.

Special Prosecutions Assistant District Attorneys Janelle Armentano and Christine Cervasio are prosecuting the case.

In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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