Taylor Gosnell, 35, is accused of stabbing her two young children at her home in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
It all began with a phone call. The older child, 6, dialed his grandmother’s number and told her he was hungry. She went to the home with an ex-boyfriend of Gosnell’s and, when she saw what was inside, alerted the police. It was around 2:30 p.m. on a Saturday.
Officers found the 6-year-old and his 3-year-old brother alone, seriously injured and covered in blood. There were stains throughout the house, as well as broken televisions and mirrors, with glass scattered across the floor. According to a sheriff’s spokesperson, the two children had approximately 50 stab wounds between them. The prosecutor’s office says some wounds reached the bone, and investigators believe a knife and a blunt object were used.
The older child may have to have several fingers and possibly part of an arm amputated. Even so, both children are stable, are expected to recover, and have been placed in protective custody.
Gosnell arrived at the home shortly afterward, speaking rapidly and appearing distressed. She was taken to an ambulance for a mental health evaluation and tried to flee, so she was handcuffed to the stretcher. She was arrested on two counts of attempted murder; a charge of possession of a weapon during a violent crime was later added, and she was denied bail. According to local media, she already had pending charges dating back to 2024 for endangering minors.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive. Gosnell is accused, not convicted.