An injured 12-year-old girl walked almost a mile to seek help for her four-year-old sister after both were stabbed, it was reported.
The four-year-old was found dead in her Longwood home despite her 12-year-old sibling’s efforts to walk a mile away to a McDonald’s restaurant to find help, said Florida police on Thursday.
Officers were first called to the Longwood home on Highland Street near Seminole Avenue just after 5.30am.
Police said the girls’ 39-year-old father Juan Braco Torres was also injured with self-inflicted stab wounds.
He has since been named a “person of interest” in connection to the stabbings.
The elder sister and Mr Braco Torres were taken to hospital in critical condition.
“It is incredible that this 12-year-old after being injured in the house was able to walk a mile to summon help. It speaks volumes of what it took to get away from danger,” officer Derek Chenoweth told reporters.
Police said the girls’ mother was not at home at the time of the incident. They said the incident appeared to be domestic in nature and there was no wider threat to the public.
Neighbours of the family were shocked.
“I am actually speechless right now. The little kids are always in the neighbourhood running up and down, so it’s actually very, very hard to hear because I do have kids of my own,” Nilmary Cotto, who lives in the neighbourhood, was quoted as saying by Fox 35 Orlando.
Officer Chenoweth also said if the girl hadn’t reacted the way she did, “I am unsure how much time would’ve passed before police were alerted to the carnage”.
