HAVERHILL, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts man charged with attacking a woman and her pregnant daughter as they walked their dogs has been ordered by a judge to undergo a mental health evaluation.
Jake Kavanaugh, 23, hit the mother with his vehicle twice and attacked her with a box cutter, injuring her eyes and neck, in Haverhill on Wednesday afternoon, prosecutors said in court Thursday.
Although Kavanaugh and the women lived in the same neighborhood and were acquainted, the motive remains unclear. “Police are still trying to determine if there is a motive or if this is a random attack,” prosecutor John DePaulo said.
The older woman, 54, was brought to a Boston hospital where she remains in critical condition, prosecutors said. The younger woman, 26, was treated at the hospital and released. Her baby appears to be OK, a family member told The Eagle-Tribune.
Authorities did not release their names.
Kavanaugh pleaded not guilty to several charges including armed assault with intent to murder.
Defense attorney Timothy Connors said his client waived his right to protest that he is considered a danger to the community. Connors asked the judge to have a court clinician evaluate Kavanaugh for “criminal responsibility and competency.”
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