Police Report Reveals Details in Hedge Trimmer Attempted Murder Case

Written by Whitney Cyr

The woman charged with attempted murder for allegedly threatening her 9-year-old’s life with electric hedge clippers will have a dangerousness hearing on Monday, July 15 in Dedham District Court. 

According to the Westwood Police report, Maureen Mullin, of 126 Pond St., Westwood, was on medication for depression and had a mental health appointment days before she allegedly attacked her child in the early hours of the morning on Monday. Mullin has entered a not guilty plea.

At 4:51 a.m. on Monday, Westwood Police received a call for a possible domestic assault in progress. A child was the one to report the incident, saying her mother was possibly attacking her with a knife. Screaming could be heard in the background of the call, according to the report.

According to police, Mullin’s child suffered cuts to her face and neck in addition to her thumb, which was almost amputated. Police said Mullin’s husband was holding his wife in a bear hug when they arrived. His wife was covered in blood. The electric hedge clippers used in the alleged attack were lying on the floor, also covered in blood.

Police reported the woman kept saying, “I just wanted us to be together.” Mullin’s 9-year-old daughter walked into the room, and she was covered in blood according to police. The reporting officer said the daughter’s injuries were non-life threatening.

According to the police report, Mullin's husband woke to his children screaming down the hall, and he heard one of his daughters saying, “Why are you doing this, mommy?” He found the door to his child’s room was locked, so he forced his way in and saw his wife holding his daughter with the electric hedge clippers by their child’s face and neck.

One officer at the scene reported, “I was amazed to see the girl’s bedroom which had a long orange extension cord which powered the hedge clippers to injure the child.” He also noted the “extensive” amount of blood on the floor, walls, and the bedding in the child’s bedroom.

Mullin 's husband “unplugged the machine and wrestled it away from his wife,” according to the report. The woman reportedly grabbed a kitchen knife and was threatening to kill herself.

The Mullins’ other daughter, 5 years old, was unharmed and was taken away from the scene by police. Mullin faces charges of attempted murder, assault and battery on a child with injury, mayhem, and two charges of assault and battery with a deadly weapon. She will be held without bail pending her dangerousness hearing.  

Mullin's husband could not be reached for comment.