Judge Donald E. Oda II continued her bond at $1 million cash, surety or 10%. He also placed conditions on Zhu if she was able to post bond that includes electronic monitoring, a no contact order with the child or his family and a protection order.
Nicholas D. Graman, Zhu’s attorney, was assisted by an interpreter during the hearing. Graman said Zhu spent a month in the psychiatric ward at Good Samaritan Hospital in Clifton and was diagnosed with depression with psychotic features. He told the court that Zhu was the mother of three children with deep ties to the community, a college graduate, and had no prior criminal record.
Graman said Zhu’s doctor also outlined a treatment plan and said Zhu could deteriorate if she continued to be incarcerated. He said the doctor thought she was safe to live in the community with monitoring and requested a reduction in the bond amount. Graman said there was an alternate residence in West Chester Twp. where she could reside if released on bond.
Assistant Prosecutor Travis Vieux said that Zhu stabbed the 3-year-old boy nine times with a ceramic knife. He said three of the stabs penetrated the boy’s coat with two cutting into his back and one his neck. Vieux said the boy is recovering but the knife tip remains inside his body near his spine and is under evaluation by his doctors.
The incident was reported by Zhu’s daughter during an online classroom session with her teacher, who then called 911.
The boy’s mother said she heard screaming and saw her next door neighbor standing on her driveway and stabbing her son.
“Somebody’s just stabbed my son,” the boy’s mother said in a frantic 911 call. “I saw her with a knife standing above my child.”
The woman said her son was walking around and crying. His back was covered in blood, but initially she said his injuries looked more like scratches.
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