Police credit 10-year-old girl with saving mother from vicious attack

A 10-year-old girl saved her mother's life by running to a neighbour's house as the woman was being savaged by aknife-wielding attacker, police said.

Staff Sgt.DarrenSmith called the girl's actions "heroic."

"Absolutely she saved her mother's life bybeing able to get outside theaddress and get to a neighbour who was able to contact police," he said.

"If we hadn't got there, who knows what could have happened. That's a very brave young woman."

Simon Beaulieu was working outside at a house on the street on Thursday afternoon when he saw the girl running towards him.

"She was crying and she told us 'Help, help me please, help me.There's someone in my house who broke in,'" Beaulieu said.

When police arrived they gave emergency medical help to the mother,who was suffering severe injuries to her face and neck. She was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition buthas since been upgraded to serious butstable.

The child was not hurt.

The man suspected of stabbing the woman in the northeast Calgary neighbourhood of Coral Springs was a former business associate of her husband, police said.

Nurdin Allaudin Dossa, 68, was arrested without incident.

"[Officers]were able to gain entry on their own," said Smith.

"They did come into contact with the offender who was actively attacking the female at the time."

Dossa is charged with aggravated assault in connection to the incident, but the investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely, Smith said, which could include attempted murder.

He is set to appear in court onNov. 21.

• MORE CALGARYNEWS|'I love you Juliano': Calgary mother's final words at sentence hearing for son's killer
• MORE CALGARYNEWS|Where you're most likely to get a parking ticket in Calgary