Two children hurt in Brooklyn hammer attack still fighting for their lives in hospital
NEW YORK -- Two children remained hospitalized and were fighting for their lives on Friday after they were attacked with a hammer in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Their mother died from injuries in the attack.
Police said Liyong Ye, 47, killed Zhao Zhao, 43, with a hammer and then used it to severely injure her two children, a 5-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl.
Ye was arraigned on charges including murder and attempted murder on Thursday. He was remanded and is due back in court next week.
Zhao and her children were living in an apartment on 52nd Street in Sunset Park. Ye and another person also lived in the apartment, but had separate rooms.
Ye and Zhao often argued about living conditions, according to the criminal complaint.
On the day of the attack, Ye called their other roommate to say he would fight Zhao. He called back to say he had "done something wrong."
The roommate went to the apartment and allegedly saw Ye standing over the bodies with the hammer in his hand and blood everywhere.
"It's unbelievable," a neighbor told CBS New York, "I don't know what happened."
The criminal complaint said doctors at Bellevue Hospital-Kips Bay called the children's injuries so severe that they may not survive.
We're told the children's father is at the hospital as doctors try to save their lives.
CLICK HERE for a GoFundMe set up to help the family.
