AN IRISH WOMAN is in a critical condition after being stabbed and beaten in her own home.
30-year-old Nadine Lott suffered life-threatening injuries during the attack which happened in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The young mother is believed to be have been assaulted by someone known to her, at her apartment in Arklow, Co. Wicklow.
Ms Lott's six-year-old daughter was inside the apartment at the time, according to the Irish Independent.
Gardai believe the attacker stabbed Nadine a number of times and physically beat her before fleeing the scene.
A crashed car was found around 35km from the scene of the attack some hours later near Laragh.
The driver of the vehicle was brought to hospital following the crash, and was later arrested on suspicion of assaulting Ms Lott.
A neighbour of Ms Lott's, Amela Kulenovic, described how she entered the apartment after hearing noises, only to discover Nadine's attacker standing over her unconscious body.
Credit: FacebookMs Kulenovic said she managed to get Nadine's daughter out of the apartment and to safety after seeing what had happened.
"When I went in I saw the blood and I panicked," she told the Sunday World.
"Nadine was on the sitting room floor and [her child] was own the sitting room too.
"All I could think of was how I was going to get her out of there safely.
"He was still standing in the sitting room but he didn't say anything. He was just grunting and moaning.
"I got [the child] to come to me and I grabbed her," she added.
Health Minister Simon Harris, TD for Wicklow, expressed his shock at the tragic situation and said he was praying for Nadine's recovery.
"Such horrific news coming from Arklow," he said.
"I know I speak for our entire community when I say our thoughts are with this woman as we all hope and pray for her recovery."
She's currently being treated at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin where her family are keeping a bed-side vigil.
