Mother Accused of Stabbing Her Children 50 Times as Prosecutors Say Six-Year-Old Son May Lose His Arm

Taylor Gosnell faces two attempted murder charges in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Deputies say she attacked her two children with a knife, leaving about 50 stab wounds between them. Prosecutors said the six-year-old may face amputation of his fingers and possibly an arm. His sibling is three years old.

Gosnell was already out on bond in an earlier case. Court records cited by The State newspaper show a February 2024 arrest on two counts of unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm to a child, or wilfully abandoning the child. A judge denied bond on the new charges on Sunday, 27 September. The 2024 charges remain pending.

How a Phone Call to a Grandmother Led to the Arrest

Investigators say the attack began late on Friday, 25 September. The next day, the six-year-old phoned his grandmother. He said his mother was out and that he and his sibling were hungry, the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office says. The grandmother went to the house on Bud Arthur Bridge Road and called 911 after finding the two badly hurt. Deputies got there just after 14:30, and the timeline below shows what came next.

Gosnell returned while deputies were at the house, and investigators say she spoke quickly and looked upset. An ambulance took her for a mental health check. A prosecutor said at the hearing that she tried to flee the ambulance and ended up handcuffed to the stretcher. Investigators say she also used a blunt object on the children. She asked for a lawyer and did not give an interview, according to the sheriff's office.

The Children's Injuries and Their Care in Hospital

Graham McLellan, speaking for the sheriff, told the TV station WSPA, 'Between the two children, we're estimating that there were approximately 50 stab wounds.' A prosecutor told the bond hearing that some cuts reached the bone. Both children were treated at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. On Wednesday 30 September, the sheriff's office said both had received nerve grafts, a procedure to repair damaged nerves. Both could leave the hospital within days.

The 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office, which covers Spartanburg and Cherokee counties, is prosecuting Gosnell. In South Carolina, a solicitor is a state prosecutor, not a lawyer for hire. Prosecutors also said TVs and mirrors lay smashed in the home. McLellan said nothing could prepare his colleagues for what they saw. The children are now in protective custody.

What Happens Next in the Case Against Gosnell

Two more charges followed days later, both for possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Under South Carolina law, each attempted murder conviction can bring up to 30 years in prison, and a judge cannot suspend that term or grant probation. Public records list her next court date as 12 November.

No court has ruled on the charges, and Gosnell is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. One neighbour told WSPA her family heard nothing from the house close to theirs and wished they could have helped the children. Another said she was praying the children would end up somewhere safe.