FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Fort Lauderdale man is behind bars after authorities said he beat his mother, stabbed his girlfriend in the face and eyes, and threw his 1-year-old daughter out of a window.
Pierre Francois, 29, faces three attempted murder charges in connection with the incident that occurred Saturday in the 2700 block of Northwest 12th Court.
According to his arrest report, Francois’ mother told Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies that her son, who suffers from schizophrenia, had an episode and started beating her. She said she then saw Francois throw his daughter from a first-floor window. Evidence markers lined the broken windows with blood underneath them after the incident.
Deputies said the woman ran to a neighbor’s home for help and that neighbor immediately called police.
When deputies arrived at the family’s home on Northwest 27th Lane, they made two gruesome discoveries. First, authorities saw the toddler lying face-down in the front yard. Inside, they found the mother of Francois’ child with stab wounds to her face and eyes.
The mother and daughter were both raced to Broward Health Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
Deputies said Francois initially resisted officers as they tried to arrest him.
“A taser was used and a brief foot pursuit occurred, where he was taken into custody after further incident,” said Broward Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Donald Prichard.
Francois faced a Broward County judge on Monday, where a prosecutor detailed the injuries the victims sustained.
“This will result in the victim being blind in both eyes,” attorney Eric Lindor said. “The injuries that the infant suffered are traumatic brain injuries and potential possible brain bleed.”
The neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified, told Local 10 News that she did what any other person would have done. She said she’s thankful she was there to help.
Francois is being held in lieu of a $550,000 bond and has been ordered to stay away from the victims and undergo a mental health evaluation.