A teenage boy was out on bail in Queensland when he allegedly stabbed a Coles supermarket worker so hard in the back the knife came through the front of her abdomen.
The 13-year-old has been charged with attempted murder over the alleged attack at Yamanto Central shopping centre, Ipswich, on Monday afternoon.
Queensland Police allege he grabbed a knife off the shelves and stabbed duty manager Claudia Campomayor Watt as she was stocking shelves, before fleeing the scene.
Ms Watt, 63, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, and has since improved to serious while being treated at Princess Alexandra Hospital.
The teenager was out on bail for a number of offences at the time of the alleged incident, including for an alleged attack on a carer using scalding hot milk which left her with burns to her neck and face, 7 News reported.
He was living with a different carer under the National Insurance Disability Scheme at the time of Monday’s stabbing, and has “complex needs”, The Courier Mail reported.
Queensland Police have said they believe the attack was random and the teenager, who cannot be identified due to his age, was acting alone.
Coles responded to the alleged attack by withdrawing all knives from sale at supermarkets across Australia.
A witness told Nine News he chased after the alleged attacker after hearing a scream and seeing him run past, before catching up to him in a nearby Kmart.
“He was fairly calm, very nonchalant, which was a bit disturbing,” he said.
“I questioned him about why he was running, he said that he was scared, he’d seen someone stab someone with a knife.
“While we were walking he asked me if he was in trouble.”
Queensland Police would like to speak to anyone who saw the accused walking along the Cunningham Highway between Ripley and the Yamanto exit prior to the incident between 1pm and 2:30pm on Monday.
Header image: Left, the teenager being arrested. Right, Claudia Campomayor Watt.
