Hudson Valley Son Made Split-Second Move That Saved Mom's Life

A terrifying attack inside a Hudson Valley home ended only after a family member grabbed the first thing he could find to fight back.

A Westchester County jury has convicted a Mount Vernon man of a brutal attack on his ex-girlfriend. It was so violent that her own son had to step in with a hammer to stop it.

Mount Vernon Man Found Guilty Of Slashing Ex-Girlfriend's Face With Kitchen Knife

a wooden gaven sitting on top of a white counter — Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Ajany Waite, 33, was found guilty on multiple felony counts after slashing his ex-girlfriend in the face with a kitchen knife and forcing his way into her apartment in June 2025.

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The jury convicted Waite of two counts of Assault in the First Degree, two counts of Burglary in the First Degree, three counts of Assault in the Second Degree, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon.

The attack began on June 6, 2025, after Waite spotted his ex-girlfriend at a party in the Bronx. He followed her back to her Mount Vernon home, banged on the front door, forced his way into the building, and kicked open her apartment door.

The woman tried to escape by running into her roommate's bedroom and shutting the door behind her. Waite forced the door open just far enough to slash her across the right side of her face with a large kitchen knife, then stabbed her in the left shoulder as she turned away.

black handled knife on white background — Photo by Marios Gkortsilas on Unsplash

The woman needed approximately 25 stitches to her face and six more to her shoulder. She also suffered a broken right cheekbone and a torn ligament in her neck.

Son Stepped In To Save Her With Hammer

The victim's son was home at the time. He grabbed a hammer and used it against Waite to stop the attack, forcing him to flee the apartment.

black and silver claw hammer — Photo by Andrew George on Unsplash

“The violence committed by this defendant against his former partner is emblematic of the horrors experienced by domestic violence survivors throughout this county, every day," Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said. "I am grateful that the victim in this case received the justice."

He faces up to 25 years in state prison when he's sentenced on July 22.