Aunt Arraigned for Attempted Murder of Nieces — Across Street From Martha

Faces up to 25 years in state prison if convicted on the top counts of indictment

A 40-year-old woman has been arraigned on a six-count indictment charging her with the attempted murder of her two nieces at their upscale Westchester County home across the street from Martha Stewart's farm.

Lisa Turkki, 39, of East Syracuse, allegedly stabbed her two young nieces, ages 7 and 9, multiple times while baby-sitting them on a summer day.

Turkki faces a multi-count indictment, including two counts each of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

Turkki faces up to 25 years in state prison if convicted on the top counts of the indictment. She was remanded to the Westchester County Jail and is due back in court on January 13, 2011.

Turkki's sister and brother-in-law left her in charge of the girls while they attended an outdoor music concert July 31. Soon after 9 p.m., Turkki called 911 to say she stabbed her nieces and needed help.

The girls were found, conscious and bleeding, on the kitchen floor of their Katonah home, Bedford police said.

The girls' aunt was outside when police arrived and authorities arrested her without incident.

At the time, authorities said two kitchen knives believed to be the weapons were recovered at the scene in Katonah, a hamlet in Bedford about 35 miles north of Manhattan.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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