Father, mother involved in Shoreline stabbing have troubled past
SHORELINE, Wash. -- An Amber Alert ended Thursday with two young girls found safe, but their father is in critical condition Friday and their mother is still on the run.
The couple's 7- and 3-year-old daughters are still in protective custody after Doreen Starrish dropped them off with a relative. She then ran off after allegedly stabbing her ex at his home NE 190th Street.
The father and mother appear to have a troubled past. Court records show stabbing victim Aaron Smith has a history of assault, including an alleged attack on Starrish last August in which he's accused of hitting her legs while she slept on the couch.
Police say they received a 911 call and in the background heard "...a female yelling, 'Aaron, stop hitting me. You have a warrant. You're going to jail.' "
But once police arrested Smith, they say she became uncooperative, that "...Starrish refused to allow officers to photograph her injuries, refused to give a statement and recanted her accusation."
Doreen Starrish has an extensive police record too, including drug offenses and assault. In another case that reveals problems in the relationship, court records show police arrested Smith in November, after he allegedly violated a no contact order.
Both of those cases are still heading for trial. But for right now, detectives just want to end the hunt for mother without any more violence.
"We would encourage our suspect to turn herself in," said Sgt. Katie Larsen with the King County Sheriff's Office. "It's only a matter of time before we find her and I'm sure she probably has a great deal she wants to tell us."
Child Protective Services says there are no records of either parent charged with abuse or neglect. The state is not allowed to tell us whether they've ever investigated any complaints of suspected abuse or neglect.
The couple's 7- and 3-year-old daughters are still in protective custody after Doreen Starrish dropped them off with a relative. She then ran off after allegedly stabbing her ex at his home NE 190th Street.
The father and mother appear to have a troubled past. Court records show stabbing victim Aaron Smith has a history of assault, including an alleged attack on Starrish last August in which he's accused of hitting her legs while she slept on the couch.
Police say they received a 911 call and in the background heard "...a female yelling, 'Aaron, stop hitting me. You have a warrant. You're going to jail.' "
But once police arrested Smith, they say she became uncooperative, that "...Starrish refused to allow officers to photograph her injuries, refused to give a statement and recanted her accusation."
Doreen Starrish has an extensive police record too, including drug offenses and assault. In another case that reveals problems in the relationship, court records show police arrested Smith in November, after he allegedly violated a no contact order.
Both of those cases are still heading for trial. But for right now, detectives just want to end the hunt for mother without any more violence.
"We would encourage our suspect to turn herself in," said Sgt. Katie Larsen with the King County Sheriff's Office. "It's only a matter of time before we find her and I'm sure she probably has a great deal she wants to tell us."
Child Protective Services says there are no records of either parent charged with abuse or neglect. The state is not allowed to tell us whether they've ever investigated any complaints of suspected abuse or neglect.
