Police say McKees Rocks mother stabbed her child's father in the chest

Munhall police say a child-custody exchange turned violent Sunday afternoon when a woman stabbed her daughter’s father in the chest outside his Munhall apartment.

Police said they responded to the 3800 block of Shady Avenue around 3:15 p.m. and found a man identified as Victor Harvey suffering from a stab wound, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case. Harvey was taken to UPMC Mercy hospital, where he initially was listed in critical but stable condition.

Harvey told police he argued on the phone with his daughter’s mother, Ashley Rashay Smith, while she was driving to Harvey’s house to pick up their 1-year-old daughter, the complaint said.

After arriving at Harvey’s apartment, the complaint said, Smith stabbed Harvey in the left side of the chest, the complaint said. There were no words exchanged.

Police confronted Smith at her McKees Rocks home, where she was found with blood on her shorts, the complaint said.

Smith told police that Harvey “threw her daughter at her” and she caught and held the child as Harvey shoved her to the ground, the complaint said. She said Harvey punched her twice in the back while she was on the the ground and she then stabbed him and left, the complaint said.

Allegheny County Police charged Smith, 33, with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, possessing an instrument of crime, tampering with evidence and criminal mischief, court records show.

Smith was taken to Allegheny County Jail, county police spokesman Jim Madalinsky said. She had not been arraigned as of Monday morning.