20-year-old woman stabbed her 2-year-old baby brother in the chest, police say

Inset: Marlene Rodriguez (Ocean County Jail). Background: The block in Brick Town, New Jersey, where Rodriguez allegedly stabbed her 2-year-old brother (Google Maps).

A 20-year-old woman in New Jersey is accused of trying to kill her 2-year-old brother, allegedly stabbing the child in the chest while inside their family home over the weekend.

Marlene Rodriguez was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with a spate of felonies, including one count each of attempted murder and endangering the welfare of a child, in connection with the attack.

According to a news release from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, at around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, officers from the Brick Township Police Department responded to a residence on Burke Lane after receiving a 911 call reporting a medical emergency. Brick Township is about a 65-mile drive south of Manhattan. Upon arriving, first responders said they found a 2-year-old boy who appeared to be suffering from "a stab wound to his chest." Emergency medical personnel reached the scene a short while later and rushed the child to nearby Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment.

Authorities said the victim suffered severe but non-life-threatening injuries and was listed as being in stable condition as of Sunday morning.

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

"An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crime Unit, Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, revealed that Rodriguez — the victim's sister — was the individual responsible for the stabbing," the release states. "Rodriguez was taken into custody at Brick Township Police Headquarters and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where she is presently lodged pending a detention hearing."

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer commended his office's Major Crime Unit, the local police department and the county sheriff's office for their "collective efforts" in the investigation.

Authorities have not released details about a possible motive for the alleged attack.

In addition to the attempted murder and child endangerment charges, Rodriguez is also facing one count of unlawful possession of a weapon as well as one count of possessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose. It was not immediately clear when she was scheduled to make her first appearance in court.