Left: Neilyann Ysam (Portland Police Bureau). Right: S Mate Joseph during his arraignment in Clark County (via KATU).
A young mother who was taking refuge in Oregon with her family in an attempt to escape domestic abuse was allegedly stabbed to death by the man she fled.
Upsetting details about the death of 24-year-old Neilyann Ysam, who was found stabbed to death in Portland, Oregon on July 19, are provided in newly released court documents obtained by local ABC affiliate KATU.
A press release from the Portland Police Bureau confirmed Ysam was in the home with her five children, all of whom were unharmed and removed safely.
According to the court documents, it was Ysam”s 4-year-old daughter who called 911, telling dispatchers, “My dad killed my mom.”
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Police announced the arrest of 28-year-old S Mate Joseph on July 22, and he was booked into the Clark County Jail in Washington before being extradited to Oregon’s Multnomah County.
Joseph and Ysam had a history of domestic violence going back to 2019, when he pleaded guilty to assaulting Ysam while she was pregnant, KATU reported. The outlet cited reports from that 2019 incident in Vancouver, Washington that stated Ysam was “barefoot, screaming, crying and attempting to get away” from Joseph.
Two men who reported the earlier incident had waited outside their apartment for police when they were confronted by Joseph’s 16-year-old brother, who allegedly threatened the men with a knife, KATU reported at the time. The teenager refused to comply with police orders to back down, and he was shot and killed by an officer. Joseph was taken down with a stun gun and arrested.
Joseph was sentenced to 11 days in jail after pleading guilty to assault in fourth degree, harassment, and jumping bail.
Six years later, court documents stated that Ysam had fled to Portland to escape Joseph and was living with an aunt when the final incident occurred.
In addition to the 4-year-old’s call to 911, Joseph reportedly placed his own call, telling dispatchers that he had stabbed a “loved one” but did not know whether or not they were still alive. He then allegedly fled the scene, leaving Ysam bleeding to death while the nearly half-dozen children – all under the age of 6 years old – were still in the house.
Joseph was extradited and booked into Multnomah County Jail. He entered a plea of not guilty to second-degree murder and burglary during a court appearance on Thursday.
The children were taken into custody by family, KATU reported.
