UPDATE: A mother who was repeatedly stabbed by an intruder in a terrifying home invasion could have been a victim of mistaken identity, detectives believe.
The 39-year-old woman was asleep at a rented Hamlyn Court house in Meadow Heights when a stranger broke into the property through her bedroom window about 2.45am on Monday.
“She’s woken to a male on her bed, and being stabbed in the back, a struggle has taken place and there was a period of time where the offender has continued to stab the victim,” Hume Crime Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Mick Gaul said.
The woman received four stab wounds to her upper torso from a flat blade knife before her attacker fled through the bedroom window, he said.
Police do not believe any property was taken and are treating the incident as an attempted murder.
The woman shared the house with her adult daughter, whose boyfriend was also home at the time of the attack.
Neighbours say the family had only been living at the house for a couple of months, moving in shortly before Christmas.
But the property was well known to police by its previous tenants, and that, along with the victim’s account of the struggle, suggest she was not her attacker’s intended target, Detective Sergeant Mick Gaul said.
He said once the man had the opportunity to see the woman’s face he gave the impression she was “the wrong person”. Although it is understood no words were exchanged during the ordeal.
Police established an information caravan near the property on Wednesday morning and received a number of new leads.
Police have been told a man was heard screaming outside the property shortly after the incident.
The woman was treated for her wounds at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and is expected to be released shortly.
The attacker has previously been described as having short, fair hair and wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt.
Anybody with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
