The person who was stabbed on Easter Sunday and knocked on a stranger's door in a desperate bid for help was a 17-year-old girl, police say.
Te'yja Chase of Suitland, Maryland, died after she was found with stab wounds in Forestville, Maryland, Prince George's County police said Friday.
Officers were called to the 3300 block of Springdale Avenue about 8:25 a.m. Sunday, April 16 to help a female who had been stabbed. She staggered to someone porch, knocked the door and then collapsed in the front yard, just 2 miles from her own home.
The resident said she can't stop replaying the scene in her mind.
"I opened my door, and I saw a person laying in my front yard," she said. "We tried to ask her her name. We tried to understand what happened."
The woman, who asked not to be identified, called 911. A short time later, Chase was pronounced dead.
Police initially were unable to identify the victim. The police department released a composite sketch of her face and photos of the clothing she had been wearing.
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Family members said Chase's mother saw the sketch and knew it was her child. Chase was outgoing and friendly, the family said. She had several siblings, and a special bond with one of her younger sisters.
Police say knowing who Chase was will advance the investigation. No information on a suspect or possible motive was released.
The woman who helped Chase said she knew the stabbing victim was young, but not 17.
"She was a baby. She was a baby," she said.
Anyone with information that can help police is asked to call 301-772-4925.
