A man is in custody and his 13-year-old daughter is in critical condition after he allegedly stabbed her Friday morning at their home in Middleton, Massachusetts.

Paul Salvaggio, 54, is facing two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He’s accused of attacking his wife and teenage daughter with a knife in the family’s Stanley Road home.

“Tough situation for everybody, you know,” Middleton Police Chief William Sampson said. “These aren’t typical things that we see in the town of Middleton. Or typical things we see at all. So yeah, it’s troubling.”

A 54-year-old man is in custody and a 13-year-old girl is in critical condition after a stabbing at a home Friday morning in Middleton, Massachusetts.

According to the Essex District Attorney’s Office, Salvaggio’s wife frantically called 911 around 6 am Responding officers allegedly found Salvaggio trying to drive away in an SUV. He was covered in blood and carrying a large knife that he dropped before his arrest, officials said.

In court, prosecutor Kate MacDougall said, “They went into the home, they were met by his wife who was hysterical and covered in blood herself. She directed them to her daughter’s bedroom where they found the defendant’s 13-year-old daughter suffering from multiple stab wounds.”

Essex County authorities say the woman was stabbed trying to protect her daughter. In the second-floor bedroom, the teenager was found struggling to breathe, semiconscious and covered in blood.

The couple’s daughter was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital where she remains in critical condition. Salvaggio’s 54-year-old wife, who was stabbed trying to protect her daughter, was taken to Beverly Hospital where she was treated and released before rushing to be with her daughter in the hospital.

The DA’s office says police were called to the Stanley Road address at least once in the past year.

A heavy police presence could be seen surrounding the home Friday. Crime scene tape was blocking off a driveway and officers could be seen surrounding a garage door. Investigators focused a lot of their initial attention on the SUV in the driveway.

Two dogs were take from the home at one point while people in this well-manicured neighborhood tried to make sense of what happened.

Neighbor Arun Nargund said a husband, wife and daughter live at the home, but he had never seen the police there before. He came outside when he heard the sirens Friday morning.

“Shocked, shocked. I just wish everything was fine,” Nargund said.

“He does a lot in the backyard. He’s got one of those bouncy things for her. There was a pool back there for a while so seem like a nice family,” another neighbor said.

A man who came by the scene Friday said his granddaughter received a Facetime call from the girl who lives there and said that she was hurt.

Salvaggio was arranged in Salem District Court on Friday. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf, and he was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing next week.

The Essex County District Attorney’s office said their investigation is ongoing with Middleton police.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELP: Massachusetts provides this list of national, statewide and local resources for victims of domestic violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. Anyone who is in immediate danger or knows someone who is urged to call 911.