12-year-old Maryland boy stabs mother's boyfriend during alleged attack

A 12-year-old boy, Xavier Leathers, is credited with saving his mother from an alleged attack by her boyfriend in Temple Hills, Maryland. He awoke to find her being choked and rushed to the kitchen to grab a knife, then stabbed the assailant twice, enabling his mother to escape. The boy sustained a minor cut, while his mother was hospitalized and later sought a protective order against the boyfriend. Authorities say the boyfriend was taken into custody and the investigation is ongoing, with no official charges announced at the time of reports. The mother said she believes she might not be alive without her son's intervention, and neighbors and officials have praised the boy as a hero. The incident was reported across multiple outlets, all describing the same events and providing similar details.