Babylon Village man Joseph Kearns to be arraigned in murder of mom, attack on sister

BABYLON VILLAGE, N.Y. (WABC) -- A son is being charged in the murder of his mother and the stabbing of his sister on Long Island.

Joseph Kearns, 33, will be arraigned Saturday on charges of murder in the second degree and assault.

Police responded to a call from a Babylon Village home around 4:20 p.m. Thursday. According to police, Kearns had disappeared after he argued with his mother, Mina Kearns, 79, over him "not taking his medication."

"There was some issues with whether Joseph was taking the right medication," said Detective. Lt. Kevin Beyrer. "There was an extensive search to locate him involving canine and aviation. He was not located last night."

On Friday morning, Joseph Kearns' sister, Kathleen, called 911 to say she had been stabbed and that her mother had possibly been killed.

Kathleen Kearns, 59, had been stabbed numerous times in the head and face. She is at Good Samaritan Hospital and is expected to survive. Mina Kearns was taken to Good Samaritan where she died.

Joseph Kearns was found in the park nearby. He was taken to Southside Hospital with minor injuries.

Tammy Tillinghast, family friend, called Mina Kearns "a family woman." "Always with her family, always with her children, her grandchildren, always involved in everything."

Neighbors said they don't know much about the family, and although they would see Joseph Kearns on the street, he didn't seem to want to talk to anyone.

"I just know he walked his dogs and he kept to himself," said Debi Griffin, a neighbor. "My son loves dogs. He would always try to talk to him and he just never made any eye contact or anything so I just said, let him, be you know."