An eight-year-old boy has fought off his father’s ex-girlfriend after she allegedly broke into their home and tried to bludgeon him to death as he slept.

Jacob Soliz-Amaya was in bed at around 8am on Saturday when 26-year-old Helen Marie Newsome allegedly attacked him by covering his head with a pillow then beating him with a dumbbell.

Newsome had allegedly hid in the home in Landover, Maryland for more than 12 hours waiting for the boy’s father, Andy Amaya, to go to work. Amaya had broken up with her just days earlier.

When the home’s owner, who also lives there with Amaya, got into the shower, Newsome allegedly went to the boy’s bedroom and attacked.

Quick thinking: Jacob Soliz-Amaya, left, defended himself with karate moves after Helen Newsome, right,  allegedly broke into his father’s home and attacked him with a dumbbell as he slept

But the boy escaped thanks to some quick thinking – and karate lessons he took earlier this year.

‘I woke up and she was smothering me,’ Jake told Fox DC. ‘She was trying to make me not breathe. She covered my mouth so I headbutted her. And then I beat her up and then she snapped out of it.

‘And then she started hitting me with a dumbell on the back of my head. My head was bleeding like all over my body and so I ran out.’

Speaking to NBC Washington, Jake, who is just 60 pounds, demonstrated some of the moves he said he used on her, showing how he used kicks and blocks to fight off her alleged murderous attack.

Skilled: Eight-year-old Jake shows off his karate moves in an image his mother shared on Facebook

Defense: Jake shows off the moves he used on Newsome when he woke up to find her suffocating him

Real life karate kid: He used karate to fend off his attacker, much like Ralph Macchio’s character in Karate Kid

He ran to a nieghbor’s home and they called 911. Newsome jumped out of a window but was caught by police nearby and arrested.

Jake was taken to hospital where he was given eight staples in the head. He has now been released from hospital but is taking a few days off school to recover.

His mother, Salina Soliz, told Fox: ‘When I got to the hospital, the first thing he says is, “Mom, she tried to kill me”. Those are words that you don’t ever expect to hear from your child’s mouth.’

His father, Andy Amaya, said that he was shocked at the attack, especially as his son had loved Newsome like a step-mother.

‘All I can think of is that maybe she was so upset to the point where she wanted to cause me harm and I guess she knew the only way to really hurt me is to hurt my son,’ he said.

Shock: His father, Andy Amaya, said that the boy had thought of Newsome as a stepmother

Active: Although he is just 60 pounds, Jake was able to fight back and seek help. Newsome was arrested

Hurt: He managed to escape but was taken to hospital and needed eight staples in the head

The home’s owner, Allen Clem, was in the house at the time of the attack.

‘The kid saved himself by fighting back,’ he said. ‘He’s a strong eight-year-old. And he took karate classes this past spring. Thank God he knew what to do.’

Ms Soliz added: ‘I’m in awe of his actions and his will to survive… And I couldn’t be prouder of him.’

Photographs on his mother’s Facebook page show Jake showing off his karate uniform and his moves.

Newsome is being held on $500,000 bond. She is charged with first-degree attempted murder.

Scene: Newsome allegedly broke into the house and waited for 12 hours before attacking Jake as he slept

Read more: Daily Mail