NEWHALL MAN HELD IN STABBING.

Byline: - Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - A Newhall man was being held Friday in lieu of $30,000 bail on suspicion of stabbing a former girlfriend in the back while she shopped at the Valencia Town Center, authorities said.

Gustavo Ruiz, 22, is suspected of stabbing Yoshandi Santillan, 26, of Newhall, who was shopping with the man's family when they bumped into him and his new girlfriend Thursday night, according to the Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station.

Santillan told the new girlfriend that Ruiz was the father of her child, prompting the woman to run away and Ruiz to leave, police said. A short time later, Ruiz and Santillan saw each other again.

Police said he approached her and said in Spanish, ``Here is your Christmas present,'' and hit her in the back.

The woman was treated for a stab wound at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, then transferred to Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.