A neighbor of an 88-year-old Nu'uanu woman who was stabbed to death yesterday described the victim as a nice neighbor who kept to herself and would rarely leave her home.

Neighbors identified the dead woman as Dorothy Stribling, who was stabbed multiple times in her Rosebank Place home yesterday morning. Stribling was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, where she later died.

Stribling's daughter, Claudia Warner-Gonzales, 61, of Kalihi, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder. She remained in police custody last night pending charges.

Police said it was unclear why Warner-Gonzales allegedly attacked her mother. Warner-Gonzales does not live at her mother's home, but she arrived there sometime before 5:30 a.m. yesterday, according to police.

The assault was reported at 7:49 a.m. by Stribling's adult son, who lives at the home and called 911, said police homicide Lt. Bill Kato. A 15-year-old who lives in the house was off-island.

Kato said Stribling was stabbed several times in the upper torso. Warner-Gonzales has no criminal history in Hawai'i, and police said she doesn't appear to have a history of mental illness or drug abuse.

Walter Tom, one of Stribling's brothers, said he wasn't ever concerned about his sister's safety, adding that he was still trying to get more information on what led to the stabbing.

Neighbors said they didn't hear any arguing from the home before the stabbing. They expressed shock at the attack.

Alice Ige lives three doors away from Stribling and knew her well enough to say "hi and goodbye." Ige said she moved into the neighborhood 40 years ago and Stribling and her family were already living there.

After Stribling's husband, Howard Jr., died in 2004, Ige said she would rarely see Dorothy Stribling. Up until his death, the two were regulars at the Aloha Stadium swap meet, Ige said.

"She was a homebody," Ige said. "I guess I would call her a shut-in because she hardly ever came out of the house, not the type to go out and associate with anybody."

Ige said she didn't know Claudia Warner-Gonzales too well, but said she visited her mother frequently. Ige said the incident came as a shock to her and many others in the neighborhood.

"I would never think it would be her. To me, I thought she was a sweet girl," Ige said. "You never think it would happen in your own neighborhood, especially somebody that you know."