SAN DIEGO -- San Diego police fatally shot a 47-year-old woman in Mira Mesa who was accused of elder abuse and was holding a knife to the throat of her 85-year-old mother, who was recovering Thursday, police said.

Officers responding to a report of elder abuse around 11 p.m. Wednesday forced their way into a home at 10587 Greenford Drive, near Hillery Drive, when they heard screaming inside and found Gianine "Gia" Desiderio holding a knife to the neck of her mother, Helen Desiderio, in a rear bedroom, said San Diego police homicide Capt. Jim Collins.

"The officers ordered the woman to drop the knife. She refused and made some comments to the officers, and started to push the knife into the neck. One officer fired and struck the 40-year-old female," said Capt. Jim Collins of the SDPD.

A 15-year veteran police officer then shot the younger Desiderio, who died at the scene, he said.

"The lady who died, that's her only kid, her only daughter," said friend Patricia Vargas told 10News.

Paramedics took Helen Desiderio to the hospital with minor neck injuries, according to Collins. She was later released into the care of other relatives, he said.

"My main concern is Helen. I want to find out if she's all right," said friend Cris Benson.

"I'm just worried about Helen, because as I see it she's my best friend," said Vargas.

One officer told 10News that police have been called to the residence for over 20 different incidents involving Gia Desiderio, with one incident involving a TV being thrown by the daughter out of a window.

Gia Desiderio was sentenced to 6 months in custody after a guilty plea to elder abuse last year, 10News learned.