A California woman was violently attacked while shopping at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City after a stranger repeatedly stabbed her in the back as she changed her daughter’s diaper inside a store bathroom.
The suspect, Kerri Aherne, 43, allegedly approached the 39-year-old woman around 3:15 p.m. Thursday and stabbed her multiple times in the back, also slashing her arm. According to The New York Daily News, the victim’s husband heard the disturbance, rushed into the bathroom, and restrained Aherne until police arrived at the scene.
EMS transported the victim to Bellevue Hospital, where she received treatment and is expected to survive her injuries.
Suspect Charged With Attempted Murder
NYPD officers confirmed the two women did not know each other and that there was no altercation prior to the unprovoked attack. Aherne was taken into custody and charged with two counts of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child.
In a statement, Macy’s said it was “saddened” by the incident but did not release any further details.
The New York Post also reported that Aherne is homeless and has no prior arrest record. The 43-year-old is originally from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, and reportedly stopped posting on Facebook in 2018. Court records show that her mother and sister were appointed as her legal guardians after she was deemed an incapacitated person, and she was also court-ordered to continue taking antipsychotic medication.
