Mentally Ill Woman Attacks Mother Changing Baby’s Diaper in Shocking Incident at New York Department Store

Woman in Her 40s With History of Mental Illness Launches Random Attack
Victim’s Husband Subdues Attacker at Scene... Infant Unharmed

A woman caring for her infant in a restroom at a major department store in Manhattan, New York, was stabbed in an incident. The perpetrator was identified as a middle-aged woman with a history of mental illness.

A person is entering the Macy's department store located in Towson, Maryland, USA (photo for article illustration purposes and unrelated to the article content). Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to reports from major U.S. media outlets including AP, ABC, and Fox News on December 13 (local time), the incident took place on December 11 at the women’s restroom on the seventh floor of the Macy’s department store near Herald Square in Manhattan. A 38-year-old woman was changing the diaper of her 10-month-old daughter when she was suddenly attacked by a stranger.

The victim sustained multiple stab wounds to her back and arm and was transported to the hospital, but her life was not in danger. She was discharged the following day after receiving treatment, and her baby, who was with her at the time, was unharmed.

Immediately after the incident, the victim’s husband, who had been waiting outside the restroom, heard her screams and entered to subdue the assailant. He reportedly took the weapon from the perpetrator and controlled the scene until police arrived.

It was confirmed that both the victim and her husband are employees of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD).

Police arrested 43-year-old Kerry Ahearn from Massachusetts at the scene. Ahearn was charged with multiple offenses, including assault, attempted murder, illegal possession of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child.

According to the indictment released by prosecutors, Ahearn stated that on the morning of the crime, she had been discharged from a psychiatric facility in Manhattan where she had been hospitalized for about a year. She told police that she heard voices in her head saying she would be killed unless she hurt someone, which led her to purchase a weapon and decide to commit the attack.

Ahearn was previously arrested in Massachusetts for posting threats on social media to kill U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.

At a recent court hearing, after being ordered held without bail, Ahearn pleaded with the judge not to send her back to a psychiatric hospital, claiming that the Manhattan facility where she had previously been admitted did not provide her with proper treatment.