A California mother, while changing her baby's diaper at Macy's Herald Square, became the victim of a random stabbing on December 11— an incident that has now resulted in an indictment. According to ABC 7 New York, the suspect, 43-year-old Kerri Aherne was formally charged by a grand jury on Wednesday.
The assault, which transpired during the bustling holiday season left the 38-year-old victim from California, with a stab wound in her back and a slash on her arm. Her 10-month-old daughter, who fell from the changing table during the attack, was fortunately unharmed. The mother, with aid from the baby's father, managed to subdue Aherne before the suspect was held by store security, as reported by ABC 7 New York.
Following her arraignment, Aherne disclosed to officers that she aimed to kill someone because voices in her head threatened her own life. Her goal, apparently, was to be apprehended and sent to prison instead of being sent back to a psychiatric facility. This sentiment was echoed in a later revelation, where Aherne professed she wanted to go to prison rather than returned to a mental hospital. These details emerged at Aherne's Supreme Court arraignment in Manhattan, as stated by Assistant District Attorney Paul Barker, and were covered by the New York Post.
Judge Ann Thompson ordered that Aherne be remanded in custody, and scheduled her to undergo a psychological evaluation before her next court hearing on February 11. It was made clear in court that Aherne, who donned a pink sweatshirt and grey pants at the time of the hearing, previously purchased the knife used in the attack from Macy's. The district attorney further emphasized her purported motive, stating "(She) looked for someone to kill because voices in her head told her that she had to kill someone or else she would be killed," according to the New York Post coverage of the arraignment.
Aherne, who suffers from mental health issues for which she had been hospitalized for a year, faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count. The case draws focus onto the complexities of mental health and criminal justice, presenting an intersection where public safety confronts the dilemmas of psychiatric care and societal responsibility.
