A Franklin man has admitted to a brutal 2023 stabbing that left a teenager with devastating head and facial injuries, pleading guilty Thursday to a felony mayhem charge. Christian Correa, 24, entered the plea in Waukesha County court in connection with the October 27, 2023 attack. He now faces up to 40 years in prison and as much as $100,000 in fines, with sentencing set for May 21, 2026.
How the attack unfolded
According to FOX6 News Milwaukee, court records say the attack took place near 31st Street and West Skamra Avenue after an argument between Correa and the teenage victim. The criminal complaint alleges Correa punched and stabbed the victim "30-40 times," leaving multiple stab wounds to her head, shoulder and hands, along with a skull fracture. The teen told investigators she "thought she was dying." A witness reportedly saw Correa walking away with a knife as the victim screamed.
Cross-country arrest and case history
Correa was tracked down and arrested in Atlanta in November 2023 after weeks on the run, reported WTMJ. Authorities had initially charged him with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and other felonies. Police said he had been released from the Waupun Correctional Institution on October 7, 2023, only weeks before the stabbing. The criminal complaint and police statements referenced phone records and prior incidents that officials say documented threats and resistance to arrest.
Plea deal and what comes next
Per FOX6 News Milwaukee, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a felony charge of physical abuse of a child, repeated acts intentionally causing great bodily harm, and a felony strangulation and suffocation charge, with those counts to be dismissed and read in for sentencing under the plea deal. With those read-in counts on the table, Correa’s May 21 sentencing hearing gives prosecutors room to argue for a punishment up to the statutory maximum of 40 years and fines as high as $100,000. The case has drawn local attention because of the severity of the injuries and the violent nature of the alleged attack.
