NEW YORK — A woman visiting New York City from California was hospitalized Thursday afternoon after being stabbed in a Macy’s Herald Square restroom, police said.
The 38-year-old victim, who was changing her 10-month-old daughter’s diaper on the seventh floor, was allegedly attacked from behind by 43-year-old Kerri Aherne of Tewksbury, Massachusetts. The mother sustained injuries to her back and arm and was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. The baby was uninjured.
According to authorities, the victim’s husband intervened and helped subdue the suspect until police arrived. Both the victim and her husband work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Aherne was charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child. She was held without bail following a court appearance and is scheduled to return to court on December 17. If convicted of attempted murder, she could face up to 25 years in prison.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said Aherne has a documented history of psychiatric issues and was previously hospitalized. She had also been arrested in Massachusetts in 2018 for threatening a public official.
Macy’s released a statement emphasizing customer and employee safety, saying, “We are deeply saddened about the incident that took place today as the safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority. We kindly defer any further questions to the local authorities.”
Police are investigating the incident, which currently appears to have been unprovoked.
