MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) — New details have been revealed about the criminal history the woman who allegedly stabbed a tourist from California in a Macy’s bathroom as the victim was changing her 10-month-old daughter.<\/p>\n
Kerri Aherne, 43, was ordered to be held without bail after appearing in court Friday night<\/a>.<\/p>\n Authorities say the suspect was discharged from a Manhattan psychiatric ward the morning of the attack, where she had been for over a year.<\/p>\n The incident happened Thursday afternoon, just before 3 p.m. at the flagship store during the heart of the holiday shopping season.<\/p>\n Prosecutors said Aherne entered the Macy’s bathroom on the 7th floor and stabbed the victim<\/a>, causing the baby to fall from the changing table to the floor. The baby was not injured.<\/p>\n The victim managed to subdue Aherne, with the help of the baby’s father, before she was held by store security.<\/p>\n The 38-year-old victim, who was visiting from California, was stabbed in the back and slashed in the arm and was taken to the hospital, where she was said to be stable.<\/p>\n The victim’s partner told Eyewitness News on Friday night that she is resting and getting better.<\/p>\n The victim and the child’s father work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.<\/p>\n Aherne told authorities that voices in her head told her to kill someone or she would be killed, so she purchased a knife from Macy’s and stabbed the mother while she was changing her baby’s diaper.<\/p>\n Prosecutors said Aherne had been arrested in 2018 in Massachusetts for posting on Facebook that she wanted to kill Sen. Elizabeth Warren.<\/p>\n She left Massachusetts in an Uber in 2024 while out of the hospital on temporary leave and allegedly said she could not tolerate hospitals any longer and would rather be in prison.<\/p>\n Aherne is charged with attempted murder in connection with the seemingly unprovoked attack.<\/p>\n She told a judge who ordered her behind bars without bail that she “doesn’t want to go to another hospital because they did not help me.”<\/p>\n A Macy’s spokesperson released a statement 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.”<\/p>\n Aherne’s next court date is December 17.<\/p>\n If convicted of the top charge of attempted murder, she faces up to 25 years in prison.<\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n * Get Eyewitness News Delivered<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n * More Manhattan news<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n * Send us a news tip<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n * Follow us on YouTube<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n
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