Police say 43-year-old Kerri Aherne allegedly stabbed a woman who was changing her baby inside a Macy’s Herald Square restroom the same morning she was released from the Manhattan Psychiatric Center. The victim was treated at Bellevue Hospital and later discharged. Aherne faces attempted murder and related charges and is being held without bail; court records detail a long history of mental illness, prior guardianship and a court-ordered antipsychotic treatment plan. She is due back in court on Dec. 17.
Macy’s Herald Square Stabbing: Suspect Released From Psychiatric Ward Hours Before Alleged Attack
Kerri Aherne was charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault, criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with a stabbing attack at Macy's in New York City.
A homeless Massachusetts woman, 43-year-old Kerri Aherne, was arrested after allegedly stabbing a stranger inside a Macy’s Herald Square restroom in New York City the same day she was released from a psychiatric hospital, authorities say.
What Happened
Police say Aherne approached a California woman who was changing her baby in a Macy’s bathroom and stabbed her in the back on Thursday. The victim, identified only by her employment with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital and discharged the next day.
Kerri Aherne has a long history of struggling with mental illness, according to authorities.
Charges And Custody
Aherne faces multiple charges including attempted murder, two counts of assault, criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. She was arraigned and is being held without bail; her attorney said he plans to request bail at a future hearing. She is due back in court on Dec. 17.
Mental-Health History And Allegations
According to court papers and the prosecution’s bail application, Aherne told police she had been discharged from the Manhattan Psychiatric Center the morning of the attack after about a yearlong stay. Prosecutors say she left Massachusetts last summer in an Uber while on a temporary leave from a hospital and later told authorities she could not tolerate hospitals and would rather go to prison than return to inpatient psychiatric care.
Kerri Aherne allegedly said she purchased a knife and looked for someone to kill because "voices in her head told her she had to kill someone, or she would be killed."
The criminal complaint states Aherne told investigators she purchased a knife at Macy’s and sought a person to kill because, she alleged, “voices in her head told her she had to kill someone, or she would be killed.” These statements are part of the prosecution’s account of the incident.
Previous Court Orders And Social Media
Records cited by prosecutors indicate that in 2019 Aherne was legally found incapacitated and her mother and sister were appointed guardians. A court-ordered treatment plan required her to continue taking Prolixin, an antipsychotic medication commonly prescribed for schizophrenia.
Her social media presence has been inactive since 2018. One of her last visible posts included the phrase “Going a little insane.” Prosecutors’ filings also say she was arrested in 2018 after allegedly posting online about killing Sen. Elizabeth Warren and obtaining a gun to threaten people at a local police station.
“I don’t want to go to another hospital. They didn’t help me at Manhattan Psychiatric Center,” Aherne reportedly told the court when a judge ordered her held without bail.
Next Steps
Prosecutors continue to investigate and the case will proceed through the New York criminal justice system. Aherne remains in custody pending further hearings.
