Macy’s Herald Square NYC stabbing: Tourist from California stabbed while changing baby’s diaper at store bathroom

MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) — Kerri Aherne, the woman who allegedly stabbed a tourist from California in a Macy’s bathroom as the victim was changing her 10-month-old daughter, was previously arrested in Massachusetts for threatening to kill Senator Elizabeth Warren, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

Aherne, 43, was ordered to be held without bail after appearing in court Friday night.

Prosecutors said she entered the Macy’s bathroom on the 7th floor and stabbed the victim, causing the baby to fall from the changing table to the floor. The baby was not injured.

The victim managed to subdue Aherne, with the help of the baby’s father, who was then held by store security.

It happened Thursday afternoon, just before 3 p.m. at the flagship store during the heart of the holiday shopping season.

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.

The victim’s partner told Eyewitness News on Friday night that she is resting and getting better.

The victim and the child’s father work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Prosecutors said she had a documented psychiatric history and had been discharged the morning of the assault from the Manhattan Psychiatric Center, where she had been for over a year.

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.

Aherne later told police that she had been hospitalized for psychiatric problems.

Prosecutors said Aherne had been arrested in 2018 in Massachusetts for posting on Facebook that she wanted to kill Senator Elizabeth Warren.

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.

Kerri Aherne, 43, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is charged with attempted murder in connection with the seemingly unprovoked attack.

Officials say she is believed to be homeless and does not have any prior arrests in New York.

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.”

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.”

Aherne’s next court date is December 17.

If convicted of the top charge of attempted murder, she faces up to 25 years in prison.

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