Macy's stabbing suspect has history of mental illness, was released from psych ward day of attack

The homeless Massachusetts woman charged in the stabbing of another woman in the bathroom of Macy's in New York City has a history of mental illness was distributed from a psychiatric hospital hours before the attack and claimed voices in her head declared she had to kill someone or be killed Kerri Aherne stabbed a California woman in the back on Thursday as she was changing her baby inside a bathroom in the iconic Macy's Herald Square The victim who has only been identified by her employment with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was rushed to Bellevue Hospital and was discharged on Friday 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 what police have described as an unprovoked attack She is being held without bail TOURIST CHANGING BABY STABBED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE BACK AT ICONIC NYC MACY'S DURING HOLIDAY SHOPPING RUSHCourt records show Aherne whose last known address was in Tewksbury Massachusetts has a long history of struggling with mental illness Prosecutors revealed in a criminal complaint that Aherne communicated police she had been discharged from Manhattan Psychiatric Center the morning of Thursday's stabbing after a yearlong stay She also allegedly explained she purchased a knife at Macy's and looked for someone to kill because voices in her head stated her she had to kill someone or she would be killed In records show she was deemed an incapacitated person and her mother and sister were appointed as her guardians according to the New York Post Aherne was placed on a court-ordered healing plan to ensure she continues taking Prolixin an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia the records show VIDEO SHOWS AFTERMATH OF VIOLENT NEIGHBORHOOD STREET TAKEOVER THAT LEFT COUPLE BATTERED IN 'PLANNED ATTACK'Her Facebook has been inactive since In one of her last posts she wrote Going a little insane along with a still from a Michael Jackson video Aherne was arraigned on Friday when her attorney explained the court he plans to request bail at a future hearing When the judge disclosed she would be held without bail until her next court appearance Aherne interrupted and begged not to be sent to another mental wellbeing facility the New York Post announced I don t want to go to another hospital Aherne announced They didn t help me at Manhattan Psychiatric Center She is due back in court on Dec