Crystal Dean was standing on the third floor of The Arbors apartment complex carrying a pot filled with scalding water when she approached her neighbor, according to police. Before throwing the boiling liquid at the woman, Dean allegedly asked her one chilling question: "Are you gonna run?" That terrifying moment left the victim with severe burns across her neck, shoulders, and back, authorities said.
Background
The incident unfolded Sunday morning in Fargo, North Dakota, where both women lived as neighbors in the apartment complex. According to investigators with the Fargo Police Department, Dean, 25, had been involved in an ongoing dispute with the victim prior to the attack. When officers arrived at the scene around 8:41 a.m., they found the woman suffering from what authorities described as severe burns. She was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for treatment.
The Investigation
Police say Dean threw the pot of scalding water as the victim attempted to flee down the staircase, striking her neck, shoulders, and back. After throwing the boiling liquid, Dean allegedly ran after the woman and grabbed her by the shirt before the victim was able to escape and call for help. When investigators questioned Dean about the attack, she provided a startling explanation: she claimed she was retaliating against the victim for a similar incident days earlier, alleging that the woman had come to her apartment, banged on her door, called her names, and threw water in her face. Dean disputed that the water was scalding hot, telling police it came from her tap. She has been booked into the Cass County Jail following her arrest on aggravated assault charges.
Key Takeaways
- Crystal Dean, 25, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for allegedly throwing boiling water on her neighbor in Fargo, North Dakota
- The victim sustained severe burns to her neck, shoulders, and back after Dean allegedly asked if she planned to flee before the attack
- Dean claimed the attack was retaliation for an alleged prior incident where the victim threw water in her face
- Police described the victim's injuries as severe; she required ambulance transport to a local hospital
- Dean remains in custody at Cass County Jail with a court appearance scheduled for July 31
What's Next
Dean is currently held at the Cass County Sheriff's Office detention facility, where she will remain until her scheduled court date. The investigation into the incident continues as authorities work to determine whether Dean's claims of retaliation are substantiated. Prosecutors have not yet indicated if additional charges may be filed related to the alleged prior encounter between the two women that Dean described to police.