A mother ran into a Georgia Chick-fil-A covered from head to toe in blood after her daughter allegedly stabbed her at least ten times inside a car while two children watched, authorities said.
Background
Shyanniah Ma'Ree Johnson, 21, of Wisconsin, and her 39-year-old mother had been traveling together when an argument turned physical in the parking lot of a Chick-fil-A on Highway 92 near I-75 in Cherokee County, Georgia. The attack occurred inside a vehicle with two children present, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.
The violent confrontation left both women injured as customers and employees looked on from the restaurant parking lot. After the assault, the victim stumbled through the doors of the fast-food restaurant seeking help.
"The mother ran inside the Chick-fil-A. Acworth police officers were inside the restaurant and assisted until an ambulance arrived and transported her to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital," the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
The Investigation
Two Acworth Police Department officers happened to be eating lunch inside the restaurant when the bloodied mother burst through the doors. Officer Makayla Grimes told WAGA-TV she immediately turned toward the commotion.
"We turn around and see a woman covered from head to toe in blood," Grimes said. "She told us she had been stabbed by her daughter. She was petrified, you could see it in her eyes."
Grimes applied a tourniquet to stop bleeding from the victim's wrist, an intervention she credits with saving her life.
"I knew that the seconds mattered in that moment to stop the bleeding or she was going to die," Grimes said.
Meanwhile, Johnson allegedly fled the scene with two children still inside the car. Law enforcement agencies including the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office, Georgia State Patrol, and Dalton Police Department tracked Johnson's vehicle approximately 70 miles away in Dalton before conducting a traffic stop.
Johnson sustained a stab wound to her leg during the altercation and was transported for medical treatment before being released from custody. She is currently housed in Cherokee County Jail on a $3,000 bond and faces charges of aggravated assault and two counts of child cruelty.
"I'm just glad we were there, it was God's timing for sure, right place right time for two off duty officers to just be having lunch," Grimes said. "Just happy we were able to help her."
The victim was treated at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and released. The two children present during the attack were not physically injured but have been placed in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services.
Key Takeaways
- Shyanniah Ma'Ree Johnson, 21, has been charged with aggravated assault and two counts of child cruelty following the alleged attack on her mother
- The victim ran into the Chick-fil-A covered in blood where two off-duty Acworth police officers were eating lunch
- Officers tracked Johnson's vehicle nearly 70 miles from Cherokee County to Dalton before pulling her over
- Both Johnson and her mother sustained injuries requiring hospitalization; both have been released from medical care
- Two children present during the attack were unharmed but are now in DFCS custody
What's Next
Johnson remains incarcerated at Cherokee County Jail on a $3,000 bond. Her next scheduled court date has not yet been listed in jail records. The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the events that led to the violent confrontation.