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In a shocking incident in Arizona, a 24-year-old woman faces several charges after allegedly stabbing her mother nearly 20 times on Monday.
Ashland Crank claimed to authorities that her mother had inflicted the wounds upon herself, as detailed in a probable cause statement.
The Scottsdale Police Department reported that they were alerted to the situation early Monday by a third party. This individual indicated that the daughter had attacked her mother and that the mother might have also injured her daughter.
When officers arrived at the residence, they discovered the mother and daughter in the driveway. The mother was on the ground, suffering from multiple stab wounds to her body and neck. Officers temporarily detained Crank in handcuffs while they provided emergency aid to the mother until paramedics arrived and transported her to a hospital for further care.
During a preliminary search of the home, police discovered blood in several areas and multiple knives in plain sight. One knife was particularly notable, as it had a broken blade coated in blood and hair.
When they questioned Crank, she told two different stories that matched only in her insistence that her mother had stabbed herself. She said she had received a minor cut while trying to wrestle the knife away from her mother.
Because of her inconsistent statements, officer put Crank back into handcuffs and detained her.
The witness who called 911 told officers that she had heard cries for help, including the victim saying that her daughter was “trying to kill me” as she ran to the scene. Additionally, she reported hearing Crank say that her mother “was having a mental breakdown and ask the victim how she could have stabbed herself in the back.”
Another witness told police she was inside her apartment across from the victim’s unit and heard the cries for help. She said she looked out the window, saw the neighboring garage open, and the victim come out, followed by the woman identified as Crank, who was completely nude. That witness said she saw Crank grab the victim by the arm and shirt, knocking her down. She reportedly tried to drag her mother back into the garage as well. The witness gave police an 8-second video showing Crank trying to drag her mother into the garage.
The second witness also described seeing blood on the victim’s face and body. After she collapsed, the witness said, Crank appeared to begin life-saving measures.
“The witness stated she believed this behavior occured only after several neighbors began gathering outside and the offender appeared concerned about how she would be perceived,” the probable cause statement says.
Officers spoke with the victim at the hospital, and she told them that she had told Crank she was taking her to a mental health facility for treatment of alcoholism and mental health issues just before she was attacked. She told her daughter to get dressed then went outside to clean up dog feces. While she was outside, Crank attacked her from behind.
At one point, the knife broke, she said, and Crank went back inside to retrieve more knives.
The victim suffered 18 cuts to the mid back, back of the shoulder, right cheset, left cheek, lower neck, fingers, and hands, back of the head, and the thigh. She required an air tube while at the hospital.
“Several of the injuries the victim sustained appear to be in locations that would be nearly impossible for her to inflict on herself,” the document says.
Crank has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and disorderly conduct.