Woman Allegedly Stabbed Her Mother More Than 10 Times in Chick-fil-A Parking Lot Before Fleeing With 2 Young Children

A routine road trip to Wisconsin reportedly turned into a violent confrontation between a mother and daughter after an argument escalated inside their vehicle at a Georgia Chick-fil-A parking lot.

Shyanniah Ma’Ree Johnson, 21, is accused of stabbing her 39-year-old mother at least 10 times during the Aug. 20 altercation, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Johnson was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault under Georgia’s Family Violence Act.

 

Authorities said the confrontation began while the pair were traveling together on a road trip to Wisconsin. At some point, they exited Interstate 75 and pulled into a Chick-fil-A parking lot in Acworth, Georgia.

What happened next quickly became violent.

According to the sheriff’s office, the dispute escalated while the mother and daughter were still inside the vehicle. Investigators allege that Johnson attacked her mother, leaving her with no fewer than 10 stab wounds.

The victim was reportedly able to escape the vehicle and run inside the restaurant, where she sought help.

Acworth police officers happened to be inside the restaurant and immediately assisted the injured woman until emergency medical personnel arrived. She was transported by ambulance to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital for treatment.

Authorities said Johnson also suffered an injury to her leg during the confrontation.

But the situation did not end when the mother reached safety.

According to investigators, Johnson allegedly drove away from the parking lot with two young children inside her vehicle.

That immediately turned the investigation into a search for both Johnson and the children.

 

Deputies said they initially had only a description of the vehicle. Investigators then turned to automated license plate reader technology to track down the car.

Capt. Jay Baker explained that deputies were able to use ALPR and Flock technology to identify the vehicle’s license plate and coordinate with law enforcement agencies in another part of Georgia.

The effort eventually led authorities to Whitfield County, where the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle and pulled Johnson over.

Johnson was taken into custody, while the two children were found unharmed.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that the children had been placed in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services in Whitfield County.

Johnson was transported to Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton for treatment of the leg injury she reportedly sustained during the confrontation.

 

She was subsequently charged with aggravated assault under the Family Violence Act.

Her mother, meanwhile, was later released from the hospital.

The circumstances that allegedly led to the confrontation remain under investigation. Authorities have not publicly disclosed what sparked the dispute between Johnson and her mother or provided additional details about what happened immediately before the alleged stabbing.

The sheriff’s office has also indicated that the case may not be finished.

“Additional charges are possible,” officials said, as investigators continue reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The case has raised particular concern because of what happened immediately after the alleged attack. Investigators say Johnson left the scene with two young children before authorities were able to locate the vehicle several counties away.

Fortunately, officials said the children were not injured.

For now, Johnson remains hospitalized while receiving treatment for her injury. The investigation remains active, and the allegations against her have not been proven in court.

What began as a family road trip reportedly ended with one mother hospitalized, her daughter under arrest and two children placed in protective custody — with investigators still working to determine exactly what happened inside the vehicle before the alleged stabbing.