A chilling incident unfolded in Arizona as a 24-year-old woman, Ashland Crank, faces a slew of charges following the alleged stabbing of her own mother. The harrowing event, which occurred on a Monday morning, has left the community in shock.
Authorities reported that the mother endured nearly 20 stab wounds, and in a bizarre twist, Crank insisted to the police that her mother had inflicted these injuries upon herself. This claim emerged from a probable cause statement linked to the case.
The Scottsdale Police Department was alerted to the situation by an anonymous third party who reported a violent altercation between the mother and daughter. The caller suggested that not only had the daughter attacked the mother, but the mother might have retaliated.
Upon reaching the scene, officers discovered a distressing tableau: the mother was sprawled on the driveway, severely wounded with multiple stabs to her body and neck. Meanwhile, Crank was briefly detained in handcuffs to allow officers to administer first aid to her mother until emergency medical personnel arrived and transported her to a hospital.
In a protective sweep of the premises, officers uncovered a gruesome trail of blood throughout the house and several knives conspicuously visible. Among these was a knife with a broken blade, stained with blood and strands of hair, further deepening the mystery surrounding the attack.
During police questioning, Crank presented conflicting accounts of the event. Despite variations in her narrative, she consistently claimed that her mother had injured herself. Crank described receiving a minor cut in an attempt to disarm her mother during the struggle.
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.
