SCOTTSDALE, AZ – An Arizona mother is recovering from nearly 20 stab wounds after enduring a harrowing knife attack that police say was carried out by her own daughter during an apparent argument over seeking alcohol and mental health treatment.
Authorities responded Monday to a condo in the city after frantic neighbors reported hearing cries for help and witnessing a struggle between the victim and her 24-year-old daughter, Ashland Crank. When officers arrived, they found the mother bleeding and disoriented, having suffered serious wounds to her head, neck, back, and chest.
The ordeal began when the mother told her daughter it was time to get ready to leave for a treatment facility. Investigators say Crank, who was reportedly naked and wrapped in a blanket on a couch, reacted violently to the news. After her mother stepped outside to clean up the backyard, Crank allegedly approached from behind and launched a vicious knife attack.
Despite being ambushed, the victim managed to escape into the front of the home, desperately seeking help. Neighbors were drawn to the commotion by her pleas, with one witness recalling the mother attempting to break free as her daughter tried to drag her into the garage. Home surveillance captured a brief video of the struggle as Crank pulled her mother, attempting to close the garage door, but being thwarted by her mother’s fallen body.
Bleeding profusely and covered in blood, the mother staggered onto the sidewalk before collapsing, witnesses said. Some neighbors began gathering outside, at which point Crank appeared to switch from aggression to what looked like an attempt at first aid.
Paramedics rushed the victim to the hospital, where she told police her daughter hit her with such force that the first knife broke, prompting Crank to retrieve additional weapons to continue the assault. Officers searching the scene found broken knives, blood throughout the residence, and a shattered flower pot.
During the attack, the mother told officers that Crank insisted to neighbors that she had stabbed herself, a claim authorities doubted given the location and severity of the wounds. Investigators noted that many of the injuries, especially those to the back and the rear of the head, would have been nearly impossible for the victim to inflict on herself.
Police questioned Crank at the scene, but her account varied, initially claiming her mother had harmed herself and later saying she tried to disarm her during a supposed struggle. Officers reported that evidence at the scene contradicted these versions.
The victim told police that Crank has a history of mental health issues and alcoholism. She said they had been planning to visit a mental health facility to complete paperwork for another family member, with the additional intent of admitting Crank for treatment as well.
Crank was taken into custody and is facing charges including attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and disorderly conduct with a weapon. She remains in jail on a $300,000 cash bond, while her mother continues to recuperate from her injuries.
Neighbors credited the victim’s determination and the quick response of first responders for saving her life. The case remains under investigation as authorities work to piece together the events that led to the violent confrontation.