A pregnant woman was randomly stabbed in a grocery‑store parking lot in Charlotte, North Carolina, on March 18, 2026, by a stranger who had “no prior interactions” with her, according to Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police. The attack happened at a Harris Teeter in the Cotswold Shopping Center shortly before 11:30 a.m., with the victim walking in the lot with her 3‑year‑old child when Marvina Butler‑Hardy allegedly attacked her with a knife. The victim suffered non‑life‑threatening injuries and was treated at the scene and later at a hospital.
Charges and Suspect
Police say Butler‑Hardy, who allegedly fled in a silver Hyundai Elantra, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury and battery of an unborn child. She drove to Florida, where she was pulled over outside Jacksonville on a probable‑cause traffic stop for a cracked windshield. A “be on the lookout” alert matched her car and description, and a trooper who ran her name confirmed she was wanted in Mecklenburg County. She was taken into custody and is awaiting extradition to North Carolina, with no court date yet set.
Witness Reaction
A nearby worker, Sarah Click, told CBS affiliate WBTV that the swarm of police cars and coworkers’ reactions shocked her, saying it felt like “someone just coming at you like this — like a horror film.” The Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department emphasized that the two women did not know each other, underscoring the random nature of the assault.
