An Ohio mother, Terri Niner, has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly stabbing her autistic daughter, Ayla Mangan, with a “short sword” during a heated argument on July 10. The 49-year-old mother is facing multiple charges, including felonious assault and domestic violence, after the violent incident in Canton, Ohio.
According to The Repository, a criminal complaint revealed that the altercation between Niner and her 32-year-old daughter began as a verbal dispute before escalating to physical violence. The situation took a deadly turn when Terri Niner allegedly grabbed a collectible short sword from the wall and stabbed Mangan in the back. The fatal wound led to Mangan’s death shortly after the attack, according to WKYC.
Elise Hamilton, a senior trial counsel in the Canton Law Department, explained that Mangan, who was autistic, had the functional level of a 13-year-old child. 911 calls made by Terri Niner provided insight into the events leading up to the stabbing. Initially, Niner told dispatchers that her daughter had been playing with a knife when the incident occurred.
Law & Crime reported, “Please help us. Please,” Niner can be heard pleading during the call. When the dispatcher asked, “Did you cut her?” Niner responded, “No, I grabbed the knife from her, and she went to throw herself backwards because she’s autistic. And when she went to throw herself backwards, it got her. And I thought it only cut her a little bit.”
Despite this explanation, authorities later discovered that the situation was far more serious, leading to Niner’s arrest. In addition to the murder charge, Niner faces charges of felonious assault and domestic violence. Her husband, Francis “Jay” Niner, has also been arrested in connection with the incident.
He has been charged with obstructing justice for allegedly withholding crucial information from investigators. It is believed that the short sword used in the stabbing was part of Francis Niner’s collection, which was prominently displayed on walls throughout their home.
Terri Niner is currently being held on a $500,000 bond, while Francis Niner is held on a $75,000 bond, as reported by Fox8. The case continues to unfold as authorities investigate the tragic and disturbing incident.