On March 18, 2026, a 30-week pregnant mother and her toddler were targeted in what police described as a random and unprovoked attack outside the Harris Teeter in Charlotte’s Cotswold neighborhood. Surveillance footage and court documents revealed that the suspect, Marvina Butler-Hardy, allegedly sat in her vehicle in the parking lot for nearly three hours before the victim arrived. As the victim walked toward the store, Butler-Hardy reportedly pulled her car behind them, exited the vehicle, shouted an insult, and attempted to stab the woman five times, ultimately striking her once in the chest.
Marvina Butler-Hardy was apprehended by the Florida Highway Patrol on March 30, 2026, nearly two weeks after the stabbing. Troopers spotted her silver Hyundai Elantra on Interstate 95 in Flagler County after a multi-state “Be On the Lookout” (BOLO) alert was issued by Charlotte authorities.
Upon her arrest, investigators noted significant efforts to disguise her vehicle. A paper North Carolina tag had been laid flat inside the rear of the car, and tape on the back window appeared to have been recently peeled off. Butler-Hardy was initially booked into the Flagler County Jail on charges of knowingly driving with a suspended license and her outstanding North Carolina warrants before being extradited back to Charlotte on April 21.
The apprehension followed a tip from Butler-Hardy’s own family. After the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released surveillance images of the suspect and her vehicle, a family member contacted authorities on March 27, stating they were “100% sure” it was her. The investigation further revealed that two days after the stabbing, Butler-Hardy had allegedly asked to switch vehicles with her son because she had “gotten into trouble” with her own car. She was subsequently arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and battery of an unborn child.
Butler-Hardy’s legal history played a significant role in the court’s decision to deny her bond. During her April 22 hearing, prosecutors highlighted an extensive criminal record that includes multiple prior felonies, such as assault with a deadly weapon, common law robbery, and financial card theft. Given this history and the “random and violent nature” of the Cotswold attack, Judge Roderick Davis ordered that she remain in custody. Butler-Hardy maintained her innocence in court, claiming she “would never stab anyone.”