Marvina Butler-Hardy, 44, was arrested in Flagler County, Florida, on Monday in connection with the random stabbing of a pregnant woman at the Cotswold Village shopping center. The arrest follows a two-week multi-state manhunt for Butler-Hardy, who faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and battery of an unborn child.
CHARLOTTE, NC — A two-week manhunt for the woman accused of a “random act of violence” against a pregnant mother has ended in the Sunshine State. On Monday afternoon, March 30, 2026, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police (CMPD) announced the arrest of Marvina Butler-Hardy (also known as Marvina Marie Hardy) in Flagler County, Florida.
The incident occurred in mid-March in the parking lot of the Cotswold Village shopping center, near the Harris Teeter. The victim, who was pregnant at the time, was approached by a woman she did not know and stabbed multiple times. Newly released 911 calls capture the harrowing moments following the attack, as store employees and brave bystanders rushed into the parking lot to provide first aid to the mother until emergency responders arrived.
Multi-State Manhunt and Capture
Detectives from CMPD tracked Butler-Hardy through several states with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida State Highway Patrol. She was eventually intercepted in Florida and remains in custody awaiting extradition back to Mecklenburg County.
Despite the severity of the attack, officials confirmed that while the mother suffered non-life-threatening injuries, her unborn baby was miraculously unharmed.
A Violent Criminal History
Butler-Hardy, a resident of Waxhaw, reportedly has an extensive criminal history that investigators are now reviewing as they look for a motive in what currently appears to be a completely unprovoked attack. Upon her return to North Carolina, she will face several high-level felonies, including:
- Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill/Inflict Serious Injury
- Battery of an Unborn Child
Safety Tip: Parking lots—especially busy shopping centers—are “transitional spaces” where we are often at our most distracted. Whether you are loading groceries or looking for your keys, criminals count on that four-to-five-second window where your head is down. As a concealed carry holder or a safety-conscious citizen, always scan the area before you reach your vehicle. If you see someone standing aimlessly or approaching you rapidly, do not hesitate to change direction or return to the store. For pregnant women and those with small children, this situational awareness is even more critical; your primary goal is to maintain distance and never let a stranger breach your personal “red zone” without being noticed.
