Exclusive: Mother attacked by transient at Azusa park in front of two young children speaks out

AZUSA, Calif. - The mother who was attacked by a transient at a park in Azusa in front of her two young children earlier this week spoke exclusively to FOX 11 about the terrifying experience. 

The mother didn't want her identity revealed and is asking why the suspect is facing minor charges and not the more serious ones that would keep her behind bars?

She says, "I feel like we're not safe out there anymore."

The female transient, who was named identified as the suspect, was arrested on Tuesday night, police said. 

Brianna Hallquist, a 23-year-old transient from Phoenix, was arrested for attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and criminal threats.

Officers responded to the area near Edwards Park, located at 600 N. Azusa Avenue, around 7:55 p.m. the night of May 11 and located the mother suffering from a stab wound in her upper torso area. 

She told officers that she was playing with her two minor-aged children at the park when a woman, later identified as Hallquist, approached the children and began looking at them as they played. The mother said she became nervous and immediately left the park with her children, walking southbound on Azusa Ave.  

According to the mother, that's when Hallquist caught up to them and demanded that she "give me my daughter back," police said. 

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Hallquist allegedly threatened to harm the mother if she did not return "her daughter." She then stabbed the mother in the upper torso area in front of her children, police said.  

Bystanders in the area came to help the mother and her children and called the police.  

Police said Hallquist ran from the scene on foot but was quickly located and detained by police around the corner from the incident.  

The victim was treated at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire personnel and transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

The children who were unharmed were released at the scene to their father.

The mother says detectives told her the lesser charges of assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats could mean the transient woman could be released from jail.  

FOX 11 called D.A. George Gascón's office for a response to the mother's complaint that the charges aren't serious enough. But so far, no response. 

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident was encouraged to call the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200.

FOX 11's Susan Hirasuna contributed to this report.

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