Maryland hairstylist seen dragging 15-year-old client in viral video speaks out: 'She ran'

EXCLUSIVE - A Maryland hairstylist has been charged with assault after posting a now-viral video that showed her dragging a 15-year-old client following a dispute over payment. 

The video showing 18-year-old Jayla Cunningham dragging the teenage girl now has over 54 million views on social media. Cunningham originally posted the video herself and is now facing charges following the incident. 

In the video, you hear her yelling at the teen, saying, "Sit right here until somebody sends it. I''m not f***** playing. You just tried to f***** run. You lucky I ain't beat the s*** out you."

The backstory:

Cunningham claims the 15-year-old was trying to leave without paying for the $150 service that included a weave. You can see her grab the girl and drag her by her hoodie before cutting the weave out of the teen’s hair with scissors. 

"She ran. Forget trash, she ran without paying me," Cunningham said. "I dragged her by her hood back into the salon until I could get paid or, you know, until the police come or until, you know, she let me take out the service, because it's like she literally ran outside, like she was about to be gone. I feel like if I didn't do that, she would have been gone and I would have just never been paid." 

RELATED NEWS: Viral video shows Maryland hair stylist dragging alleged teen client by her hair

But the 15-year-old’s mother also spoke to FOX 5, saying Cunningham also grabbed her daughter's hair when she went for her hood, pulling the teen through the salon by her head. She says her child is traumatized.

When asked how her daughter is doing following the incident, she told FOX 5 that she's "not good at all." 

Charges Filed:

The teen’s mother filed a police report against Cunningham. She says her daughter accidentally sent the money to the wrong CashApp account and maintains that the girl was trying to figure out how to pay Cunningham. 

"It's just absolutely absurd. It's viral. It's all over the country," she said. 

Cunningham told FOX 5 she did not know she was being charged and she says she will bring a witness to back up her claims. She says she’s been receiving death threats on social media and she is concerned about her safety.

The family has hired the Jackson and Associates law firm to represent the 15-year-old in a civil lawsuit.

"The video is horrendous. It's a 15-year-old girl. We're talking about someone's child here — a child who is being dragged across a salon floor by her jacket for over something as simple as a mistake," attorney De’Aja Thompson said.

Cunningham is facing a second-degree assault charge. She has a summons to appear in court on April 18.

New Statement:

On Tuesday, March 11, the attorney representing Cunningham exclusively reached out to FOX 5's Shomari Stone with a statement on his client's next steps. 

Read the full statement below: 

"As Indicated, I represent Jayla Cunningham in her criminal case. She intends to plead not guilty and confront the charges lodge against her. What is depicted on that brief video clip that has gone viral is most unfortunate. 

What I would  like to get across, however,  is that we shouldn’t be quick to past judgment base on a 2 second clip. We should step back and look at the case from a Birds Eye view to see the bigger picture. 

There are much the video failed to show. For example the service provided by my client and the young lady running away from paying for the service. I don’t see an assault. This is a case where a young lady ran away  without paying for a service that my client performed. That young lady committed a theft. 

My client did nothing different a loss prevention person from an establishing would do if someone committed theft. The video shows a business owner protecting her business interest. 

We must remember my client is also a teen. She is the victim in all of this…. My client should be applauded and celebrated for having her own business at such a young age and not worry about others taken advantage her."