Trial of the female defendant charged with assaulting her mother outside a Lancaster city elementary school progresses in the courtroom
In Lancaster County, 26-year-old Zhalaysia Zhane Henson of East Farnum Street is set to face charges in connection with two cases. The charges include aggravated and simple assault, making a false report, making false identification to law enforcement, and several related offenses.
The charges stem from an incident outside Carter & MacRae Elementary School on South Prince Street, which took place on December 11, 2024. Henson allegedly attacked a mother at the school, resulting in severe injuries. The mother lost a tooth and her ring finger needed surgery, leaving it permanently disfigured.
Henson has been in prison in York County since June 3, in lieu of $50,000 bail. She waived her preliminary hearing on the false report charges in the Jan. 3 traffic stop case. In this incident, Henson was also accused of giving false information to police and driving with a suspended license.
An eyewitness was able to identify Henson in a lineup, providing crucial evidence in the case. The additional charges of false identification to law enforcement against Henson were withdrawn on Tuesday.
Henson was at Carter & MacRae Elementary School before the attack. It is worth noting that an earlier version of this story misspelled Carter & MacRae Elementary School.
In a separate case, Henson is facing charges in Chester County for retail theft from February.
Henson will be arraigned for both cases on Sept. 12. In a previous conviction, Henson pleaded guilty to driving while operating a privilege is suspended or revoked and was fined $1,284.95.
