A Briarcliff woman on probation for stabbing a former friend at a Mountain Home motel in early February 2016 is facing the revocation of her 12-year probation sentence based on new charges. With the new charges, 27-year-old Vanessa Henschel is accused of allegedly attacking her 62-year-old father.
Henschel appeared during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday and sat mute during her time on a video hookup from the county jail.
It was a repeat performance for Henschel, who was mute during many of her court appearances in the motel stabbing case — and even refused to communicate with her defense attorney. She was charged with first-degree battery for stabbing her former friend.
Henschel is now charged with violating the terms and conditions of her probation in a number of ways, including the alleged attack on her father.
She has entered a plea of not true or not guilty to allegations contained in a revocation petition filed in mid-July.
Circuit Judge Gordon Webb inquired if Henschel had a lawyer to represent her, and she refused to answer. The judge set a revocation hearing for late this month and told Henschel if she did not obtain the service of an attorney one way or the other by that time, she would be expected to represent herself.
He said the choice to speak or not speak was up to Henschel, but the hearing would go on as scheduled.
According to a report on the latest incident resulting in charges being filed against Henschel, a Baxter County Sheriff’s deputy responded to an address along Bonnie Lassie Drive July 16 to meet with Henschel’s father. The father reported earlier in the day his daughter had punched him numerous times on the side of the head and hit him in the face with her backpack. The father said he left the residence to get away from her.
When he returned home in mid-afternoon, he found his daughter gone and his flat screen television set damaged.
Henschel was located at an address along North Highland and taken into custody. She is being held in the Baxter County jail.
In the motel stabbing, Henschel entered a room and attacked a then 23-year-old female. According to the probable cause affidavit in the early February 2016 case, the victim’s boyfriend let Henschel into the room based on her past relationship with his girlfriend.
He then went outside to retrieve articles from a vehicle, when he heard screaming and ran back into the room. He told investigators he found Henschel astride his girlfriend stabbing her. The boyfriend struck Henschel, knocking her off the victim.
The victim, who received non-life-threatening injuries, was stabbed in the neck and torso. She told police there was no conversation with Henschel prior to the attack. She said she was in bed, and Henschel jumped on top of her and started stabbing her saying, “I’m sorry” during the attack.”
Henschel underwent a psychological examination during the stabbing case and was found fit to proceed.
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