A Maryland hairstylist, 18-year-old Jayla Cunningham, has been charged with second-degree assault after a video surfaced showing her forcibly dragging a teenage client across a salon floor. The altercation occurred on March 2 and was captured in a video that Cunningham posted online. The footage shows her grabbing the young client by her hood and throwing her to the ground after the teenager allegedly attempted to leave the appointment without paying.
In the video, Cunningham can be heard telling the client to remain seated until the payment is received. She also cuts out the weave she had installed in the teenager’s hair. The stylist claimed that the total cost of the service, including the weave, was $150. She argued that if she had not physically pulled the client back inside, she would not have been paid. However, the teenager’s mother told FOX 5 that her daughter had accidentally sent the payment to the wrong account and was trying to correct the mistake.
Cunningham defended her actions, stating that the client ran out of the salon as if she intended to leave without paying. She insisted that she only wanted to ensure she received payment or, alternatively, remove the service she had provided. She also mentioned that if she had not acted, she believed the client would have disappeared without paying.
Following the release of the video, Cunningham has received death threats and has relocated her salon. She stated that she has a witness who can support her account of the incident.
The client’s family has retained legal representation from Jackson and Associates, a law firm based in Upper Marlboro. Attorney De’Aja Thompson described the video as disturbing and emphasized that the client, a 15-year-old girl, was subjected to unnecessary physical force over what was ultimately a mistake. Thompson added that taking the law into one’s own hands can lead to serious consequences, as seen in this case, where a young girl suffered both physical and emotional distress while the stylist now faces criminal charges.
The client’s mother expressed her frustration, calling the incident “absolutely absurd.” She added that the viral video had drawn nationwide attention and that her daughter is struggling emotionally.
Cunningham has a preliminary court appearance scheduled for April 18.
