Woman accused of swinging knife at, threatening to kill another woman who was holding a baby

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia woman was arrested on Wednesday after she allegedly threatened to kill a woman who was walking with a baby in Douglass Park.

Latoya Cowans, 34, was charged on Thursday with second-degree assault, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance was set for Thursday afternoon.

According to the probable cause statement, a witness told police that a woman was walking in Douglass Park while holding her baby at 9:30 a.m., when Cowans threatened to kill the woman before swinging a knife at her. The witness allegedly heard Cownans say “I’ll kill you, I’ll kill everyone,” after a man walked up to Cowans and told her to stop making threats, the statement says.

The man had allegedly told police that he was setting up for an event at Douglass Park when he saw Cowans yelling at a woman who was holding a baby and saw Cowans threaten the woman, court documents say. The probable cause statement says the man reiterated the same information as the previous witness. Cowans also allegedly swung the knife at the man, the statement says.

The victim brought her baby to her car and drove away, the statement says. The man allegedly told police that he only knew Cowans by a nickname. Police found Cowans on Allen Street with a knife in a bag she was carrying, the statement says.

One of the victims was able to identify Cowans at a police show-up, the statement says.