Easter Argument Turns Violent: Teen Daughter Charged After Stabbing Parents

A seemingly innocent Easter greeting from a father to his daughter spiraled into a violent family tragedy, leaving two parents injured and a 19-year-old girl facing attempted murder charges.

The shocking incident unfolded on Easter Sunday, April 20, in Vancouver, Washington. It began when McKenzy Hafer, 19, told her parents she didn’t believe in God—an admission that sparked two separate arguments and eventually led to a bloody altercation in the family’s home.

McKenzy has been charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder following the attack. Authorities say the violence erupted after her father, Benjamin Hafer, greeted her with a simple, “Happy Resurrection Day.” McKenzy responded by saying she didn’t believe in God, which triggered a tense exchange. Later, she reluctantly repeated the greeting to appease him, and the two went their separate ways.

But tensions resurfaced in the kitchen when her mother, Erin Hetzler, confronted McKenzy about the earlier argument. Another verbal fight broke out, during which McKenzy threw her phone to the ground in frustration.

According to police, that’s when Benjamin reentered the room to ask about the phone. At that point, McKenzy allegedly retrieved a knife and stabbed her father in the abdomen with what she told police was the "intent to kill." She then turned on her mother, slashing her throat with the same knife, again reportedly with the intent to kill.

Their son, Dakota, was home at the time but was not involved in the attack.

When officers arrived around 5:45 p.m., they found McKenzy outside the home. Her parents were discovered inside, suffering from knife wounds. Both are expected to survive. The injuries, investigators said, were consistent with McKenzy’s own account of what transpired.

McKenzy Hafer is currently being held on $500,000 bail. Her arraignment is scheduled for May 5.

This tragic case serves as a chilling reminder of how quickly tensions can escalate—and how deep divisions over beliefs can fracture even the closest of families.