Maryland hairstylist dragged 15-year-old client across shop floor over alleged $150 bill dispute: report
ByNicholas McEntyre
Published March 9, 2025, 3:45 a.m. ET
A Maryland hairstylist allegedly assaulted a 15-year-old customer and dragged her across the shop floor when she attempted to walk out without paying her $150 bill, according to a report.
Jayla Cunningham, 18, was charged with second-degree assault on the minor following the incident inside the Prince George County Maryland hair salon earlier this month, court records viewed by The Post report.
Cunningham says she had just finished working on her client’s hair, which included adding a weave to the girl, when it came time for the client to pay for the services, Fox 5 DC reported.
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3Hairstylist Jayla Cunningham was charged with second-degree assault after video captured her dragging a 15-year-old client by her hoodie down a hallway.JAYLA AMORA/Instagram
An argument broke out over the $150 payment, which the teen allegedly claimed she sent through Cash App, but Cunningham never received the payment.
As the young client began to leave the shop, the hairstylist grabbed her client’s hoodie and dragged her back inside the building.
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“She ran. Forget trash, she ran without paying me,” Cunningham told the outlet.Cunningham was captured on a security camera pulling the girl down a hallway before yanking her into a room next to a bag of trash.
The hairstylist then shouted at her client to stay on the floor while she left the room to grab scissors to undo the work she had done.
“Sit right here until somebody sends it. I”m not f–king playing. You just tried to f–king run. You lucky I ain’t beat the s–t out you,” Cunningham could be heard saying, according to the video obtained by the outlet.
3Cunningham claimed the teen hadn’t paid her bill and was leaving the salon.JAYLA AMORA/Instagram
The irate hairstylist disappeared down the hallway before quickly returning and staring down at the camera that captured the entire incident.
“I dragged her by her hood back into the salon until I could get paid or, you know, until the police come or until, you know, she let me take out the service, because it’s like she literally ran outside, like she was about to be gone,” she said.
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The teen’s mom claims her daughter sent the transaction to the wrong person, which sparked the miscommunication between both sides.
“It’s just absolutely absurd. It’s viral. It’s all over the country,” the disheartened mother told the outlet.
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The teen’s mom accused Cunningham of taking hold of her daughter’s hair when she grabbed the hoodie, leaving the teen traumatized.
Cunningham defended her actions, saying if she hadn’t stopped the teen, her client would’ve taken advantage of her service.
“I feel like if I didn’t do that, she would have been gone and I would have just never been paid,” Cunningham said.
The Prince George County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against the 18-year-old on March 5.
Cunningham is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in the case on April 18, according to court records viewed by The Post.
3The Prince George County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against the 18-year-old on March 5.YouTube
The 18-year-old self-published author was previously slapped with three second-degree assault charges stemming from an October 4, 2024, case brought by the Hyattsville Police Department.
Details were limited in the earlier case but a hearing is scheduled for March 18.