Black Folks Are Talking About Hairstylist Who Dragged 15-year-old Client For Pay

Jayla Cunningham believed the client tried to leave without paying for her services.

Black folks have a lot to say about the Maryland hairstylist who went viral for dragging a teen client across a salon floor during a March 2 incident. Jayla Cunningham, 18, is now facing a second-degree assault charge.

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In a clip of the altercation, Cunningham tells her 15-year-old client, โ€œSit right here until somebody sends it,โ€ evidently referencing the money for the appointment.

โ€œIโ€™m not f***ing playing. You just tried to f***ing run. You lucky I ainโ€™t beat the s**t out you,โ€ Cunningham says. The video also showed Cunningham cutting the weave she had installed out of the teenโ€™s hair.

One X user, @JennyWHOA, defended Cunningham. โ€œYโ€™all are adultifying and condemning Jayla because sheโ€™s the bigger and darker between the 2 of them,โ€ she wrote. โ€œShe is EIGHTEEN years old.โ€

https://twitter.com/JennyWHOA/status/1896955960666804334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The teenโ€™s mom told local outlet Fox 5 that her daughter accidentally sent the money to the wrong account and was trying to figure out how to fix it. She has since filed a charge against Cunningham. However, Cunningham insisted that the girl was trying to get out of her $150 bill.

โ€œForget trash, she ran without paying me,โ€ Cunningham said. โ€œI 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 itโ€™s like she literally ran outside, like she was about to be gone.โ€

https://twitter.com/aaliyahhmarchee/status/1897066204277400020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another X user stated that Cunningham went way too far. โ€œAnybody defending that unprofessional a** hairstylist dragging a 15year old youโ€™re weird. like idc if she โ€œran offโ€ , call the cops. what professional is dragging clients..โ€ @aaliyahhmarchee remarked.

The clientโ€™s family has since hired Jackson and Associates, a law firm in Upper Marlboro, to represent the teen. Attorney Deโ€™Aja Thompson called the video of the alleged assault โ€œhorrendous.โ€

https://twitter.com/NIYHNDRX/status/1896990453381390355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

โ€œItโ€™s a 15-year-old girl. Weโ€™re talking about someoneโ€™s child here,โ€ Thompson said. โ€œA child who is being dragged across a salon floor by her jacket over something as simple as a mistake.โ€

Social media personality @NIYHNDRX quipped that this all could have been avoided. โ€œShe had a card on file that she couldโ€™ve charged after the girl said she didnโ€™t have the money so idk itโ€™s giving the stylist didnโ€™t think before taking action at all,โ€ they stated.

Cunningham has a summons to appear in court on April 18.

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