An 18-year-old Franklin woman is facing charges that include robbery and strangulation following a physical altercation this week with a younger girl.
Franklin police say Giovanna Bianchi, 18, assaulted a juvenile female and stole a lockbox containing more than $200 from the girl.
Police said they were called to a residence in the 600 block of Liberty Street at 6 p.m. Tuesday where they spoke to the juvenile girl. The girl told police she and Bianchi had engaged in a physical argument earlier that day.
The girl tried to escape to her room, but after Bianchi followed her, she went back to the bathroom and locked herself inside with Bianchi’s cell phone, the complaint said.
Bianchi tried to kick in the door to the bathroom and punched the walls, and she used a second phone to call another juvenile female to the residence. That girl then entered the residence without the homeowner’s permission, the complaint said.
The girl said she came out of the bathroom once Bianchi told her she would steal the girl’s lockbox if she “did not come out and give (Bianchi) her phone,” the complaint said.
The girl then left the bathroom and another argument ensued, according to the complaint.
“During this second altercation Bianchi choked (the female), digging her fingers into her throat and causing (the female) to become lightheaded and forcing her to defend herself,” the complaint said.
The girl reportedly kicked Bianchi off her and was then assaulted by the other juvenile, the complaint said. Bianchi then took the girl’s lockbox that contained $210, the complaint said.
Bianchi and the second juvenile girl fled the scene, according to the complaint.
Police said the first juvenile girl had a “fresh injury”, and additional physical evidence at the scene corroborated the girl’s statements, the complaint said.
Police said Bianchi gave a similar account of the day’s events and had visible injuries that matched what the girl had described to officers, the complaint said.
Bianchi admitted to police she choked the girl and stole the lockbox before she left the residence, the complaint said.
Bianchi has been charged with a felony count of robbery-inflict or threaten immediate bodily injury and misdemeanor counts of strangulation, simple assault and theft by unlawful taking of movable property.
She was arraigned Wednesday before district judge Matthew Kirtland and placed in the Venango County jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled Wednesday in Central Court.
