A young Bank of America executive who was randomly stabbed to death in Times Square had only recently returned to work after spending five months on maternity leave with her newborn daughter.
Erin Piacenti, 32, was killed Monday afternoon during a shocking attack in the heart of Manhattan's theater district. The Chester, New Jersey, mother had reportedly returned to work after taking time away to care for her baby.
Just four days before her death, Piacenti had shared a touching family photograph showing herself smiling while holding her infant daughter alongside her husband, Frank.
In the post, Piacenti expressed how grateful she was for the five months she had been able to spend at home with her new baby. The family had also recently celebrated their daughter's baptism and had been enjoying trips together.
The couple had traveled to destinations including Long Beach, New Jersey, Maine and Rhode Island. They had also recently celebrated their second wedding anniversary on August 15.
Those happy family moments came just days before Piacenti's life was suddenly cut short.
Authorities say Piacenti was attacked at random by Pamela Cisneros, a 49-year-old mother of three who was armed with knives. Cisneros reportedly attacked another passerby before fatally stabbing Piacenti.
Police later shot Cisneros after she allegedly charged toward officers with knives. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
There is no indication that Piacenti and Cisneros knew each other.
Piacenti had an impressive academic and professional background. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania before attending Fordham Law School, where she graduated in 2021 alongside her husband.
She later built a career in the financial industry and worked as an executive at Bank of America.
Her death has left her family, friends and colleagues devastated, particularly because of how suddenly it happened.
Bank of America released a statement mourning the loss of its employee, describing Piacenti as a valued teammate whose absence would be deeply felt. The company also expressed its sympathy to her husband, family and loved ones.
Fordham Law School also paid tribute to Piacenti, saying it was heartbroken by the "tragic and senseless loss" of its alumna. The school noted that Erin and Frank had been cherished members of its community.
For her family, however, the tragedy is far more personal. Piacenti had only recently entered a new chapter of her life as a mother and had been openly celebrating the happiness of her growing family.
Her final family photographs now offer a heartbreaking glimpse of a young mother enjoying what appeared to be some of the happiest moments of her life, just days before a random act of violence took her away.