66-Year-Old Manhattan Woman Accused of Stabbing Home Health Aide During Dispute Over Oxygen Mask

Barbara Salberg, 66, of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, is facing charges after she allegedly stabbed a 54-year-old home health aide during a dispute over an oxygen mask on August 8, 2026.

According to prosecutors, the confrontation escalated when Salberg allegedly attacked the aide, stabbing the woman in the abdomen.

Prosecutors have argued that the stabbing was not an accident and that Salberg intended to harm the home health aide. They cited an alleged statement made during the confrontation: “This is the knife I’m going to kill you with.”

Salberg is currently being held at Rikers Island on $100,000 bail while the case proceeds through the courts.

Her attorney has asked the court to consider transferring Salberg to home confinement, citing serious health problems. The defense maintains that Salberg suffers from multiple medical conditions and does not present a flight risk.

Prosecutors, however, have opposed treating the incident as an accident, arguing that the circumstances and alleged statement indicate an intentional attack.

During a recent court proceeding, the judge declined to reduce the $100,000 bail but left open the possibility that Salberg could eventually be transferred to home confinement under electronic monitoring.

The court’s decision means Salberg remains subject to the existing bail requirement while her defense continues seeking an alternative arrangement based on her health.

The allegations against Salberg have not been proven in court. She remains presumed innocent unless and until she is found guilty.

As the case moves forward, the court will ultimately determine the circumstances surrounding the confrontation, including the disputed question of Salberg’s intent and whether her medical condition should affect her detention.

For now, the judge’s ruling leaves open a potential compromise: Salberg could remain under strict supervision at home rather than at Rikers Island if the court determines that electronic monitoring and other conditions can adequately address the concerns raised by prosecutors.

Source: NY Post