Henderson charged in robbery near hospital

Melinda Amelia Henderson, 23, Benson, has been charged with felony simple robbery and misdemeanor fifth degree assault-bodily harm in Swift County 8th Judicial District Court.
Henderson made her first appearance in court May 8 with an omnibus hearing set for June 2.
According to the complaint filed by Swift County Attorney Danielle Olson, Henderson assaulted Donna Ascheman near the emergency entrance of the Swift County-Benson Hospital and stole her purse shortly before midnight May 6.
Ascheman had come to the hospital to meet her brothers, Gerald and Steve Wersinger, and to see their mother who had been admitted earlier that evening.
After parking her car, Ascheman started walking toward the ER entry. The complaint states that as she crossed Wisconsin Avenue from the parking lot and was walking toward the entry, two women started coming toward her. As they approached, she told them she was at the hospital to see her mother, the complaint states.
With the women moving behind her, Ascheman started running toward the ER door, the complaint says. At this point, according to the complaint, she felt someone grab her purse from behind just as she got to the door. She held on to her purse and was pulled to the ground by both women. As she continued to clutch her purse, she was pulled across the ER driveway. She let go as she reached the edge of the street, the complaint says. At this point, the women left with the purse.
Ascheman, 74, suffered minor injuries to her right hand and her right eye, the complaint states.