Smoothie King manager beaten, kidnapped & dragged to ATM by fired employee, charging docs say

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Wednesday, December 28, 2022
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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A warrant for Keisha Lynette Christmas' arrest is out for allegedly abducting her former manager at Smoothie King after being fired before the holidays, according to charging documents.

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Christmas allegedly went to the Smoothie King in the 5300 block of Richmond Avenue on Dec. 13 to pick up her check with her 15-year-old daughter.

The manager was temporarily not at the restaurant after leaving to get a cord for a faulty register.

Another employee who was watching the establishment reportedly told Christmas that she was fired, that's when she got upset, according to documents.

Christmas allegedly began yelling and went behind the register to grab cash.

The manager arrived shortly after and Christmas began demanding her last check, which was given to her.

Not being satisfied, Christmas allegedly grabbed the manager by the neck and began slamming her head into the wall.

"You're not going to ruin my Christmas," Christmas allegedly said, according to charging documents, while slapping and choking the manager.

Witnesses say the 15-year-old was screaming at her mother to let the victim go.

Christmas then reportedly forced the manager across the street to Wells Fargo to withdraw more money from the ATM, with her daughter following behind.

Charging documents say she withheld the victim's phone as bait and threatened the manager saying, "If you try to run, I'll push you out into oncoming traffic."

After withdrawing money in fear for her life, the manager was released, and Christmas took off with her daughter.

The victim then went back to Smoothie King and called the police. Surveillance video captured a portion of the attack which was reviewed by investigators.

Prosecutors reported that Christmas sent the victim several messages threatening to go to her home and kill her.

Christmas was reportedly fired on Dec. 12 after having several-writeups when she did not show up to work and arrived late.

She is charged with aggravated kidnapping, robbery with bodily injury and retaliation. Christmas was out on bond after being charged with assault causing bodily injury of a family member for an incident on June 8, court records show.

A warrant for Keshia Lynette Christmas' arrest is out after being charged with aggravated kidnapping, robbery with bodily injury and retaliation. (Previous mugshot)