ALTON – Felony charges were recently filed against a St. Louis woman accused of breaking into an Alton residence while armed with a knife.
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Shania B. Cook, 21, of St. Louis, was charged on Jan. 26, 2026 with one count each of home invasion (a Class X felony), residential burglary (a Class 1 felony), criminal damage to property, and electronic harassment (both Class 4 felonies).
Cook allegedly knowingly entered another person’s Alton residence without authority on Jan. 19, 2026 while armed with a knife and threatened the use of force against one of the occupants. She is also accused of causing over $500 worth of damage to the same victim’s glass window and various kitchen appliances, as well as reportedly using social media applications to threaten to kill the victim.
The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to deny Cook’s pretrial release from custody, stating she threatened the victim by phone and by social media before forcing entry into the victim’s home.
“[The victim] learned that a female was breaking into her residence and came home to find signs of forced entry,” the petition states. “She then observed defendant brandishing a knife inside her residence. There was a brief confrontation and victim called police, as the defendant destroyed property in the kitchen. Defendant then fled.”
Responding officers observed a broken front door window and damaged items in the victim's kitchen. Cook was later located and reportedly “admitted coming to the residence to fight the victim, but denied entering the residence.”
The state’s petition was granted, with a Detention Order filed in this case adding that at the time of this latest offense, Cook was on probation for a similar prior incident which included an alleged stabbing.
“The defendant was on probation in [a prior case] for battery, which involves allegations of the defendant stabbing a different female victim after showing up at that victim’s home to fight her,” the Detention Order states. “The defendant failed to comply with the terms of probation and has shown she cannot comply with conditions.”
The Alton Police Department presented the latest case against Cook, who currently remains in custody at the Madison County Jail.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
