There they are. >> What happened? >> Well, my kids attacked me. >> Okay. >> On January 24th, 2023, officers were dispatched to a home for a reported domestic disturbance involving a mother and her two daughters. The conflict started after the younger daughter left home without permission to attend a friend's birthday. When her mother picked her up, a heated argument began in the car and continued inside the house, where emotions boiled over and the confrontation [music] turned physical. Well, my 20-year-old daughter got out of the van and got right into my face and was about to hit me cuz she didn't like something that I said. >> Who's the older one? >> Okay. What happened? >> I don't know. >> I'm going to go crazy. >> My mom was trying to hit me. Um, she hit her. They like um hit me um tried kicking me. I I don't want to press charges, but they need to understand this one just like left the house today and she knew she didn't have permission to go anywhere. She had her friend's mother come pick her up. >> Those are her mom >> and I had to go. Oh, even better. >> I'm gonna hear your side story. Trust me, I will. Okay. Do you mind just hanging out right there for me? Okay. Thank you. What happened is that um she's been out of control. I've been trying trying everything that I can and um you know I I see a therapist for my relationship just with her because a lot of things happened um after I divorced their abusive father and they they've learned a lot of his tactics. I've been up against a brick wall with them. I try all they it they they g I have three of them. They all gang up on me. Um in fact, my ex-husband ended up moving to Tampa because the three girls ganged up on him. >> What was this all stemming from? Uh, so we we got in an argument last night, verbal, not personal, but um we got in an argument last night and basically today is my best friend's birthday and I said that I wanted to go see her for her birthday, >> but so I texted her earlier when I was at school and I asked her if I could go over there and she said no. And I said, "Okay, well, I mean, maybe not the best choice, but I said, "Okay, my friend lives 5 minutes away. As long as I tell her where I'm going, I don't think it's that big of a deal. I'll only be over there for like an hour or two." So I went anyway. Her grandpa came and picked me up. I was not even over there for like maybe not even 5 minutes before she she was calling her mother and then um trying to call the police and say I was a runaway. I told them both where I was going. Um and then she came and got me instead of calling the police and we got home. >> What happened today? Right now >> I went and I went and picked up my daughter um because she didn't have permission to be there. Um, and then Emily, the 20-year-old, and well, the three of us were arguing in the car because Emily thought that it was wrong of me to say that should walk home. And I feel, as as far as I'm concerned, she she left without permission. She's considered a runaway and she can walk home. It's not dark and it's not that far away and she doesn't have to cross street. >> Backtrack a little bit. So, you went to see your friend's house. Where did the calling the police come into play? >> Just just she just threatened it on the phone. Um >> to hit you or >> No, to just to call the police and say that I was a runaway for >> because you went because you went to your friend's house. >> Yeah, because I went to my my friend's house for her birthday. >> Okay. >> With without technical permission. We got home and I went inside, but I was looking through the window and my mom started to just hit her. My sister, my sister like backed up and she kind of tripped, but my mom was like pushing her, shoving her, she was pulling her like >> shoving her. >> Uhhuh. Yeah. She shoved her back. >> What was the reason for that? >> Just cuz she's angry. >> She was angry with her and I was defending her because I said I don't think she should have to walk home alone. And >> Oh, yeah. She wanted me to walk home alone all the way from my friend's neighborhood, which is Sad Brook, but I mean that would be multiple miles walking distance, >> right? She wanted me to walk alone um back home because she didn't want to come get me, but she got mad. >> Emily was getting on my case and defending her sister, which is something she always does. Then um calls me um all kinds of names. Um one time she called me um the Cword. Um this was almost a year ago and I slapped her. So now all she talks about is how I hit her and I abuse her and I beat her up, which is not true. Um she beat me up. I've got sh pictures. >> Yeah. Then I went inside and I you know we were yelling at each other and then I was I would say this close to her and she she she like approached me and she went like this and so I ducked so she didn't hit me and while I ducked I accidentally kind of kicked her and then and then well somewhere during that this happened. Um that's >> was that from her scratching you? >> Yes, that's from her scratching. So, there was all this stuff going on and then started getting out of the van and she said, "Um, all I I have a boyfriend and all I care about is getting some 59year-old and I said, "You know what? Adult relationships are a lot different than teenage relationships with you and your friends." And um so she has a friend that has had has been very um grammiscuous. And so I made a comment. Well, Emily didn't like that. So, she got out of the van and she she stood right in front of me and was trying to she was trying to swing at me. At at this point, I don't remember exactly what happened because of all the adrenaline. I know that I grabbed her arms from her hitting me. She tried to kick me. She tried to hit me again. Um, I was trying to defend myself. >> Do you have any injuries to you? >> Um, no. I mean like a little scratch. I was wearing the jacket at the time so like not not really. >> She kind of just pushed you around or >> Yeah. And this this stuff like this has happened with her before. >> We've always had problems for like a year or two now. >> Okay. um just getting along and she uh we were we were having an argument in the car when she was driving me back from school, dropping me off from my dad's house at the time and then uh we had words and we were cussing at each other and everything and she stopped the car. She slapped me in the face and then she uh told me to walk home. Um and at that point I didn't I didn't know my way home. I wasn't really familiar with >> this was a year ago from GPE. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> From DPE. Yeah. It was >> um >> I wasn't familiar with the area. >> Then I get into the house. I don't even remember what was said but that she's like I got it all on tape and you you hit her first, which I don't believe I did. And then she started trying to hit me and kick me. Same thing. >> So today So how'd you get home? She picked she ended up picking up she picked me up and we drove home. >> And that's when was there an argument in the car prior to >> Yeah. I mean, she was screaming the whole way home. >> Okay. >> And you get home and that's when she starts roughing you up. >> Yeah. >> Because you were defending her. >> Uhhuh. >> Staying that she shouldn't be walking home by herself. >> Yeah. >> And then she swung at you. >> You ducked. >> Um and somehow you got scratched probably by her. >> Yes. 100% by him. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Something needs to change. I I just I can't do this anymore. I want to just I want them to either I don't know. Like I I feel like I'm going to go crazy if I if I have to go through this anymore. I want to just go to the hospital and go to like this like order or something because I just need some rest. It's just it's been awful. It's just been awful for the last like four years. So, this is kind of a normal occurrence. >> I mean, like not like every day, but it's happened before with me. She gets physical with me a lot. >> Okay. >> So, my grandma, she she's been an alcoholic for like 20 years. I've never known her. >> Is she drunk now? >> I don't think so. I don't think she's drunk yet. >> And I I live here now because I had to sell my house after um I got a divorce. So, it's just it's been hard like the three of us and me just, you know, being the only parent and they think that they can take it and manipulate me because that's what their dad did for 20 years. >> Now, when you were here >> and she was in front of you. >> Mhm. >> And you don't remember. You believe she hit you first or >> she took she tried to swing at me. >> Right. Right. So, we have her you defending yourself. Um, did you get I I saw I think you have a scratch or two here. >> Scratches there. Um, maybe under here, but I know like she tried to take a swing at me and so I grabbed her and I know that uh I know that her arms or or her like whole body. >> Um, her arms like the the upper part. >> Okay. And I I said I said, "Get away from me. Get away from me." And I like and I like was like holding on and she's holding on to me and she wouldn't go. And then finally we like broke apart and then she tried to hit me again and then she started trying to kick me. >> And this is the the >> the older one, >> the 20-year-old. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And I told her I said, "You know, you're an adult now. You can't be doing this to me. There are adult consequences for it." and she she just takes no responsibility for her life. >> Okay. Um, are you willing to fill out a written statement about what happened today? >> I don't know. I don't I mean, I don't want I What can be done about this? >> Well, I mean, you called police for a reason, right? >> Yeah. I need I need for them to know what's what they're doing. They can't be doing what they're doing. and that keeps telling me that she goes to um her counselor at school and says that um I'm neglecting her and that I said well why haven't they taken you then if you you keep talking to them about this and she's like because I'm not black and blue and you know we're not physical we're usually not physical. Oh, that's what it was. She She said something really nasty to me and like and I picked up my arm and then I put it down >> because I know better. And then that's when she um started attacking me. What is considered parental neglect? I do so much for her. I take her to school every day. I pick her up. I make I buy her groceries. Make sure she has food to eat. We make meals. She doesn't always eat them, but that's on her. Um because we have plenty of food here. Um I >> Yeah, I mean that's >> I mean I do so much. >> No, I I understand that that's that's not really that's >> I mean just because sometimes I have to go to my boyfriend's house. So that doesn't mean I'm neglecting her. >> Okay. All I know is that when I was in that situation, I had all this adrenaline going through that I don't even I don't remember like I don't for me that's normal. um like when I get I used to get into arguments with my husband because he was an you know he was a narcissist and was very emotionally abusive to all of us and now the girls think that I didn't leave him soon enough and now they're they say they're all screwed up because of it and you know I was trying to keep my family together and I was trying to remain hopeful that maybe I could make things work with him but then I realized that I was caught in this cycle of abuse and it's just going to continue on. So I don't I want that I want it to break. I want that circle to break. >> Mhm. >> You know what I mean? >> No. I I mean >> apparently I got a boyfriend too fast. And ever since then >> they've been trying to sabotage my life. >> I don't know. >> I guess there was a verbal argument in the car. They got home. They come in the house. Mom kind of roughs up the oldest daughter, shakes her around a little bit. >> Um, and then swings at the younger daughter. She ducks and then >> she was able to scratch on her arms. >> Did one of you record this part of it? >> Um, no. >> No. >> She was saying one of you recorded part of >> I took a couple of pictures of what happened like of of like my arms and stuff like or of my sister's arms like >> Oh, okay. But no video specifically about what happened. Oh, I didn't take a video. >> Okay. >> Um, but I I just took those. Oh, well, that's that's a tree, I guess. >> Okay. Um, >> the 20-year-old was the one who got physical with you out here first, right? And then you both went inside. >> No, Emily stayed out here and um when I got in there, she approached me and said, "I got everything. I got everything." Can you hit her first? And um I don't think I did. I think Emily started swinging at me and then I I held her. But I I haven't seen the video so I don't know. But um I went inside and um that's when um confronted me and then she's just started um I don't even know what she was saying. She was saying all sorts of different things. my mother was standing next to me and then um something that she said um I guess like really um shocked me and like I picked up my hand but then I put it down and then she picked up you know she lifted her arm and then just started hitting me and then she tried kicking me with her well not well she tried to knee me and then she also tried to kick me and um my mother is in there if you want to talking. >> Okay. Did she ever actually kick you >> in the process or No. >> Um, >> what's your mom? >> No, I think I stopped her each each time she she tried hitting me or kicking me um or like kneing me. I'm stronger than she is, so I'm able to hold her arms and like, you know, keep her from >> actually hitting me. >> From actually hitting me. >> What's your mom's name? >> Sharon. >> Sharon. >> So, Sharon. Yeah. Hi, my name is John. Um, >> you want to step in >> if I could. Absolutely. >> Uh, yes. >> I did see Emily kicking her, kicking Chris. And I did see a kick Chris right here. And she won't listen to what anybody tells her to do. She swears. She calls me and Chris every name in the book. Believes that Kristen's a bad mother and she's not giving her enough attention. Kristen is a great mother. >> Put your hands behind your back and stand up. >> What? What? Um what? Hold on. Don't even ask me what happened. I'm I'm I'm being I'm I'm being arrested. >> Let me see here now. >> Um Oh my god. Why am I being arrested? >> She hit me. >> We're hanging up. But that's what you're doing. Molly. >> Okay. >> You have anything on you by any chance? Nothing. You're being placed under arrest for domestic violence. Okay. Battery. >> What exactly? >> Together. >> You live together as a family unit. Going to battery based on everyone that we have talked to. Okay. Determine that you two are the primary aggressors based on what happened. Okay. But that's what we determined based on what's going on. Okay. >> Based on what my mom said. No, not just on what your mom said. >> But hold on. I didn't say how am I the primary aggressor if she tried to hit me first? >> That's not what we have determined. >> But that's not what I said. >> I understand that's not what you may have said. >> That's what we've determined based on talking with everyone here. >> Everyone here, my grandma didn't even see what happened. She was inside and and of course my mother's going to say something different. >> Have you ever been in trouble before? >> No. >> Okay. I would imagine that. I would imagine because of the the the charge, it is a misdemeanor that you will end up being released with. State of Florida requires law enforcement to take action and make an arrest when we have probable cause. Okay. Think >> she has to proceed? >> No, ma'am. She did not. We are required to by Florida law. Okay. It's a criminal charge. Yes. You're being placed under arrest being charged with misdemeanor battery. Okay. >> Oh my god. But she battered me. >> You're being taken to the branch jail. Okay. will be charged with battery and because it's domestic, there will be no bond and you have to see a judge in the morning. >> Okay. >> Oh my god. You going to spend the night in jail? >> Yes. So, you see first appearance be a judge in the morning. Your judge will decide whether you be released on your own recgnissance or if you'll have a bond issue. Okay. It'll be noted in the report that she does not want to pursue charges. It'll be noted in the report that you are saying you are not the primary aggressor and that she struck you first. >> Okay. That's not what we have as far as witnesses go. >> Okay. >> Witnesses. >> She's the witness. >> Okay. >> What? My But my grandma wasn't even outside. Who? What other witness? >> I'm not I'm not tell saying that your grandma was outside. That's not what I'm saying. I'm just I'm just saying based on everything that we have talked about with her with your grandma. >> But me and say the same thing that that she hit me first. >> So the other witness would be her the one who hit me. >> I'm I'm sorry. I I I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just trying to >> You don't have No, I understand this is an extremely stressful situation and you have more questions than I have answers that I'm able to provide for you. >> I can buckle in. >> I can tell you that. I mean, we could buckle you. It's not >> Well, I was recently in a car accident. >> Absolutely. Buckles. >> Yeah. >> Was that okay? >> Yeah. Yeah. We're going to clock her. >> A that that you >> I I'm sorry. >> I I understand you. I'll let you speak your your piece here in in a moment. um because it is important that you you get to express what you want to tell me. I I understand that. Um based on the totality of everything that has happened here that we were able to speak to to everybody and what we were able to hear from everyone, >> we can only determine what we were able to determine. Okay? Obviously, we weren't here to witness it, right? >> But I didn't even tell the full story. Like I I thought I was going to like tell like a playbyplay. I didn't even tell anyone that. Is that something? Can Can I just like explain what happened? >> Yeah, you're more than welcome to explain what happened uh from your perspective. I That's fine. >> But shouldn't I have explained that if if if I before at this point that's not going to change what's happening right now? You've been placed under arrest because we have probable cause to determine that you two are primary aggressors for what happened today. >> What is that cause? What she said? >> What do you mean? >> The probable cause that >> probable cause is is what we have to reach in order to to charge someone with a crime. We have to reach the threshold of probable cause. It's the the legal term for that. >> Okay. But if if she hit me and and I just like grabbed her arms to stop her, I don't I don't understand why I would be arrested for that. >> I I understand that's what you're telling me happened from your perspective. That's not what I'm being told by other people. Okay. >> But what that's what we're both telling you. >> I understand that. I understand that is what you are both telling me. Okay. >> She is telling me something different and your grandmother is telling me something different as well. Okay. >> Sir, this is something that has happened before with her, my father, me, my sisters. We were never the aggressors. She she has been charged with battery for for hitting my dad. He was charged for strangling me. This is this is something that has happened on multiple occasions, but never has it been me or my sister to I don't I don't know what happened inside. I wasn't a part of that. All I know is that I I stood in front of her and I kind of put my hand up like not like in her face, but you know, like like to stop her >> like from from walking away from me, which maybe I shouldn't have done, but >> but I did not hit her. I understand. Maybe, you know, she thought I was going to hit her. You know, she was really worked up and everything. Um >> I But I didn't I didn't hit her. She She hit She hit me. Did you take a video? Yeah, I did take >> She took a Can you Did she >> So, when I asked earlier about the video, you said no, there wasn't. >> No, I said I I didn't take a video. I >> I asked her specifically if she had a video. She said no. So, >> I mean, you can find it on my phone. >> We're more than happy to look at the video. Okay. That initially we were told didn't exist. >> I guess I didn't pay I didn't >> I'm not I'm not referring to I'm talking to to her her video said what didn't exist. Okay. When I asked her specifically if she had video, she said no. So, we'll we'll go ahead and and and look at it, but that's not going to change what happened right now. So, do what you got to do. >> She said she has some scratches. >> I just have to document it. >> Bob can't can't come get her. You have to come get her. >> Yeah. >> Or something along those lines. Um >> so, >> where are the scratches at? >> Um basically, I mean, those are the only ones I know of at the at the moment. >> Okay. on the other ones. >> I don't know. Like it feels sore, but I don't think there were any cuts. I think it was more like hands grabbing. You >> hold your hands out like this. Hands over. >> They've been abusing me for so long. It's over. >> I'm not putting up with it anymore. >> So, but like I'd show her that >> you got to do what you got to do. >> The legal guardian. They may not. >> I didn't want them to go to jail, but you know what? You know, what am I supposed to do? They don't learn. They're never held accountable for anything. >> See, I don't even >> I told him, "Do that one. Do that one first. Facts." >> Wait. >> Yeah. >> At her first court appearance, a judge placed her on the pre-trial release with strict conditions. She was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim and prohibited from possessing any firearms. An arraignment was scheduled, but the case never made it that far. On February 6th, the state attorney's office filed what's known as an announcement of no information, a formal decision not to prosecute [music] the charge. With that filing, the case was closed. No conviction, no trial. The domestic battery charge was dropped less than 2 weeks after the arrest. 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