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. They like hit me, tried kicking me. I I don't want to press [music] charges, but they need to understand. Please don't go with what my mom said. No, not just go with what your mom said. But hold on, I didn't say How am I the primary aggressor? She tried to hit me first. On January 24th, 2023, this wild family feud kicked off when the younger daughter sneaked out for a birthday party without asking. The mother eventually tracked her down and the drive home turned into a screaming match that didn't stop at the driveway. Once they got inside, the shouting turned into shoving and kicking. [music] Now everyone was pointing fingers and telling different stories to the police. It was a complete disaster from start to ending [music] point. 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. Um My mom was trying to hit me. Um she hit her. They like hit me, tried kicking me. I I don't want to press charges, but they need to understand. This one just like left the house today. She knew she didn't have permission to go anywhere. She had her friend's mother come pick her up. And I had to go Oh, even better. I'm going to 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 she's been out of control. I've been trying drying 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've they've learned a lot of his tactics. I've been up against a brick wall with um I try all they it they they gain I have three of them. They all gang up on me. 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 physical, but um we got in an argument last night and basically today's 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 told her mom I'm going. I don't think it's that big of a deal. I I'll be over there for like an hour or two. So I went anyway. The mother started rambling about her ex-husband's tactics to make her daughters look like the villains. She brought up 3 years of non-relevant junk to paint the girls as monsters. It was a classic move to distract from the current mess. She seemed more interested in winning a therapy session than explaining the fight. That poor girl just wanted to celebrate a birthday. 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 threatening 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 today right now? I went in I went and picked up my daughter cuz she didn't have permission to be there 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 she 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 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, cuz 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 got tripped, but my mom was like pushing her, shoving her, she was pulling her like >> Shoving her? Uh-huh. Yeah, she shoved her back. >> the reason for that? Just cuz she's angry. She was angry with her and I was defending her cuz I said I don't think she should have to walk home alone and >> she wanted me to walk home alone all the way from my friend's neighborhood, which is Saddlebrook, but that would mean that would be multiple miles. walking distance. She wanted me to walk alone um back home because she didn't want to come get me, but she got me anyway. Emily was getting on my case and defending her sister, which is something she always does. Then um Mom's disciplining style apparently involves forcing her daughter to walk home for miles just because she went to a friend's house. >> [music] >> It was pretty clear she was being selfish, acting more like a frustrated peer than a mother. She threatened to call the cops for a runaway when she knew exactly where the girl was the whole time. Calls me all kinds of names. One time she called me the C-word. This was almost a year ago and I slapped her. So now all she talks about is how I hit her and abuse her and I beat her up. Which is not true. She beat me up. I've got pictures. Yeah, then I went inside and I you know, we were yelling at each other and then I was I was 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 what somewhere during that this happened. Um that's it. >> from her scratching you or That's from her scratching. So there was all this stuff going on and then started getting out of the van and she said all I I have a boyfriend and all I care about is getting some 59-year-old and I said, you know what? Adult relationships are a lot different than teenager relationships with you and your friends. And so she has a friend that has had has been very promiscuous 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 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. I was trying to defend myself. Do you have any injuries to you? Um I mean I mean I like a little scratch. I was wearing the jacket at the time. So like not not really. Pushed you around or >> Yeah, and this this definitely this has happened with her before. We've always had problems for like a year or two now. Okay. Um It's obvious mom was the one who couldn't keep her cool. When she claimed [music] she accidentally kicked her daughter while ducking, it sounded like a poorly rehearsed script. She kept bringing up her 59-year-old boyfriend, >> [music] >> proving she was more worried about her social life than her children's well-being. Someone needs to remind her she's the adult. just getting along and she's uh we were we were having an argument in the car when she was driving me back from school, dropping me off at 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. I had to walk home from DPE. 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 did you get home? She picked you up and you got in Yeah, she picked me up and we drove home. And that's when Was there an argument in the car prior to that? >> Yeah, I mean she was screaming the whole way home. And you get home and that's when she starts roughing you up. Yeah. >> Because you were defending her. Uh-huh. Stating 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 her. 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 the psych ward or something because I just need some rest. It's just it's been awful. It's just been awful for the last like 4 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? No. don't think so. I don't think she's drunk yet. Okay. The daughter's story was a lot more consistent, [music] describing a mother who screams and gets physical way too often. Mom tried to act like her slap from a year ago was ancient history, but for the kids, it was just part of a cycle. It was sad to see children who were clearly being mistreated. [music] They seemed tired of a mother who preferred playing the martyr over actually providing a stable home. 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 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 >> Well, she took she tried to swing at me. >> Right, right. So, we have her you defending yourself. Um see, you get I I saw I think you have a scratch >> Yeah, there's scratches there. There's there. Did that Maybe even under here, but 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 I pinched her arms or something. 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 don't What can be done about this? Mom started crying, which felt like a total act for the officers. [music] She claimed her own mother was an alcoholic for 20 years, adding more layers to her poor-me narrative. It was a classic projection. She blamed her kids for manipulating her just because they stood up for themselves. >> [music] >> She really believed that everyone else was the problem while she stood there looking for a way to escape her responsibilities. Well, I mean, you called police for a reason, right? I need I need for them to know what 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 I 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 cuz we have plenty of food here. Um I >> Yeah, I mean, that's I mean, I do so much >> no, I I I understand. That that's that's not really that's I mean, just because sometimes I What's your mom's name? >> 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 of 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 a 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 can 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. You know what I mean? She bragged about buying groceries and driving her daughter to school as if that made her a saint. [music] It was super selfish to think that basic parenting duties made up for the constant fighting and physical outbursts. She even tried to justify leaving them alone to go see her boyfriend. The mom was clearly more focused on her own life than her kids. 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 her on the arm. Did one of you record this part of it? So Um No? She was saying one of you recorded part of I had to take 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. >> No, I I didn't take a video. Okay. Um But I I just took those. Oh, that's That's a treat, [laughter] I guess. Okay. Um I mean, you So, the the 20-year-old is the one who got physical out here 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. 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 she lifted her arm and then she 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 talk to her. >> Yeah. Talk to her. Okay. She was so convinced she was the victim that she couldn't see how her own actions were tearing the family apart. The officers were just listening to her ramble about cycles of abuse while she was the one standing in the middle of it. She wanted the circle to break, but kept throwing the first punch. Did she ever actually kick you in the process or no? Um >> What's your mom's No, I think I stopped her each each time she she tried hitting me or kicking me um or like kneeing me. I'm stronger than she is, so I'm able to hold her arms and like, you know, keep her from actually hitting you. >> from actually hitting me. >> What's your mom's name? Sharon. Sharon. Hello, Sharon. Yeah. >> Hi. Hi, I'm this John. Um You want to step in because >> If I could, absolutely. >> What's going on? 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 her anybody tells her to do. She swears she calls me and Chris every name in the book. Believes that Christian's a bad mother and she's not giving her enough attention. Christian is a great mother. Suddenly, Grandma entered the chat and things took a sharp turn for the daughters. Grandma claimed she saw the 20-year-old kicking the mother, which gave the police the probable cause they were looking for. It felt like the two older women ganged up on the girls to save the mom from her own mess. The handcuffs finally came out, but not for the person who started the whole fight. But All right, put your hands behind your back. I can stand up. What? What? Um what? Hold on. You didn't ask me what happened. I'm I'm I'm being I'm being arrested? I'm going to see you in here, ma'am. I don't Oh my god. I'm I'm being arrested. She hit me. We're hanging up, but that's what you're doing, Molly. You're fine. Okay. You have anything on you by any chance? Nothing? Nothing on Okay. Trafficking found. We're walking. You're being placed under arrest for domestic violence. Okay? Battery. What is that mean? You live together as a family unit. You committed an offense. 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. Yeah, that's what we 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. Okay. Have you ever been in trouble before? No, I 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. No, ma'am. She did not. We are required to. Like Florida law, okay? It's a criminal charge. Yes, you're being placed under arrest, being charged with a misdemeanor of battery, okay? Oh my god. But, she battered me. >> You're being taken to the branch jail. Okay? The girl was completely shocked, asking how she could be the primary aggressor when her mom swung first. The officers didn't care about her side of the story anymore. They had enough probable cause based on the grandmother's words. >> [music] >> It was a heartbreaking moment for the daughter, who thought the police were there to help her, not cuff her. You'll 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 I'm going to spend the night in jail? Yes. So, you see first that's you judge in the morning. The judge will decide whether you'll be released on your own recognizance or if you'll have a bond issued. 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? Yes. She's the witness. Okay. What? Like But, but my grandma wasn't even outside. Who What are the witnesses? I'm not I'm not telling 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 my mom both say the same thing that that she hit me first. Okay. So, the other witness would be her, the one who hit me? I'm so I'm sorry. I I I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just trying to understand. >> to 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. Am I being buckled in? I can tell you that I mean We could buckle you. It's not Well, I I was recently in a car accident, Absolutely, you buckled? Yeah. Okay. Is that okay? Yeah. Yeah, we're going to buckle her. We're going to buckle her. A adult that that you I I'm so I I understand. Uh you I'll let you speak your your piece here in a in a moment. Um because it is important that you you get to express what you want to tell me. I I I understand that. Um The officer told her that Florida law required an arrest for domestic battery, regardless of whether the mom wanted to press charges. The officer admitted it was a stressful situation, but his hands were tied by the testimony of the grandmother and mother. It was a masterclass in how a manipulative parent can flip the script. 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 after 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 like tell the full story. Like I I thought I was going to like tell like a play-by-play. I didn't even tell anyone that. No. I Is that something Can Can I just like explain what happened? Yeah, you're more than welcome to explain what happened. I I from your perspective. I That's fine. However, But, shouldn't I have explained that if if if I before >> I mean, this 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. But, what is that cause? What she said? What do you mean? The probable cause that Probable cause is is what we have to reach to 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? Well, but but 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? I'm Is there room for another one? She felt completely betrayed. And honestly, she should have been. The officers were just following their probable cause checklist, which unfortunately relied on the mother's twisted version of events. The daughter is about to drop a bombshell about the family's violent history. So, this is something that has happened before with her, my father, and me and my sisters. We were never the aggressors. She She has been charged with battery for for hitting my dad. She 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 Give us a minute. 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 the I actually She took a Can you see 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 was saying that I didn't take it. I didn't take it. I'm not I'm not referring to the I'm talking to to her. Her video that 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. Mom can't can't come get her, you have to come get her. Yeah. Or something along those lines. So, where are the scratches at? Um basically, you mean those are the only ones I know of at the at the moment. Okay. Are there any others? I don't know of. It feels sore, but I don't think there are any cuts. I think it was more like hands grabbing. You held your hands out like this? Hands up forward. The mother's smug attitude was still disgusting. She claimed she didn't want them to go to jail, yet she was the one who practically gift wrapped them for the deputies. She acted like she was finally holding them accountable [music] for being victims of her own bad parenting. They've been abusing me for so long. It's over. I'm not putting up with it anymore. So, but like I told her that You got to do what you got to do. That's the way it works. They may not be able I didn't want them to go to jail, but you know, what am I you know, what am I supposed to do? They don't learn. They're never held accountable for anything. We'll see. I don't Yeah, she's in I told him to do that one. Do that one first. It's got to be accident. Yeah. In the end, this family drama was just one big cycle of pain and bad choices. The mother successfully used her grandmother as a witness to get her own daughter arrested. It was a cold move that showed just how far she was willing to go to maintain control. It was a dark end to a tragic day with the kids [music] heading to jail while the abusive, manipulative mom stayed home. The 20-year-old daughter was charged with misdemeanor battery. She faced a potential sentence of 1 year in county jail and a $1,000 fine. However, the [music] state attorney eventually realized the case was built on shaky ground. On February 6th, they filed an announcement of no information, effectively dropping all charges. >> [clears throat] >> Before you move on, hit [music] like and subscribe to stay locked in for more real-life chaos and courtroom twists. Turn on notifications so you never miss when drama like this unfolds, and share this with someone who loves unpredictable family showdowns.