OCALA, Fla. – An elderly woman, aged 81, from Ocala, has been taken into custody on charges of using pepper spray on children aged 3 and 6 while they were enjoying bubble playtime outside their residence.
Ada Anderson was arrested Saturday on a felony battery charge.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office reported through a social media post on Monday that deputies were dispatched to a Pine Court Drive residence due to a reported disturbance.
As per an arrest affidavit, a mother stated that she and her daughters were engaging with bubble toys in their driveway when their neighbor, identified by officials as Anderson, approached the fence separating the properties and used “bear mace” on them.
The mother said the spray touched her and the girls and her lungs were affected, according to the affidavit. The 6-year-old girl said her nose hurt because of the spray, according to the affidavit.
The woman said Anderson also made racial slurs while she sprayed them, according to authorities.
Deputies said an orange/brown liquid was found on the fence and grass on the victims’ property. The substance, which authorities said was pepper spray, caused irritation to the deputies’ noses and throats.
According to the affidavit, Anderson said the girls were running up and down the fence line while yelling at her, so she opened the door to her porch and sprayed the liquid at them but claimed it did not touch them because they were 40 feet away.
Anderson was placed under arrest and taken to the Marion County jail. She was released from jail Sunday night after posting bond, according to online records.
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