Ada Anderson, an 80-year-old woman from Ocala, Florida, allegedly pepper-sprayed her neighbor and two young children, ages 3 and 6, after getting upset about bubbles. She now faces multiple battery charges, but the family is pushing for additional charges.
In the incident that happened last week, Anderson sprayed April Morant and her two children with pepper spray after the kids were seen playing with bubbles in their yard. Morant said her daughters were not near the shared fence when Anderson leaned over it and attacked them.
The incident shocked Morant, who initially thought Anderson had a gun. The children ran inside to rinse off the burning spray with water.
Morant said this isn’t the first time they’ve had issues with Anderson since moving in last November. She claims Anderson has shouted racial slurs and insults at her family multiple times, telling them they’re not welcome in the neighborhood.
“I feel like she’s escalating,” Morant told Newsweek. “Since day one. I have recordings of her.”
Police have charged Anderson with battery, but Morant believes that isn’t enough. She is asking officials to consider hate crime charges as well.
“Just battery? But nothing on the kids, or maybe a hate crime because you were saying all this stuff while you were spraying this stuff,” she said.
Anderson has not responded to media requests for comment. Jail records show she has been released on bond.
Morant is now trying to get a restraining order and is looking for ways to move her family out of the neighborhood.
“For you to do the bear spray stuff, like I feel like I don’t know what you have in that house,” Morant said. “I don’t know. I don’t want to be by her.”
