A Florida woman was arrested on child abuse charges after allegedly slapping her 6-year-old son when he struggled to carry a heavy Instacart delivery. The incident occurred on May 31 in St. Augustine.
Surveillance footage from a customer's Ring camera captured Kiah Lowery, 36, directing her son to carry a 24-pack of bottled water. The child, who weighs approximately 49 pounds, struggled under the weight of the 26-pound case, according to a police report. The boy pleaded that the load was too heavy before dropping it, causing the bottles to scatter.
In the footage, Lowery can be heard using profanities and telling her son he was the "worst." She then allegedly grabbed him by the shirt and slapped him across the face as he cried. The boy was reportedly struck and scolded for an action he was incapable of performing, as noted by law enforcement.
The Instacart customer reported the interaction to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. When questioned by deputies, Lowery reportedly stated her son was being "defiant" and described her behavior as an "over-stimulated moment." She has since been booked into the St. Johns County Jail and posted a $5,000 bond.
Lowery has been prohibited from contacting or seeing her child and ordered to remain at least 500 feet away from him. Instacart did not immediately respond to requests for comment.