A Florida woman has been arrested on child abuse charges after surveillance video recorded her slapping her six-year-old son for dropping a case of bottled water. Kiah Lowery, 36, was taken into custody earlier this month in St. Augustine following the incident, which occurred on May 31.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office responded to an apartment complex after an Instacart customer reported the child's mother's behavior, which was captured on a Ring camera. Deputies identified Lowery as the woman in the video and the victim as her son.
According to an arrest warrant, the video shows Lowery instructing her son to carry a 24-pack of bottled water, weighing approximately 26 pounds. The child, who weighs about 49 pounds, struggled with the load and dropped it, saying he could not hold it. The warrant states that Lowery then pursued her son as he retreated and allegedly slapped him across the face.
Following the physical interaction, Lowery was heard screaming at the child, calling him "the worst" and "a fucking piece of shit," and instructing him to pick up the water. Detectives noted that Lowery also used other profanities toward her son.
Police stated in the arrest warrant that Lowery's actions created a "severe imbalance" for the child, who was incapable of performing the task. Lowery told police that her son had been "defiant" while she was fulfilling multiple orders and described her behavior as the result of an "over-stimulated moment." She apologized for her actions.
Lowery was booked into the St. Johns County Jail and subsequently posted a $5,000 bond. She is currently prohibited from contacting or seeing her child and must remain at least 500 feet away from him, with an electronic monitoring system in place. The current custody arrangement for the child has not been released.
Lowery is scheduled for a felony arraignment before Judge Christopher Ferebee at the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida on July 7. She has not yet entered a plea, and it is unclear if she has retained legal counsel.
Instacart issued a statement condemning the "alarming" and "completely unacceptable behavior." The company stated it has "zero tolerance for violence of any kind" and confirmed that Lowery has been permanently removed from their platform. Instacart also reiterated its policy prohibiting shoppers from bringing unauthorized individuals, including children, on deliveries and affirmed its full cooperation with law enforcement in the investigation.
