An 81-year-old woman from Ocala has been taken into custody following accusations of using pepper spray on young children, aged 3 and 6, while they were enjoying bubbles outside their residence.
Ada Anderson was taken into custody on Saturday facing a felony battery charge.
On Monday, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office announced via social media that deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence on Pine Court Drive.
A woman reported that she and her daughters were enjoying some bubble play in their driveway when their neighbour, known as Anderson, approached the fence between their homes and sprayed them with “bear mace.”
The mother stated that the spray came into contact with her and the girls, impacting their lungs, as detailed in the affidavit. A 6-year-old girl reported discomfort in her nose due to the spray, as stated in the affidavit.
Authorities reported that the woman claimed Anderson also used racial slurs while she sprayed them.
Authorities reported that a liquid with an orange-brown hue was discovered on the fence and grass of the victims’ property. Officials reported that the agent identified as pepper spray led to discomfort in the deputies’ nasal passages and throats.
“She tells us every day, like, an everyday occurrence, every day since we’ve been here, we don’t belong here,” said April Morant, the mother of the girls. “And we are moOcala woman accused of using pepper spray, racial slurs against children and mother
nkeys. And she calls us the N word. So, it’s always something. So, I know she’s doing whatever she can to make me move.”
Since moving to the neighbourhood in November, Morant alleges that Anderson has persistently harassed her family. Anderson declined to provide any remarks when approached by News 6 for an interview to share her perspective.
The affidavit reveals that Anderson reported the girls were running along the fence line and shouting at her. In response, she opened her porch door and sprayed a liquid in their direction, asserting that it did not reach them as they were 40 feet away.
Anderson has been apprehended and is now in custody at the Marion County jail. According to online records, she was freed from jail on Sunday night after securing her bond.
