Mother Accused of Assaulting Her Children Over Not Wearing Face Masks

An Arizona woman is accused of felony child abuse after allegedly assaulting her children and stepchildren for not wearing protective face coverings despite testing positive for COVID-19, police said.

On December 26, officers responded to the Wickenburg home of Sarah Michelle Boone, 32, after a caller claimed the mother hit one child in the face with an open hand, kicked a second and picked the third up by the neck because the three minors, who ranged in ages from 5 to 14, were not wearing masks, according to charging documents obtained by Phoenix’s KPNX.

Police located Boone walking down a nearby street, and she allegedly ignored their instructions to stop and fought back when they attempted to place her under arrest. Officers shocked the mom with a stun gun in order to get her into handcuffs.

Citing the documents, the Associated Press reported authorities believe Boone may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the alleged beatings occurred.

Police also indicated the mother had been arrested in September for an incident involving the children and that officers responded to the family’s home twice in November for alleged domestic violence issues.

Boone, who was released from the Maricopa County Jail on $5,000 bond and ordered to have no contact with the children, faces three felony counts of child abuse as well as misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assault.