An Arizona mother is facing a slew of charges after she allegedly assaulted her children and stepchildren because they weren’t wearing masks.
Sarah Michelle Boone, 32, was arrested on Dec. 26 after officers were told she kicked one of her children, hit a different child in the face, and picked a third child up by the neck because the children, who tested positive for COVID-19, were not wearing masks. She is facing three counts of child abuse, three counts of assault, and charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Police say Boone fled the scene before they arrived and was found walking down the street. Boone allegedly ignored police commands and resisted arrest. Officers used a stun gun on Boone and subsequently took her to the Maricopa County Jail. She was released on Dec. 29 on $5,000 bond.
In documents obtained by the Arizona Republic, the police explained that Boone had a history of domestic violence, and she was intoxicated at the time of the alleged assaults.
This incident was one example of a heated environment when it comes to mask-wearing. In Texas, a disabled veteran was seen confronted and attacked on video and later arrested for refusing to wear a mask at a shopping mall. In December, a 2-year-old and her parents were kicked off a United Airlines flight after she refused to wear a mask.
In updated guidance released last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends wearing a mask in “indoor spaces and outdoors when physical distance of ≥6 feet cannot be maintained.”
