St. Augustine, Florida — A Florida woman who was making grocery deliveries for Instacart has been charged with child abuse after investigators say a Ring doorbell camera captured her striking her 6-year-old son when he was unable to carry a heavy case of bottled water during a delivery.
Authorities allege the incident occurred outside an apartment complex in St. Augustine and involved a child who was asked to carry a 24-pack of bottled water weighing approximately 26 pounds.
The case has drawn attention after investigators said the boy weighed just 49 pounds, making the load more than half of his body weight.
Ring Camera Allegedly Captured the Incident
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the incident happened on May 31 while Kiah Lowery, 36, was delivering groceries through Instacart.
Investigators said surveillance footage from a Ring doorbell recorded Lowery instructing her son to carry the case of water after he struggled with another basket of groceries.
The child reportedly told his mother that he could not hold the heavy package before dropping it.
According to investigators, the video then shows the child running away before Lowery catches him and allegedly strikes him in the face.
Authorities say the child cried in pain while holding his face following the alleged slap. The complaint also alleges that Lowery continued yelling at the boy and instructed him to continue carrying groceries.
Deputies Say Child Could Not Safely Carry the Load
According to the arrest affidavit, investigators determined the child weighed approximately 49 pounds, while the package of bottled water weighed about 26 pounds.
Deputies concluded the child was punished for something he was physically incapable of doing.
The affidavit states that the boy was allegedly slapped and yelled at after failing to carry an object that exceeded what investigators believed he could reasonably manage.
Officials later identified Lowery as the woman seen in the surveillance footage and arrested her on a charge of child abuse.
Mother Described Incident as an ‘Over-Stimulated Moment’
Following her arrest, Lowery spoke with investigators about what happened.
According to deputies, she acknowledged becoming frustrated during the grocery deliveries and described the incident as an “over-stimulated moment.”
Investigators said she apologized for her actions.
Authorities also noted that Lowery told deputies she had been completing three separate deliveries at the apartment complex when the incident occurred and believed her son had been acting defiantly.
Those statements are included in the arrest affidavit, and the allegations have not yet been tested in court.
Court Proceedings Continue
Lowery was booked into the St. Johns County Jail before later posting a $5,000 bond.
As a condition of her release, court records indicate she is prohibited from having contact with her son while the criminal case remains pending.
Her next scheduled court appearance is July 7.
The allegations remain accusations, and Lowery is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Authorities continue handling the case through the criminal justice system as prosecutors review the evidence.
What are your thoughts on this case? How should authorities balance child protection with parental discipline when allegations like these arise? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
