A Florida mom is facing charges for allegedly jumping into a fight between her teenage daughter and other high schoolers at their bus stop — with video showing her putting one girl in a headlock before she’s wrestled off and hit in the head with a Stanley cup.
Kathryn Stephanopoulos, 34, was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated child abuse following a wild brawl in Bunnell last week between her daughter and other Flagler-Palm Coast High School students, Fox 35 reported.
Her daughter had a falling out with another teen over the summer — agreeing to fight it out once off their bus on Wednesday last week, according to an affidavit obtained by the station.
“One of the juvenile’s mothers was waiting at the bus stop after being told by her child about the fight,” the sheriff’s office said. “Once the fight began, the mother joined the fight instead of trying to break it up.”
Shocking video showed Stephanopoulos standing near the two girls as they squared up — then leaping into the fray as fists started flying, deputies told the outlet.
At one point, the mom put her daughter’s rival in a headlock, falling to the ground during a violent struggle.
“Yo, not the mom!” one student can be heard yelling as Stephanopoulos fights the girl on the ground.
A second brawl then begins between the daughter and a male student who was trying to break up the initial fight, police said.
“How did this s–t even get instigated, bruh?” one student said in the clip. “How this s–t even happen?”
Later in the fight, one of the teens swings a Stanley cup at Stephanopoulos’ head.
“Did she just hit her with a Stanley cup?” a student asks incredulously, as another replies: “Yes, she did.”
“That’s crazy!” one of the student says.
Soon after, Stephanopoulos and her daughter can be seen getting in their car and driving off. Afterward, according to the affidavit, the bus drove away to drop the remaining students off at their homes.
Those involved in the fight only received minor injuries like cuts, bruising and swelling, police said.
Stephanopoulos was arrested several days later and charged with aggravated child abuse. She has since been released after posting $1,000 bond, according to the outlet.
“It should be noted that Kathryn expressed her regret and embarrassment about the entire incident,” the affidavit said of the mom.
One of the teens was arrested on a felony aggravated battery charge while another faces misdemeanor charges, the outlet said, without stipulating which was Stephanopoulos’ daughter.
