A fistfight between two Central Florida high school students took an unexpected turn when one of their mothers jumped in, leading to multiple charges, including a felony for the adult involved.
The incident, captured on video, initially shows a student attempting to break up a fight between two teenage girls at a bus stop. When the situation escalated, it turned into multiple simultaneous brawls. The mother of one of the girls identified as Kathryn Stephanopoulos, intervened and turned the confrontation into a more serious altercation.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly confirmed that Stephanopoulos was present during the fight and decided to get involved after watching the initial exchange.
“She watches it a little bit and then decides to get herself involved,” Sheriff Staly said.
The chaotic scene lasted about a minute before another individual intervened to break it up.
Sheriff Staly emphasized the importance of parents teaching their children constructive ways to resolve conflicts, warning that resorting to violence can have serious consequences.
“If you teach them that the way to solve a disagreement is a fight, at some point they’re going to end up in jail,” he said.
Resident Anthony, who lives near the bus stop, expressed his disbelief at the situation.
“I thought it was absolutely ridiculous,” he said. “I don’t think as an adult you should be trying to harm a child.”
Stephanopoulos has been charged with aggravated child abuse, a felony. Both teenagers involved in the fight also face charges—her daughter with a felony and the other girl with a misdemeanor.
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