Two young Florida girls, ages 3 and 6, were allegedly pepper-sprayed by their 81-year-old neighbor while playing with bubbles in their own backyard, according to police and their mother.
The children, whose afternoon playtime turned traumatic, are at the center of what their family calls an escalating pattern of harassment by the woman who lives next door. Ada Anderson, the elderly neighbor accused of the assault, was arrested last week and is now facing multiple battery charges.
April Morant, the girls’ mother, says the incident happened while her daughters were innocently blowing bubbles “well away” from the fence that divides the properties. That’s when Anderson allegedly leaned over the fence and sprayed what police confirmed was pepper spray — all while shouting racial slurs.
“Bubbles. Literally. The bubbles put her in a whole other arena,” Morant told reporters, describing the moment as both terrifying and surreal. “What went through my head is I thought she had a gun… and then she sprayed it.”
The police report states that Anderson directed the spray at Morant and both children. Morant says her daughters screamed and ran into the house to get water in a desperate attempt to soothe the burning in their eyes and faces.
Anderson was arrested but has since been released on bond. Despite the battery charges, Morant says she’s disappointed that the state has not brought hate crime charges, especially given what she claims is a documented history of racial abuse from Anderson since the family moved into the neighborhood in November.
“She’s escalating,” Morant said. “I have recordings of her saying things like ‘You’re not welcome in this neighborhood.’” Videos reportedly show Anderson using racial slurs toward the family on previous occasions.
The incident has left Morant shaken and fearful for her children’s safety. She is now seeking a restraining order against Anderson and is attempting to raise funds to relocate her family.
“For you to do the bear spray stuff… I don’t know what you have in that house,” she said. “I don’t want to be by her.”
As of now, Anderson has not issued a statement and did not respond to requests for comment from local reporters.
