A Florida mother has been arrested after surveillance footage showed her slapping her 6-year-old son for struggling to carry heavy groceries during an Instacart delivery. The incident occurred outside an apartment in St. Johns County, where 36-year-old Kiah Lowery was captured on a Ring doorbell camera verbally and physically abusing the child.
Details of the Incident
The video shows Lowery handing her son a large, heavy case of 24 water bottles, despite the boy weighing only 48 pounds and the case weighing 24 pounds. She is heard saying, 'F***ing prick. You carry this f***ing water.' The boy struggles, saying, 'Ow! I can't hold it!' before dropping the case, causing bottles to roll across the hallway. When the boy tries to run away, Lowery catches him and slaps him across the face. She then shouts, 'You're the worst. You're the f***ing worst. How dare you! You are a f***ing piece of s***! You're going to carry something!'
Arrest and Charges
The customer who placed the Instacart order reviewed the Ring doorbell footage and reported the incident to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. According to a release, the video showed 'a violent interaction between the Instacart employee and an accompanying child.' Lowery has been charged with child abuse. She apologized, claiming she was in an 'over-stimulated moment,' and posted $5,000 bail. The court ordered her to have no contact with the boy and to stay at least 500 feet away from him. The Florida Department of Children and Families and the State Attorney are also involved.
Instacart's Response
Instacart confirmed that Lowery was an independent contractor, not an employee, and stated that using children during deliveries violates their policies. In a statement to the New York Post, the company said: 'The behaviour captured in this video is alarming and completely unacceptable. We have zero tolerance for violence of any kind, and the shopper has been permanently removed from the platform. We take situations like this extremely seriously and will fully cooperate with law enforcement and the relevant authorities as they conduct their investigation.'
