Florida mom punched 10-year-old son, dislocated his jaw after he wouldn’t stop playing Fortnite
(Meredith) – A mother punched her 10-year-old son in the face after he would not stop playing Fortnite and take a shower, according to Florida authorities.
Police arrested Ann Perugia, 35, at her home in South Daytona following the Wednesday night incident.
The mom had told her son to stop playing the popular video game at around 7 p.m. so he could take a shower, WFTV reported, citing an incident report from the South Daytona Police Department.
About ten minutes after Perugia told her son to get off the game, he still had not moved. She asked him if he had taken a shower, and the boy replied “no.” That’s when Perugia sternly told him to get in the shower, according to the Miami Herald.
Police said as the boy started walking toward the bathroom, his mother became “irate” and followed him.
“When the two got into the bathroom, [he] stated that she punched him with a closed fist … which dislocated his jaw and caused great pain,” the incident report stated.
Perugia confirmed the argument started when her son disobeyed her orders, but she claimed there was more to the story. According to the Miami Herald, the mother said her son stomped his feet into the bathroom, so she followed him and asked about his attitude.
She said her son responded: “I hate you, and you don’t do anything for me!”
Perugia left the room and then overheard him speaking to his father on the phone while packing a bag. When the boy started to leave, Perugia said she grabbed him by his arm and brought him back inside. She claims the boy walked back outside and began throwing rocks at her car.
The father said when he arrived at the home to pick up the boy, Perugia came outside and told him to “take his child and leave.” After the boy told his father that Perugia punched him, the dad said he wanted to press charges.
Police arrested Perugia and charged her with infliction of mental and physical injury to a child.
The boy is staying with an aunt because his father does not have full custody, according to WFTV.
Photo Credit: South Daytona Police Department