On Thursday, August 15, 2024, Deputies responded to Mahogany Blvd. and Honeytree St. in Daytona North about a fight at the bus stop drop off for Flagler Palm Coast High School.
Two juveniles engaged in a mutually agreed upon fight as soon as they exited the bus. The two got into an argument after having a falling out over the summer. One of the juvenile’s mothers was waiting at the bus stop after being told by her child about the fight. Once the fight began, the mother joined the fight instead of trying to break it up. At one point the mother had the juvenile in a headlock and reportedly restricted the child’s breathing.
While the mother was fighting the original juvenile, the mother’s child then started a second fight with another student at the bus stop who was trying to break up the fight. Once that fight was over, the juvenile began arguing with the mother, then swung a full metal cup, hitting the woman in the face.
On Monday, August 19, 2024, Kathryn Stephanopoulos, 34, of Bunnell was arrested and transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. As part of the investigation, deputies located a video of the fight that had been recorded by a bystander. One juvenile was arrested on a Felony Aggravated Battery charge, and for the other juvenile misdemeanor charges were forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office.
“Instead of deescalating the situation, we have a mother who joined in the fray, setting a bad example for her child and those at the bus stop,” says Sheriff Rick Staly. “She certainly won’t receive Mother of the Year with her actions. Parents need to set an example and not be part of the problem. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, but now a mother is facing serious charges for losing control of her temper.”
View the cellphone video here: https://bit.ly/3WXHMlc
