Ada Anderson (Credit: Volusia County Sheriff's Office)
An 81-year-old Florida woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly spraying bear mace on two young Black girls while yelling racial slurs, according to authorities in Marion County.
Deputies say the incident happened on May 30, when the girls ages 3 and 6 were innocently playing with bubbles in their driveway. That’s when, according to an arrest report, Ada Anderson approached the family’s fence and unleashed the spray, while reportedly shouting racist remarks.
Bear spray, which is a highly concentrated form of pepper spray intended to deter aggressive wildlife, can be especially harmful to humans if inhaled or ingested.
The girls’ mother, April Morant, told FOX 35 she was initially terrified and thought something even worse was happening.
“I thought at first, I thought it was a gun, so I was startled,” Morant said. “I’m like, but it was like bear mace. A big old cloud came, so I rushed the kids like, go in the house, go in the house.”
Morant immediately called the police, only to later learn from her daughter that Anderson had allegedly sprayed the children twice. “And so then I called the police on her, and I found out like she did it twice, and I didn’t even know it was twice until my daughter let the officer know,” she added.
Morant said this disturbing incident was not the first time the family has had trouble with Anderson. She claims the harassment began soon after they moved into the neighborhood and has been ongoing for months.
Adding to the concern, court records show this is not Anderson’s first encounter with the law. She was previously arrested in 2019 on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and stalking.
Authorities have not released specific details on the exact charges Anderson now faces, but Marion County deputies have confirmed they are pursuing multiple counts related to the incident.
The case has sparked outrage among community members and online, with many expressing disbelief that such an act of violence could be directed at children as young as three and six years old. The investigation remains ongoing.
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