DAVIE, Fla. — A husband and wife were arrested Wednesday after attacking a woman in Davie after the woman spanked her own toddler in public, authorities said.
According to an arrest report, the incident happened Wednesday in a parking lot in the 5400 block of University Drive.
Police said the victim told police that her 4-year-old son was misbehaving and spit in her face, so she smacked him once in the mouth and once on the side of his torso.
The woman said she was then approached by a man, identified by police as Terry Williams, 66, of Weston, who claimed that he worked for the Florida Department of Children and Families and told her she could not yell at or smack her child.
Police said the woman told Williams to leave her alone and he walked away.
But police said Williams’ wife, Mary Thalia Williams, 63, then approached the victim “aggressively” and tried to speak with the woman about disciplining her child.
According to the arrest report, the mother told Mary Williams to leave as she was trying to place her son in the car, but Mary Williams refused, stepping in between them and the vehicle, preventing the mother and son from leaving.
Police said the victim tried to slide Mary Williams out of the way and a struggle ensued.
According to the report, Mary Williams scratched and choked the woman to the point where the woman thought she was going to pass out.
Mary Williams then grabbed onto the victim’s shirt, authorities said.
Police said Terry Williams approached the two women and also grabbed the victim’s shirt and her hair.
According to the report, the couple ripped the woman’s shirt off completely, leaving her in just her bra.
Mary Williams then entered the victim’s car, turned it off and stole the victim’s keys, authorities said.
Police said they observed numerous scratch marks on the victim’s throat consistent with injuries of being choked by someone with long nails. She also had a cut on her lower lip.
According to the report, a witness told responding officers that both Mary and Terry Williams were pulling the victim by her shirt and hair and the victim did not appear to be fighting back, but looked as if she was just trying to “escape their grasp.”
Mary Williams was ultimately arrested on charges of simple battery and burglary while Terry Williams was arrested on a battery charge.
Police said they confirmed that neither Mary nor Terry Williams works for DCF.
As of Thursday afternoon, Mary Williams was being held at the Broward County Main Jail on a $5,000 bond, while Terry Williams was being held on a $2,500 bond.
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