A Florida mother delivering groceries for Instacart allegedly slapped her 6-year-old son because he dropped a 24-pack of bottled water that was too heavy for the child to carry, authorities said.
Background
Kiah Lowery, 36, was making deliveries in St. Augustine on May 31 when the incident occurred at an apartment complex on Alta Street. According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, Lowery was working as an Instacart shopper and had brought her young son along for the delivery route.
Ring doorbell footage captured the confrontation between Lowery and her son inside the apartment complex. The video showed Lowery scolding the boy for his inability to carry a basket full of groceries before handing him the heavy water pack.
"Then you carry this water," Lowery told the child in the footage. "I'll carry the basket. You carry this f---ing water. You can't hold it … I'm gonna hurt you."
The boy immediately began struggling with the 26-pound package, stumbling as he tried to manage the weight. He told his mother he "can't hold it" before dropping the water pack and running away.
The Investigation
Lowery chased the child down and struck him in the face, authorities said. The boy's screams were audible on the doorbell footage as he held his face and cried. Lowery then continued berating the child, telling him he was "the worst" and calling him a "f---ing piece of s---" before again demanding he carry items.
Deputies identified Lowery through the video and took her into custody. In an arrest affidavit, Lowery told investigators she was making three deliveries at the apartment complex that day and claimed her son was "being defiant upon arrival."
"She called her behavior an 'over-stimulated moment' and apologized for her actions," deputies wrote in the affidavit.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office noted a significant detail in their report: the boy weighs just 49 pounds while the dropped water pack weighed approximately 26 pounds—more than half his body weight. Deputies emphasized that the child was punished for an action "that he was incapable of performing."
The Charges
Lowery has been charged with one count of child abuse, a third-degree felony in Florida. She was booked into the St. Johns County Jail following her arrest and has since posted a $5,000 bond.
As a condition of her release, Lowery is prohibited from having contact with her son while the case proceeds through the court system.
Her next scheduled court appearance is set for July 7 in St. Johns County Circuit Court.
Key Takeaways
- Kiah Lowery, 36, was working as an Instacart shopper when she allegedly struck her 6-year-old son on May 31 in St. Augustine, Florida
- Ring doorbell footage captured the mother berating and slapping the boy after he dropped a 24-pack of water weighing 26 pounds—more than half his body weight of 49 pounds
- Lowery faces one count of child abuse, a third-degree felony in Florida
- She has been released on $5,000 bond with no-contact order protecting her son
What's Next
Lowery is scheduled to appear in St. Johns County Circuit Court on July 7 for her next court date. The investigation was conducted by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. Prosecutors have not indicated whether they will pursue additional charges beyond the single child abuse count.