Arizona mom allegedly beat kids for going maskless after getting COVID

PHOENIX – An Arizona mother was arrested last weekend for allegedly beating her three kids because they weren’t wearing face masks after testing positive for COVID-19.

According to court documents, 32-year-old Sarah Michelle Boone of Wickenburg was booked on three felony counts of child abuse, plus misdemeanor disorderly conduct, assault and resisting arrest charges.

Wickenburg police responded around 7 p.m. Saturday after a caller said Boone hit one child in the face with an open hand, kicked another who was on the floor, and picked up the third by the neck.

The caller, one of the victims, said Boone acted as she did “because the children all tested positive for COVID but were not wearing masks,” according to the probable cause statement.

The kids’ ages were not listed in the booking documents. Boone’s relationship with the victims was listed as mother and stepmother, and the documents say they all live together.

The documents also indicate that Boone might have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.

According to the probable cause statement, Boone left the house when she found out that somebody called the police.

Officers found her walking down the street and told her to stop. Police said she ignored instructions and attempted to get away when they told her she was under arrest.

Police said they used a stun gun to subdue her and get her into handcuffs.

Boone was released from a Maricopa County jail on Tuesday on a $5,000 bond, according to a spokesman with the sheriff’s office.

Her status conference was scheduled for Monday, and her preliminary hearing was set for Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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