A woman has been charged with felonious assault after a kindergarten graduation ceremony in Toledo, Ohio, turned chaotic this week when a dispute over seating escalated into a violent brawl involving multiple parents and family members.
The incident happened Thursday morning at Queen of Apostles School as families gathered for the graduation ceremony, according to 13 Action News. Police said Jessica Anderson, 28, allegedly grabbed another woman by the hair and slammed her head into a chair, leaving the victim with injuries that required stitches.
Students were downstairs rehearsing at the time and did not witness the confrontation, parent Craig Mays told the outlet.
“There was another family who started to grab their own chairs and kind of like make their own space and make their own seating. Which I really didn’t have a problem with but my kid’s mom, they were right in front of her and she couldn’t see,” Mays explained how the fight allegedly started.
Mays said tensions escalated when he and Anderson began exchanging words as he tried to calm the situation, but Anderson would not let up.
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open image in gallery“She’s just talking, just cussing, talking crazy. Calling us weird and saying we need to mind our business,” Mays said.
The argument quickly escalated when members of Anderson’s family allegedly joined the confrontation and attacked him during the chaotic brawl.
open image in gallery“Her whole family in the first two rows stood up – five guys, five girls – they just all stood up as I’m arguing with Jessica. I literally don’t remember anything, I just know was sucker punched,” Mays said.
“Once I was taken to the ground, it was probably four or five other guys that were on top of me, trampling me, punching me, kicking me in the head,” he added.
Mays said his child’s mother tried to intervene during the fight, but video allegedly shows Jessica Anderson, who Mays said was wearing a light pink shirt, along with several other women grabbing her by the hair as the brawl escalated.
“She grabbed my kid’s mom by her hair, pulled her away from me, stopped punching her face, then maybe five or six other girls just came and trampled her and were just stomping her, kicking her in the face,” Mays said.
School leaders reportedly called 911, and the graduation ceremony did not happen, 13 Action News.
Mays, a kindergarten teacher himself, said he is heartbroken over the incident.
“So, being at another school’s kindergarten graduation, I know how hard those kids work. I know how hard those teachers work for us just to ruin it and be selfish like that and it breaks my heart. I couldn’t watch my daughter graduate today,” Mays said.
The Queen of Apostles School has reportedly not announced a rescheduled date for the kindergarten graduation ceremony.
“So grateful for our partnership with the Toledo Police Department! We appreciate your rapid response to the situation that some people brought to our school. All our students are safe, thankfully, and the last day of school continues as usual,” school officials wrote in a Facebook post.
The Independent has contacted the Queen of Apostles School and Toledo Police Department for comment.