Dade City teen charged in mother's allergic shock

DADE CITY — A 16-year-old girl was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated domestic battery after Pasco deputies said she spiked her mom's food with an ingredient that she knew could cause a severe allergic reaction.

The 39-year-old mother is allergic to many foods, deputies said. Her allergies are so severe that she carries around an EpiPen, a spring-loaded auto injector of epinephrine, or adrenaline, to prevent her from going into anaphylactic shock.

The woman needed the EpiPen the night of May 7, when deputies said the teen added seasoning salt to her mother's dinner, which caused a severe allergic reaction.

The mom's reaction was so intense that she was unable to inject herself with the EpiPen, deputies said, and the teen had to do it for her. The woman did not require further treatment.

Several family members told deputies they believed the teen, who attends Pasco High School, may have spiked her mom's food more than once. They said she was angry because her mom made her do chores and recently took away her cell phone, according to the arrest report.

The teen's 11-year-old sister told deputies she saw the 16-year-old put the seasoning salt in the food, the report said. She wanted to tell their mother, but her older sister threatened to "beat her up until she was dead."

The little sister told deputies that she was afraid because her sister slaps her, pushes her around and makes her do chores.

The teen told deputies that she added the seasoning salt to the meal, knowing her mother was allergic to the ingredients. She said she did not mean to hurt her mother and she was sorry for what she had done.

She was charged and transported to the juvenile assessment center in Land O'Lakes.

Comments on this article

by Tad	May 25, 2008 12:40 PM
This is the state of children today , no regard for others and it seems our society wont punish children , courts protect them and wont let parents contol them , they would rather punish the parent for trying to discipline these unruly children

by Gunnar	May 25, 2008 12:39 PM
Why do the most idiodit stories come out of Fla.? Do you all drink tard juice or something?

by Carol	May 25, 2008 12:37 PM
This 16 yr. old ahould be examined now and be given a taste of her own medicine- and be given a course in "Anger Management" Next time she might not administer the Epi-Pen soon enough.

by Maninthemaze	May 23, 2008 9:00 PM
Sounds like the daughter didn't believe the mom's 'allergy' claim and found out she wasn't BSing about it. She did after all epi the mother when she coulda let her die and gone free. Real question is why wasn't the mother cooking if she's so allergic

by Tom	May 23, 2008 8:57 PM
Ok let's look at this last thing, she purposely knew she spiked her mom's food with salt she was allergic to, and then said she did not mean to hurt her mom. That's a load of bull and a hypocritical statement. She needs to go to jail big time.

by ron	May 23, 2008 8:55 PM
Somebody should rub poison oak all over that girl so she could find out how much fun and allergic reaction can be.

by JoeKerr	May 23, 2008 8:55 PM
Teenagers don't think about anything but their own small world, and this girl was stupid and spoiled, but probably not a murderer in training. At least the girl treated her mother; if she was out to kill her she would have left the house.

by Jimmy	May 23, 2008 6:38 PM
This talk about no father is crazy. There are pleanty of wonderful children who are raise without a father or a mother and have never tried to hurt them. There is no accountability in the USA. When I was young no meant no period. Too many lawyers

by DisgustedinStPete	May 23, 2008 4:59 PM
KB-Please grow up and read a book. People with allergies are NOT freaks!If the mother were diabetic and the kid spiked her food with a pile of sugar, it would be the same situation. Obviously this kid has issues and so do you.

by kitty	May 23, 2008 4:57 PM
Joe, are you implying that people with food allergies shouldn't have children?! Good Heavens, the human race would have been extinct thousands of years ago if everyone thought like you!

by kelli	May 23, 2008 4:23 PM
As an adult with severe allergies, it is not a thing to take lightly. This young girl was childish and vendictive to try and harm her mother. She needs a little more "tough" love and alot less time on her hands!

by john	May 23, 2008 4:22 PM
the kid needs more then a "slap".......

by amy	May 23, 2008 4:22 PM
Rufus: What is wrong with teachers? Are you serious??????

by Liz	May 23, 2008 4:21 PM
Have any of you ever acted out in anger when a car cuts your off?Stop yourself in the nick of time from actually hurthing anyone? That's faulty impulse control. The girl saved her mom by giving her the medications. She failed to control her impulses.

by Dave	May 23, 2008 4:21 PM
TO MARY *** READ THE STORY. THE GIRL ADMITTED PUTTING THE SPICE INTO HER FOOD. SHE NEVER CLAIMED IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ARE ALWAYS MAKING EXCUSES FOR OTHER PEOPLE THEN SIT AROUND AND SCRATCH YOUR HEAD ABOUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH TH

by TS	May 23, 2008 3:00 PM
E & M, May I ask you to reconsider spotlighting the "no Daddy in the house" angle. I work with the teen population & I can tell you with confidence that many highly charactered kids with their anger managed quite adaptively are raised by single moms.

by maobama	May 23, 2008 2:47 PM
She needs to have a child of her own, preferrably a little girl

by Dave	May 23, 2008 2:46 PM
Back in the good old days, if someone would have done that to their mother, Dad would have fed them something, his fist, and the police would have applauded.

by Dani	May 23, 2008 2:44 PM
Joseph: YOU pray for her, and I'LL look for the three sixes. When a person decides to proceed despite knowing the consequences of their actions, especially actions such as this, they definitely mean to cause harm. Definitely.

by Mike	May 23, 2008 2:33 PM
So, highly allergic mother keeps highly allergic food in the kitchen, and has the bad, bad teenager cooking dinner. Teenager puts "seasoning" in food and then saves mother's life. Sounds like mother is stupid. Get the poison out of the kitchen.

by Jackal	May 23, 2008 2:32 PM
To Sandra and KB. Your posts are rediculous. Thanks for the laugh. Now please go off yourselves. You are unwanted baggage on this planet.

by M.Diva	May 23, 2008 2:32 PM
That kid is right where she needs to be, in the juvenile assessment center

by Donna	May 23, 2008 2:30 PM
This girl needs psychiatric help and the entire family should be in counseling.

by Shawn	May 23, 2008 2:14 PM
Where's the father in this sounds like this kid needs a good old fashion ass wupin! Discipline is considered child abuse. And what 16 year old needs a damn cell phone. Use the home phone! Be a parent to your kids stop trying to be their friend.

by Abby	May 23, 2008 1:39 PM
That is about as disgusting as it gets. People need to wake up and get back to good old fashioned child rearing.

by Penny	May 23, 2008 12:18 PM
Now we can see what three decades of moral relativity and lax parenting combined achives! This kid needs some Reality Discipline, starting with a stint in jail. It's too bad she didn't get some real discipline earlier. This was preventable.

by donald	May 23, 2008 12:16 PM
This is what happens when you don't raise your children right.

by Linda	May 23, 2008 12:16 PM
My mom and sister did that to me one Thanksgiving, then acted like they didn't believe I was really allergic. I got very ill within two hours. This teen needs to serve time - she is an evil person.

by Dave	May 23, 2008 12:16 PM
And people wonder why I don't want kids

by Carol	May 23, 2008 12:13 PM
Edward is clueless; many single/divorced people raise good children who turn into fine adults. My mom raised four of us - we have 4 college degrees, 4 solid careers, all own their own homes, and all are raising more good kids. Don't generalize!

by Crissy	May 23, 2008 12:13 PM
If this was my kid, she wouldn't be allowed back into my house. She wants the "freedon" to do as she pleases? Let her have it! I wonder what kind of chores they'll make her do in jail?

by American Taxpayer	May 23, 2008 12:13 PM
The teen should be charged with attempted murder and given an adult sentance. All this over a cell phone,teenage brats need to be shown that our socity has laws and you will follow them or go to jail.

by Lisa	May 23, 2008 12:13 PM
It is much better to have a complete family if possible. But being a single parent can be just as effective if done right. I've been a single mom for 13 yrs & have a WONDERFUL 17 yr old girl. It's all in the parenting when they are small.

by Pam	May 23, 2008 12:13 PM
Whether the kid had a father in the house or not is no excuse. She like a lot of kids today do not have any respect for anyone. They need to learn there are consequences and you don't get away with such behavior.

by Jo	May 23, 2008 12:13 PM
Couldn't agree more with N !!!