South Bend police responded to the Potawatomi Zoo on Thursday afternoon after receiving allegations of a woman hitting her child. On Friday, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office charged the woman with three counts of domestic battery.
Authorities say the report came in around 1:10 p.m., and when they arrived at the zoo, they discovered 41-year-old Angel Shidaker and her four-year-old child in one of the restrooms.
“Shidaker told officers that when she informed her child that it was time to leave the zoo, the child ran away from her and fell down,” the Santa Barbara Police Department reported.
“Shidaker also admitted to officers that she slapped her child on the bottom.” Shidaker also mentioned that her child is a runner, so she puts a harness on him.”
According to authorities, a witness reported seeing Shidaker pick up her child and slam it to the ground.
“The same witness also stated that Shidaker had the harness wrapped around her child’s neck,” the police said.
“The witness told officers that as they attempted to seize the harness, Shidaker pulled away and cursed at them. The witness stated that the boy was weeping when Shidaker instructed him to shut the hell up’ and smacked him on the side of the head.
A second witness informed investigators that Shidaker became angry with her child and screamed loudly before slapping the child on the ground behind the bushes.
“An SBPD officer observed the child to have dirt on their arms and legs, small red spots on the back of their head, and possible swelling and a bruise forming near their temple,” the Sheriff’s Department said.
Shidaker was arrested and taken to St. Joseph County Jail.
St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office filed the following charges against Shidaker:
- Domestic Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury to a Person Less Than 14 Years of Age (Felony)
- Domestic Battery on a Person Less Than 14 Years Old (Felony)
- Domestic Battery (Misdemeanor)
