Current:Home > ContactPolice arrest suspect weeks after brutal attack of 13-year-old at a McDonald's in Los Angeles -Elevate Profit Vision
Police arrest suspect weeks after brutal attack of 13-year-old at a McDonald's in Los Angeles
View
Date:2025-04-11 19:01:22
Officials arrested a 31-year-old woman Thursday for allegedly attacking a 13-year-old at a Los Angeles McDonald's in a now viral video.
The suspect, Ariana Lauifi, is being held in suspicion of a child abuse felony for the Sept. 6 attack in the Harbor City neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
"The public’s continued interest in the incident resulted in investigators receiving numerous leads, ultimately assisting detectives in positively identifying the suspect," LAPD wrote in a news release.
Cell phone video recordings show a woman brutally punching and kicking 13-year-old Kassidy Jones multiple times, pulling her hair and forcing her to the floor inside the fast-food restaurant as no bystanders interfere. Jones said she and her friends were walking home from school when they stopped at the restaurant to use the restroom, KTLA reported.
See also:Ohio couple sentenced to prison for fraud scheme involving dubious Alzheimer's diagnoses
Jones said a woman she had never met before quickly lunged at her and began beating her. The child added the entire incident was completely unprovoked. She recalled the attacker saying "What the F are you looking at? I fight kids. I’ll fight you!"
The suspect is currently held with the bail price set for $100,000, jail records show. The case will be sent to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration, LAPD said.
The victim suffered severe bruising including on her face, according ABC7. Jones' mother reportedly said her daughter is also hurting emotionally.
"She can't sleep at night. She's bruised," the victim's mother Angelina Gray told ABC7. "She doesn't want to go to school because she's tired of the kids and everybody asking her what happened and making fun of her."
"The family of Kassidy Jones are extremely grateful that the LAPD has made an arrest of the woman who viciously beat Kassidy in an unprovoked attack inside McDonald's. As McDonald's managers and onlookers offered no help in stopping the assault," a spokesperson for the family said in a statement.
"Kassidy, is still traumatized and undergoing therapy. But hopefully this news will give her encouragement that justice will be served. Kassidy deserves a break today."
“We were horrified to learn about this violent attack, and our thoughts are with Kassidy and her family," store owner and operator Tawnie Blade told USA TODAY. "Employees called police when the fight began, and we’re continuing to work closely with local law enforcement to help with their investigation."
More:Lightning strike kills 16-year-old Florida girl who was out hunting with her dad
veryGood! (7)
Related
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Paraguay vs. Argentina live updates: Watch Messi play World Cup qualifying match tonight
- New Orleans marks with parade the 64th anniversary of 4 little girls integrating city schools
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor to step down at end of academic year
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Trump hammered Democrats on transgender issues. Now the party is at odds on a response
- Jason Kelce Offers Up NSFW Explanation for Why Men Have Beards
- Manhattan rooftop fire sends plumes of dark smoke into skyline
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- Study finds Wisconsin voters approved a record number of school referenda
Ranking
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Satire publication The Onion acquires Alex Jones' Infowars at auction
- Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow's Son Moses Martin Reveals His Singing Talents at Concert
- Louisiana man kills himself and his 1-year-old daughter after a pursuit
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Traveling to Las Vegas? Here Are the Best Black Friday Hotel Deals
- Shaun White Reveals How He and Fiancée Nina Dobrev Overcome Struggles in Their Relationship
- Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families
Recommendation
Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
Paraguay vs. Argentina live updates: Watch Messi play World Cup qualifying match tonight
Demure? Brain rot? Oxford announces shortlist for 2024 Word of the Year: Cast your vote
Black, red or dead: How Omaha became a hub for black squirrel scholarship
Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
Traveling to Las Vegas? Here Are the Best Black Friday Hotel Deals
Trading wands for whisks, new Harry Potter cooking show brings mess and magic
New Pentagon report on UFOs includes hundreds of new incidents but no evidence of aliens