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Mom Arrested for Spraying Kids with Bear Repellent
8 Apr
Summary
- Mother arrested for allegedly spraying children with bear spray.
- Children's eyes and mouths were sprayed with the substance.
- The incident occurred in Leeds, Alabama, in March.
An Alabama woman, Christie Lashay Williams, 36, was arrested on Monday, April 6, 2026, on charges of torture and willful abuse of a child. The charges stem from an incident in March when Williams allegedly sprayed her two young children with bear spray.
On the afternoon of March 8, 2026, police were called to Leeds, a town near Birmingham, after a report of a young girl crying for help with a swollen face and red eyes. Officers transported the girl and her sibling to Children's of Alabama hospital.
According to charging documents, both children told officers that their mother sprayed their eyes and mouths with bug spray. Investigators later discovered the bear spray at Williams' home. Police Chief Paul Irwin described the act as "terrible," emphasizing that bear spray is not intended for human use.
Bear spray, containing red pepper oil, is designed for defense against bears and can cause significant harm, including breathing difficulties and permanent eye damage, if misused on humans. Williams bonded out of jail on a $15,000 bond.
