KIRKWOOD, MO (KTVI)– A brawl on the St. Louis Community College Meramec campus is causing quite a stir. It’s getting attention, partially because of the video that has exploded across the internet, and partially because of a small, innocent bystander who was watching it all unfold.
The fight took place Monday afternoon, and a man and several women were involved. Video of the fight shows one of the women pushing and striking a woman holding a toddler, who she calls “her baby” on tape. But after the shove, the mother puts down the child and turns to jump back into the fight.
Nearly a minute later the same woman emerges from the fray and is heard screaming, “where’s my baby?” She then goes looking for the little girl with people pushing, wrestling, and throwing punches all around. Soon after that, she’s seen just inches from police who are trying to break out the fight. Pepper spray canisters were drawn, though police say none had to be used.
Campus police chief Paul Banta says the presence of the little girl was an added obstacle in a bad situation.
“Certainly the child was one of our primary concerns because they’re innocent and they’re welfare is certainly important to anybody who knows anything about children.”
We showed the video of the fight to a child therapist, who fears this could have a lasting impact on that toddler.
“A toddler at that age really needs to feel safe,” Dr. Russell Hyken said. “ And developmentally that’s an extremely important part of their growth, and to see their mother set them down and engage in a fight really takes that safety lead away.”
Police say three people were arrested, but they aren’t clear on whether the mother of the little girl was one of them.
