Mom attacked by rival parent in front of horrified kids opens up about traumatic experience

A mom beaten by another parent reportedly said that she felt “humiliated” about the incident. She said she was afraid that she would be attacked at her home.

Updated on: Feb 13, 2025, 18:23:53 IST

By Trisha Sengupta

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A mother who was beaten by a rival parent outside a school has opened up about her ordeal. She said that the incident left her traumatised, leading to her taking several weeks off her work. The horrible attack happened in front of a group of horrified schoolchildren. A woman pulled the mom by her hair and knelt on her chest.

The horrible attack happened in front of a group of horrified schoolchildren. (Representational)

What went down between the moms?

25-year-old Jessica Kitching launched a vicious attack on 37-year-old Charlene Harkin outside the Willow Bank School in Lancaster, reported the Sun. Both their daughters are students in the establishment. Harkin and Kitching were close friends but had a fallout before the incident.

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“Traumatic experience”

“This has been a complete trauma for all of us,” Harkin told Dailymail. "I have had to pull my three kids out of that school because I never felt we were safe,” she continued, adding, "I have had to take six months off work."

What did the court say?

“This happened near a school and in the presence of children. You were unable to control your behaviour in front of the children. She must have been terrified by being pulled to the floor and kicked by you. There was the use of a shod foot as a weapon,” Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi said during sentencing, reported the Sun. “Your behaviour that day was appalling,” Siddiqi added.

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What is the punishment she received?

Kitching, following the incident, pleaded guilty to assault. However, she was spared jail time reportedly because otherwise, her daughter would suffer. According to the outlet, she has been handed a 30-week sentence and suspended for 12 months.

She was also ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities. Besides, she will have to complete 60 hours of unpaid work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta
Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More

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