‘Control your c*** kid’: Woman unleashes on autistic child

“My son was flapping his hands for sensory reasons and hit the woman by accident… she got upset and I just lost it,” the Queensland mum said.

Pilar Grace

2 min read

May 26, 2024 - 8:05PM

Family Life

Don't miss out on the headlines from Family Life. Followed categories will be added to My News.

“I just lost it,” was how the Yeppoon mum of an autistic boy described her behaviour on December 8 2023, when she followed a stranger out into the carpark and punched her repeatedly in the shoulder.

I don’t think you’ve parented until you’ve had moments when you’ve lost your cool.

Most of us don’t assault strangers, but most of us have probably felt the rage that would drive someone to do it.

I lost it multiple times today over trivial things my kids did. I have a friend who confided that she recently yelled so loud at her kids, she peed her pants a little bit.

Sometimes it’s our kids who make us rage, and sometimes it’s strangers reacting to our kids.

In the case of the Yeppoon mum, her fury drove her too far and she was sentenced for assaulting a woman who had a misunderstanding with her child.

According to police prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Rowe the woman was waiting for an order at a sushi restaurant when the little boy “peered into” her shopping bag.

“[The child] accidentally hit the victim on the buttocks.

“The victim has gently ushered the child away from her personal space.”

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this.

The boy's mum assaulted a stranger over an incident at a sushi restaurant. Photo: iStock

Mum confronts woman over issue with autistic child

It could have all ended there, but for whatever reason, the mum decided not to let it go.

Her solicitor explained she’s the mum of two children, and her autistic son is non-verbal.

I have an autistic child and while he’s not non-verbal, sometimes it can be a lot to help him manage the way he processes things. Sometimes it takes all my reserves to be patient, to usher him through the world with grace, and to tolerate the reactions of strangers.

It would seem on this day, the mum’s reserves were low.

She approached the woman and began “verbally abusing her”, following the woman to the other side of the store and then out into the carpark.

“The mum then punched the victim three times in the shoulder before slamming the door and leaving,” the prosecutor said.

The woman made a complaint to the police.

The mum pleaded guilty to assault. And while there's no excuse for assault, her behaviour didn't happen in a vacuum either.

Yeppoon mum convicted of assaulting stranger over autistic child

The mum’s solicitor, Rebecca Winning, told the court the little boy is autistic and non-verbal, adding that the mum explained to police the boy’s behaviour in the sushi shop was normal.

“[The child] was flapping his arms around for sensory reasons when [my client instructs] the victim pushed her son away, which caused him not to fall over, but he lost his balance.

“She concedes she approached [the victim] who said words to the effect of ‘Control your c*** of a kid’.”

“A verbal interaction occurred.”

The solicitor said the mum was remorseful for her behaviour.

“She just said that she’s a mum and unfortunately she lost it.”

The mum, who has no record of offending, was fined $800 and no conviction was recorded.