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Video shows mom inciting fight on bus
She boarded the bus looking for a child she accused of slapping her daughter's face.
By COLLEEN JENKINS
Published May 9, 2007
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Shayla A. Muldrow could receive up to two consecutive one-year jail terms if convicted.
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TAMPA - Until the first stop on 25th Street, only the quiet voices of children filled Bus No. 3866.
Then the doors opened, a mother and her two daughters entered, and chaos interrupted the March 2 morning ride to Booker T. Washington Elementary School.
Four minutes later, officials had Exhibit A in what is now a misdemeanor case against the mother, Shayla A. Muldrow: a school bus videotape police say shows Muldrow encouraging her daughter to fight.
The Hillsborough State Attorney's Office released an altered version of the video Tuesday that blurred the children's faces to conceal their identities.
Muldrow's words, actions and array of tattoos remained clear.
"First of all, where's the girl who slapped my girl?" Muldrow, 26, asked the bus driver.
She didn't wait for an answer. She marched to the back of the bus, where a 10-year-old girl had raised her hand.
"Help me out, madam," the driver protested. "Help me out, madam."
Muldrow ignored him. She told her daughter to take off her jacket and "take care of her business," according to reports.
"Why'd you put your hands on her?" Muldrow asked the girl.
The 10-year-old girl admitted to police that she argued with Muldrow's 9-year-old daughter two days before. She said she "lightly slapped" the 9-year-old's cheek.
Muldrow's daughter, who didn't go to school the next day, told her mother.
Police reports did not identify the children. The 10-year-old's small voice could be heard on the video offering an explanation.
"Whatever," Muldrow retorted. "Whatever."
Children start yelling. Muldrow yelled back. The driver called for police.
Thin arms, fists and elbows flailed in front of Muldrow. She pushed away a boy after he threw a punch, then pulled one of her daughters from the pack. She stood back, hand on hip, and watched the fight. The 10-year-old girl told Tampa police that she was struck several times in the head and arms but not seriously injured.
Seconds later, Muldrow walked to the front of the bus.
"Hold on," she said. "I didn't want this to happen."
But she returned again, continuing to yell at children who yelled at her. The 10-year-old said Muldrow's 9-year-old daughter pulled her by the hair until her mother said, "Let's go."
Police arrested Muldrow a couple of hours later, her 15th arrest since 1996. Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said Muldrow faces up to two consecutive one-year jail sentences if convicted of trespassing and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
She initially faced a felony battery charge, but prosecutors dropped it because she did not physically participate in the fight.
School spokesman Steve Hegarty said the school system had not seen the tape because police took it immediately after the incident, but it was his understanding that Muldrow's daughter had been disciplined for initiating the fight.
Colleen Jenkins can be reached at 813 226-3337 or cjenkins@sptimes.com.
[Last modified September 18, 2007, 16:36:26]
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Comments on this article
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by Henry
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09/21/07 07:33 PM
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To Sharpton. You say it is societies fault but it was not society that got her pregnant at age 14 so your idea that society is responsible is typical of your "blame everyone else" mindset. No one other than the participants are to blame.
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by HGuzman
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09/20/07 09:11 PM
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I speak with the bus driver,principal & the bully's parents.Have my attempts on record.I wouldn't speak to a child other than mine.When discretion fails,I instruct my child to fight. My child will NOT be abused by anyone. What ever it takes!
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by Gale
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09/19/07 01:28 PM
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to the
Reverend Sharpton Accountability goes to the indivdual, not a society, everyone wants to blame someone else for their mistakes. We must each accept the consequences to choices we make. We all have a conscience, some may be seered.
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by michelle
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09/19/07 10:29 AM
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This is he 15th arrest?And no one is going to file moe than a misdeamenor on this woman?Shame on the system...what will it take to convince the courts that she is dangerous in some capacity? I guess we'll find out the NEXT time she is arrested.
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by Rick
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05/28/07 06:46 PM
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i think she needs to be put in jail for some time. It seems she hasen't learned a thing and in my view will continue to break the law teaching her kids how to be just like her. Minimum 1 year, no less.
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by mkennedy
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05/25/07 12:00 PM
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think about the kid, not the mother. kid should stay with mother. mother should get counselling, kid should have mentor (a well-brought up one). court needs to help child, not punish her for mother's wrongs and failure.
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by mkennedy
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05/25/07 11:56 AM
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u really think the child is better off left with child care services? c'mon people...better a bad parent than no parent at all. there aren't any perfect parents. jail time? yeah, 'cause after 15 arrests, jail will fix everything.
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by jason
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05/23/07 11:52 AM
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you people are sick 4 some of these comments what is dcf going to do? half of you would go crazy if lil jimmy or tammy was slapped. it starts at home quit blaming society for everything and learn from this and maybe your kids can learn from this too.
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by kenny
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05/15/07 11:51 AM
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i feel for the child because now her mother who is wrong for how she handled the situation will be punished but now who will be there to protect this child? she was slapped, urged to defend herself and now is without a mother. i pray for her.
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by andrew
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05/15/07 11:36 AM
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was the mother wrong yes and no. wrong for getting on the bus and urging her daughter to handle her business(endangering other kids on the bus), but if she doesnt teach her child to protect herself who will. hopefully all will learn a lesson.
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by julie
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05/14/07 01:48 PM
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Whatever you think of her parenting skills...don't ya love the paw prints tattoos? Very nice.
Who cares what she has on her body. what does that have to do with anything .VERY NICE putting a comment up like that .
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by cindy
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05/11/07 02:14 PM
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This comment is for the Reverand Al Sharpton. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!???
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by Katey
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05/10/07 08:34 PM
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Bet that little 10 year old brat will think twice next time before she decides to put her hands on another person. Mom should've told her daughter to handle her business and sent her off to handle it by herself.
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by Edmund
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05/10/07 08:08 PM
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Well all I got to say is good job mom. Back in the day 20 years ago it would have been taken care of in the back yard. I am glad that the mother did what she did. Good Job Whatever happened to teaching others a lesson?
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by dan
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05/10/07 07:05 PM
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no excuse for mom's actions, but probl'y caused by school's lack of backbone dealing with bullys. yes, environment she was raised in no doubt contributed too, but everyone commenting here wants to villify mom, why not other mom? or even school/bus,co
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by Bucky
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05/10/07 06:35 PM
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Whatever you think of her parenting skills...don't ya love the paw prints tattoos? Very nice.
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by Kiki
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05/10/07 05:07 PM
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Well i dont think the mother was right and she should have handled it in another way but at the same time who likes the feeling of knowing someone laid hands on their child!!!
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by cindy
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05/10/07 10:50 AM
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THIS IS HORRIBLE!!! She needs to be put away for more than 1-2 years. It looks like her children need to be raised by a better role model or they are going to turn out just like her!!!
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by SUE
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05/10/07 10:03 AM
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Mom needs to be arrested. child needs to go to DCF, Mom is Unfit. its all on Tape.
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by Terri
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05/10/07 09:53 AM
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Adding to my previous comment...the sister of that parent said the whole story wasn't told. I heard her on the radio this morning. Children today are not the same as we were long ago. To the parent, you should have found a better way of handling this
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by Terri
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05/10/07 09:39 AM
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Okay...I have mixed feelings. I'm also an african american mother that felt somewhat embarrassed. I would have handled it in a different way. However, there are bullies in schools. And I wouldn't want my child riding on the bus with kids like that.
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by Mandy
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05/10/07 09:33 AM
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Wow, I'm amazed someone would actually do that. How trashy can yopu be, that mother had no right to get on that bus and act the way she did. She could have handled that way more responsibly. Now she just looks dumb, she should def. get jail time!
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by JOE
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05/10/07 06:11 AM
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THE MOTHER DESERVES PLENTY OF JAIL TIME AND THE KIDS SHOULD BE PLACED IN FOSTER CARE AND GET COUNSELING
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by Kelvin
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05/10/07 12:43 AM
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Unfortunately this mothers behavior likely stems from her own dysfunctional upbringing. Perhaps this incident will provoke someone to take extreme measures to protect her children from an apparent cycle that left unchecked will continue.
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by Tyrone
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05/09/07 11:09 PM
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You know what's really sad about this; today I overheard some moron in the child welfare field condoning this mothers actions and the "only reason it's become a big deal is the mother is black". Good god, I'm embarrassed to be black.
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by connie
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05/09/07 10:51 PM
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You Go girlfriend! these children being injured by bullys like that 10 year old.and if you report it schools do nothing about it and us mothers wouldnt have to take matters into our own hands .
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by Richard
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05/09/07 10:01 PM
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There is no place in this world for a person like that.
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by Reverand Al Sharpton
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05/09/07 09:12 PM
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What you all fail to realize is that Ms. Muldrow is a victim of society. She was not offerred the proper parenting skills from her first child when she was 14-years old. This is all of your fault, so lets put blame where it belongs. We will sue.
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by Valensca Charles
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05/09/07 07:50 PM
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As a mother you should teach your child the goods of the world but this parents decide to teach the bads of the world and to solve a situation with violence. Aren't we as parents have the responsibity to keep our children safe.
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by Ann
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05/09/07 05:28 PM
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Great parenting skills going on here. Here you see the next generation gang member in progress. Way to go!!!!
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by mercedes
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05/09/07 05:12 PM
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She needs more time than what they are offering that in cre=azy for a mother to want her child to hit someone else child
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by sara
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05/09/07 04:24 PM
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ALL I SAN SAY IS...WOW. UNBELIEVABLE.
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by Ashamed
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05/09/07 03:58 PM
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This type of acts from parents cause more harm to the children and the community. Isn't it enough already that we don't help our kids progress through school. But we can encourage them in other areas that will not help them move up in life.
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by sue
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05/09/07 03:52 PM
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Mother's rights as a parent should be severed..she is a disgrace to the word "parent"
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by cindy
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05/09/07 03:52 PM
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This is insaine. I bet you a lot of parents are like this which is very bad. She is definitely not a role model. Just look at her tats. Two on her chest, shows shes "winner"
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