MOTHER TASED 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER FOR NOT MAKING OATMEAL THE WAY SHE WANTED IT

MELISSA HEALE

A 34-year-old Central Florida woman has been charged with aggravated child abuse after deputies say she Tased a 10-year-old girl over oatmeal.
According to an Orange County Sheriff's Office arrest report, a witness told deputies that Melissa Heale became upset when the 10-year-old child did not make oatmeal the way she wanted.

The witness reported that Heale started yelling and said she was going to get her Taser. Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner said Heale was arrested and the child placed with relatives after the witness called authorities.

"Our primary focus right now is that the child is out of that home environment, and we can explore those allegations of potential abuse a bit further," Hoeppner said.

Former Sheriff's deputy James Copenhaver says the average Taser sold to consumers is about 2.5 million volts, enough to stun any adult. "No matter where you're impacted at with a Taser, it's going to cause obviously a red mark, probably puncture wounds, or a burn mark on the skin," Copenhaver said.

Heale is charged with aggravated child abuse with a deadly weapon. She bonded out of jail late Friday night.