An Indiana mother who claims she was tired of her son being bullied on his bus rides to school is accused of confronting the boy’s alleged tormentor and attacking him with her child, telling the 13-year-old to “beat his a-” and saying “I’m tired of you b—- a- kids,” in response to the “ongoing bullying situation,” according to police.
“I’m going to tear this up,” Latea Hentz, 36, is accused of telling a busload of children in March after storming on board with her son and teenage daughter.
Cops say the cellphone footage, obtained by local Fox affiliate WXIN, includes audio and video of the incident, which was originally shared on Facebook.
“Anybody want to get active?” Hentz allegedly questions the children.
An 8th grader who was said to have been involved in the “bullying situation” is described by police as the person Hentz allegedly targeted, with officials claiming he claims to be a victim of verbal attacks and racist comments hurled at him by her son, who claims he did it in response to bullying.
According to the bus driver, both boys were involved in an altercation the day before, during which Hentz’s son was slapped by the 14-year-old 8th grader who claimed Hentz’s child made racist remarks.
The driver reported the incident to school administrators and the Hentz attack to police, according to WXIN.
“Parent and sister board brother’s school bus to fight,” the police report states, according to WXIN.
Cellphone footage purportedly shows Hentz, who is charged with felony battery and criminal confinement, boarding the bus with her son and daughter.
The driver told cops in interviews that they tried to tell Hentz “no parents on the bus,” but Hentz ignored the warning and told the driver to call the cops if he wanted.
According to the driver, Hentz and her son “immediately started fighting” with the 8th grader after getting on the bus.
“Hey, don’t jump him,” a bystander says as Hentz and her son allegedly attack the eighth grader.
The observer can be heard asking, “Why are you jumping him?”
Police responded to the incident shortly before 9 a.m. and were informed by Hentz that she confronted the 8th grader due to a “ongoing bullying situation” between her son and the 14-year-old.
Hentz claimed her son approached her and explained how he had been slapped across the face by the other boy, and she wanted him to settle the score; Hentz insisted neither she nor her daughter participated in the alleged beating.
The eighth-grader admitted to teasing and joking about Hentz’s son, but claimed he never did anything physical with him and denied ever harming the boy.
During police interviews, his mother stated that Hentz’s son was the bully, making racist remarks about her child’s Mexican heritage and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Hentz has been charged with criminal trespass and intimidation, as well as criminal confinement and battery. She is currently awaiting her first court hearing.
