INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A mother and teenage son were jailed after deputies said the boy approached his two neighbors and threatened them with a machete Monday. Deputies used a Taser to subdue the boy when he ignored officers’ commands.
Deputies also used a Taser on the boy’s mother after she attacked one of the officers, reports show.
The 16-year-old, of Vero Beach, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. It was not immediately clear if the boy was taken to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in Fort Pierce.
Francesca Edmans-Torres
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
The boy’s mother, Francesca Edmans-Torres, 34, was charged with battery on an officer and resisting arrest with violence. Edmans-Torres was released Tuesday from the Indian River County Jail on $5,000 bond.
Indian River County deputies responded to reports of a disturbance about 10:30 a.m. Monday at a residence on 3rd Street Southwest. The 911 caller said one of their neighbors had a machete, used racial slurs and threatened them, reports show.
Deputies spoke with the victims, who said they both were in fear of the boy, reports show. Two witnesses also told deputies they saw the teenager approach the victims while carrying the machete.
Deputies looked at footage of the incident, which showed the boy appear to grab a machete from a car and then approach his neighbors, reports show.
Deputies tried to detain the teenager at his home, but said he repeatedly ignored their commands. When deputies tried to pull the boy from the home, several other family members tried to pull and push the officers around, reports show.
Edmans-Torres pushed one of the deputies and pulled his hand off of the boy, authorities said. Deputies said Edmans-Torres and her son were in an arms-reach of a sword and a machete nearby.
Deputies deployed the Tasers, taking Edmans-Torres and the boy into custody, reports show. Deputies arrested Edmans-Torres and the boy.
Details on Edmans-Torres’ arraignment were not immediately available.
