A Missouri woman has been charged after allegedly kicking a seven-year-old boy who could not swim into a hotel pool, claiming the child was 'mean' to another youngster. The disturbing incident unfolded at a Comfort Inn in Sedalia on Memorial Day weekend.
Incident Details
Police were called to the hotel on West Broadway Boulevard at around 8:20 pm on May 23 following reports of an assault in the pool area. The victim's mother told officers that Penny Badgett, 63, had kicked her son into the swimming pool. Investigators later learned the boy could not swim and was pushed into water approximately 5½ feet deep, creating a substantial risk to his safety.
Confrontation and Charges
After the incident, the boy's aunt confronted Badgett, who allegedly said she acted because the child had been 'mean to another child.' Badgett had no prior relationship with the boy. Police reviewed surveillance footage showing Badgett standing behind the child, waiting for him to sit down, and then using her raised foot to push him into the pool.
The child later told authorities he was scared. Using hotel records and footage, officers located Badgett and placed her under arrest. Initially requesting a lawyer, she later made an incriminating statement after being told video evidence existed, saying, 'I know what this is about, I pushed him.'
Legal Proceedings
Badgett was booked into the Pettis County Jail and charged with abuse of a child and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, creating substantial risk. A warrant was issued with a $15,000 bond condition.
