Nationwide — Haley Erin Zager, a 30-year old white woman from Florida, is facing child abuse charges after reportedly slapping and yelling a racial slur at an 11-year old Black boy when he accidentally bumped her car on a go-kart track.
Zager admitted to her actions, telling the police she “tapped” the child driving the car who rear-ended her “at full speed” when she was stopped at the end of the race and didn’t apologize. She then told the police that she shouldn’t have hit a child.
However, witnesses said Zager also told employees, “that f—— n—– hit me in the back.” She apparently also told a bystander, “the n—– hit me. the n—– hit me,” as she slapped the boy with an open hand.
Meanwhile, the boy’s father told police that his son’s car accidentally hit Zager’s car when he was rammed into a row of carts caused by another car. The boy recounted the same story but said he didn’t hear what the woman said because he was in a state of shock.
Boca Raton Fire-Rescue paramedics gave him an ice pack to relieve his left cheek that was swollen from Zager’s slap.
Zager was arrested for child abuse which was raised to a second-degree felony because of the racial aspect. A female officer searched her and discovered various pills in her underwear. She was also charged with four counts of drug possession. She was released two days after on her own recognizance.
Aside from the recent felony charges, Zager had a previous record of another aggravated domestic battery case in 2018, but prosecutors dropped the case.