A woman from St. Louis made an appearance in court on Wednesday, Feb.15 after the police department filed charges against her for allegedly breaking into the house of a Latino family as a result of a viral video.
Judy Kline, a 54-year-old resident of St. Louis, is facing felony charges for burglary, property damage, and unauthorized use of a firearm.
Fatima Suarez claimed that for more than a year, a lady frequented her family's St. Louis house and allegedly insulted them, stole their mail, and caused property damage.
On Jan.5, 2022, the family's Ring doorbell camera purportedly captured video of a lady ranting into the camera, rifling through their mail, and making racial slurs at them.
"You're not American, get off of my property," Kline can be heard saying. In another video, Kline said, "Did you have something to do with 9/11?"
According to a probable cause statement, Kline used a "hammer to break in through the basement door window by breaking the glass on the door." It also said that Kline "smashed a glass door on a drying machine."
The video was uploaded to TikTok by Suarez, whose family has Mexican ancestry, and it has now gained millions of views.
According to the St. Louis Police Department, Kline is not currently being held by the police. A statement from a spokesperson said that Kline has not been in custody "since a warrant was issued for her arrest by the Circuit Attorney's Office on 2/8/2023. The warrants issued by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office stem from an arrest in January of 2022. I have no additional information to provide at this time."
Kline has no previous criminal charges against her, according to court records.
"I'll do anything to protect [my parents] and I don't want them to ever feel uncomfortable in their own home," Suarez told ABC News.
Last week, the city's Circuit Attorney's Office said in a statement that it "elevated the warrant application related to this case."
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department determines "the public safety threat to evaluate whether the case should be reviewed within 24 hours of the application for an arrest warrant," the statement added.
The hearing, which is categorized as an "Adult Abuse Hearing," is for an ex-parte order of protection rather than for the criminal allegations against Kline. The order would stop Kline from stalking, abusing, or molesting the Suarez family, from communicating with the family, and from entering their property.
If approved, a protection order would forbid Kline from coming within 300 feet, or one football field, of the Suarez family's residence, place of employment, vehicle, or "any place they may be found."
While Suarez expressed her optimism that the judge would issue the order of protection, she raised concerns that it would actually accomplish anything to safeguard her parents and her 4-year-old sister.
"She's still gonna go by the house," Suarez said
Suarez suggested that Kline might be mentally sick, but Kline is aware that she is bugging the Suarez family.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.