Orlando Mom on being attacked by another parent on the Mad Tea Party ride at the Magic Kingdom.
Mom•Logic: What happened?
Aimee: On March 27th, 2007, my two kids and I went to Disney World. At the time, my daughter was 7 and my son was 6. The kids wanted to go on the Magic Teacup ride. When you go through the line for this particular ride, it's a single file line that curves as you walk around. Once you get up to the front, the staff directs you where to go. They shuffle the order of the line and open the gate for about 50 people, and it soon becomes a free-for-all to find a teacup.
Victoria Walker and her party were in front of me during the single file line. The cast member put several people in front of her, including the kids and me. She pushed her way through the line, screaming profanity. She was using the F-word and came up to where I was. Several people asked the ride operator to get security. A ride operator showed up and reminded people it's supposed to be a magical place and then walked away. Victoria Walker shoved my 7-year-old daughter into a metal gate. I told Victoria there was no reason to touch a child. She started cursing at me, using the F-word. I thought that was the end of it.
When the gate opened, I told the kids to go to the left and to stay away from the woman. I stepped to the right and let Victoria and her party go ahead of me. Once the girls got into a teacup, I went to check on the boys. I told the boys once the ride is over to immediately head for the exit and go straight to Michele. I was going to make sure the boys were situated and then head back to ride with the girls. Next thing I knew, I was on my knees, holding onto the teacup. Victoria Walker came up from behind and started beating me, kicking me in the leg and pulling my hair. She was beating me over the head, she hit my breasts, my knees were crushed and I couldn't get up. The beatings continued and she choked me with a lanyard around my neck. The attack felt like forever, but witnesses say it lasted between three and five minutes.
I heard my kids screaming, "Mommy's going to die" and I remember their piercing screams. Other kids were hiding their eyes, and finally, a man jumped over the gate and stopped her. Victoria Walker was there with her church group and her own 11-year-old daughter, and one of the church members pulled her off me.
Mom•Logic: What is your message to Moms?
Aimee: Never let your guard down, because if this can happen at Disney World, it can happen anywhere. I was just putting my kids on a ride and my back was turned. I hope this never happens to anyone else again. The laws need to be a lot stricter, so people will know if you do things like go into "line rage" and attack a person, you're going to jail. There are people who are nuts out there and you have to keep your guard up at all times.
The accused was arrested and charged with battery with a deadly weapon. Walker declined to accept a plea deal that would have given her a one-year jail sentence, and is now awaiting trial. Jury selection will begin in April.
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