A Miami-Dade mother was arrested on the first day of school after allegedly threatening another mother with a firearm during a morning drop-off at an elementary school, authorities said.
Erika Letisha Cruz, 39, was taken into custody Thursday on charges including exhibiting a weapon on school property, aggravated assault with a firearm, and aggravated battery, according to court records.
The alleged incident occurred at Arcola Lake Elementary School, located at 1037 Northwest 81st Street, as Miami-Dade County Public Schools opened for the new school year.
According to the arrest report, Cruz claimed a parent and her child were blocking her path as she was dropping off her child, and an argument ensued. The other mother, however, told police she was walking her disabled son to school when Cruz, driving a vehicle, began honking at her.
The woman said Cruz shouted, “hurry the f— up,” and that the vehicle had bumped her. She said Cruz then exited the car holding a purse and warned, “say one more word and I am going to shoot you in the face,” before returning to her vehicle and proceeding to the school.
Investigators later found a Sig Sauer P238 handgun with four rounds in the magazine inside Cruz’s purse, the report stated. Cruz was arrested and the weapon was impounded. At a Friday court appearance, Cruz was appointed a public defender.
Judge Mindy Glazer commented on the situation, expressing concern over the impact on Cruz’s child. “What a terrible way for your child to begin the first day of school with mom getting hauled off to jail,” Glazer said. “You have to be an adult and set a good example.”
The father of Cruz’s child contested the details of the arrest, prompting Glazer to call the arresting officer to clarify some charges. The officer testified that the firearm charge should be for possession of a weapon on school property and that the battery charge related to the vehicle bumping the woman was likely not intentional. Glazer found no probable cause for the aggravated battery charge and granted Cruz pre-trial release.
“Hopefully things go better next week when you’re dropping off your child,” Glazer told Cruz.
