A DeKalb parent took to social media this week after their 9-year-old daughter was pepper-sprayed at a local park, igniting a fierce community conversation about child safety, parental responsibility, and the growing dangers children face in public spaces.
The post, shared in the Facebook group “What’s Happening in DeKalb, IL?” by Lesroy Tittle, quickly gained traction as dozens of parents weighed in with concern, outrage, and personal experiences of their own.
Tittle did not hold back in the post, writing,
How Does a 9 Year Old Girl get Peppered Sprayed at the Park. Parents in Dekalb Control your kids. My Daughter will not be hurt Again!!!”
Community Reacts With Shock and Outrage
The responses poured in almost immediately. Many parents expressed genuine concern for the young girl’s wellbeing while others questioned how a child even had access to pepper spray in the first place.
Molly Wilson commented,
“Is your daughter okay? As a mother, I feel terrible that happened to her. I hope you find out who did that.”
Amber Elliott shared a similar sentiment, writing,
“Omg! That’s horrible. I have a 9 year old. And if that happened to her, I would be hunting down the child and parents. How does a child even have access to pepper spray?”
One commenter, Judy Pippenger, revealed she had a close encounter with the situation herself.
“I hope the girl is ok, the brother ran and asked me for milk and he looked so frantic and terrified for his sister. It’s been on my mind all night. Hugs to the sweet girl and her brother.”
Multiple community members reported seeing police cars and an ambulance in the area. Anonymous participant 866 noted, “There was some police and an ambulance on Regent this afternoon,” suggesting authorities did respond to the scene.
Calls for Police Reports and Parental Accountability
A strong theme throughout the comments was the push for the family to file an official police report and seek medical attention for the child.
Shelly Reuter was direct, stating, “How old was the kid that did it? That’s assault. Please follow up with medical and a police report.”
However, not everyone had faith in local law enforcement. Veronica Ward shared a troubling personal experience, writing,
“DeKalb police don’t do shit! Me and my daughter got maced last year and they told me I couldn’t prove it was her and did nothing.”
Michelle Slinkard Orr pointed the finger squarely at the parents of the child who carried the spray, saying, “If someone thinks it’s dangerous enough to give their kids pepper spray when they go out, their ass needs to be with them. Still needs to be a police report filed.”
Dana Walker echoed that frustration, adding,
“There is only a small difference between this and a gun. It is a weapon used mostly as self defense but no less a weapon.”
Tonica L. Mehaffey praised Tittle for staying composed, writing,
“I know it took a LOT of restraint not to slap someone’s kid. Thank you for maintaining your cool.”
The incident has left many DeKalb parents questioning whether local parks are truly safe spaces for their children anymore. As Kalyn Munthali put it, “I stopped taking my toddlers to the park unless it’s during school hours. Teens tend to make it a very inhospitable environment.”
