“I am still in shock that anyone would throw a pretty good sized rock at a less than 3 year old.”

via google maps

“Dear PoPville,

Hi everyone, not sure what my goal is in posting this, except to maybe warn other families. Today [Friday] I was at the Florida Ave park [1st and R and Florida Ave, NW] with my daughter. Right around 6:30pm the park cleared out and my daughter and I were the only family left. As we were just sitting on the green having a mini picnic three teenage girls (~16-19) approached us while we were eating, first just asking for food, then money. I felt mildly uncomfortable and respectfully said no. They proceeded to ask if the sand buckets next to us were ours, then stomped on them and said “Oops, someone broke them!” I replied, “Not someone, you.” I packed up my things and my daughter got on her bike to leave when they started asking me if my wedding ring was real. At this point I was feeling threatened, and quickly left this park as my husband was just arriving, right outside the entrance.

As we walked adjacent to the park, by the gate on Florida Ave, I explained to him what happened and why I decided to leave. The girls must have sensed that I was talking about the incident, and came up to the gate, yelling about how this is their “hood.” My husband who almost never loses his cool, started yelling at them for breaking his daughter’s toys and for their inappropriate behavior. They called my husband a “bitch” said “f*** you” and threatened to “go get the guy we are with” and reiterated that this is THEIR park. And then they threw two fist-sized rocks AT my daughter, which my husband was able to swat away. My daughter started hysterically crying and was yelling “those bad people throw rocks at my knee!” We had a separate witness who stayed as we walked away to make sure they weren’t actually going to get the “guy they were with.” But in any case, we are all a bit shaken up. This is NOT ok in a park for kids. Or anywhere. I am still in shock that anyone would throw a pretty good sized rock at a less than 3 year old.”