Handicapped woman abused, six arrested

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WALA) - Escambia County Deputies said six people were arrested during a disturbance that began with a mentally handicapped woman being abused by household members.

Authorities responded to the disturbance around 10:30 a. m. on Regents Avenue in Pensacola.

 Deputies saaid Angela Street, 39, Heidi Klar, 28, and Angel Leonard, 17, forced the handicapped woman to run up and down the street, allegedly as punishment for stealing a cell phone.

"The problem with that is while she was doing, this she was chased by two people and by a pit bull to make her run," said Deputy Matt Baxter with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said the victim told them she was also hit in the head with a coffee cup, beaten with a belt and pushed to the ground.

Deputy Baxter said the three suspects then resisted arrest and that's when Steven Leonard, 38, Robert Leonard, 19, and Keenan Hall, 19, got involved.　

"They began threatening deputies and interfering with the arrest. At one point, they even threatened to let their pit bull loose on deputies," Baxter said.

Deputies were forced to call backup and all six suspects were arrested and taken into custodyl.

The victim was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

"It's tough to see someone who can't take care of themselves and is entrusted to other people to be taken care of, abused by those people. We hope people who take that responsibility will treat the person right," said Baxter.

Authorities said the Florida Department of Children and Families is investigating the abuse.

The suspects:

• Angela L. Street, 39, of Pensacola was charged with aggravated abuse of an elderly or disabled adult, aggravated battery and battery.
• Heidi M. Klar, 28, of Pensacola was charged with aggravated abuse elderly or disabled adult.
• Angel N. Leonard, 17, of Pensacola was charged with aggravated abuse of an elderly or disabled adult, resisting an officer without violence and battery.
• Keenan A. Hall, 19, of Pensacola was arrested and charged with resisting an officer.
• Robert C. Leonard, 19, of Pensacola was charged with resisting an officer.
• Steven C. Leonard, 38, of Pensacola was charged with resisting an officer.