Riviera Beach mom accused of allegedly hitting pregnant daughter 14, in the stomach

RIVIERA BEACH — - — A 45-year-old woman was arrested Monday after police say she beat up her pregnant 14-year-old daughter.

Gladys Piper, of Riviera Beach, was arrested on charges of aggravated battery on a pregnant person and child abuse.

Around 6 p.m. Monday, Riviera Beach Police responded to the 100 block of West 11th Street to check on a domestic disturbance.

The caller was the daughter, who said she locked herself in the bathroom.

After arriving, police talked to Piper, who said that her daughter called them but Piper had done nothing wrong, according to a Riviera Beach Police probable cause affidavit.

A witness at the house said that Piper entered a bedroom where the girl was and was ranting about someone's boyfriend.

Piper was holding a pair of pants in her hand and struck the girl in the abdomen, then picked up a bed sheet and wrapped it around her arm and struck girl in her abdomen with "full force", according to the affidavit.

The girl, who told police she is eight months pregnant, said her mother then struck her in the abdomen with a wooden broom.

After that, the girl ran into the bathroom and locked herself inside, the affidavit says.

The teen also told police that she was watching TV in her room when her mother came in and yelled at her regarding her boyfriend.

She said that her mom began hitting her with the broom, bed sheet and pants and she was in fear for her life.

She also said that Piper smelled like alcohol, and that she was drinking heavily.

Piper told police she had a right to hit her child, according to the affidavit.