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2-year-old child pepper sprayed during fight at Batavia complex

A spat over Facebook comments prompted a Saturday night fight at a Batavia apartment complex in which two adults and a 2-year-old were hit with pepper spray, police said.

Batavia Police Detective Kevin Bretz said those sprayed were not seriously injured.

Two Aurora women face felony charges of mob action and aggravated battery to a child younger than 13, according to Kane County court records.

Bretz said the two women — Shaumere L. Causey, 20, and Christina A. Santiago, 24, both of the 1600 block of Grove Street — were arrested after police were called to an apartment complex on the 1300 block of East Wilson Street at about 6:41 p.m. Saturday.

“There was a dispute between the parties over some comments made over Facebook. That's what started the whole thing,” Bretz said. “The (defendants) went there and said, 'We're going to straighten this out.”

Bretz could not immediately specify what the online argument was over, but noted it included some “unpleasant messages.”

According to Bretz, Santiago threatened a 29-year-old male and 20-year-old female with a metal baseball bat, at one point swinging and missing.

The two adults and a 2-year-old were pepper sprayed by Causey, Bretz said.

The three people went inside an apartment and paramedics and police were called.

Those pepper sprayed were treated at the scene and not hospitalized, Bretz said.

Causey also faces a misdemeanor domestic battery charge and Santiago is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, also a misdemeanor, according to court records.

Causey posted 10 percent of $10,000 bail Monday afternoon and was released from jail, according to the sheriff's office.

Santiago was being held on $20,000 bail, and she must post $2,000 to be released while the case is pending.

Both are due in court July 3.

If convicted of the most severe charge, they face anywhere from probation to up to five years in prison.

Shaumere L. Causey
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