Iowa City mother accused of assault after encouraging 4-year-olds to fight

A 25-year-old Iowa City mother has been cited for assault causing bodily injury after police said she encouraged her 4-year-old son to beat up another 4-year-old for pushing him off a scooter.

Police were called to Catherine Charnay Claybon's apartment at 1100 Arthur St. at 6:45 p.m. Friday in reference to a fight between 4-year-olds, according to a criminal complaint.

Claybon told police that one of the children was her son, and that the other child had pushed him off a scooter so she was “going to have her son beat up that child,” according to police.

She told her son to beat up the other 4-year-old, according to police, and that child's 9-year-old brother tried to step in and break up the fight. Investigators said Claybon shoved the 9-year-old down and then pushed the other child's mother when they both tried to intervene.

When asked about pushing the 9-year-old, Claybon admitted to blocking the child away, according to police.

The victim was vomiting after the assault and was taken to the hospital to be checked out, according to police.

Claybon faces a charge of assault causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor.

She does not have a criminal history in Iowa, according to online court records.