An Arizona mother, Brandie Gotch, 31, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated assault. The incident occurred in February 2024 at Westgreen Park in Peoria, Arizona.
Gotch initially visited the park to pick up her children after they had been involved in a fight. Other kids at the park were allegedly ‘egging them on and recording the altercation.’ The situation escalated when a boy called Gotch a name, prompting her to react violently. She pulled the boy by his hair and chased another child around the park with a stick, threatening to ‘kill you and run you over.’
The situation took a dangerous turn when Gotch got into her white Chevy Silverado truck with her children. A boy stood behind the truck, dancing and mocking her, before moving to stand beside his sister. Gotch then backed out of the parking space, revved her engine, and drove towards the children. While the boy managed to jump out of the way, Gotch ran over his sister’s leg with her truck.
The incident could have been much more tragic, with the girl suffering a sprained ankle and bruises. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell noted, ‘This could have been a much more tragic situation; thankfully the worst injury in this was a sprained ankle and some bad scrapes and bruises.’
Gotch was arrested at her home after the incident and initially faced multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder. Mitchell emphasized the importance of adults controlling their actions, stating, ‘Even when angry or frustrated, it’s up to adults to act like adults. It is never okay to take our rage out on a kid.’
