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A St. Louis ‘Karen’ has been charged with multiple crimes after doorbell camera caught her repeatedly threatening a hammer-wielding Mexican-American family.
Fatima Suarez said the abuse had been going on for a year as Judy Kline, a woman they had no prior interaction with, frequently came to the door, damaging property and stealing their mail.
Video from his Ring camera eventually caught Kline red-handed, yelling racist remarks at the Suarez family, who identify as Mexican-American.
It scared my family. It scared me,’ said Fátima Suárez. I cried. It was very stressful to see her keep coming back.’
Nothing was done about it until Suárez posted a doorbell camera video on TikTok, where it racked up several million views.
Fátima Suárez said the abuse at her home had been going on for a year as Judy Kline (pictured), a woman they had no prior interaction with, frequently came to the door, damaging property and stealing her mail.
Finally, on Tuesday, the St. Louis circuit attorney charged Kline with robbery, property damage and unlawful use of a weapon after filing a warrant request related to the case.
There are five videos on Suárez’s YouTube channel, including one in which Kline wields a hammer and continuously rings the bell.
At various points in the videos, Kline refers to the family’s home as “my home” and uses obscene language.
‘What the hell are you doing in my house? Get out bitch! Go out! It’s my home!’ she yells.
Suárez believes that the harassment could have continued without punishment if the social networks had not spread the word.
“I’ve seen similar stories on TikTok and I thought maybe that would help my family too,” he said. ABC News. But I never knew it would blow up like that, and it did. So I’m thankful for everyone who made it viral because now [there’s] action is expected to be taken.’
The first recorded visit Kline made to the home was on January 5, 2022, according to a probable cause statement.
Kline went behind the house and used a hammer to break through the basement door while Suarez’s father and four-year-old sister were in the house.
The intruder broke a glass door on the family’s dryer and yelled insults at Suárez’s father while holding the hammer above his head.
It scared my family. It scared me,’ said Fátima Suárez. I cried. It was very stressful to see her keep coming back’
Finally, on Tuesday, the St. Louis circuit attorney charged Kline, who is often seen threatening with a hammer, with robbery, damage to property and unlawful use of a weapon after filing a warrant request. court related to the case.
There are five videos on Suárez’s YouTube channel, including one in which Kline wields a hammer and continually rings the doorbell in his suburban St. Louis neighborhood.
Kline was arrested that day and charged with aggravated robbery and property damage, but Suarez says he continued.
“I always call the police, and every time I call them, they only held her for like 72 hours and then released her,” Suárez said. “That’s why she had the chance to keep coming back.”
Kline continued to visit the home, including the week before her indictment.
Fatima Suarez says they still aren’t convinced Kline is staying away, and the St. Louis Police Department said Kline is not in their custody.
Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office said in a statement: “CAO has filed the injunction request related to this case and is awaiting video evidence that was not initially submitted and is now circulating on the Internet.”
Kline was arrested the day of her first trespass and charged with aggravated robbery and property damage, but Suárez says she continued.
Kline continued to visit the home, including the week before her indictment.
Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office said in a statement: “The CAO has filed the injunction request related to this case and is awaiting video evidence that was not initially submitted and is now circulating on the Internet.”
Suárez previously sent police videos of the break-ins, and police inaction has soured her dreams of working in law enforcement.
“At one point, I wanted to be part of the justice system, like a cop or something,” he said, “but because of how they are with other people, how they treat other people, how they don’t care about the cases… I don’t really trust that much anymore in them.’
Kline has not responded to requests for comment. It is not clear if he has a lawyer.