• Home
• U.S.

"We kind of think they went out there intentionally, but either way, they find them in Wal-Mart," said police Chief Mike Hutter.

According to police, Gantenbein's daughter sprayed the infant's grandmother and aunt, one of whom was holding the child. Gantenbein then took the canister and sprayed the baby, authorities said. The juvenile was cited with two counts of battery.

In the phone interview, Gantenbein said the baby's aunt grabbed her daughter by the arm, prompting the daughter to use the pepper spray. When the grandmother reached toward Gantenbein's daughter, the girl sprayed her too, Gantenbein said.

"The grandmother ran through the fog with the baby," she said. "It didn't get hit in the face."

However, the baby's mother, Christina Clayburn, told a Spokane, Wash., television station that Gantenbein "was yelling, 'Get the baby! Get the baby!' ... Then she took the Mace out of her daughter's hand and sprayed it directly into my daughter's face."

Gantenbein's daughter was cited for two counts of misdemeanor battery, Hutter said.

"We're taking statements from both sides and evaluating it from there," he said.

The store had to be evacuated for two hours.