Horn Lake, MS -
(WMC-TV) - A Mississippi woman is charged with attacking a mother sitting at a nearby table at a Horn Lake Cracker Barrel.
Horn Lake Police said the scuffle started when the woman told the mother to keep her baby quiet.
A Valentine's night dinner quickly turned into a hostile environment for patrons at the Horn Lake Cracker Barrel.
Police said a crying baby set off a tirade of racial slurs and harsh words between two women.
The glasses and dishes on the table were used as weapons and thrown around the restaurant.
"There was stuff thrown about everywhere, plates, broken glasses, plates laying on the floor- a lot of blood," said Horn Lake Police Lieutenant Scott Evans.
Evans said Charlotte Weekley, 53, could not take the noise from the nearby crying baby.
"Almost like a bar brawl in the restaurant," Evans said.
According to police, Weekley used racial slurs as she told the African-American mother to shut her baby up.
The comments led to a shouting match between the two women, and that's when police say Weekley picked up an object on the table and threw it.
"The black female defended herself and the fight was on at that point," Evans said.
The mother had already left by the time police arrived, but Weekley was still there.
"The white female was very abusive towards the officers throwing racial slurs at them and cursing at them," Evans said.
Weekley would have been arrested if not for the gash she received from the fight that landed her in the hospital.
After authorities collected witness statements she was charged.
"The white female was charged with disturbance of a public place, disorderly conduct, failure to comply with the police officers command," Evans said.
No one answered the door at Weekley's last known address Friday.
So far, the other woman faces no charges.
"The officers decided not to charge her at this time because she was basically defending herself," Evans said.
Evans understands the frustration of a crying baby interrupting dinner but said racial slurs and harsh words are not the solution.
"They could have asked to be moved, asked for management to intervene, or been a little bit more tactful about it," Evans said.
When Weekley did not answer the door, Action News 5 called to see if she was still in the hospital. She has reportedly been treated and released.
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