A Fort Worth, Texas, woman has earned a new viral nickname after she attracted internet fame for demanding a group of local teenagers get off the swing set at a park last week.
The incident was shared to Facebook by Brianna Judit Moreno Oct. 16. Footage shows a group of Hispanic teens gathered around at Dream Park as one teen swings from a large swing.
“Stop! It’s a children’s park, stop!” a voice shouts off-camera. “Stop! Now!”
The woman, later discovered to be Samantha Louise Eley, storms over and grabs the swing, stopping it from moving.
“We’re children,” a teen says.
“No, you’re not,” Eley replies before cursing at the teens and arguing with them.
“OK, well, I’m a f—ing PD, so get the f— out of here now if you’re not here to play as a child. Read the f—ing signs. Now!” Eley shouts as she claps at the teenagers.
When one teen says they are 16, Eley says, “Right, then you’re not a f–king child! 13 or younger!” She then said the teen could be arrested “as a f–king adult.”
However, a statement from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department sent to the New York Post said Fort Worth’s parks and playgrounds “are open to all ages.” There are some pieces of playground equipment that have a recommended age range, however.
“Which is your choice? Are you a child or a godd-mn adult!” Eley says before demanding the group “go, now! Get out of here!”‘
The 38-year-old’s outburst has resulted in her being dubbed “Swing Set Susan” on Twitter, where the viral video was also shared.
“This is disrespectful and uncalled for. She should not be harassing minors like this,” the Facebook user who posted the confrontation to her page wrote in the video’s caption. “She claimed to be Fort Worth police and threatened to arrest minors for enjoying a day at the park. Please make sure she receives proper education and punishment for this. #KeepFWSafe.”
Others online shared their own feelings on the footage.
“Pretty sure she’ll be at the trump rally tomorrow”
“Clearly she’s upset that there is a bunch of Mexican children playing at the park. She even pretended to be a police officer and threatened to arrest these kids. This is freaking disgusting. Racism in Fort Worth is getting out of hand.”
“Impersonating an officer is illegal js.”
The following day, the Fort Worth Police Department tweeted that Eley “is NOT a FWPD officer, but a possible local resident,” adding “we are actively investigating this incident.”
The department issued an updated statement on Oct. 23 notifying residents that Eley had been identified and arrested after being charged with impersonating a public servant.
CBS DFW reported Wednesday that Eley was being held at the Tarrant County Jail in lieu of $2,500 bond.
This is not the first arrest for Eley, who a warrant obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has stated has used the names Samantha Silvers and Samantha Chacon.
She was charged in Tarrant County criminal court in August with assault/bodily injury of a family member in Fort Worth, according to documents the newspaper acquired. Additionally, Eley was jailed for 50 days for DUI arrests in 2017. She was also sentenced to 16 months of probation on a 2014 DUI charge.
