Overview

• The incident occurred on April 4, 2025, when a 17-year-old customer went behind the counter at a St. Petersburg McDonald's to retrieve ranch dressing after not receiving assistance.
• Employee Akeena Sampson, 31, allegedly grabbed the teen by the arm, choked her, and wrestled her to the ground, leaving visible injuries on her neck and elbow.
• Surveillance footage reviewed by police captured the altercation, leading to Sampson's arrest on charges of child abuse without great bodily harm.
• Sampson was released on a $2,500 bond on April 5 and is under a no-contact order with the victim while awaiting further legal proceedings.
• McDonald's USA placed Sampson on administrative leave and is conducting an internal investigation, reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy for violence in its restaurants.