A woman in Utah who was dubbed a “Karen” after video of her losing it over a young woman wearing a miniskirt went viral has been charged with sexual battery in connection with the incident.
Ida Ann Lorenzo, 48, allegedly pulled down the woman’s mini skirt as she complained that it was too small and threatened to call child protective services.
In a video with over 3 million views on TikTok, Lorenzo was filmed defending her decision to pull down the skirt, moments after the encounter in the lobby of the Sakura Japanese Steakhouse in St. George, Utah.
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“I happen to work for the state and if I have to watch your ass cheeks hanging out again, I will call CPS,” Lorenzo said. According to the caption of the TikTok, the veritable “Karen” “aggressively” grabbed the skirt before yanking it down, and commented that the girl was probably underage.
Several young women jumped to their friend’s defense. “She’s over 18,” one said, and the woman filming confirmed that she was 19 years old.
“You do not get to touch her,” said another one of the women. “Really?” Lorenzo asks incredulously. Lorenzo then whispered something inaudible, before saying, “No, it’s not appropriate.”
On Sunday, Lorenzo reported the incident to police herself, saying that the response to the viral video where she declared she was a state employee was a “threat on her life,” according to the police report. Lorenzo told the officers that the young woman had her skirt “hiked above her vagina and butt,” exposing her pubic hair.
On Monday, the 19 year-old called the police, saying she’d been sexually assaulted, and she’d felt “startled” and “violated” by the incident. Several witnesses also filed reports about the incident. The young woman also provided police with the skirt she had been wearing, and explained that it would have been impossible for anyone to see her pubic hair because she was wearing underwear.
According to the police report, Lorenzo claimed that she thought the girl wasn’t wearing underwear, and police informed her that even if that had been true, it would still be sexual battery. Lorenzo also claimed she did not touch the girl’s skin, but the officers explained that it still qualified as criminal behavior. Police charged her with one count of sexual battery.
