Brockton Mom Denies Beating Son in Supermarket

A Brockton mother charged with beating her 5-year-old son in front of other shoppers in a supermarket has pleaded not guilty.

The Brockton Enterprise reports that Marie Lyssa Mars was ordered held on $5,000 bail at her arraignment Monday after pleading not guilty to charges including assault and battery. The boy has been placed in the care of state child welfare officials.

Police say the 42-year old Mars struck the boy several times, and customers asked her to stop.

Other shoppers followed her to her car, got the plate number and called police. She was pulled over while driving home and arrested.

Mars told police her son was "very active" and she was "just disciplining him."

Police say Mars was caught on store surveillance video.

[Brockton Enterprise, Associated Press]