Health Official Rushes To 12-Year-Old Son As Anti-Maskers Swarm Her Home

County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo left a virtual meeting voting on a local mask mandate because anti-mask protestors were swarming her home

As several states grapple with rapidly rising COVID-19 case numbers, county health officials are trying to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus. That includes trying to enact mask mandates in their localities if a state mandate isn’t in place, as an Idaho board of health that covers four counties was meeting to vote on this week, when anti-mask protestors terrorized some of the members at their homes. That includes Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo, whose 12-year-old child was home alone when anti-maskers arrived at her doorstep.

A video stream of the Central District Health’s Board of Health’s Tuesday meeting, which serves four counties in Idaho’s most populous region, captured the moment Lachiondo excused herself through tears to go home and check on her son. If you can watch her explain why she’s leaving the meeting as she struggles to hold it together and not cry yourself, I will be amazed. The look of fear on her face as actual terrorists swarm around her home that her child is in by himself is one any mother will understand. This is abhorrent on every level.

“My 12-year-old son is home by himself right now, and there are protesters banging outside the door,” she told the board. “I’m going to go home and make sure he’s okay.” Earlier in the meeting, she told the other members that a neighbor had let her know the protesters were there and excused herself to call the police.

Lachiondo wasn’t the only member on the call to announce the presence of protestors at her home with one other man echoing that they were at his house too. Protestors also showed up outside the Central District Health office, targeting the officials meeting to vote on whether they should enact a mask mandate for their counties.

The protesters were demonstrating over a public health order that would limit gatherings to fewer than 10 people and require masks in public and in private when around anyone who doesn’t live in a citizen’s household if distancing isn’t possible, according to The Washington Post.

The Central District Health office board was set to vote on the order last night when the actions of protestors cut the meeting short. The vote is now delayed with no official date for it to take place.

Thankfully, Lachiondo later reported that her family was safe.

The other member to have protestors show up at his home was physician Ted Epperly of Ada county. He said around 15 people were outside his home as the board moved to end the meeting early. He tells The Statesman that demonstrators were “beating garbage cans and flashing strobe lights through my windows. Two came up and knocked on my door during the meeting.”

Lachiondo recently tweeted disappointment over the priorities of local citizens and even quoted Dr. Fauci to get her point across.

I’m not going to beat around the bush here — people showing up outside a home flashing strobe lights and banging on garbage cans and doors as part of their tantrum over wearing a 4-inch piece of cloth on their face are acting as terrorists, full stop. They’re also morons but I’m not here to debate how stupid it is to think skipping a mask that covers the nose and mouth mid-pandemic spread VIA RESPIRATORY DROPLET is a bad idea. What is happening right now to health officials who are only acting in the best interest of citizens is downright horrifying, end of story.

“No child should be frightened by a mob of protesters,” Boise mayor Lauren McLean said, “no local official should fear violence for their public service.”