Family Squabble Over Toilet Paper Hoarding Turns Violent

SAUGUS, CA — An argument about toilet paper hoarding in Saugus turned violent this week when a man allegedly punched his mother after accusing her of hiding the family's toilet paper supply, according to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station.

Adrian Yan, 26, remained jailed Wednesday morning on suspicion of battery, according to a spokeswoman for Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. It started at about 3 a.m. Monday when deputies were called to the residence near Plum Canyon Road and Mirabelle Lane, according to Shirley Miller of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station.

The son had accused the mother of hiding the family's toilet paper, which has become a hot commodity nationwide amid the coronavirus pandemic, she said. The woman later told deputies she hid toilet paper from her son, adding that he uses too much toilet paper, according to Miller. The argument escalated and he allegedly punched her, according to Miller. The woman declined medical treatment, added Miller.

Such domestic violence incidents are increasingly common during the shelter-in-place directive, according to Miller. Deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station have been responding to many reports of family violence as people are crammed together in their homes during the shelter-in-place directive, according to Miller.

"It was to be expected, it's happening everywhere," she said.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva recently expressed concerns about an anticipated increase in domestic violence with families isolated together in their homes to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic. He tried repeatedly to shut down gun stores during the pandemic over the concern for domestic violence tragedies. Ultimately, he was forced to backed off the effort when faced with guns rights advocates and an official determination that gun stores are an essential business.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.