WTF: Man Slaps Child in WalMart, Gets Arrested

[meeks]

http://www.blippitt.com/man-slaps-child-in-walmart?dsq=15954770
A Georgia man is in police custody after having slapped a woman’s crying 2-year-old child in a WalMart on Monday. Sonya Mathews, the little girl’s mother, told police that Roger Stephens, 61, approached her in an aisle and said “if you don’t shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you.”

Moments later, in a different part of the store, Stephens slapped the child on the face four or five times, according to the police report.

Stephens reportedly then said, “See, I told you I would shut her up.”

A bystander jumped in to help out and held Stephens until Walmart security came to the rescue.

When police arrived on the scene, Stephens admitted that he had slapped the child and said that he apologized to Mathews, according to the report.

Stephens has been charged with felony cruelty to children. He appeared in court on Tuesday and is currently being held at the Gwinnett County Detention Center without bond.

The 2-year-old child suffered slight redness to the face, according to the police report.

[Chris McKinley]

I abhor loud children going undisciplined in public, but if the guy had made that threat to my child, he would have been made aware in no uncertain terms that it would be his dying action.

[edededed]

Well, he probably wouldn't have done it if you (or almost any other man) was carrying the child...

[emre]

I empathize with the man, I've felt like doing this many times myself, especially on those long flights when the kid behind you just won't fucking stop crying the entire time and the parents don't even seem to bother.

[fuga]

Slapping a two year old? That's fucking amazing. That guy's got a few screw loose. If someone ever did that to my daughter, I would go all McKinley on him, too.

[meeks]

what CAN a parent do on a long flight? Kids often suffer from ear-aches from the plane's pressure change. there's no drugs you can give a kid for that so they cry in agony. you want to smack the kid for their suffering? obviously not a parent. put yourself in the kid's shoes at least.

if a dog gets injured (not life threatening) by a car and won't stop howling in pain, do you kick the shit out of the dog too?

just sayin' ...

[cerebus]

Well, I certainly have to admit that I get annoyed by screaming children in certain situations, but I would NEVER slap a kid. WTF! And the guy isn't in a plane on a long flight, he's at...WALMART!!! Since when is Walmart the public library? Dude is REALLY lucky the kid's dad wasn't there to slap the shit outta HIM...

[grzegorz]

I empathize with the man, I've felt like doing this many times myself, especially on those long flights when the kid behind you just won't fucking stop crying the entire time and the parents don't even seem to bother.

1 in 160 children have austism.

If your kid has austism what are you doing to do?

I'll tell you what if he would have hit my kid the piano wire would have come out and there'd be a video of a man being dragged into the bathroom never to be seen again.

[emre]

Settle down guys, I've obviously never slapped a kid either, I just said I understand the frustration that can lead to someone wanting to do such a thing. And I wasn't talking about the children who cry during landing and take-off which is when the pressure change happens, but during a whole flight across the Atlantic for 10 hours straight, yelling "I want my mommeee, or I want my playstatioooon", "waaaah, I don't like this film" or whatever, the entire time. I just experienced this a few weeks ago, so the memory of it is fresh on my mind.

[meeks]

I'll tell you what if he would have hit my kid the piano wire would have come out and there'd be a video of a man being dragged into the bathroom never to be seen again.

RE-spect..... RE-spect....

[Michael]

The 2-year-old child suffered slight redness to the face, according to the police report.

The story's up on CNN, but it almost sounds hoax-ish. Pretty weird.

[Teazer]

[cdobe]

I abhor loud children going undisciplined in public, but if the guy had made that threat to my child, he would have been made aware in no uncertain terms that it would be his dying action.

The experts on these issues from psychology recommend to ignore children in these situations. So according to scientists the parents are doing exactly the right thing in your example.

Just sayin
CD

[Dmitri]

All you guys who are annoyed with kids -- I can understand this, but I bet you don't have your own kids.

Once you have a child (in fact, moreover, the moment your wife gets pregnant), your view of others' children and their particular annoyances, and of babies and kids in general, will change forever.


Man, if some stranger slapped someone else's 2-year-old, I'd at least restrain the shit out of them -- and I don't even know what I would do to them if it was my kid...

[Ralteria]

I would go all McKinley on him, too.

Did you just use Chris as an adjective?

And yeah...someone would have to physical restrain me or I would beat that dude within an inch of his life.

As far as having kids and the screaming changing for you? Now I just point and laugh at the kids in the store.

"Ooooooo...you got in trouble!!!"