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Man repeatedly slaps child, that's not his, in Wal Mart

897 views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  thelonerang3r 
#1 ·
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. - A slap-happy 61-year-old man is in big trouble for smacking a wailing 2-year-old.

Annoyed with the toddler's sobbing inside a suburban Atlanta Wal Mart, Roger Stephens slapped the child several times after warning the kid's mother to keep her quiet, cops said.

He hit the girl at least four times.

"See, I told you I would shut her up," Stephens, of Stone Mountain, is alleged to have said.

Now he's being slapped by the law. Stephens is charged with felony cruelty to children.

It was unclear if he had a lawyer, and a telephone call to his home yesterday was unanswered.

Authorities say the girl and her mother were shopping Monday when the tot began crying.

The police report says Stephens approached the mother and said, "If you don't shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you."

Authorities say Stephens then grabbed the 2-year-old and slapped her.
The child began screaming and Stephens was arrested.

Police say an examination showed the girl's face was slightly red.

A call to the girl's mother, identified in the police report as Sonya Mathews of Grayson, was answered by a woman who identified herself as Sabrina Mathis, the victim's aunt.

Mathis said Wednesday that the girl is doing fine.

"As of today, she has really forgotten about it," Mathis said.

"She's been playing." Mathis said the girl's mother was shaken up over the incident.

"She's as well as to be expected," Mathis said. "Right now she's just trying to calm down."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/09/03/2009-09-03_hes_cryin_shame_hothead_gets_slapped_for_beating_tot.html
 
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#4 ·
If it were me, the story would not have read "repeatedly". After his threatening comment I would have been on my toes and watching his every move.

He may have got one slap in there but that would be it. That's when the teeth meet the tile.
 
#5 ·
Crazy. One might briefly think about saying something snarky to a parent when witnessing a child bellowing or pitching a world class fit in the store and the parent is pretending nothing is going on but to actually say something like he did to the mother or to do what he did to the child is just out there in Dopeyland. I have given up trying to figure out "why" people do what they do anymore. They just do. Would have been great if mom had tazed the tool with a stun gun or dropped him with a swift snap kick to the tackleberries. I'll bet the kid would have stopped crying and started laughing then.
 
#6 ·
One might briefly think about saying something snarky to a parent when witnessing a child bellowing or pitching a world class fit in the store and the parent is pretending nothing is going on ...
I'm beyond that as well. I used to be that way until we had my oldest son. From the outside he looks like a typical kid. He's doesn't have the appearance of say a Down's child or have an obvious physical handicap. He will occasionally have a fit in a store and there's not much we can do. One of the "joys" of being a parent of a child with Autism. Most times it will end quickly if we do ignore it but sometimes we have to leave the store. I'm sure the outward appearance to the other shoppers is I am a bad parent or my kid is a brat, but I know the truth. So when I see a kid wigging out in a store, I just roll with it since I know there is a strong possibility that I don't have all the facts; just like that guy should have done.
 
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