Agitated Stranger Slaps Crying Tot At Store

[Disney1fan2002]

The other day I was in the grocery store. It was around 3PM. I was in the checkout line and I woman with three smal children gets behind me. She had an infant in a carry seat, and a boy around 3 years old, and a little girl between 1-2 years old. In other words, she had her hands full. The boy was whining about her not buy a certain kind of cereal. The mom told him she was not buying it, because he only eats the marshmallows, and then the rest goes to waste. Well, he started to cry. Mom held firm, so now he is cry and yelling he wants the cereal. All of his carrying on must of upset thebaby, because the infant starts to fuss.

Me, being the mom of three myself, knows how to tune it all out. I thought nothing of it, other than to feel bad for the mom, who I am sure couldn't wait to get out of there. When I moved up in line, standing in front of the cashier, she was huffing and sighing and telling the bagger how she can't stand kids, and she hates when they come through her line. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It's a supermarket. The boy was clearly over tired and needed a nap. I am sure the mom was not happy he was acting that way, but what could she do? The eye rolling and the sighing of the cashier really got to me.

I should of said something to the cashier to stick up for the frazzled mom, but I live in a very small town, and I didn't want to be pegged the town witch.

What this guy did in Wal-mart is beyond horrifying. He is clearly off his rocker.

 

[agnes!]

The man might have been able to slap my child once, but he wouldn't have lived to slap her a second time.

agnes!

 

[pixiewings71]

I can't even imagine. If someone tried to ever hit my child they would be on the ground faster then they could try for a second slap. It may "take a village" but none of the villagers have permission to strike my child, especially not a toddler! I would have been livid! Just call me Mama Bear but no one has my permission to hit my kids. I'm really glad the public kept him there until the police showed up, that says a lot for the other shoppers there that day.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I had an elder gentleman get verbal with me over my son who was fussing (and non-verbal) b/c he wanted out of the cart.

I didn't allow him to hand me his attitude without a response. Comment how is mother didn't raise him well since he was being rude.

I wonder if the mother stood up for her child, that this could have been prevented. Sometimes--being polite and not dishing back, doesn't really work.


It causes more of a scene when strangers make a stink about ordinary behavior. In my case--I knew what would shut my "mouthy kid" up--but he lost that privilege. (walking).

 

[Darsa]

I am not sure how many posters are just saying they would or really mean it.

I mean it.

 

[KyraS]

All I can say is security would have had to pull me off of him before murder was committed. You do NOT touch my child! I would have freaked on him and I do mean it!

 

[laurie31]

Wow, no words. I have NEVER understood the thinking that hurting someone will make them STOP crying. I totally don't get that.

I hope they keep this guy behind bars. My guess is he's abused other children in the past, and possibly women too.

I'm not sure if I've been in Wal Mart when there ISN'T a crying child somewhere.

 

[EMom]

I admit I don't like kids running wild. But what is inappropriate in one place is just fine in another. Maybe running through a crowded store is a no-no, but running in a park is expected. Last year, I had an encounter with a woman who had delusional expectations of what it should be like to eat at McDonald's.

It was a school holiday and some of us took our kids (preschool to age 8 or so) to a McD's for lunch. It was a new one and we had no idea it had no playland. But we'd all agreed to meet there, so as we arrived one family at a time, we just decided to stay and eat there anyway. We'd go to a park after. The booths there have walls that extend upward for a few feet, so every booth is self-contained, if that makes sense. If you are sitting in one booth next to another booth, there is a wall a few feet high separating you from each other.

The first batch of kids picked a large booth and sat there. They were being normal kids. The younger ones had started to want to wander outside the booth, so we'd told them to sit down and stay in that booth, because other people were trying to eat. It's not like we were ignoring them and letting them do as they pleased. A woman walked in dressed in business attire and she was so tense she could have carried a quarter in her hiney cheeks. She got her food and WHERE did she choose to sit in that whole place??? Yep, right next to our kids. She picked THAT spot.

Then, as they giggled and laughed and told jokes, etc. she got more and more miffed. She rolled her eyes nonstop. (Another mom and I were in a booth facing the kids so we could watch them better....That also let us watch HER better.) Next came the muttering. Then the muttering became a stage whisper, said loudly enough so we could hear....About how "someone" needed to control those kids. At that point, I'd had enough.

I said, "Excuse me, lady. Those kids are doing just fine. They're being kids at a McDonald's. I have a newsflash for you. If you wanted a nice, quiet, peaceful place to eat your lunch, you came to the wrong place. You should have gone to ____ or _____, and not sat next to a booth full of kids at a McDonald's on a school holiday. Is that clear?" Then I think I asked her if she had anything else she wanted to say, but amazingly she'd decided to shut up, shovel down that hamburger and scurry out of there.

BTW, I agree with the previous poster who said the time to have acted was when the old guy threatened to "shut up" the child in Walmart. I'd have called the police then and there and probably have screamed bloody murder to boot. Or gone straight to Customer Service and have security follow him until the police arrive. He broke the law when he threatened the child.

 

[meloneyb21]

He messed with that woman because she was alone and basically vulnerable. I bet he doesn't like children OR women. Yea, he must have had a lifetime full of rejection. Like another poster has said, he looks MI-SER-ABLE!

 

[brockash]

OMG!!!! Who the ___ does he think he is??? That is totally insane and disgusts me. What a complete moron.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Maybe he was just literally doing what Hillary Clinton meant when she said,

"It takes a village to raise a child" ?

Then again maybe he was just an idiot...

I try to be in that mind set in Walmart that customers are a lil..."lax"

One of my Walmart stories..
Although one time I was in walmart one time as these kids were riding bikes up and down the aisles. One almost knocked over a little toddler standing in the aisle. Thank goodness the toddlers mother was able to pull him aside and out of the way. I couldnt help myself yelled at the kids to be careful they almost hit someone. Next thing I know I hear..."Oh I know you just did not yell at MY child!" I turned and this woman was yelling at me. I told her her children almost hit a lil toddler who was now crying from being scared by the whole thing.
Her response "no one yells at my child for no reason" I shrugged and said fine, let me go get security and the store manager. I am sure they have it all on video. At that point she just gave me a dirty look, scream profanities at her children that they needed to leave. I she left the dept area. Didnt see her in the store later so I am guessing she left there as well.

What this guy did was crazy. He should have just left the store.

Not sure exactly what you mean by all that.

Anyway, in response to the OP, I would be absolutely LIVID! My foot would be between his legs before his hand left my child's face.

 

[Liberty Belle]

The man sounds dangerous and was clearly totally out of line. I am not surprised at all that the mother did not hurt the man. I am not sure how many posters are just saying they would or really mean it. I know when my DS was 4 an adult pushed him hard, knocking him to the ground away from the skeeball lane at Chuck E Cheese as he was playing (seems she did not realize his mom was nearby to say anything). My first instinct was not to hurt the idiot, it was to check on my son and comfort him. By the time I was done with that I was calm enough to know the better course of action was to get the manager. I imagine this mom was the same--her gut reaction was to comfort and chcek on her child--not to attack the man.

Who really knows what they'd do until they're in that situation, but I can assure you I do mean it when I say the man would be hurting.

 

[hulagirl87]

I can't even imagine. If someone tried to ever hit my child they would be on the ground faster then they could try for a second slap.

This is exactly what I said to DH this morning when we heard it on the news. I am shocked that he hit the child so many times. I think the mom herself was probably in shock as it happened. You don't expect a complete stranger to come up and smack your child. All I know is I would have given him a piece of my mind. And by mind I mean punch in the face.

 

[zippitydoo]

Wow that is just unacceptable. I am not going to lie me and my Bf are not kid people. But we would never ever think about hitting a crying child that is just not right. If we get annoyed we would just walk away that simple.

 

[metime]

Had that guy been in front of me he would have been taken out just after telling me to shut my kid up. I can't believe he even got in a slap. He would have been missing all his limbs after the first one much less 4 slaps. They sell chainsaws, knives, and guns at Wal-mart.

In fact DH and I are very mild but that man would be physically paying for the rest of his life, which would not have been long enough for the security to get there.

 

[creativeamanda]

I think if he had told me he was going to "shut my kid up" I would be in jail, not him. I have a pretty bad temper when it comes to my kids.

 

[la_la]

OMG, I'm in shock! A total stranger slapping my child...wow, I can't even phatom that! I don't even like my DH fussing at my DD, lol...so I really can't imagine a nasty old man coming up and first off telling me to keep her quiet, and then slapping her himself!! I'm with the others who say that I would have tackled him and pulled out a can of 'mama bear whoop _____'! Really though I am in shock that this man felt it appropriate to slap someone else's child----mind blowing!!!!

 

[metime]

The man sounds dangerous and was clearly totally out of line. I am not surprised at all that the mother did not hurt the man. I am not sure how many posters are just saying they would or really mean it. I know when my DS was 4 an adult pushed him hard, knocking him to the ground away from the skeeball lane at Chuck E Cheese as he was playing (seems she did not realize his mom was nearby to say anything). My first instinct was not to hurt the idiot, it was to check on my son and comfort him. By the time I was done with that I was calm enough to know the better course of action was to get the manager. I imagine this mom was the same--her gut reaction was to comfort and chcek on her child--not to attack the man.

My friend and I were shopping and she stood in line with my dd then 4 while I went to breast feed and change my youngest's diaper. When I got back my friend looked really angry. I asked what happened and she said "I'll tell you in a minute we just need to leave."

I assumed there was some misunderstanding and someone accused her of shoplifting or something. When we got to the car she said "I am so mad I need to calm down. I'll tell you at home."

We got home and she said "give me your keys". I was wondering why. Then she took them and said that while they were in line a large paper 'SALE' sign fell to the floor and almost hit my DD. She said My daughter picked it up off her feet and then a store clerk came over and started yelling at DD4 and screaming at DD how bad and awful she was.

My friend completely told this woman off with respect to the fact that there was a child there and said, "If her mother were here you would not have that finger."

I am not a violent or confrontational person and I am not one of those people who caters to her kids every whim and I dont sugar coat any possible bad experience for my kids, but when some adult sticks their finger in my kid's face, I see that as a threatening gesture.

I am usually very well controlled but I think some people are just more easily set off by certain things and that would be mine. Some adult stranger getting in my kid's face and being confrontational is not going to end up well for the stranger.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Who really knows what they'd do until they're in that situation, but I can assure you I do mean it when I say the man would be hurting.

I am usually very well controlled but I think some people are just more easily set off by certain things and that would be mine. Some adult stranger getting in my kid's face and being confrontational is not going to end up well for the stranger.

I only quoted a couple of people I did not mean that the guy doesn't deserve to have a parent get angry with him, or that it was wrong--I just am surprised that pretty much everyone thinks their initial response would be to hurt the person who hurt their child rather than to comfort their child and be she s/he is okay. I think both are appropriate and reasonable--I was jsut so any people REALLY would mean that anger would overwhelm concern as first response.

 

[Ephany]

He messed with that woman because she was alone and basically vulnerable. I bet he doesn't like children OR women. Yea, he must have had a lifetime full of rejection. Like another poster has said, he looks MI-SER-ABLE!

This was my first thought also. I bet if she had someone with her he wouldn't have approached, let alone touched that poor child. I'd like to say I'd go after him claws a-flying but I probably would be in shock; my first reaction would be to comfort my DD, and then kick him between the legs. DH on the other hand would go ballistic and he's not a little guy. What an evil, twisted little man!