- "Roger Stephens, 61, was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree cruelty to children. An incident report obtained from police in Gwinnett County indicated Stephens did not know the 2-year-old girl he stands accused of hitting. The confrontation happened shortly before noon at the Walmart in Stone Mountain, a suburb of Atlanta. According to the arresting officer, the child's mother said her daughter was crying as they walked down one of the aisles. The mother said a stranger later identified as Stephens approached them and said: "If you don't shut the baby up, I will shut her up for you."
A few moments later, while the mother and the crying child were in another aisle, Stephens allegedly grabbed the girl and slapped her across the face. Police said he hit her four or five times. "See, I told you I would shut her up," the suspect allegedly told the mother. Authorities described "slight redness" to the toddler's face. Before he was arrested, Stephens apologized to the mother for striking the girl, the incident report said."
Here's the thing. We've all been to Walmart and heard a screaming toddler. We've all been to Walmart and heard a screaming parent. You know what I'm talking about. It usually goes something like this:
"Billy! You stop it. You stop screaming right now or else I'm not going to give you Cheetos and Kool-Aid for dinner! If you don't stop it, I'm gonna feed you vegetables. VEGETABLES!!! Did you hear me? Healthy food!!"
And then after that she shouts:
"Now take your two year old butt and go get Mama some Busch Ice like I told you to!"
Then she shakes her head in exasperation and mumbles to herself:
"When is your Daddy gonna get outta jail???...(pause)... I hope he's your daddy...we'll find out on Maury next month."
I swear, I hear this conversation every time I enter the automatic doors of Walmart. I know what I'm getting myself into. And I know that I not only think about tsk-tsking the screaming toddler - I think about slapping the screaming parent silly. The thought just tickles me from the inside out. But here's the deal, yo.
It's none of my business. When I see this type of occurrence, I just keep walking. I hold my head high. And silently judge. That's what normal people do, right? In that moment, I'm just grateful it's not my toddler who's not having the meltdown. Cause that's happened too. Many a time.
Here's what gets me. This man (he looks just evil, right?) took it upon himself to correct someone else's child - and not only that - he did it by slapping her in the face 4 to 5 times. The little girl is two. And it was close to nap time. Now I'm not blaming the mom for the screaming child here, but...okay, I'm blaming the mom. If you take your two year old in public during naptime - it's never going to be pretty. But I understand. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, and if that means bringing along a tired toddler, then...
I tried to put myself in that mother's shoes (whether they be Jimmy Choo or Faded Glory) and I can honestly tell you that although I would like to think that I would react in a mature and calm matter...I'm certian that would not have happened. I would have gone all sorts of Chris Brown on his hiney...I'm just sayin'.
...it sounds really tough when I say hiney, huh?
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