AP photo of Roger Stephens
A man slapping a stranger's 2-year-old child at a Walmart in Georgia is drawing plenty of interest on the Internet today.
In cases like this I always wonder whether the story would be of significantly less interest to the general public if it happened anywhere but Walmart. The retail giant seems to be a lightning rod for attention in a way that rivals such as Target aren't.
The story of the Walmart slapping, as told by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, involves 61-year-old Roger Stephens slapping the 2-year-old child of Sonya Mathews. The toddler was crying, and Stephens told the mother to shut her up or he'd do it. He then made good on the promise, police said, slapping the child four or five times. Stephens is now in custody,charged with felony cruelty to children. The child has slight redness to the face.
I'm not saying this wouldn't be a big deal no matter where it happened. But the fact that it happened at a rural Walmart in the South just seems to heighten interest and perpetuate the Walmart stereotype.
Comments
The man was wrong and should be treated to the fullest extent of the law. I know I will be accused of speaking out of both sides of the mouth, but ALSO parents have a responsibility to make their children behave in public. Parents at restaurants allow their children to make atrocious messes - just because someone else has to clean it up? If I owned a restaurant and saw parents not controlling their children by having them to not run and shout and allowing them to contemptuously make a mess - I would ask them to control the children or leave. Church - don't even go there. Again, parents have this sense that they should be immune from anyone ever saying anything to their monster children. Guess what? That is why they are monsters.
this guy looks like this incident has been a long time coming, hope he gets life.
There are ignorant people everywhere...clearly, even writing articles on the internet. This man was obviously out of line and not acting like any responsible adult would. Even those in the...gasp...SOUTH! And even if he had been in the middle of Neiman Marcus he would have been wrong and it would have been a horrible act and crime. It also would have received just as much attention. You are missing the point-a grown man slapped another person's child. Period. I get that you were trying to be funny but offending people in the South because of this man's actions...are you that desperate for jokes? How about a little sympathy for the child or the child's parents and wondering what is going on in the world when people are that daring and hateful to do something to a child?
It's easy to say that parents have a responsibility for their child's behavior. But the child is 2 and you don't know why she's crying. She might've not been feeling well or needs a diaper change, who knows. Bottom line, it was wrong! He could've just went to another aisle and come back later or leave the store and go to another Walmart.
GOOD JOB! Its about time someone puts an end to those mothers who bring their annoying children to stores. He should've slapped the mother as well while he was at it!
Just look at the lines and facial expression on the guy's forehead and face. Obviously he has his own personal issues and took it out on the child. I'm making that assumption. He has no right to hit/slap a stranger's child. None. If it were my child, my immediate thinking is that someone would be claiming his body from the morgue instead from the Detention Center. The guy had a chance to walk away from the noise instead of following them to another aisle. He chose the latter and his own stupidity to gain his 15 minute of fame. Unfortunately that's kind of fame he has permanently imprinted for himself. As for the mother of the child, we don't know if she was trying to quiet down the child or not(nothing indicates it). I hope she was doing something about it before the cowardly jerk came along. I'm looking for a punishment for the jerk's stupidity. Hmmm, does anyone have a good and strong leather belt?
"I'm not saying this wouldn't be a big deal no matter where it happened. But the fact that it happened at a rural Walmart in the South just seems to heighten interest and perpetuate the Walmart stereotype."
Sure you're not. What does the South have to do with it? Look at Michigan, VIRGINIA, California, freakin' pathetic states. People are flocking to live in the South because it's a better place to live. Your comments, from one journalist to another, are pathetic, just like your home state. Bring your ass to Texas if you want see a real state, one that could buy and sell your crappy little state God knows how many times over. You're a disgrace and a hack. So, keep posting these cruddy little stories, but you should take your picture down, it's hardly flattering. In fact, I'd venture to say you're kinda ugly.
That's another thing, you want to see beautiful people, c'mon down South. Not that you could score one of them ladies (dudes) you ugly writer you.
Burn in Hell. God Bless.
I worked in retail for a long time and it never ceases to amaze me how parents seem oblivious to their children's behavior.But this is all a result of Psychologists taking over parenting way back in the '60's with the "happy chair" mentality that parents shouldn't discipline their children. I also blame these doctors who enable poor parenting with Ritalin and Prozac, drugging the nation's children with the overused diagnosis of ADD all because people who want to live above their means by working 24/7 leave parenting to schools and babysitters. Sure the guy went over board touching someone else's child, but remember the days of June Cleaver? In short, parent your kids, or dont have them...buy a gold fish they are much less responsibility, but dont expect the rest of the world to suffer because you're negligent and/or too lazy to raise respectable polite children...course then again the apple doesn't fall far from the tree now does it?
Thorendan I guess you don't have kids, God forbid you let them into Church. No wonder attendance at churches are declining because of grouchy old people like you!!
I definately agree with "southernladys" comment. For the record...Sal...your an idiot....i hope to catch you crying in public so i can slap you too! Then i'll slap your parents for raising such an idiot! The bottom line is that its against the law to cause harm to another human being no matter what state you live in. For the record...there were a lot of good points made. Yes, parents have obligation to raise their children and to teach them how to behave in public but children also need the opportunity to grow up, learn, and be accountable for their actions. Lets not lose sight of the situation, a 61 year old man slapped 2 year old. I'm more than sure everyone cried at some point and time while they were 2! Just think of how you would have felt if everyone in the store would have hauled off and slapped you just because you were crying! As previously stated...we dont even know why this child was crying!
To Ava: You say maybe the kid wasn't feeling well, or needed a diaper change - and that's why she was crying... If she wasn't feeling well, she probably shouldn't have been dragged through the Wow-Mart now, should she have?! And if she needed a diaper - well, then maybe mom should've changed her before dragging her around the Wow-Mart... What the guy did was clearly over the edge - but I sure wouldn't make any excuses as to why the kid was hollering. I absolutely hate screaming kids, and will go well out of my way to get away from them wherever I am - this guy should've done the same thing. But please, don't make it all about why the kid was crying - because if she didn't feel well, was overly tired, or had a dirty diaper - well, none of that is our responsibility now, is it?
If I were this woman I would have picked up the nearest object in the store and blasted him with it. Too bad someone didn't.
what the hell is wrong with you SAL?? He had no right slapping some one else's child. If I was that mother I probably would of went to jail with him for beating the hell out of him. Yea its annoying to some peoples kids crying all the time, but he could of left that check out stand and went to another.
The "Rural South" huh? I have a hard time picturing any county of 800,000 people, most of whom are transplants from outside the region, as the "rural south". Furthermore, when you consider Gwinnett County has three minority groups of double digit population percentages, pointing to this as the rural south seems laughable to me.
If this happened in what I consider the rural south, it's more likely the headline would read "Man shot dead after attacking defenseless two year old child" or "Baby attacker in surgery to remove parent's foot from anus."
Before you hang the mother out to dry, we don't know whey that child was crying. She could have hurt herself on the cart (my son and daughter both have gotten fingers caught), or maybe she was in a bad mood and started tantruming when mom told her "no". Don't assume that mom didn't change a diaper that was dirty when she arrived at the Wal-Mart, or that mom just lets her kid misbehave. Most parents do their best to keep their kids in line, particularly in public settings - so give them a break, they have their hands full. Children are still learning social etiquette at age 2, are very unpredictable, and sometimes mom just HAS to let him/her cry it out. The fact is this total stranger walked up and hit someone. Nevermind that the someone was a child - he assaulted another human being. If you still think its mom's fault, then you deserve to have your own beat-down by a complete stranger the next time you go shopping (and here's to that stranger being a mom).
Nicole - I go out of my way to avoid whiney bitches. Seems like we've never run into each other before. Think it's a coincidence?
How is suburban Atlanta the rural South? It's not even a distant suburb. It's 22 miles from downtown Atlanta.
I would have F***ed him up. Old or young, sane or crazy I would have f***ed him up. Hint. Let me tell you something about babies that you might not know, they cry. Like it or not babies cry, thats what they do. Well behaved or not most kids under the age of 5 will act out if they feel liked they been wronged. Thorendan, I bet you don't even have kids that is why your comment is a waste. Even if you do then something is wrong with you bececause kids will be kids and I believe yours are robots.
Before you hang the mother out to dry, we don't know whey that child was crying. She could have hurt herself on the cart (my son and daughter both have gotten fingers caught), or maybe she was in a bad mood and started tantruming when mom told her "no". Don't assume that mom didn't change a diaper that was dirty when she arrived at the Wal-Mart, or that mom just lets her kid misbehave. Most parents do their best to keep their kids in line, particularly in public settings - so give them a break, they have their hands full. Children are still learning social etiquette at age 2, are very unpredictable, and sometimes mom just HAS to let him/her cry it out. The fact is this total stranger walked up and hit someone. Nevermind that the someone was a child - he assaulted another human being. If you still think its mom's fault, then you deserve to have your own beat-down by a complete stranger the next time you go shopping (and here's to that stranger being a mom).
For all you freakin morons who are condoning what this guy did. You need a good a.. kickin. Who in their right mind would ever think it is ok for a complete stranger to come up and start slapping a kid he's never met! I have 2 nieces that I love to death, and if anyone ever laid a hand on them I would be in prison for beatin the SOB to death with my bear hands. This is not a case of an unruly child. THE KID IS 2 YEARS OLD! There's a reason they call em terrible 2's. Chances are a kid that yound won't even understand why she's being spanked, much less slapped by that friggin a-hole
I'd have shoved my Glock up his nose rather hard and told him,"Slap this!"
ChuckBob
I would have done the same and then do the same to the mother for having the little brat.
Oh and if by "Glock" you mean your knock off Gucci bag then bring it.
"Would do the same"... Gucci Bag? Your a douche bag! Go find a shopping mall and leave the comments to us grown ups, K sweetheart!
My Glock "bag"is made in Austria and holds seven rounds of Federal Hydra-Shock .45 ACP. It's the type of "bag" that makes a lasting impression.
I would rather run away from the nasty 2 Y/o brat and his "care-less" mommy than deal with this. Anyway if the mommy don't know how to handle the baby, she should have a lesson. Why all the customers have to be subjected to such behaviour? Mom should be a bit smarter.
Not every child is the same, the same approach will not work with every child, and none of us knows why that Mom was in the store. Maybe she needed to pick up diapers, medicine, or food (god forbid) and had no one to watch the child for her for crying out loud! Who cares? She had the right to be there. He had the right to walk away, but apparently not the presence of mind to do so.
Children are a normal product of every society. Don't like them? Stay home! Go to an adults-only resort. Children are no worse than some adults who should at least know better by that point. Some are definitely better than others, but for every lousy parent out there, there is another who tries hard but whose child is simply difficult.
I can't believe someone would even attempt to defend/understand the assaulting of a two year old by an adult who should be able to control himself better. Maybe some of you should be lamenting HIS parents teachings.
I hope the "Friendly People" in the county jail F*** him up so bad he ends up in the hospital.
Ahh, he would have gotten the s*** slap out of him, touching my child, actually when I got done with him, he would think twice before touching anybody else's child.
Are you kidding? This guy is a HERO!!! You twits don't knwo how to make your children behave and you bring them into public allowing them to act like animals. The only mistake he made is that he should have slapped the mother, who is responsible for her child's misbehavior!
To MD Mom:
"Before you hang the mother out to dry..."
The man had threatened the mother beforehand, he approached her and said "Shut that kid up or I'll shut her up for you!" why did she not report him?
Why did she, minutes later, allow this twitchy wacko to get close enough to her child to grab and slap her?
Have you seen video of this guy? He's scary looking and I'm a grown woman!
Mom was oblivious! Oblivious to her child crying and oblivious to the wacko.
I can't even imagine what my reaction would be to the threat!
There is absolutely no question about someone slapping someone else's child. It's assault! I don't believe in hitting any child under any circumstance!
Parents aren't parenting their kids anymore - they ignore tantrums in public places and believe everyone should just have to live with their appalling parenting skills.
If your child is misbehaving remove him/her from the situation - it's not rocket science OR particularly hard to do!
Hey "i'm a mean person" how about tossing me your address, I can come slap you around and see how you like it...prick
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