Stranger slapped crying child at store

[goldenryan]

Mother Forgives Alleged Baby Slapper - Atlanta News Story - WGCL Atlanta

Police: Wal-Mart Shopper Slaps Crying Child
Roger Stephens Charged With Felony Cruelty To Children

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- A Wal-Mart shopper who became so angry about a crying child that he allegedly slapped the girl in the face is due in court Thursday morning, officials announced Wednesday.

Investigators said the incident happened Monday at the Stone Mountain store on Rockbridge Road.

A police report said the man, Roger Stephens, 61, of Stone Mountain, had warned the child’s mother, Sonya Mathews, that if she didn’t quiet down the child, he would do it for her.


According to the report, after the mother failed to quiet the girl, Stephens came up to them and slapped the child several times in the face.

The report then quotes Stephens as saying, “See, I told you I would shut her up.”

Mathews then screamed at Stephens and called for security, the report said. Stephens was stopped by another shopper, according to the report.

The girl, identified in the report as Paige Mathews, 2, was not injured, but did suffer some redness in the face. She was treated at the scene and released, the report said.

Stephens was charged with cruelty with children in the first degree, which is a felony.

what the hell is wrong with some people slapping a 2yr old child ..smh..

[Zemo]

Yea, should of slapped her mother.

[TEXASFETT]

Well people are still in that old school way of life that was very strict.Its just the generation which he grow up in,and bet he got frustrated.Probably said to himself that the girl doesn't know how to control her daughter,and he showed her how it's done!!!!.But in the end he got in trouble for it.

[goldenryan]

you just can't go around hitting other peoples kids. you don't see me drop kicking your kids for talking when i'm trying to watch a movie. even if i have thought about it.

[jessica]

you just can't go around hitting other peoples kids. you don't see me drop kicking your kids for talking when i'm trying to watch a movie. even if i have thought about it.

[toysforlife]

My problem is with the mom for letting this happen at all. if someone approached or even said something like that to one of my three , I would have been all over them . Some older people are just grumpy , but he would have met his maker with me.

[The Bat]

Man, it's something we've always wanted to do...but most of us have that Filter that stops us.

[livnxxxl]

Personally, I love the scene in one of Jim Carey's movies "Me Myself and Irene" when he is dunking that screaming little girl in the water fountain. Wrong answer F-face!!

Some kids are smart enough to know exactly what they are doing and they also know that in most cases nothing will ever be done to them as a result. I bet it was a complete and total surprise to the kid that something actually did happen this time. Even know it was the wrong thing to do by todays standards. Perhaps the kid will think twice the next time it starts acting a fool in public.

[goldenryan]

Some kids are smart enough to know exactly what they are doing and they also know that in most cases nothing will ever be done to them as a result. I bet it was a complete and total surprise to the kid that something actually did happen this time. Even know it was the wrong thing to do by todays standards. Perhaps the kid will think twice the next time it starts acting a fool in public.

the girl in the story was only 2.

[Gorn Captain]

Since I don't have any kids myself, I have to slap other people's.

[huedell]

... Even know it was the wrong thing to do by
todays standards. Perhaps the kid will think twice the next time it starts
acting a fool in public....

It's never been "the standard" to hit other people's kids.

Personally when I see/hear this stuff going on, I emphasize
with the parent----I wouldn't even THINK of what that guy did
let alone DO it. Geesh.

[rche]

Personally, I love the scene in one of Jim Carey's movies "Me Myself and Irene" when he is dunking that screaming little girl in the water fountain. Wrong answer F-face!!

Some kids are smart enough to know exactly what they are doing and they also know that in most cases nothing will ever be done to them as a result. I bet it was a complete and total surprise to the kid that something actually did happen this time. Even know it was the wrong thing to do by todays standards. Perhaps the kid will think twice the next time it starts acting a fool in public.

Sure don't sound like you have any kids triple x. The world looks a bit different when you do.

If anyone was threatening my kids, no matter how off they were behaving, I would have told them to back off. If they had actually struck one of my children, you would be reading the story about the guy that punched the geezer out at Wal-Mart instead. Violence begets violence, you know.

[livnxxxl]

Sure don't sound like you have any kids triple x. The world looks a bit different when you do.

If anyone was threatening my kids, no matter how off they were behaving, I would have told them to back off. If they had actually struck one of my children, you would be reading the story about the guy that punched the geezer out at Wal-Mart instead.

You are absolutely right. I do not have any kids by choice. I really blame the parents for not teaching their kids better to begin with.

[livnxxxl]

It's never been "the standard" to hit other people's kids.

Personally when I see/hear this stuff going on, I emphasize
with the parent----I wouldn't even THINK of what that guy did
let alone DO it. Geesh.

Was it a "hit" or was it just a slap? There is a BIG diference. If I hit you you would defiitely feel it. If I slapped you...you would live to tell about it. I am not for sure I was not there to witness what actually took place. I am just going by what the story read.

[livnxxxl]

Even though I do not have any kids I get it. I realize that people that do have kids want to protect them and watch out for their best interests.