Stranger Slaps Crying Child In Wal-Mart

[Keith B]

From http://www.wsbtv.com/news/20682576/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- A total stranger is accused of slapping a fussy 2-year-old in a Wal-Mart in Stone Mountain.

Authorities say the girl and her mother were shopping at Wal-Mart on Tuesday morning when the toddler began to cry.

Roger Stephens, 61, approached the mother and told her, "If you don't shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you."

Moments later, Stephens grabbed the 2-year-old girl and slapped her at least four times and told the mother, "See, I told you I would shut her up."

The child began screaming and Stephens walked away.

Another shopper stopped Stephens until store security arrived.

Police say an examination showed the girl sustained slight redness to the face.

Stephens was jailed without bond on several charges including felony cruelty to children.

I know what I would have done. Let the discussion begin!

[Purplehood]

I tend to leave folks alone that are smacking their kids, as a few of them do need to be smacked. But I would draw the line at some total stranger coming up and presuming that they can do it for me. That was simple assault. Not being there to witness it, I am surprised that someone didn't drop the old guy to the floor and administer a similar punishment.

[blc]

This didn't happen in Texas.

It does make me wonder... Although I would be infuriated, it is not exactly cause to draw on him unless there is reason to believe he will poses a larger threat?!

Interested to see what y'all think.

[pbwalker]

I wouldn't draw on him...I would just reciprocate with a similar action. One exception is, my hands wouldn't be open.

[TDDude]

If this story is true, and I would have my doubts sine it came from an American media source, the old dude needs to go to jail.

Drawing down on him? Nope.

Busting him across the chops if it were my kid he slapped?? OHHH YEAH!!

Sometimes the best way to keep a kid from having a tantrum is to ignore them. Of course, I was never very good at that tecnique. When mine were little, my method of dealing with a tantrum was to grab the kids ear and pull. I learned that trick watching the wild horse races as a kid. The cowboys would bite down on the horses ear to settle it down while his partner saddled up. I didn't bite my kids ear but a good solid grip apllied with pressure inversly to the volume of the screams always worked and never raised any eyebrows from passers by.

However, it is the parents job to do this. Not some stranger.

[C-dub]

From http://www.wsbtv.com/news/20682576/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"If you don't shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you."

The moment these words left his lips he would have regretted it. He would not have had the chance to slap my child.

[LaserTex]

EXACTLY! and then threaten to shot him in the face

D

[dicion]

EXACTLY! and then threaten to shot him in the face

D

You even maintained the grammar.
Good show, sir.

[mymojo]

This didn't happen in Texas.

It does make me wonder... Although I would be infuriated, it is not exactly cause to draw on him unless there is reason to believe he will poses a larger threat?!

Interested to see what y'all think.

I disagree. I have a three year old and I can guarantee you that if a grown stranger threatened to do her harm and then grabbed her and hit her, he'd be dead before he could raise hisr hand a second time. And I doubt that, in Texas, there'd be a grand jury that would indict for it (assuming any prosecutor would even file charges)

[sig229fan]

If this story is true, and I would have my doubts sine it came from an American media source, the old dude needs to go to jail.

Drawing down on him? Nope.

Busting him across the chops if it were my kid he slapped?? OHHH YEAH!!

Sometimes the best way to keep a kid from having a tantrum is to ignore them. Of course, I was never very good at that tecnique. When mine were little, my method of dealing with a tantrum was to grab the kids ear and pull. I learned that trick watching the wild horse races as a kid. The cowboys would bite down on the horses ear to settle it down while his partner saddled up. I didn't bite my kids ear but a good solid grip apllied with pressure inversly to the volume of the screams always worked and never raised any eyebrows from passers by.

However, it is the parents job to do this. Not some stranger.

[casingpoint]

Toddlers are extremely susceptible to brain damage from repeated blows to the head. Sounds like something approaching justifiable homicide of the assailant to protect the child. That bozo was skating on thin ice. Skip all the ninja/rambo/I woulda done this and that stuff. Suffice to say failure where children are in jepoardy is not an option.

[boomerang]

However, it is the parents job to do this. Not some stranger.

The stranger should be slapping the parent instead.

[Charles L. Cotton]

If a stranger picks up my granddaughter from a shopping cart, he graduates from stranger to kidnapper. That's a very risky line of work.

Chas.

[casingpoint]

a very risky line of work

Fatal at times.

[dicion]

a very risky line of work

Fatal at times.

Preferrably, All the time.