Child used in shoplifting scheme, then abandoned

[CrimsonTide4]

Child used in shoplifting scheme, then abandoned
By The Associated Press



Police are looking for three women who abandoned a girl at a grocery store after allegedly leading her into a life of crime.



(6/13/03 - HOUSTON) — A 7-year-old girl has been in foster care since she was abandoned in a grocery store earlier this week by her mother and two other people following a botched shoplifting scheme.


Investigators have not been able to locate the girl's home, her mother or the other two women since the shoplifting attempt at the Randall's grocery store Monday night, Sugar Land police Det. Marshall Slot said.


"(The girl) has been able to tell us that she attends an elementary school. She has not been able to give us the name or her address or the neighborhood or anything like that," Slot said in Friday's editions of the Houston Chronicle.

The shoplifting scheme, which was caught on tape by a surveillance camera in the store, began when two women walked into the store and were recognized by the manager as repeat shoplifters.

"So he started watching them and then called police before anything actually occurred, so we already had an officer on the way to the scene," Slot said.

The women filled a hand-carried basket with about $95 worth of hygiene products, set it down inside the store near the front door and left.

Slot said the women sent the girl into the store, but the child could not immediately locate the basket.

"One of the adults entered the store partially and pointed out the basket," he said.

The child picked the basket up, ran outside and headed for a car that was waiting. But the manager followed the girl and grabbed her before she could get in the car, Slot said.

The women drove away in a red Chevrolet Corsica just as a police car pulled into the parking lot, leaving the girl behind.

Police were not able to say if the girl's mother was one of the women who came into the store, but the child identified the driver of the car as her mother.

Because of her age, the girl does not face any criminal charges in connection with the attempted shoplifting.

Slot said investigators are trying to find her mother and the other two women, who are believed to be relatives.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Honeykiss1974]

I say we gather up a large group of black grandmomma's with belts, house shoes, extension cords, whatever, and just let them have at it with these women!

WTH is going on with parents these days?!?!????

[BLUTANG]

I say we gather up a large group of black grandmomma's with belts, house shoes, extension cords, whatever, and just let them have at it with these women!

AND we have to make sure these women get their own switch from the tree in grandma's front yard.

we really must be living in the last days when people use their kids like this...but i hope the little girl can remember her address and whatnot. seven years old is a little late to not have your address, phone number, and mommy's last name memorized.

[blackerican]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
I say we gather up a large group of black grandmomma's with belts, house shoes, extension cords, whatever, and just let them have at it with these women!

WTH is going on with parents these days?!?!????

OK.....what in the world!!!??? I agree with you Honeykiss....whip their azz!!! What is the world coming too????

[Dionysus]

I think these people need more than a whipping.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Dionysus
I bet the parents were whipped as children.

What they need is Jesus.

But, I know I should not be talking.

I am mad as hell that this happened. Too many scandalous parents with very little scruples.

[9dstpm]

Last year, I had a client at the agency like the little girl. This youth was 14-15 and was living with her grandmother and 2 aunts (the mom died some time back and dad was MIA). The g'ma and the aunts would shoplift things from TJ Maxx and then try to return them to get money. Once, they had the girl do this. She got caught and the g'ma and the aunts left her behind while she went to juvie. In juvie, the girl admitted that the g'ma and the aunts had put her up to the crime with the threat of kicking her out of the house if she refused. The police let her go and sent her to the agency to stay while CPS located a foster home for her and they arrested the g'ma and the aunts.

This is so sad to see children getting used for such devious purposes.

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally posted by BLUTANG
Seven years old is a little late to not have your address, phone number, and mommy's last name memorized.

It isn't if your parents have never taught it to you. The only that the child probably knows is her own name and that's because she is called by it and must write it in school. Everything else is secondary. If her mom is having her shoplift and would actually LEAVE HER for CPS to pick up, then I am quite sure there isn't any one-on-one time going on at home.

Some women shouldn't be allowed to reproduce...

[cash78mere]

this whole story is just sickening.

some people should not be allowed to have children.

this poor little girl--she obviously has no support from anyone and must feel so alone and confused.

they should lock these women away for the rest of their lives and adopt that child out to a loving family who will actually care for her

[Jill1228]

What she said! They need some bitch slapping!

We had a similiar situation yesterday at the store I work at. A woman left her kids ages 5, 3 and 3 months in the CAR while she went and decided to shoplift. She got busted with about $400 in baby clothes and other stuff. She was cuffed and taken out the back door and CPS was sent to retrieve her kids.

WTF was she thinking?

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
I say we gather up a large group of black grandmomma's with belts, house shoes, extension cords, whatever, and just let them have at it with these women!

WTH is going on with parents these days?!?!????