Keep Bailing

Ok, I’ve gotta comment on this story because I can relate to it on so many different levels: parent, bail bondsman, Walmart shopper, on-looker… but first the story:

A 61-year-old Georgia man named Roger Stephens was held without bail yesterday for slapping a two-year old child at Walmart. Stephens was upset that the child was crying. He warned the mother, Sonya Matthews, that he would “shut that baby up” if Matthews couldn’t stop her daughter’s cries by herself.

When the child continued to cry, Stephens followed through on his threat. He slapped the 2-year-old Paige Matthews “across the face approximately four or five times,” according to the Gwinnett County Police Department report. Of course, the child screamed and cried even more after being assaulted, but Stephens said to the mother, “See, I told you I would shut her up.” He was arrested for felony cruelty to children and held without bond at the Gwinnett County Detention Center.

Ok, so as a parent and a member of society: What? Was this guy stoned or just stupid?! I cannot imagine any person repeatedly slapping a small child.

(As the mother of a former crying two year old: that was such a hard situation out in public with an inconsolable child, just trying to get through it without stares and comments…)

Now, as a bail bondsman, I fear that call from this guys’ relatives who say, “There must be a mistake. My brother would never behave that way…” You get the picture; yup, it comes with the territory. Then, spending 30 minutes or more explaining why there’s no bail.

Ok, really pushing my buttons: I hate Walmart. (It’s my mother’s favorite store, BTW.) Not that there’s anything innately wrong with Walmart, but I’d rather eat a bug than even have to navigate the parking lot. Then you get inside to cranky old people and cranky two year olds.

But still, will this guy have a psych eval?

Photocredit: © Mehmet Dilsiz – Fotolia.com