Two women were recently arrested in Ocala, Florida, for abandoning a one-year-old child at a Walmart store, according to a report by local TV station Channel 13 News.
A 20-year-old mother and her sister were in the process of leaving the Walmart store with the child when a loss prevention officer confronted the women for allegedly trying to steal swimwear and other apparel into the diaper bags they were carrying. The video from the surveillance cameras then shows the mother sprinting out of the store, followed quickly by her sister, the news source reported. Both women left the child alone.
The loss prevention officer called after the mother to get her child but the woman basically responded that the kid wasn't hers, Ocala police sergeant Chas Meier told the news provider.
The mother and her sister were arrested the following evening at a nightclub. The child has since been placed in foster care by the Department of Children and Families, according to the news station.
By using advanced security solutions, retailers can ensure theft and other crimes do not occur on their property. A recent study by the University of Florida confirmed this, revealing that businesses using surveillance and other tools often fall victim to crime less often.