Cobb County police said that a man fled after being caught shoplifting at an Atlanta mall and abandoned his 11-year-old boy in late December.
James Calvin Smith allegedly stole a bag and then stuffed it with $852 worth of clothing and perfume from a Macy’s at the Cumberland Mall before he was confronted by a loss prevention officer. Police say he pushed her out of his way and then assaulted a director of security.
“During that physical struggle, the subject bit the director of security’s arm in order to get away,” said Cobb County Police Sgt. Eric Smith.
In order to escape arrest, Smith ran away and abandoned his child, who was in a car at the parking lot of the mall.
“He had left the mall with his child still in the vehicle. So essentially, he abandoned the child,” continued Smith.
The arrest warrant said that the boy “stated multiple times he was scared and started to cry.”
Investigators added, “Officers were at the vehicle for a while and the male never came back to check on his child.”
WAGA-TV spoke to several shoppers outside of the mall who were appalled at the story.
“As a teacher, it just breaks my heart. As a mother, a human being, why would you leave your child?” said Teal Bird.
“There’s absolutely no excuse for abandoning a child in a car,” said Meghan Elliott. “Why shoplift anyway? I mean there are jobs out there for people to be getting, there’s help out there. I don’t understand why you shoplift and risk your kid.”
There is an active warrant against Smith for battery, simple battery, theft by shoplifting, and cruelty to children in the second degree.
The boy was left in the custody of a responsible adult, police said.
Here’s a news report about the incident:
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