VA Dad Accused of Kidnapping Because His Mixed-Race Kids 'Don't Fit'
A father-of-three from Virginia who is married to a woman of color was accused by a Walmart security guard of kidnapping his own mixed-race children.
Joseph, of Prince William County, went to Walmart last week with his 4-year-old daughter and two 2-year-old twins.
After leaving the store without incident he drove to pick up Keana, his wife of 10 years, and the entire family returned home together.
Upon arrival, however, the couple was greeted by an officer from the local police department.
"He asks us very sincerely, ‘Hey, I was sent here by Walmart security. I just need to make sure that the children that you have are your own,'" Joseph recalled.
Keana was dumbfounded.
"He took my ID and asked my 4-year-old to point out who her mother and father were," she said.
The officer later explained that a Walmart security guard called the cops to report seeing Joseph with the three children in the parking lot, and thought it was "strange."
Keana says she called Walmart to complain, and was told that it was a customer who brought the matter to the guard's attention.
"Well, the customer was concerned because they saw the children with your husband and he didn't think that they fit," Walmart customer service reportedly told Keana.
The couple says this is sadly not the first time they've encountered such "ignorance," and are speaking out to let others know it still exists.
Walmart has issued a non-statement saying they are "looking into the situation," but Joseph and Keana have already decided never to shop there again.
