Police say a stranger walked up to a woman in a Stone Mountain Wal-Mart and ordered her to silence her crying 2-year-old. Sonya Matthews told police the man said, “if you don’t shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you.” When the child didn’t stop crying, the man grabbed her and repeatedly slapped her in the face.
The Gwinnett County man, identified as Roger Stephens, 61, was held by a bystander until store security arrived. Stephens was charged with felony cruelty to children. He told police he apologized to Mathews. Obviously Stephens forgot to take his meds to keep his uncontrollable impulses in check.
In his first court appearance yesterday, a judge denied bond for Stephens, who will be held at least until a hearing next week. Prison officials said no one has visited Stephens in jail.
