Bond Denied For Stranger Who Slapped Crying 2-Year-Old

Sandra Rose September 3, 2009

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.

Source

Anna

Why is it that when I heard this story I knew this dude had to be white. Why does it seem that the mother is stupid. He did not hit this baby once, but several times. My mommy instinct would have beat his ass.
Daisy

OHHHHHHHHHH I been waiting on you to post this story!

I can’t believe that mother let somebody talk slick to her about her child and then hit the child 4-5x WTH! HAIL NAW!

He would have needed an ambulance in addition to the police once I finished with him.

The callers on V103 were funny yesterday talking about this situation.
KayCeiSoul

The man looks like Mr. Wilson off Dennis the Menace. I was feeling some type of way immediately after hearing it. I do know that it was wrong for Mr. Wilson to slap someone else’s child, but I can empathize about what drove him there. His nerves were bad, the child kept hollering – he should have just left the store.
http://twitter.com/LaydeeJustice LadyJustice

me and this man would have been fighting. some NERVE he has
melinla

There is no way in hell I would have let this cracker azz cracker (in my best Chris Rock voice) hit my child more than once….and he would have to be awful quick to get that first slap in….
KayCeiSoul

What I don’t understand is how he was in one piece after actually carrying out those slaps. He would have gotten shook like a pit bull was on that azz. Aww yeah…I go hard for mines. Kudos to the Mom, because she was reserved in the heat of combat.
Daisy

I bet the mama will say she was in shock or something like that. I dont even have kids but I dont play that! Who are you to touch my child chile please! YT folks only couldnt have been a black mama lol
pinky2083

I know I’ve wanted to do this on many occasions, but never would!! I can’t believe he actually had the nerve to do this.
KaraZ

pinky I’m with you, I’ve wanted to body slam many spoiled brats in public places, triggering my migraines with their loud ass noises, and bish slap their guardians for allowing their bad behavior to fly, but I’ve never done it.
mizzdallas

@pinky & Karaz

I thought I was the only one that felt that way at times. I dont feel guilty now, I wanted to kick the mama for letting the babies run all over people and screaming and shyt.. I wanted to slap them damn fast tale azz girls poppin that gum and rolling they damn eyez… ok thats enough now
KayCeiSoul

@ 8&9 – I feel y’all. That’s why I understood the escalation process for this man, but not the carrying out of his actions.

I was registering my son for high school, and there was someone’s little 3 or 4 year old sister, cute as a button, but throwing a hellion of a tantrum. Her mother just kept on writing…kept on writing…didn’t even look up from the paperwork. That baby was nervousing the heck out of me, but I would have NEVER thought to hit the baby, or even check the mother. You can catch a hot and ready right in the mouth sometimes just for checking some of the mothers about the crying babies. Heck – I just leave.
Daisy

Just think had they been on a plane and the kid wouldn’t stop crying wow I just can’t believe he thought that was ok and not all crying kids are brats are they?
Daisy

@Mizz I cant stand gum popping ghetto girls or loud talking cell phone ghetto girls I dont want to hear how pookie n ray ray came through last night UGGGH!
Charles

Daisy

Didn’t you just say u were 5’3

I think the ambulance would’ve been called for you

*now how do I do that coffee thing*

:cof:
mizzdallas

@daisy

have you check out tameka tweets dang she had alot of people coming at her I feel bad for her now..
Daisy

@Charles dont let the smooth taste fool you that is all
Daisy

@Mizz yes and I said it before and I will say it again I never understood why she had so many ppl taking shots at her as if Usher was going to marry any of them lol She was making good points last night about CB as well.
mizzdallas

charles dont let the height fool you Im 5’1 and Ive been none to kick azz back in the day now I dont do that anymore Im too much of a grown azz woman today for that unless provoke! lol!
KaraZ

See I don’t let teenagers get away with it, if you are being unnecessarily loud and rude, I will say something to you about it. The most these little girls do is mutter, but they sure do move along and STFU, which is my desired reaction anyways.
melinla

When I visited my friend in Dallas a (white)lady came over to our table to tell my friend that her son was “very disturbing to her meal” because he’s a screamer. Thing is she was across the the restaurant and my friend was getting ready to take him outside cause she knows it can annoy other people. My thing is just asked to be moved…children are just that.
mizzdallas

Daisy

just all kinds of nasty words being thrown at her b/c she is giving her honest opionion about cb/rhianna…

And then too why do you follow people if you dont like what they say just unfollow thats sooo hella stupid too me
mizzdallas

@melinia

Hey! girl, when did you come to dallas? and where did you?
Daisy

@Mizz I never understood that either like u said un follow the world will not end lol
miamore73

I can’t figure out if the mother was in shock when it happened. Did it happen like really fast and she didn’t have a chance to react. I just can’t fathom standing there while someone smacked my two year old.

How do you not immediately turn into a beast and just attack??
miamore73

@Charles the ambulance probably would have taken me but that’s what it would have gotten down to.
melinla

Hey Mizz – I was there about 2 weeks ago for the weekend. My friend lives in Oak Cliff??? It was near downtown. We were eating at Papdouix (sp) when that happened….
heavn_sent

Funny thing is: I was in the store on Monday and my son was having a hellafied tantrum!! I mean, like I had to look at him a few times to make sure that he was mine. Well, I put him in the cart because I was not about to have him falling all over the floor (sidebar: Be careful what you pray for ladies b/c God has a sense of humor. I asked for a strong, healthy, physically and mentally, son. Didn’t think about what that meant in the toddler years! ) Anywho: So my husband calls and I put him on speaker to talk to the little !@#$^ ..I mean my precious baby boy.. (AND what is that about??? Daddy can say, “Sit down.” and he does it? But I have to be ’bout to karate chop that lil bama before he listens) Again I digress: So, I say “are you ready to go?” And I hear this man say, Yes.” I ignore it, b/c there’s no reason for him to be talking to me. And my son, who seems to have regained his senses after speaking to his Dad, says, “Where are we going?” Before I can answer, I hear the same man say, “Any where..long as it’s out of here.” WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT! Where they do that at??
Now for the record, I am a professional AND a Christian, and I haven’t been in a fight since the 90’s! BUT I’m a Mama first and I ain’t graduate from Cardozo SHS, that school up on the hill.. to be lettin NOBODY carry me or say ANYTHING to around, or about my baby..that I can hear! Before I even thought about it I swung around and said, “Excuse me? Did you say something?” The punk didn’t answer, so I got a little closer..Yes, I know my son was there, so I kept one eye on him, but I asked again..And again, nothing.. So I said, “that’s what I thought.” I finished my shopping and I left.
In hindsight, I should’ve let it go..but I was already upset from my son’s actions, so he was just next in line for a butt-whooping.
mizzdallas

I went to school in OC aka the hood!

if you were near downtown then you at the oaklawn where all the “how u doins” be at lol!

did you enjoy you stay in dallas?

I always ask people that because when I travel outside of texas people always ask me the same…
mizzdallas

@heaven sent

girl! you wrote an essay! lol!

I wonder do boys respect there fathers first before there mothers? Im asking I dont have any kids and I grew up w/o my father
aqtpie

WOW!!!
heavn_sent

@dallas: I know..LOL.. I was trying not to, but I had to put all of the info in..and I kept having thoughts as I was typing.
As far as the boys respecting fsthers, DEFINITELY! It’s totally different. Not to say that he doesn’t ever listen to me, but Mommy and Daddy just don;t get treated equally. My husband is good at correcting him when it comes to me though: Don;’ give Mommy a hard time..Don’t talk to Mommy like that, etc.
Anna

@heavn_sent Says:
~~~~~~
Every word was necessary, it’s ok to write a book. That was too funny. I am glad you said something to him. If he was upset with a kid acting up, he should have kept being noisy and listen to hubby calm his child down via speakerphone and praised you.
iscream

Foul.. FOUL like a dead rat smell Foul.

Parenthood is overrated if you ask me. Nothing better than hearing new parents of kids under 1 talk about how great it is… I just look at them and say talk to me in a few years… all the cuteness goes out the window.

I can’t wait for child to talk…. I wish this kid would be quite.

I can’t wait for child to walk… I wish this kid would stay out of stuff.

I had to catch myself when once saying I can’t wait till my son is old enough to go to the store for me… nope, that means he’s old enough to go out on his own and that will just worry me to death. Don’t look fwd to teenage years at all.

Disclaimer.. I know not all parents feel this way I’m speaking from myself. & yes there are a lot of good things about it… but its still overrated.
miamore73

@heavn HUUUUNNEEEEYYY!!!! YOU HAVE MY BABY!!! I cried when the Dr. told me it was a boy. Should have cried BECAUSE the Dr. told me it was a boy. My son is the only boy born into my mothers side of the family for generations. And man did he make up for the testosterone this family was missing.

BUT when my husband said something it got done. I had to actually have to look like I was going to react for my son to move. Raise my hand or pretend I was going to get up from my seat for him to stop doing something. man o man he was a mess. He’s 10 now and believe me sistah it does get better. It’ll be a while but it will get better.
heavn_sent

@ iscream

I ain’t mad at you. I LOVE my son..would die for him..but sometimes…whoooooo…girl…sometimes.
miamore73

AWWW isc I don’t think it’s overrated. I love it I really do. I actually regret that we didn’t have another one.

I think it’s one of the best things ever.

It would be even better if they would just sit down and shut up.
heavn_sent

@ mia..thank you for the encouragement and talking me down from the ledge…LOL
melinla

^5 to Isc!!!!! I feel the same way….My daugther just started high school and there is already a little girl trying to punk her – I said I pat TOO MUCH DAMN MONEY for you to go to school and get punked…she says she doesn’t want to be known as the mean girl…I said it’s better than being know as the punk! And as much as I wanted to go down there and protect her today – I came to work… Parenting is STRESSFUL, but I love my baby and won’t trade her for the world =)

@Mizz – It was hot and humid =) I enjoyed the grassy knoll (I feel strange saying that) The guys in the club (can’t remember the name) where the terrible. But I really enjoyed spending time with my friend and her babies. I will probably come back in the Spring.
Daisy

@Ice I have gfriend her daughter will be 3 in Nov she feels the same way you do and she always thought she wanted more than one kid but now she is content with the one she has esp. now that she is potty trained lol She said it wasnt anything she thought it would be she only tells me stuff cause all her other friends who are mothers judge her but I don’t I just listen and tell her motherhood is different for everybody and that I know she loves her child dearly. I also tell her I have no idea what kind of mother I will be so I cant throw stones at her until my day comes lol
heavn_sent

I don;t know how to do the smileys but, LMBAO @ melinla:

“she says she doesn’t want to be known as the mean girl…I said it’s better than being know as the punk!”

That’s CLASSIC!
tippmos

heavn_sent girll I feel ya on that one honey, people always have something to say about other people kids when they cry or fall out in stores but why act a fool with them when you can ignore them because all they want is attention anyway. They crying because we told them no about something from the jump start and then it won’t do any better to lash out at them or fuss because all they will do is make a bigger fuss.
heavn_sent

^^^^ exactly! He wanted to go to McDonald’s..And are they some kind of cult?? Why does EVERY child know and love that daggone place??? Anywho, I told him we could go after mommy finished, but he wasn’t having it. He wanted to go, “NOOOOOOOOOOOW!” OCS (Only Child Syndrome) at it’s finest. Needless to say, he didn’t see any part of an arch after all of his drama!
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com attorneymom

It takes a village to raise children.

Sidebar: I wanted to beat the hell of a couple of two year olds myself. Thank God for self restraint.
http://notenoughrealmen.blogspot.com 2thick4u

Damn…I heard about this but thought it was a joke !!!

How dare he actually touch someone child for crying. I thank GOD for not putting me in this situation…that’s all I am going to say!!!
KaraZ

@tipmos, pmany parents seem to forget that just because they’re able to tune out their children doesn’t mean other people are immune to their noise. I actually don’t mind when it’s an infant or younger toddler crying at a grocery store, that’s to be expected, but seeing a 4 or 5 yr old act up, when I know their parents can just chin check them and make it stop, works my nerves. I was a “naughty” child (according to my mother, I disagree), but I only acted up in public one time, and after my mom gave me the look and flicked me on my head then kept it moving, I thought twice before trying the same stunt again.
tippmos

@KaraZ, IMO the only people that has problems with other peoples kids crying is people who don’t have kids, or don’t like kids. A 4yr old or 5yr old still gets a little fussy at times and the “look” just don’t work for these kids any more. Yea back in the day when my mom gave me the “look” I shut up but it’s a different era and that just don’t work. You have to nearly knock a child head off these days to make them be quiet. Again why cause all that extra noise when they will eventually stop when they are ignored. A flick on the forehead or a “chin check” might not work for them. We do what works for us not anyone else. So people need to learn how to mind their own business when it comes to other peoples kids anyway.
wiggy2272003

Nah, Ice you ain’t the only one. I think the only ones who don’t feel like that at least some of the time either a/ have an EXCEPTIONALLY well behaved quiet child, or are like my Neighbor/friend whos’ mama bascially raises her kids down to buying their clothes, school supplies, cleaing and cooking. She said to me once I don’t know why all my friends act like raising kids is so hard and their kids get on their nerves. She has never even taken their daddy to court for support. I said to her if she was actually the one paying for and raising them kids all day every day she would feel different. Needless to say we aren’t friends the way we use to be.
KaraZ

You’re right, I don’t have kids and loud noise can trigger a migraine attack, so I definitely can’t stand uneccessarily noisy children. However I disagree, the look works with children even in this day & age in this country, just depnds on the background they have with their parents. I don’t know many kids in my family or community that act up in public.
heavn_sent

^^^^ It’s not the background..it’s the child. People forget that children are little people. And whether you beleive it or not, they are BORN with their own personalities. It’s upto us as parents to recognize and dtermine what worls best for our child. How can two children be born to the same parents, grow up in the same household and one be a scholar and the other a scoundrel? Because you can not parent every chid the same way… Holla back when you get some kids.
miamore73

While I do agree with most of the comments I will also add that as parents you should be considerate of anther persons right to not listen to your kid crying in the store or in common areas. In a restaurant, movie etc., politely remove yourself and your child from the environment once you realize that you are violating someones right to not hear it.

My daughter never did and my son tried (of course) but when it got out of hand I always removed him and took him outside or just somewhere else.
miamore73

No i think it is the background. If the look ain’t nuthin but a look then who the hell cares about you looking!! Now when we were little the look had a follow up. One or two follow ups and then look is all that was needed.
pointhimout

I wish a MF would touch my car, let alone my damn child??? she shoulda went to the back of the store, broke off a bullywood with the nail still in it, and lit in on his saggy wrinkled ass. are you kidding me with this? both our asses wouldve been locked up that night, to hell with that.

u can’t go around slapping other peoples kids. nothing to worry about cuz this trend will not be gaining any momentum.
Anna

pointhimout Says:

u can’t go around slapping other peoples kids. nothing to worry about cuz this trend will not be gaining any momentum.
~~~~~~~~~
LOL.
Daisy

Karaz what r u going to do when your own child cries n triggers a migraine if u plan on havin kids that is

I know I don’t have patience just from when I have my neice n nephew lol but I will have to get some when I have some
http://myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

Of course I would never do it, but I have sure fantasized about doing exactly what this man did.

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