A Macon woman is in police custody after she ran over her 4-year-old son in the parking lot while fleeing the Houston County Galleria in Centerville.
The tragic incident happened on Thursday night, when a Belk loss prevention officer observed Arkebia Albury, 25, shoplifting inside the store.
The security officer followed Albury and her children, ages 2 and 4, into the parking lot, according to a report on Macon.com.
When he ordered her to stop, Albury jumped into her 2001 Toyota Camry and hit the gas, but only her 2-year-old had made it into the passenger side of the car.
As the officer pleaded with Albury to leave the 4-year-old until an ambulance arrived, Albury got out out of the car and picked up the injured child.
“She picks the little boy up and throws him in the car and drives off,” Centerville Police Chief Sidney Andrews said.
Police caught up with Albury’s Toyota on Wilson Drive, near the mall. Emergency rescue personnel arrived and transported the child to a local hospital, where he is listed in critical condition with severe head and internal injuries.
“The child is in bad shape,” Andrews said. “It wasn’t looking too good.”
In addition to the 2 toddlers, Albury’s sister and niece were also in the car. The women were not charged since they stayed in the car when the shoplifting occurred.
Andrews said he wasn’t sure what was taken in the theft.
“I believe it was a couple of T-shirts. I do know it was clothing. It was a misdemeanor amount,” he said. “This certainly was not worth it.”
Albury is charged with with two counts of cruelty to children, reckless conduct and theft by shoplifting.
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