Walmart Shopper Arrested After Allegedly Trying to Buy Another Customer’s Child at Self-Checkout
We've heard stories about some crazy stuff going down at Walmart before, but this definitely takes the cake. A Texas woman was arrested this month after allegedly attempting to buy another woman's child at the big box store.
The bizarre encounter went down at a Walmart in Crockett, Texas, according to Messenger.
A 49-year-old woman, identified as Rebecca Lanette Taylor, was apprehended several days after allegedly offering money to buy another shopper's child in the self-checkout line.
There's a good chance that you've made a last minute addition to your shopping cart while waiting to checkout. However, it's usually a bar of candy, or maybe a magazine. This woman was apparently looking to add a tiny human being to her cart...
According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by the publication, Lt. Ahleea Price of the local police department received a call on Jan. 13 from the mother of the child in question.
She alleged that she was waiting in line at the self-checkout with her two children when "a white woman with blonde hair approached her in the Crockett Walmart, wanting to purchase her son."
Taylor reportedly commented on one of the children's blonde hair and blue eyes before asking to purchase him. The mom thought Taylor was joking and laughed the comment off.
Then Taylor made an offer: "Taylor told her that she had $250,000 in the car and she would pay that much for him," the affidavit reads.
The mother reportedly indicated that she was not willing to sell her child for any amount of money and basically told Taylor to get lost. KETK adds that Taylor was also told to "stay away" from the child.
Instead, Taylor announced that she had been "wanting to purchase a baby for a long time," according to Messenger.
She and an unnamed companion seemingly knew the child's name.
Although the mom waited to leave the store until Taylor finally left, the discussion continued in the parking lot when Taylor reportedly upped the ante and got heated.
"Taylor began screaming at [the mom], saying if she wouldn't take $250,000 for him, then she would give her $500,000," a police report reads.
Taylor allegedly added that she "wanted" the child and "was going to take him."
Somehow the mom was able to keep her cool and got both of her children safely locked inside her car. Taylor then finally left the Walmart parking lot.
Messenger reports that surveillance video from the store appears to corroborate the story. However, when police went to Taylor's house to interview her, the door was shut in their face.
Taylor was arrested a few days later on Jan. 18. She has been charged with sale or purchase of a child and is being held in jail on a $50,000 bond.
Messenger notes that the crime is a third-degree felony. If found guilty, the state of Texas mandates that Taylor could be imprisoned for between two and 10 years. She could also face a fine upwards of $10,000.