According to a New York Post report on Saturday, January 27, 2024, a 26-year-old mother from Mississippi, Kambria Gabrielle Darby, was arrested on Monday, January 17, after a video of her subjecting her toddler to freezing temperatures in a Walmart store went viral on social media.
Darby faces charges of child neglect after police responded to a call at the Walmart store in Byram, Miss., around 10:30 a.m. Officers found her in the parking lot with her shivering child, who was only wearing diapers, as reported by WJTV.
The video, posted by a Walmart employee with the username Fee Nicole on Facebook, depicted Darby walking through the store with her toddler in a cold shopping cart, despite appropriately dressing for the 20-degree weather outside.
In the footage, several shoppers confronted Darby as she traversed the store, including a moment when she stopped at a freezer aisle and tossed a bag of frozen vegetables at the shivering child.
Witnesses in the video expressed their concern, with one man saying, “She’s throwing cold food on this child. What’s wrong with you?” In response, Darby snapped back, “Lower your voice, who are you,” before engaging in a vulgar rant. She also briefly twerked for the camera.
The Walmart employee who recorded the video, identified as Felicia Darling, claimed she was fired by Walmart for posting the clip online, according to WLBT. Darling expressed her concern for the child, stating, “I was just trying to help the child. I felt so bad for him. He was crying and shaking. I don’t understand how a mother can do that to her own child.”
Darling posted another video showing a shopper dressing the child with clothes from the store while Darby stood nearby scrolling on her phone.
Following the incident, police took Darby and the child to a local hospital for evaluation. The child was later released to a family member, while Darby was booked into the Hinds County Detention Center.
Walmart issued a statement acknowledging the incident and cooperating with authorities. “We are saddened by this situation and are thankful that our associates and customers stepped in to help this child. We are working with law enforcement and will continue to support their investigation,” the statement read.
