Erika Dixon Johnson, North Carolina mom leaves kids in hot car while shoplifting at Walmart at Washington location. Mom is arrested on series of charges including shoplifting and child abuse.
A North Carolina mother is alleged to have left two young children inside of a hot vehicle at a store parking lot while she went to go shoplifting inside of a Walmart.
The incident took place on the afternoon of Saturday, March 14, when officers were called to a Walmart store in response to a trespassing complaint, according to authorities in Washington, Beaufort County, N.C.
Police said that Erika Dixon Johnson was inside the store with her 3-year-old daughter when employees noticed she was exhibiting suspicious behavior at the Pamlico Plaza outlet.
Repeat shoplifting suspect
Johnson, 35, allegedly tried to hide stolen merchandise in a trash can inside the store, according to arrest warrants cited by WINT.
The warrant indicated Johnson was previously ordered not to even be at that Walmart.
As officers prepared to take her into custody for shoplifting, authorities realized Johnson was committing another crime when her 3-year-old daughter reportedly told officers there was another child waiting in a vehicle in the parking lot.
Johnson initially gave officers incorrect information about where the vehicle was parked, though store employees later showed the officers surveillance footage from outside of the store in order to determine which car was hers.
Once officers made it to the car, they found a 3-month-old infant and a 2-year-old child were inside the vehicle, according to the warrants.
At the time of their discovery, the children were sweating and not moving.
National Weather Service data showed the high temperature on March 14 was 74 degrees in Washington.
N.C mom arrested on number of charges including child abuse, shoplifting, trespassing
Johnson upon being taken into custody was booked on two counts of misdemeanor child abuse, shoplifting, second-degree trespassing, two counts of resisting a public officer and simple possession of a Schedule III controlled substance.
Records also showed she was cited with parking in a handicap spot.
A judge set Johnson’s bond at $35,000 and it was specified that she would not be allowed ‘to go on any premises of Walmart in the world’ if she is released.
The mother’s arrest comes just weeks after she was arrested late February for allegedly shoplifting from Lowe’s and Target stores in Lenoir and Pitt Counties, N.C.
Johnson is currently being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center, according to police. She is scheduled to appear in court on April 6.
The city of Washington is near the North Carolina coast, about 30 minutes east of Greenville.
