A Black couple in Florida is suing Walmart after being wrongfully accused of shoplifting from the business.
According to News4Jax, Raymond and Nekeeya Brewster recently filed a discrimination complaint against Walmart, claiming profiling, unlawful incarceration, and defamation.
The Brewsters stated that they were returning children’s garments to a Walmart store in Jacksonville, Florida, when they were wrongly accused of stealing them.
According to the lawsuit, Nekeeya placed the clothing and return ticket in the original Walmart bag and sealed it tight. According to the lawsuit, Nekeeya placed the bag in her cart and went to find the size she was looking for, hoping to buy the new item while returning the old one.
The couple, who were joined by their children, then went to customer service, where an employee from Walmart’s loss prevention department allegedly said she improperly placed a pair of maroon pants in her bag. The employee allegedly claimed to have captured the theft on video, despite her attempts to produce the receipt.
According to the lawsuit, Jacksonville police arrived and “required” that the family enter a small front office for inquiry.
“We get into this room,” Raymond said. They close the door. The room, which measures approximately 10 by 10, is extremely small. So it’s just me, my three girls, my wife, two loss prevention men, and two officers.
According to the lawsuit, the business neglected to release the purported theft footage. Officers eventually permitted the family to go.
The Brewsters stated the incident made them feel “humiliated.”
“I go there all the time, shop there all the time, and what happened to us was unimaginable,” Raymond said. “I never expected that to happen.”