An 18-year-old grocery store employee was taken into custody and charged with felony theft after admitting to activating over $2,400 in gift cards and taking $300 in cash to buy food for herself and her younger sister.
Bodycam footage shared on the YouTube channel Deputy Daniels shows the teen confessing that she used store systems to activate gift cards without payment between August and November.
“I’ve never been in any kind of trouble in my life. I was just trying to feed me and my little sister,” she said, visibly distraught.
The teen explained that her mother works long hours, leaving her responsible for feeding herself and her sister. “I didn’t know what else to do,” she told deputies through tears.
Despite her explanation and remorse, the grocery store pressed charges, resulting in her arrest and permanent trespass from the store. She was charged with organized fraud under $20,000, a felony that could carry long-term legal and employment consequences.
Footage shows the teen cooperating with law enforcement as she was transported to jail, telling deputies, “I’m scared. I don’t know how I’m going to get out. I just wanted to help my family.”
The arrest has prompted mixed reactions online, with many expressing sympathy for her situation and calling for compassion in cases involving financial hardship.
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