DeLAND, Fla. – An Orlando-area mother's attempt at shoplifting ended with her running from police, leaving her kids and facing child abuse charges.
On Sunday evening, DeLand police said Rebecca Stoltz, 26, went shopping at Walmart with her 6-year-old daughter and 9-year-old stepdaughter. When she allegedly tried stealing $44 of clothes, she got caught by security, but in the panic of getting caught shoplifting, Stoltz ran from the store and left her kids behind, according to a police report.
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Other parents shopping at the store said they were outraged.
"Wow, that's wrong. In my opinion, she doesn't need to have children," Laura Enoch said.
Police said store security found the girls and they were both "clearly distressed and very emotional and both were crying."
With police hunting Stoltz down, it's clear the mom knew what she did because she told a friend to go pick the kids up. That friend, who arrived to get the kids, gave police a number to call Stoltz, who arrived later and was arrested.