Mom talks to Raleigh City Council about alleged racial bias at Crabtree Valley Mall
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A Wake County parent says a group of teens, including her three children, were victims of racial bias at a Triangle mall. She took her case to Raleigh City Council and sounded off Tuesday.
LaVonda Bowden says she wants action after the four black teens were asked to leave the Crabtree Valley Mall. A security guard accused them of loitering. Managers at the mall have apologized, but Bowden says it's not enough.
Bowden says not only were the kids harassed and falsely accused, their safety was also compromised when they were kicked out in the middle of cold weather.
"Why would you kick them out in 30 degree weather and nobody called me," said Bowden. "You put my child outside. Anything could happen. Somebody could have came and snatched them up."
Bowden says the kids are now traumatized after being targeted because of their race.
"They kept going back to my 11-year-old son questioning him. My 17-year- old said 'Talk to me. I'm older,'" said Bowden. "It looked like my 11-year-old was going to cry."
In late February, the four teens were escorted off mall property.
"I'm very angry because I know for a fact that day there were four African-American young ladies that were told to leave before my four," said Bowden.
Security guards claimed the teens were loitering in the food court. The teens, however, insist that day they were at the mall shopping like most people. They bought some clothes and grabbed something to eat in the food court, and then were told they had to leave.
Bowden wanted the Raleigh City Council to know what happened though she understands the property is private and the city doesn't have direct jurisdiction. Some council members sympathized with Bowden. The city council wants to know what happened.
"I think too much of this going on in the world, and I think that couldn't be a truer statement and really appreciate you coming down here today and letting us hear this," said Council Member Bonner Gaylord.
The mall has apologized for kicking the minors off property.
"It is important that all shoppers and diners feel welcome at the mall," said Crabtree Valley Mall General Manager Bobby Medlin. "In this specific instance, we felt like the officers could have handled the situation differently. The officers should have noted the availability of seating areas and benches throughout the common areas of the mall rather than asking these young men to leave the mall."
Bowden isn't accepting the apology.
"It's a pattern and it's something I don't think that was just brought to his attention. He knew about this kind of behavior and stuff prior to me coming forward," said Bowden.
